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4.34 from 6 votes

Quick Asian-Spiced Kabocha Squash

Like most other winter squashes, kabocha is a bear to cut, but, on the bright side, no peeling is required! The skin offers a pleasant and unique texture to the dish. For efficiency, I cut up all of the kabocha at once, and store any leftovers in baggies to use or freeze at my convenience.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Alisa Fleming

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb Kabocha Squash Smallish Chunks skin on if desired
  • 1/3 cup Water plus additional if needed
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce or Wheat-Free Tamari
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons Evaporated Cane Juice or Granulated Palm Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger minced
  • 3/8 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice Powder*

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a skillet and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the lid and continue to cook (stirring occasionally) until the liquid is pretty much gone / thickened, and the squash (and peel) is nice and tender. This takes me about 5 minutes, but if the liquid evaporates and your squash isn’t yet done to your liking, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. Serve.

Notes

*Chinese 5-Spice powder is a spice blend sold in most major supermarkets, but you can also buy organic versions online. It contains 5 traditional Chinese spices that may include any of the following: cinnamon, fennel, cloves, anise, star anise, ginger, white pepper, Sichuan pepper. You can make your own blend at home by combining 1 tablespoon each ground star anise and ground fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon (real cassia preferred) and Sichuan peppercorns, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

Nutrition

Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 511mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2325IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.5mg