Kabocha Gratin (Video) かぼちゃグラタン

Tender chunks of sweet kabocha, umami mushrooms, and macaroni in a creamy béchamel sauce, topped off with panko breadcrumbs and baked until crispy golden. Kabocha Gratin with a Japanese twist is the ultra comfort food in cold weather months.

When there is a chill in the air, it is time to turn to warm casserole dishes. Now it might surprise you that the Japanese also eat homey western cuisine. Yes, we love our cozy dishes, but very often we enjoy them with Japanese flavors. Among the myriad Western-style Japanese food or yoshoku out there, the two popular casserole dishes are Gratin (グラタン) and Doria (ドリア), a Japanese invention of rice gratin.

Today I’m going to share our fall favorite gratin, Kabocha Gratin (カボチャグラタン). You can use rice or pasta for your choice of carb. I used macaroni, so think fancy Japanese-style mac and cheese. Rich and indulgent, this vegetarian-friendly recipe would make a really nice side dish or a complete meal on its own. 

The Star Ingredient – Kabocha

The outstanding texture and sweetness of Kabocha are what make this gratin shine. Not only does it add so much more flavor and heartiness to the entire dish, but the bright vivid orange flesh also gives the gratin an extra holiday touch.

Since kabocha is loaded with plenty of nutrients, you get extra goodness out of this comfort dish. If you prefer less carb, just adjust the ratio of kabocha and macaroni to your liking.

Cooking Tips for Bechamel Sauce (White Sauce)

Don’t get taken aback when you hear “bechamel sauce”. It may sound fancy to the ears, but in fact, it is a simple sauce to make. In Japan, we just call it “white sauce” (ホワイトソース). The cheesy creamy sauce is often used to make soups and stews like my Clam Chowder, and Japanese White Stew (ホワイトシチュー) recipes.

To make a good white sauce, you need to remember three important points.

1. Patiently cook the roux

First of all, the roux is made of equal parts of fat (butter, coconut oil, ghee, etc.) and flour by volume. You may find that many recipes adjust the amount like I did in this recipe. The butter and flour swell as they cook and will thicken sauces.

You want to make sure that the flour in the roux is cooked well, which should be about 5-7 minutes until the roux turns into a light golden color. If you don’t cook the roux long enough, the white sauce will have a raw floury taste.

2. Always use warm milk

I highly recommend heating up the milk until warm to the touch. This extra step helps as it takes less time to heat up and thicken the sauce and you don’t have to stir constantly for a longer time.

3. Gradually add in the milk

Never pour the milk all at once! You want to gradually add in the warm milk, about ¼ cup at a time. Make sure the milk and the roux are well blended without any lumps before adding the next batch. It’s MUCH harder to dissolve clumps of flour in a thin sauce.

Continue cooking while stirring constantly because the thick white sauce easily burns. Wait for the point when the white sauce changes the texture to become very smooth, thick, and creamy.

A Japanese Twist – Miso!

I like to sneak in a Japanese condiment in Western-style dishes. It’s my “secret ingredient”. In Japanese, we say Kakushi Aji as a special touch to give the dish a subtle Japanese flavor.

The recipe is delicious even without miso in it, but if you have a tub of miso in your fridge waiting to get used, this is your chance! Each miso has a different salt level, so you want to adjust the amount of miso flavoring the dish. The white sauce is pretty mild in taste, so you can season the kabocha and mushroom mixture pretty well, without having to worry it gets too salty when the whole dish comes together.

Variation of Kabocha Gratin

If you wish to add in some meat to bulk up the casserole, there is no reason not to do so. Some shredded chicken or leftover turkey would work well in the dish. I love the addition of bacon. You probably have heard me repeating this – bacon and kabocha are an excellent match!

You can keep the gratin simple with just kabocha or kabocha and macaroni, but I like throwing in some king oyster mushrooms and shimeji mushrooms. The meaty mushrooms lend the right amount of umami to an already amazing creamy kabocha gratin.

I love taking the kabocha gratin out of the oven with its golden baked cheese still bubbling around the edges. As it cools on the stove, garnish with some chives. You will have a delicious casserole dish ready for dinner or at your next holiday party!

