Cooked in savory dashi broth seasoned with soy sauce and sake, this classic Japanese Simmered Kabocha Squash makes a great healthy side dish that is chock-full of nutrients.
Simmered Kabocha Squash, or what we call Kabocha no Nimono (かぼちゃの煮物), is one of the most classic and popular simmered dishes in Japan. If you are traveling in Japan, you will see this kabocha dish everywhere: in the bento box you pick up at the train station, as part of the side dishes of your teishoku (lunch meal set), or at the breakfast buffet in your ryokan (Japanese inn).
If you miss this hearty, comforting home-cooked dish, grab a kabocha squash at your local Japanese or Asian grocery store, and make this at home!
How to Cut a Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin)
A complete guide on how to cut, peel, and cook a kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) with helpful tutorial video and step by step pictures.
Simmered Kabocha – A Classic Home Cooked Dish
A typical Japanese home-cooked meal includes at least one simmered dish called Nimono (煮物). It can be fish or meat or different types of root vegetables all cooked and simmered in one pot. Wholesome, nutritious and easy to prepare, these simmered dishes are considered true home cooking of a Japanese kitchen. And they make up a fundamental part of washoku 和食.
It might be surprising to you, but most of the simmered dishes are seasoned similarly – with some kind of Japanese stock, dashi (see varieties here), sake, mirin, soy sauce (and sugar). What makes it different?
Based on the ingredients, we modify the ratio of the seasonings. For example, kabocha squash itself is already very sweet and flavorful, so we go easy on the sweetness (mirin or sugar) and cut down on soy sauce since we don’t want to the saltiness to overpower the dish.
3 Important Tips for No Failed Simmered Kabocha
1. Cut Kabocha Squash into Equal Size
Do not underestimate this simple tip. To make sure all the squash pieces are evenly cooked, you want to cut the kabocha squash in similar sizes. Smaller cubes will help speed up the cooking time as well.
2. Place kabocha in a single layer
Kabocha is very fragile once it’s cooked and it can break into pieces or mush easily. Therefore, you need to secure each kabocha piece, making sure they are laid in a single layer without overlapping in the pot. Then swirl the pot to mix the seasonings instead of using cooking utensils.
3. Cook Kabocha with just enough liquid and Otoshibuta
The amount of cooking liquid should be just enough to come to the top level of kabocha pieces in the pot. Overfilling with cooking liquid will only result in soupy kabocha, which we want to avoid.
Make sure to use an Otoshibuta (drop lid) so that cooking liquid is forced to circulate, allowing the kabocha to cook evenly and quickly as they absorb the flavor.
Truly simple and rustic, I hope you enjoy making this Simmered Kabocha Squash recipe, especially in fall and winter. To experience more Japanese home cooking, check out other Nimono recipes on my blog and leave a comment below and let me know the kind of simmered dishes you have in mind.
Other Kabocha Recipes:
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Simmered Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin)
Ingredients
- 1 lb kabocha (squash/pumpkin) (½ of small kabocha)
- 1 knob ginger (optional; 1", 2.5 cm)
Katsuo Dashi
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 2 packs katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (1 package contains 3 grams katsuobushi)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- In a small pot, boil 1 ¾ (400 ml) cups water. Once boiling, add katsuobushi.
- Mix together and turn off the heat. Set aside for 15 minutes. Then strain the katsuobushi with a fine-mesh sieve. Set the katsuo dashi aside for now. You can discard the katsuobushi or make furikake (rice seasonings) with the leftover katsuobushi.
- Remove the seeds from the kabocha and microwave it for 2 minutes to soften the outer kabocha skin. You can skip microwaving if you have a sharp knife and the strength to cut through the skin.
- Cut the kabocha into wedges, then equal 2” (5 cm) pieces. Remember, kabocha skin is edible and nutritious.
- In a large pot, place the kabocha pieces in a single layer, skin side down.
- Add dashi, sake, and sugar. Tip: Swirl the pot to mix the seasonings so you won't break the kabocha.
- Cook on medium high heat and bring it to a boil.
- Add soy sauce and salt, and swirl the pot again to mix the seasonings. If the liquid does not cover ¾ of kabocha, you can add a little bit of water. Bring to a boil again.
- Once boiling turn down to medium-low heat to maintain the simmer. Cover with an otoshibuta (drop lid) and cook for 20-30 minutes (depends on size, and skin takes time to cook), or until the kabocha has a tiny thin crack near the skin (it’s a sign for doneness!). If you feel that liquid is evaporating too fast, you can cover the regular lid (and you still need to use otoshibuta).
