Oven-roasted red kuri squash is a recipe I love making in autumn. What makes red kuri squash so convenient is that it requires almost no preparation because you can keep the skin on. You can serve it as a side dish, and sometimes I serve it on its own, simply with a sauce. Below, I’ll show you how to cut it, how to season it, and the different cooking times depending on how you cut it.
Do You Need to Peel Red Kuri Squash Before Roasting?
Many recipes tell you to peel red kuri squash, but you really don’t need to. The skin of red kuri squash, like that of the Hokkaido variety I often use, is completely edible and, because it’s very thin, it becomes tender during cooking. In fact, I often replace pumpkin with red kuri squash in recipes. The only thing I recommend is to wash it well and brush it a little if there’s any soil left.
How to Cut Red Kuri Squash for the Oven
As with other squash, it’s very simple:
- Cut it in half: start by cutting a little off the base so it stands upright on your cutting board, and use a good knife to avoid slipping. If you’re afraid or the flesh is too hard, first put your red kuri squash in the oven for 10 minutes at 180°C before cutting it.
- Remove the seeds with a large spoon.
- Cut it into slices or cubes: I find slices really pretty when I serve it as is on the side. Cubes are sometimes more practical, as in my roasted pumpkin, feta and spinach quiche. The more uniform your pieces are, the more evenly they’ll cook: this prevents some pieces from drying out while others remain firm.
Oven-Roasted Red Kuri Squash Recipe
Type of dish: Side dish
Cuisine: French
Diet: Vegan
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 309 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 red kuri squash
- 6 cl olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C in fan mode (220°C in conventional mode).
- Wash the red kuri squash, cut it in half and remove the seeds. Cut each half into slices about 2 cm thick (half-moons) or into cubes.
- Mix the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, smoked paprika, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper.
- Brush the red kuri squash with this mixture and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing the pieces apart.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes for half-moons (30 to 35 minutes for cubes), turning the pieces halfway through cooking.
- Serve hot as a side dish or with a little sauce.
Notes
- The skin of red kuri squash is edible, no need to peel it.
- I recommend using only half a red kuri squash per baking sheet, otherwise it may be overcrowded and steam rather than roast.
- Half a red kuri squash is enough for 2 to 3 people.
Nutrition
Calories: 309 kcal | Carbohydrates: 70 g | Protein: 11 g | Fat: 4 g | Saturated fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated fat: 1 g | Sodium: 57 mg | Potassium: 1786 mg | Fiber: 19 g | Sugar: 9 g | Vitamin A: 5833 IU | Vitamin C: 57 mg | Calcium: 678 mg | Iron: 40 mg
My Favorite Marinade for Roasting Red Kuri Squash
You can simply roast your red kuri squash with olive oil and salt, but personally, I like to prepare a slightly spicy marinade with:
- Olive oil
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Smoked paprika: it’s what gives that slightly grilled flavor.
- Herbes de Provence or just thyme and/or dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper
Mix everything in a bowl, then brush each piece on both sides. For cubes, you can also mix everything directly on the baking sheet.
Cooking Time for Red Kuri Squash in the Oven
Red kuri squash doesn’t need a long cooking time: it mainly depends on the size of your pieces. As a guide:
- Half-moons (2 cm): 35 to 40 minutes at 180°C (fan mode).
- Cubes: 30 to 35 minutes at 180°C (fan mode).
Halfway through cooking, turn the pieces so they brown nicely on both sides. To check doneness, insert the tip of a knife into the flesh. If it goes in without resistance, it’s ready.
My Tip
I recommend putting a head of garlic in the oven to roast at the same time as the red kuri squash: that way, you can immediately make a sauce with it. You’ll see this in my recipe for roasted red kuri squash on garlic yogurt, green sauce and hazelnuts. And if you like roasted squash, you’ll also find my oven-roasted butternut on the blog.
How Much Red Kuri Squash per Person?
Personally, I count half a red kuri squash for two if I serve it as a main dish, and three to four people for just a few pieces as a side. With a whole red kuri squash, you can almost serve 8 people as a side, so it’s quite economical!
What to Serve with Roasted Red Kuri Squash
It’s clearly THE autumn side vegetable. You can serve it with almost anything: classically, with grilled meat or with my Air Fryer chicken thighs. Or, for a vegetarian meal, I serve it with a little sauce, such as homemade pesto, a crème fraîche and chive sauce, or as here with my original recipe for roasted red kuri squash, parsley pistou and roasted garlic yogurt cream. You can also use it as a topping on a salad like in my roasted butternut, chickpea and feta salad.
How to Store Roasted Red Kuri Squash
Roasted red kuri squash keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat, put it back in the oven or Air Fryer for a few minutes. You can reheat it in the microwave but personally, I avoid it because I find it gets too soft.
Frequently Asked Questions About Oven-Roasted Red Kuri Squash
Can you eat the skin of red kuri squash?
Yes, its skin is edible and will become tender during cooking. So you don’t need to peel it to roast it in the oven.
How long to cook red kuri squash in the oven?
Allow 35 to 40 minutes at 180°C in fan mode (220°C in conventional mode) for half-moons, and 30 to 35 minutes for cubes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking. The tip of a knife should go in without resistance.
Why isn't my red kuri squash golden?
It’s often because the pieces are touching too much on the baking sheet: they then steam instead of roasting. Space them well and don’t forget to turn them halfway through cooking.
If you’ve tried this oven-roasted red kuri squash, leave me a comment and a rating under the recipe, it supports me enormously.
More Squash Recipes
- Roasted butternut squash seeds
- Roasted butternut squash soup
- Oven-roasted butternut squash
- Oven-roasted red kuri squash
