Sweet Roasted Kabocha and Goat's Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Dressing - You don't need any meat to make it feel like a complete meal.
Kabocha Squash is a fairly new discovery for me. I'd seen it on the supermarket shelves, looking all squat and wrinkly like a mean-green goblin, and ignored it for that very reason.
It just goes to show how looks can be deceiving!
I bought my first one last year after the shop sold out of butternut squash, and Whoa!!
Kabocha is better than butternut squash!!
Like waaaayyy better!
A dense and sweet flavour, with a hint of nuttiness to it - which tastes amazing roasted in the oven with a few spices and a good glug of olive oil.
Even better, you can eat the skin too!
I find peeling butternut squash such a chore - awkward-shaped slippy things!
Then once I've peeled it, I live in complete fear of chopping all my fingers off in one go when I try to cut into it with my big knife.
Bluergh!
(I once ended up in A&E after chopping a nice slice from the top of my finger - and that was just chopping iceburg lettuce!)
The kabocha itself doesn't contain a huge amount of flesh. Once you cut it open, you'll see that the vast majority of it is made up of seeds. At first I was a little disappointed - but then I realised that this just made the squash easier to prepare.
Scoop out the seeds, and slice into strips - and you're done.
The roasted squash is served with fresh spinach and creamy goats cheese, then sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and pine nuts before being tossed together with a tangy pomegranate dressing.
Love love love this salad for dinner (it's filling enough to serve as a main meal), and no longer will I be ignoring those little green goblins 🙂
My recipe for Roasted Kabocha Squash Salad first appeared in Superfood Magazine.
The Roasted Kabocha and Goat's Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Dressing Recipe:
Roasted Kabocha and Goat's Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 small kabocha squash
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 100 g (3 packed cups) baby spinach
- 100 g (1 cup minus 1 tbsp)soft goat cheese - roughly chopped (Capricorn Goats cheese is a good vegetarian option)
- seeds from half a pomegranate
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
Pomegranate Dressing:
- 4 tbsp pomegranate juice - you can use bought pomegranate juice or squeeze the juice out of half a large pomegranate
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- pinch of salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (fan).
- Cut the squash into 1” slices, remove and discard the seeds, then cut each slice into half-moons. Toss in the olive oil, then sprinkle on the paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.1 small kabocha squash, 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp paprika, ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Whilst the squash is cooking, make the dressing by mixing together all of the dressing ingredients using a fork. Pour into a small serving bowl.4 tbsp pomegranate juice, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp honey, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, pinch of salt and pepper
- Take the squash out of the oven and put to one side. Divide the spinach between three plates. Top with slices of squash, then sprinkle with goats cheese, pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. Serve with the pomegranate dressing.100 g (3 packed cups) baby spinach, 100 g (1 cup minus 1 tbsp)soft goat cheese, seeds from half a pomegranate, 3 tbsp pine nuts
✎ Notes
Nutrition
Eleanor says
Tried this with butternut squash, as I couldn't find Kabocha. It was delicious, going to keep looking for Kabocha for the recipe to be authentic.
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
Love pomegranate and squash together. This looks delicious!
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Karen 🙂
Laura Plumb says
Hi Nicky, Your photographs are gorgeous and recipes so sumptuous! Thanks for your gifts, and your generous welcome to FBP
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks so much Laura. I know you'll love FBP!
munchiesandmunchkins says
This looks beautiful, I love trying new varieties of squash - I love red onion squash so much! The pomegranate makes this look so pretty x
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks so much 🙂
laura_howtocook says
I don't think I have tried kabocha squash but I know I would love it, especially in this recipe. Your pomegranate dressing sounds super tasty and I think I'll be planning to make this myself!
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Laura, I hope you enjoy it. I love the pomegranate dressing too, I've used in on quite a few salad and it's got a lovely tang to it.
HedgeComber says
Oh that looks so scrummy! We are growing a coupld of new squash varieties this year - cannot wait to see what they are like 😀
Janie x
Nicky Corbishley says
I'm so jealous! I usually grow a few bits and pieces in my garden (peas, garlic, onions, chillies etc), but we're starting an extension soon, and the garden is pretty much going to be out of bounds. I've never grown squash before though!