This effortlessly easy and super healthy Gluten Free Maple Glazed Kabocha Squash is an excellent addition to any dinner. It’s sweet, tender and full of fall flavor.
How have I never ever heard of kabocha squash before??? And I’m a girl who LOVES winter squash. I look forward to the grocery store squash sales every fall so I can justify making it.
Or you live in Hawaii and winter sqaush still costs at least $2.50/lb and you say, “What the hey?! Whatever, I’m buying squash anyway!” (Pretty cute rhyme, eh?)
And then you get up to the register and realize that your little splurge just cost you $10, and now that butternut squash has been sitting on my counter top for a week because I have to make sure that whatever I make out of it is really worth $10. It’s a lot of pressure.
I almost did the same thing with watermelon. Braelyn has been begging me to buy some, so the last time we went grocery shopping together she stuck one in the cart. I couln’t find a price anywhere, so I figured I could just decide when we got to the register if we really wanted it.
TWENTY TWO DOLLARS!!!
Say what?! Yeah, I answered a polite, “No thank you.” to that item. I’m telling you, it doesn’t matter how bad I want watermelon, I ain’t gonna spend $22 for it. No way!
A while back I saw a post on Food, Faith, Fitness’ instagram about kabocha squash. I had no idea what it was, but it looked like a winter squash to me. I was intrigued.
So naturally, the next time I went to the grocery store, I kept a look out for these squatty gourds, and sure enough I spotted a few. I bravely picked one up, bought it without thinking about what I would do with it, and carefully brought it home. Like the butternut squash, it also sat on my counter top for over a week.
And then this happened.
Gluten Free Maple Glazed Kabocha Squash.
All I did was cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and then cut the two halves into wedges. After a little dressing of olive oil, maple, syrup, and seasoning I popped it in the oven to roast for 35 minutes.
DELICIOUS!
So now that I have tried kabocha squash, I can tell you that basically it is a cross between acorn squash and butternut squash. It has the flavor and moisture of acorn squash, but with a soft velvety texture of butternut squash. It’s truly magnificent.
And roasting it with a drizzle of maple syrup just brings out that hint of sweet flavor that we love so much in our winter squash. Adding a little rubbed sage added some earthiness and fresh flavor to the squash and gave it a perfect sweet and savory balance.
The happiest part of this kabocha squash is there were actually leftovers, seeing as how we have a small family. I was teasing my mom the other day that we only ever got to eat half of an acorn squash or a quarter of a butternut squash growing up. Once your allotment was gone, you were out of luck.
I though it was because we didn’t have the money to buy more squash but she laughed and said, “Who ever thinks their child will eat more than 1/2 a squash?! I would have bought more if you told me!”
Oh.
Well, the past is the past. Now I am just making up for my squash deprived childhood and buying and eating as much winter squash as I want…even if it does cost me $10.
What is your favorite winter squash?
- 1 kabocha squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, shiny side down. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Cut squash in half from stem to bottom. Scoop out seeds and stringy flesh.
- Cut both halves of the squash into 2" wedges. Arrange wedges ,skin side down, on baking sheet.
- Drizzle squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Using clean hands, rub squash pieces to coat all sides with oil and seasonings.
- Drizzle squash with maple syrup and sprinkle tops with sage and nutmeg.
- Bake squash at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until tender.*
I’ve never tried kabocha squash but you have me SOLD girlfriend! These photos are gorgeous!!!
Thanks Leah! I just bought another one today. They seriously are so good.