This Japanese pumpkin salad is a popular side dish using Japanese pumpkin or kabocha squash (also known as Kent Pumpkin or Danhobak 단호박). This sweet pumpkin goes by many names but in the end, provides a natural sweetness that’s delicious! If you only have butternut squash, feel free to use it instead!
I’m going to show you how to make my Japanese-style pumpkin salad recipe! All you have to do is steam your pumpkin/squash so it’s soft enough for a salad or even to be used as a filling for a sandwich or wrap!
This Japanese pumpkin salad recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and vegan!
Pumpkin salads are perfect for lunch or appetizers! It’s fresh, creamy, and sweet! You only need 4 ingredients to make this salad as most of the flavor comes from the natural sweetness of the pumpkin.
Recipe for Japanese Pumpkin Salad
To make a Japanese pumpkin salad, you’ll want to use a sweet pumpkin such as Japanese Pumpkin, Kabocha Squash, or Kent Pumpkin.
Today, I used kabocha squash since it was available at my local grocery store. So you can use whatever is available for you.
The fastest way to cook your sweet pumpkin of choice is to microwave for around 2 mins to soften, cut it in half, scoop out the insides, cut it into wedges and steam them in a steamer or over boiling water for 15-20 mins until soft enough for a fork to go in easily. Then, it’s perfect for your salad.
You can also watch me on YouTube make this creamy pumpkin pasta & other pumpkin recipes!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Salad
- Japanese Pumpkin (or Kabocha Squash, Kent Pumpkin, etc)
- Cucumber
- Mayonnaise (vegan)
- Chickpeas
If you don’t have cucumber, you can substitute it with some diced red onion.
If you don’t have chickpeas, simply omit or use white beans.
Measurements in Recipe card below!
How To Make Japanese Pumpkin Salad
1. To begin cooking your sweet pumpkin (aka Japanese pumpkin, kabocha squash, or kent pumpkin), microwave the whole thing for around 2 minutes until soft enough to cut through relatively easily. If it’s too hard to cut, microwave it for another minute.
2. Next, cut the slightly softened pumpkin/squash in half using a sharp knife. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides.
3. Then, cut the whole thing into about 8-10 wedges; don’t worry about how the pieces look as we will mash them later once it’s softened more.
4. Place the pieces into a steamer and steam for about 15-20 minutes or until soft enough for a fork to go in easily.
5. While the pumpkin/squash is steaming, prepare the cucumber by cutting it julienne. Add chickpeas into a bowl and mash with a fork (this doesn’t have to be perfect).
6. Once the pumpkin/squash is soft, take the pieces out of the steamer and allow to cool for a few minutes until it’s cool enough to touch then take a small knife and peel the skin of the wedges. The skin is edible and also relatively soft, so feel free to eat the skin as a healthy snack.
7. Once all the skin is peeled, add into a large bowl and mash with a fork (again, this doesn’t have to be perfect and can be a bit chunky).
8. Add the mashed chickpeas, julienned cucumbers, vegan mayonnaise, and salt into the large bowl and mix everything together until thoroughly mixed.
9. Enjoy your Japanese pumpkin salad! You can also use it as a filling for a sandwich or a wrap or as a topping for toast or crackers. You can keep it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Japanese Pumpkin Salad
Equipment
- Steamer or Pot to steam pumpkin
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Bowl
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1/2 whole Japanese Pumpkin or kabocha squash, kent pumpkin, butternut squash
- 1/2 cucumber large
- 1 cup chickpeas canned | drained & rinsed
- 3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
Instructions
- To begin cooking your sweet pumpkin (aka Japanese pumpkin, kabocha squash, or kent pumpkin), microwave the whole thing for around 2 minutes until soft enough to cut through relatively easily. If it’s too hard to cut, microwave it for another minute.
- Next, cut the slightly softened pumpkin/squash in half using a sharp knife. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides.
- Then, cut the whole thing into about 8-10 wedges; don’t worry about how the pieces look as we will mash them later once it's softened more.
- Place the pieces into a steamer and steam for about 15-20 minutes or until soft enough for a fork to go in easily.
- While the pumpkin/squash is steaming, prepare the cucumber by cutting it julienne. Add chickpeas into a bowl and mash with a fork (this doesn’t have to be perfect).
- Once the pumpkin/squash is soft, take the pieces out of the steamer and allow to cool for a few minutes until it’s cool enough to touch then take a small knife and peel the skin of the wedges. The skin is edible and also relatively soft, so feel free to eat the skin as a healthy snack.
- Once all the skin is peeled, add into a large bowl and mash with a fork (again, this doesn’t have to be perfect and can be a bit chunky).
- Add the mashed chickpeas, julienned cucumbers, vegan mayonnaise, and salt into the large bowl and mix everything together until thoroughly mixed.
- Enjoy your Japanese pumpkin salad! You can also use it as a filling for a sandwich or a wrap or as a topping for toast or crackers. You can keep it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Video
Nutrition
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I can’t believe how delicious this is. Love the natural taste of Kabocha but this takes things to the next level