Sunshine is a kabocha, a Japanese winter squash, and one of the sweetest squash you can grow. The skin is a bright red-orange, and the flesh is deep orange, dense and nutty, almost like roasted chestnut. Once roasted, the skin is tender enough to eat, so there’s no peeling. A salty-sweet miso glaze brings out all that sweetness.

Storage: Keep it whole on the counter or somewhere cool and dry, not in the fridge. It keeps for a month or more, and its flavor gets even sweeter for the first few weeks. Once cut, wrap it and refrigerate, and use it within 5 days.

Cutting tip: Kabocha is hard. Microwave the whole squash for 2–3 minutes to soften the skin, I use my oven at 350F for no longer than 10 minutes, then cut it in half with a big, sturdy knife. Rock the knife gently rather than forcing it.

Serves 4 as a side · 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Sunshine kabocha (about 3 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons olive or neutral oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Glaze: 1 tablespoon white or yellow miso, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger in the glaze, toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions or a pinch of chili flakes to finish

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
  2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut each half into wedges about 1 inch thick.
  3. Toss the wedges with the oil and salt and spread them out in one layer.
  4. Roast 20 minutes, then flip the wedges.
  5. While they roast, whisk the miso, maple syrup, melted butter, vinegar and ginger, if using, until smooth.
  6. Brush the glaze over the wedges. Roast another 8–10 minutes, until tender all the way through and caramelized at the edges. Watch closely at the end, because the glaze can go from browned to burnt quickly.
  7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, scallions or chili flakes, and serve warm.

Other ideas: Skip the glaze and just roast the wedges with oil and salt. Cubes of roasted kabocha are great in grain bowls, salads, tacos or soup. Roast the seeds too, the same way as pumpkin seeds.