Fun fact: I adore winter squash of every variety.
I’m particularly partial to butternut, yet I happily bring home acorn, red kuri, buttercup, carnival, delicata, and the occasional crown prince pumpkin or kabocha from the farmer’s market. Right now I have three acorns, four butternuts, and two delicatas on my counter and I’m already planning tomorrow’s market stop to see what else I can find. A blue hubbard the size of a small person would be a dream, though unlikely.
Growing up, butternut dominated our dinner table — it’s a common regional staple (it was first cultivated in Massachusetts) — so I missed out on the wider world of winter squashes for a while. Once I discovered the variety available beyond butternut, I was thrilled. The range of shapes, colors, and textures is delightful and each squash brings something different to the table.
Let’s talk about kabocha. It looks like a small, striped green pumpkin with a bumpy surface and a compact shape. The flesh is dense and sweet, similar in texture to a sweet potato, and it caramelizes beautifully when roasted.
Kabocha and buttercup can be easily confused: they look and taste very similar, and sometimes squashes are mislabeled at markets. A simple difference is that kabocha tends to have a rounded top while buttercup has a flatter top — but honestly, both roast up deliciously, so either choice works.
The key with both kabocha and buttercup is roasting: it brings out their sweetness and gives the flesh a velvety, caramelized finish. The recipe below is intentionally simple — fewer than ten core ingredients — and relies on bright, complementary flavors: lime, honey, chili flakes, cilantro, and scallions, with olive oil, salt, and pepper to round things out.
When cut into wedges and roasted, the kabocha softens and becomes slightly caramelized and almost velvety, while its thin green skin becomes tender enough to eat. A quick drizzle of lime juice and zest combined with honey and chili flakes adds bright, sweet, and spicy notes, and a scattering of fresh cilantro and thinly sliced scallions finishes the dish with freshness and bite.
The result is a tray of roasted squash that stands proudly on its own. You can serve the wedges as the main attraction, or fold them into pasta, burrito bowls, salads, grains, tacos, or quesadillas — they’re versatile enough to shine in many contexts. But frankly, piled high on a plate, they’re satisfying enough to be the star of the meal.
This preparation is:
- sweet
- a little (or a lot) spicy, depending on how much chili you use
- bright and tangy from lime
- dense and velvety in texture
- comfortingly autumnal
- and deeply satisfying
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out — share your experience or a photo on Instagram or leave a comment. Enjoy!
Roasted Kabocha Squash with Chili, Lime, & Honey
Chelsea Colbath
Ingredients
- 1 medium Kabocha or Buttercup Squash*
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lime juice and zest
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper/chili flakes*
- 1 Tablespoon raw honey
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 4-6 small scallions
Instructions
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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
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2. Cut the squash into roughly 1-inch-thick wedges (about 16 wedges from a 4-pound kabocha). Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, then cut each half into quarters and then into wedges.
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3. Arrange the wedges on the prepared pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Rub the oil and seasoning onto each wedge so they are evenly coated. Roast for 30–40 minutes, until the squash is tender and lightly caramelized.
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4. While the squash roasts, combine the lime zest and juice with the honey and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Chop the cilantro and thinly slice the scallions.
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5. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and drizzle the lime-honey-chili mixture over the wedges. Scatter cilantro and scallions on top and serve immediately, either straight from the pan or on a platter.
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6. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week, if you can resist eating them all at once.
Notes
*If you prefer a milder dish, start with 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes and add more to taste. One teaspoon yields a noticeable but balanced heat alongside the lime and honey.