Roasted Kabocha Miso Nut Salad

Name: Roasted Kabocha Miso Nut Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: kabocha squash 500 g; arugula 90 g; cooked chickpeas 140 g; walnuts 35 g; white miso 1.5 tbsp; rice vinegar 1.5 tbsp; olive oil 2 tbsp; maple syrup 1 tbsp; salt 0.4 tsp; black pepper 0.2 tsp

Quick answer

Total time: 40 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Kabocha roasted with its skin on turns chestnut-dry and fluffy inside, with caramelized edges outside.

Autumn squash, at its sweetest, gives the clearest version of that flavor. White miso loosened with rice vinegar and maple syrup makes a dressing that is salty, sweet, and sour at once, and it makes the squash taste sweeter rather than masking it. With a very salty miso, add the dressing in portions and taste along the way. A bed of peppery arugula keeps the plate from tipping too sweet. Chickpeas and walnuts add chew and enough heft to make this a vegetarian main.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Preheat the oven to 210C.

Wash the 500 g kabocha, leave the skin on, scrape out the seeds, and cut it into 2 cm half-moon wedges so the pieces roast evenly.
2

Toss the kabocha with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 0.4 teaspoon salt, and 0.2 teaspoon black pepper.

Spread the wedges in one layer on a tray, leaving space so they caramelize instead of steaming.
3

Roast at 210C for 22-25 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Remove the tray when the edges are browned, the surfaces look dry and caramelized, and a chopstick or knife slides in easily.
4

Whisk 1.5 tablespoons white miso, 1.5 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

If the miso is very salty, keep the dressing separate so it can be added in portions.
5

Toast 35 g walnuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant.

Shake the pan often to prevent scorching, then cool them briefly and crush them roughly for texture.
6

Toss 90 g arugula and 140 g cooked chickpeas with half of the dressing first, just enough to coat.

Arrange the roasted kabocha on top, scatter the walnuts, add the remaining dressing in portions, tasting to adjust the amount, and serve promptly.