- Remove from the heat and let kabocha sit covered (with a pot lid) until cool, about 30 minutes. This helps kabocha absorbs more flavor as it cools. You can serve at room temperature or reheat before serving.
Optional Garnish
- Cut the ginger into thin slabs and then thin julienne strips.
- Soak in cold water for 1 minute to remove bitterness and drain well. Serve with simmered kabocha.
how long will nimono keep in fridge, please? thank you <3
Hi Erin! About 3 days. If you heat up the nimono every day (let cool, and refrigerate), slightly longer, 5 days or so. But remember that seasonings get saltier as you reheat. Hope that helps!
Hi Nami,
Your website is my favorite cooking website. I love being able to make Japanese food.
Can I replace Kabocha with another type of pumpkin ?
Thanks.
Hi Adelyn,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback!
If you use another type of pumpkin, please adjust the amount of Dashi and Seasonings because some pumpkins have more moisture than Kabocha.
We hope this helps!🙂
Hi Nami 🙂 They haven’t connected the gas at my new place yet, so I’m pretty much limited to my instant pot. Do you know, if I make it in the IP, do I still need a lid? 🤔 Thanks so much!!! Love the site!!!
Hi Artie! Do you mean the drop lid? I don’t usually use it when I cook in IP. 🙂
Hi Nami,
I made your simmered kabocha recipe on new year’s day and it came out great! Thank you and your family for sharing your recipes and travels with all of us! May 2020 bring you more success, health and happiness!
Hi Marie! I’m glad you enjoyed simmered kabocha. Thank you for your kind feedback. And Happy New Year to you and your family!
I have been looking for the perfect simmered Kabocha recipe and this is it!. Made only one change by using mushroom dashi instead of Katsuobushi and it was perfect. The directions from cutting and step by step cooking were easy to follow. The texture was silky, smooth and the flavor was amazing.
I am a sansei in Hawaii and our family loves visiting Japan and enjoying the food and learning more about the culture Your recipes, videos and travel blogs allow me to continue to experience beautiful Japan during our stay at home orders. Thank you so much.
Hi Stephanie! Aww I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this dish with shiitake dashi! A perfect vegan dish! I’m also glad to hear you enjoy visiting Japan too! Hope we can visit there soon! 🙂
I have tried a number of your items love them all so far.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Theresa! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed my recipes. 🙂
This dish is so awesome! And you’re right, even the skin was tasty. This recipe will definitely become one of my favourites. Thanks again.
Hi Meng! Thank you so much!!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this recipe. 🙂
Thank you for your recipe. If I find kabocha that I can buy I’ll gladly give it a try. I have one question though. I don’t have microwave so I just omit the second part of step 4 or should I do something else instead? Thank you
Hi Adam! No worry about the microwaving part. That helps to cut the kabocha initially but if you have a good sharp knife, you should be able to cut (but it’s hard!). If it’s small kabocha, I don’t need to microwave it to make it softer. Just be careful to karate chop! 🙂
The simplicity of this recipe makes the ingredients shine! The kabocha squash was buttery smooth and had a wonderful, savory flavor. I ate this side dish warm and it was PERFECT on a cold autumn night. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the delicious recipe Nami!
Hi Robin! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe and thank you for taking your time to write your kind feedback. It’s a classic Japanese recipe that everyone feels nostalgic and comforting. 🙂
Domo Arigato for this nimono recipe and explaining how to make a otoshibuta out of foil. My kabocha came out very nice and I can’t wait to try making your other recipes.
Hi Monica! I’m glad to hear your simmered kabocha came out well. Thank you for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. Otoshibuta is very important in Japanese cooking, and you will see it a lot in all the simmered dishes. 🙂
Appears to be very appetizing……….
Thank you for the kind words, Pearl! 🙂
My wooden otoshibuta that I bought in Japan in a little store (like a dollar store) attatched to the supermarket…..has holes in the lid. The wooden one you pictured is solid but the metal one has holes. Does it make a difference? I could have covered mine with aluminum foil to block the holes but didnt think of it in time….I think I remember my mother in law in Japan had both solid ones and ones with holes. Please advise me.
I was surprised at how easily this came together. I hope it turns out well….as I love Kabocha simmered or as a vegetable in tempura. Oishi came out perfect.