Similar Recipes You’ll Love

• Potato Leek Gratin
• Curry Doria Recipe (Rice Gratin)

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Kabocha Gratin

4.84 from 25 votes

Tender chunks of sweet kabocha, umami mushrooms and macaroni in a creamy béchamel sauce, topped off with panko breadcrumbs and baked until crisp and golden. Kabocha Gratin with a Japanese twist is the ultra comfort food in cold weather months.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Video

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 individual gratin dishes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1½ lb kabocha squash (½ kabocha)
• ▢ 1 clove garlic
• ▢ ½ onion (4 oz, 114 g)
• ▢ 9.5 oz king oyster mushrooms (eringi) (1 package)
• ▢ 3.5 oz shimeji mushrooms (1 package)
• ▢ 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1½ Tbsp miso
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (to grease the baking dishes)
• ▢ ½ cup Gruyere cheese (freshly grated)
• ▢ ¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (4 Tbsp)

For the Macaroni (optional)

• ▢ 2 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ 1½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni (6 oz; makes 3 cups cooked macaroni)

For the White Sauce

• ▢ 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)
• ▢ 3⅓ cups whole milk (warm)
• ▢ Diamond Crystal kosher salt (to taste)
• ▢ ⅛ tsp white pepper powder (to taste; or substitute freshly ground black pepper)
• ▢ ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg (to taste; optional)

For the Garnish

• ▢ chives or parsley (minced)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Microwave 1½ lb kabocha squash for 2 minutes and remove the seeds and pith; learn how to cut it open in my post about kabocha squash.
  
• Cut into wedges and remove the skin.
  
• Cut into small chunks, about 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes.
  
• Thinly slice ½ onion and 1 clove garlic.
  
• Discard the bottom of 3.5 oz shimeji mushrooms. Separate the shimeji mushrooms into small pieces with your hands.
  
• Cut 9.5 oz king oyster mushrooms (eringi) into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces and slice thinly.
  

To Make the White Sauce

• In a large saucepan, melt 4 Tbsp unsalted butter over low heat. Once the butter is completely melted, add ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) and mix well until blended. Cook the flour, stirring constantly, without browning, for 1–2 minutes.
  
• Gradually add in 3⅓ cups whole milk, ½ cup at a time, while stirring constantly until the sauce is completely smooth and without any lumps.
  
• Season with a pinch of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ⅛ tsp white pepper powder (or freshly ground black pepper), and ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg.
  
• Cook the white sauce, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened, about 10–15 minutes. It should be a thick, creamy sauce. Taste the sauce one more time and adjust the seasonings to make sure it’s not bland. Set aside. Tip: If you end up with leftover white sauce, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
  

To Cook the Kabocha

• In a large frying pan, heat 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onion is coated with oil.
  
• Add the oyster and shimeji mushrooms and cook for 2–3 minutes.
  
• Once the mushrooms are tender, add 1½ Tbsp miso and mix well together.
  
• Add the kabocha and 1 cup water for steaming. Close the lid and cook kabocha on medium-low heat until it’s tender, about 10 minutes.
  

To Cook the Macaroni (optional)

• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, add 2 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and cook 1½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni according to the package instructions, but cook 1 minute less than instructed as it’ll cook further in the frying pan. Drain well and set aside.
  
• If you’re using a broiler, preheat the broiler for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a broil setting in your oven, preheat the oven to 500ºF (260ºC). Adjust the rack so the food is about 4–6 inches from the heat source.

To Assemble

• Insert the wooden skewer to see if it goes through a piece of kabocha. If it does, add the white sauce and mix all together.
  
• Taste the sauce and season with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary.
  
• Add the cooked macaroni and mix well.
  
• Grease the inside of your 2 8- x 8-inch (20- x 20-cm) baking dishes with a stick of butter (or use 1 8- x 8-inch baking dish and 4 individual gratin dishes). You can also melt 1 Tbsp unsalted butter and use a brush to grease the dishes. Transfer the mixture to the buttered baking dish(es).
  
• Grate ½ cup Gruyere cheese on top and sprinkle ¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs).
  
• Place the baking dishes in the oven (broiler or 500ºF/250ºC) for 3 to 4 minutes until the top is nicely golden brown and bubbling around the edges. If the dishes are not browning evenly, rotate them around. Remove from the oven and let the gratin stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and serve.
  

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Kabocha Gratin

Amount per Serving

Calories

367

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

17

g

26

%

Saturated Fat

 

8

g

50

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

5

g

Cholesterol

 

37

mg

12

%

Sodium

 

215

mg

9

%

Potassium

 

709

mg

20

%

Carbohydrates

 

44

g

15

%

Fiber

 

4

g

17

%

Sugar

 

9

g

10

%

Protein

 

13

g

26

%

Vitamin A

 

1630

IU

33

%

Vitamin C

 

12

mg

15

%

Calcium

 

236

mg

24

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Nami

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: macaroni, pumpkin

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