6 In Side Dish/ Vegetable

Kabocha Salad Recipe

Kabocha Salad

Kabocha Salad is mashed Kabocha mixed with mayo and seasonings.  It is a popular side dish for Bento or any Japanese meal.  Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) is sweet, healthy, and very versatile.  You can cook it just like potatoes.  Mash it, fry it, simmer it, etc. We made Kabocha salad with cucumbers here, but you could add other vegetables like sliced onion or cooked broccoli, and some protein like boiled eggs or ham.  It is similar to Japanese potato salad, but the ingredients here are a lot simpler.  Kabocha can be softened in the microwave very easily and quickly, so the salad can be made in no time.  It could be mashed completely to have a smooth texture or leave some chunks to enjoy a heartier dish.  This salad is so easy and tasty that you need to try it for a weekday supper

Originally posted on September 22, 2013.
Edited with a video on September 28, 2021.

Kabocha Salad
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Kabocha Salad

Course: Salad
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: kabocha, salad

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 – 1/3 Kabocha Japanese pumpkin
  • 1 Japanese cucumber or 2 small cucumbers
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise preferably Japanese mayo
  • black pepper to taste optional

Instructions

  • Cut Kabocha into small pieces and place in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook about 6 minutes in the microwave oven or until soft. Remove skins and mash Kabocha (you don’t need to mash all the way if you want it chunky).
  • Slice cucumber thinly and sprinkle with salt in another bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes and squeeze water out.
  • Mix Kabocha, cucumber, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste.

Video

Kabocha Salad Recipe
Step 1
Kabocha Salad Recipe
Step 2
Kabocha Salad Recipe
Step 3
Kabocha Salad

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  • Bob
    July 26, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    What is ‘Japanese mayo’? If I can’t find any in the US easily, can I ‘spice up’ some American mayo?

    • Noriko
      September 13, 2014 at 2:15 pm

      Bob,
      Japanese mayo tastes more like dressing. Add some vinegar or lemon juice and a little salt to American mayo. It’s still not the same, but a little closer.

    • An Na
      February 20, 2016 at 8:12 pm

      Buy some Kewpie from Amazon, that’s what I do when I’m in the US and I cannot easily find Japanese mayo

  • Lori
    October 20, 2014 at 6:33 am

    When cooking the kabocha in the microwave, do you use any water?

    • Noriko
      October 24, 2014 at 9:08 pm

      I don’t think so.

  • Victoria
    October 10, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    Thank you for these delicious recipes! I am an American woman and my husband is Japanese. Every time we visit his Mom in Osaka she always cooks such delicious food that it really inspires me to want to cook more Japanese food since I know my husband loves it. Your website/YouTube really helps me out!! I made two things already and my husband was really happy! Thank you so much!