Hi Bond! Thank you for trying this recipe! About the otoshibuta. The holes are for steam release, and the wooden ones without holes are more traditional ones (simple craftmanship). When you want to keep the steam and your otoshibuta has holes, you can put the regular pot’s lid on top, and this is called Kisebuta きせ蓋. When you open a little bit of gap on the regular lid is called Kiributa きり蓋 and we use this technique when cooking fish (so smells go away). 🙂
Yum! I made this today with lunch and it was perfect!
Hi Candance! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Have you ever tried steaming a whole Kabocha in the Instant Pot? How many minutes would you set it for? I usually like to hollow out the Kabocha and fill it with mixed rice or vegetable stew. So would like to keep the shape intact (except for the top, which I’d cut to make a lid).
Hi Angela! High pressure and cook between 3-5 minutes. Remember kabocha varies in sizes, so if it’s large, it may take full 5 minutes. 🙂
The kabocha tasted so good. Thank you!
Hi Suzan! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
I used the recipe and it turned out delicious! Cooking it again today. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hi Lorraine! Thank you for your kind feedback! I’m so glad to hear you liked the recipe! xo
Hi Nami – if I make this in the instant pot, do I need to adjust any of the quantities? Also, how long should I cook it for? Thank you!
Hi Julie! I’ve never made this dish in the IP, but it should be fast, 1-2 minutes and quick release after leaving for 10 minutes? I haven’t tried that myself, so please adjust according to your trial. Also, the cooking time depends on how big you cut the kabocha too. 🙂
Unfortunately I think this is the first dish I’ve given a 3/5 on this site. We make dashi broth quite often but this dish just tasted so fishy with the kabocha. The ginger was able to cut it a bit but most of it went in the compost. Won’t be making again.
Hi Jean! Thank you for your honest feedback. 🙂
Delicious seasoning! (I don’t like nuking anything in the microwave, so that’s my own preference, so I didn’t have it pre-cooked.) I had about the right level of water, according to description and photos. I set timer for 20 minutes and cooked at medium low heat and unfortunately squash came out overcooked. Well now I know for next time.
Hi Deborah! Thank you for your kind feedback. I should have explained, but the microwave is to make the outer skin softer so the knife goes through (otherwise it’s a bit tough). Kabocha’s cooking time is really depending on the skin + flesh thickness. Sometimes they are thinner than others, then must cook less time. Keep the skewer handy and check once in a while. 🙂
Just bought mine, will be making this recipe this weekend!
Hi Candy,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe. We hope you like it! please let us know how it goes!
Can you make this with konbu dashi and not katsuobushi to make it vegetarian? Will it change the taste?
Hi MH,
You may use Konbu Dashi for this recipe. However, Konbu Dashi has a milder taste than Katsuo Dashi, and you may taste more condiments taste with this recipe. So please adjust the condiments amount to your liking.😉
Delicious! I got a kabocha squash and wanted to make something to remind me of my trip to Japan back in 2019. This was easy to make and hit the spot. Love the subtle flavors the broth gives to the kabocha.
Hi Anne!
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
We’re so glad to hear you love this dish! ☺️
Nimono reminds me of my mom. I like a dash of yuzu dressing before serving and eat nimono with gohan and a simple furikake. For me it is definitely comfort food. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hi Elizabeth!
Aww. Thank you very much for sharing your story and for your kind feedback.☺️
Hi! I love this dish. One question though – Once you’ve taken it off the heat, you mention that it should be ‘covered’ while it cools. Does this mean covered with the otoshibuta, or covered with a regular lid? Thank you!
Hi Sydney!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We added more clear directions to the recipe card.
Step 11: Remove from the heat and let kabocha sit covered (with a pot lid) until cool.
Thank you!😊
Can’t say enough good things about this recipe! I’ve made it nearly weekly for the past 6 months when I first tried it and it’s amazing every time. I used to think that roasting was the only way to go with squash to get that caramelization but this is so amazingly sweet and perfectly moist that I rarely feel the need to turn on my oven for kabocha. I can attest that tin foil works well as a otoshibuta.
Hi Olive,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe many times and for your kind feedback!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the Japanese way of cooking the Kabocha.☺️
Hi Nami! I’m very interested in making this, but I’m allergic to fish and can’t use regular dashi. Is there a convenient alternative you would recommend? I don’t really want to go through the effort of making a mushroom dashi just for this…
Thanks!
Hi Caitlin, How about Kombu Dashi? or vegetable stock? It will add more flavor than just using water. We hope this helps!