This recipe will show you how to roast a whole kabocha squash in the oven to make kabocha pumpkin puree to use in many delicious pumpkin recipes such as pumpkin pie, pumpkin cupcakes, and pumpkin dog treats.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- Even though I use kabocha squash in this recipe, the technique will work for any kind of hard-skinned squash or pumpkin you wish to cook and make puree from.
- Canned pumpkin is readily available but making your own pumpkin puree gives you the flexibility to choose a specific type of pumpkin to use in your recipes.
- If you’ve ever tried to cut up a pumpkin, you know that it can be pretty treacherous! Cooking it whole simplifies the process and makes it easier to cut up once cooked.
Ingredients and substitutions
There is only one ingredient for this recipe – kabocha squash.
As I mentioned earlier, you can substitute any type of edible hard-skinned squash or pumpkin, such as acorn squash, butternut squash or sugar pie pumpkin.
How to cook kabocha squash and make pumpkin purée
Roasting a whole pumpkin
Prepare the kabocha for roasting by washing the skin and drying it well. Use a small paring knife to pierce it all around.
Place the kabocha on a baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven at 375°F for 1.5 hours until a knife goes through easily when pierced.
Tip: I used a 4-pound kabocha in this recipe and it took about 1.5 hours to roast. If you’re choosing a larger size pumpkin, it may take much longer. In this case, it may be a good idea to cut it in half or into smaller portions to speed up the cooking time.
Making pumpkin purée
Remove kabocha from the oven and cut in half with a sharp knife.
Scoop out and discard the seeds along with the stringy bits.
Then scoop out the flesh with a large spoon. It should come out pretty easily. If not, you can roast the kabocha longer until soft.
Tip: Make sure to use oven mitts to handle the kabocha since it will be very hot.
Purée the kabocha flesh in a food processor. If the purée is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to make it easier to purée.
Let the purée cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. You can use it in any recipe that calls for pumpkin purée.
More baker’s tips
- Depending on the size of your kabocha or pumpkin, the roasting time may be a little shorter or longer.
- To avoid handling the hot kabocha straight from the oven, you could let it cool before cutting it open.
- If the flesh cannot be scooped out easily with a spoon, you may not have roasted it long enough. Simply place both halves back on the baking sheet, and back into the oven. Roast until the flesh is soft.
- A 4 pounds kabocha squash will yield about 4 cups of purée.
FAQs
Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin with dark green, often bumpy, skin and bright yellow-orange flesh. You may have eaten it in a vegetable tempura dish at your favorite Japanese restaurant.
Kabocha is sweet, nutty and creamy. It tastes like a mix of a pumpkin and a sweet potato.
Storage
Your homemade pumpkin purée will last in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When freezing pumpkin purée, divide it into ½ cup to 1 cup portions so you can defrost just enough for a recipe you’re planning to bake.
Recipes to try with pumpkin puree
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Pumpkin Hand Pies
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📖 Recipe card
How to cook Kabocha squash + make pumpkin puree
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Kabocha squash (~4 lbs)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Wash the kabocha well, dry, and pierce with a paring knife all around.
- Place the kabocha on a baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven for 1.5 hours until a knife goes through easily when pierced.
- Remove from the oven and cut in half with a sharp knife. Make sure to use oven mitts to handle the kabocha since it will be very hot.
- Scoop out and discard the seeds, then scoop out the flesh with a large spoon. It should come out pretty easily. If not, you can roast the kabocha longer until soft.
- Purée the kabocha flesh in a food processor. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to make it easier to purée.
- Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Use in any recipe that calls for pumpkin purée.
Notes
- Depending on the size of your kabocha, the roasting time may be a little shorter or longer.
- To avoid handling the hot kabocha straight from the oven, you could let it cool before cutting it open.
- If the flesh cannot be scooped out easily with a spoon, you may not have roasted it long enough. Simply place both halves back on the baking sheet, and back into the oven. Roast until the flesh is soft.
- A 4lbs kabocha squash will yield about 4 cups of purée.
Nutrition
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I so so love Japanese flavours and squash and pumpkin so this one was right up my alley. Delicious 🙂