Who’s with me on eating roasted kabocha squash for breakfast?!
I’m popping in quick today to share one last side dish recipe before the holidays – and one that can you take you through the rest of winter!
Kabocha squash is slightly sweet but has a wonderful savory flavor. It works so well with any sweet ot savory addition and I might even love it more than butternut!
Now that’s huge.
This dish is soul warming and delicious. Roasted kabocha squash drizzled with whipped goat cheese is an incredible combination. But then we go and add in a refreshing element – pomegranate pepita relish! It’s savory and tart with the ever-so-slight hint of sweet, bringing the entire dish together.
Not to mention, it’s pretty darn festive! Red and green! Jewel tones! Exclamation points!
It’s also easy enough that you can make it for dinner.
For yourself, I mean.
And that’s exactly what I love.
Lacy is the one who came up with the idea for this ridiculously flavorful relish. I mean, we were eating it with crackers and chips too. There is so much you can do with it!
The pom pepita relish can be made ahead of time. It has fresh shallot and a touch of honey with herbs. Almost reminds me of a chimichurri of sorts or a gremolata. Prep it the night before and stick it in your fridge and that way, the flavors become even more intense. Seriously, you can eat this with a spoon if you’re a pomegranate pepita lover.
The goat cheese gets whipped in the food processor; something I’ve been doing for years. I’ve found that you can also make this ahead of time. Whip it and store it in the fridge. However, if you make it shortly before serving, it’s much for drizzle-able and spreadable and spoonable.
If you don’t need an extra dish on your holiday table, this is a dreamy, comforting meal you can make for yourself post Christmas. Yes please.
Roasted Kabocha Squash with Pomegranate Pepita Relish
Yield: 4 people
This roasted kabocha squash is caramely and naturally sweet, drizzled with whipped goat cheese and topped with pomegranate pepita relish. It’s unreal!
- 1 kabocha squash, seeds removed and cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1 garlic clove
pomegranate pepita relish
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- ⅓ cup roasted, salted pepitas
- 2 tablespoons diced shallot
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the squash on the sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Roast the squash for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once during cook time. Note: we do eat the skin of this squash! It’s super delicate and gets chewy and wonderful in the oven. If you’re not into that, you can certainly peel the squash too.
To make the goat cheese, place it in the bowl of your food processor with the garlic. Pulse a few times then blend it until it’s smooth and no lumps remain. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
To serve, drizzle the squash with the whipped goat cheese. Top with the pomegranate pepita relish and eat!
pomegranate pepita relish
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir. You can make this a day ahead of time and keep it sealed in the fridge. It tastes great after it sits for awhile!
All those colors!
