Kabocha Salad Recipe
Kabocha Salad is a simple Japanese side dish made with steamed and mashed Kabocha squash, crisp cucumber, and creamy mayonnaise. Similar to Japanese potato salad, it is a popular dish at Japanese delis and home kitchens. With just a few simple ingredients, this salad lets the naturally sweet and nutty flavor of Kabocha shine.
It makes a delicious side dish for any Japanese meal and is also perfect for packing in a bento box.
Ingredients for Kabocha Salad
- Kabocha squash – The star of the salad, Kabocha has a naturally sweet, nutty flavor and creamy texture when cooked.
- Cucumber – We prefer Japanese cucumber for its crisp texture and refreshing flavor. Persian or English cucumber also work well as substitutes.
- Japanese mayonnaise – We prefer Japanese mayonnaise for its rich, slightly tangy flavor, which pairs especially well with the sweet Kabocha. Regular mayonnaise can also be used.
- Lemon juice – Adds a bright, fresh acidity that balances the sweetness of the Kabocha and richness of the mayonnaise.
- Salt – Enhances the natural sweetness of the Kabocha and seasons the salad.
Tips for Making Kabocha Salad
Kabocha, also known as Japanese pumpkin, is sweet, nutritious, and incredibly versatile. You can cook it much like potatoes—you can mash it, fry it, simmer it, and more.
For this recipe, we use cucumber, but feel free to add other vegetables, such as thinly sliced onion or cooked broccoli. You can also make the salad more substantial by adding protein such as chopped boiled eggs or ham.
One of the best things about Kabocha is how quickly it softens in the microwave. This makes it possible to prepare the salad in very little time. Depending on your preference, you can mash the Kabocha until completely smooth or leave some small chunks for a heartier texture.
The addition of a little lemon juice gives the salad a fresh, bright flavor and keeps the sweetness of the Kabocha and creaminess of the mayonnaise from becoming too heavy.
This Kabocha Salad is easy, flavorful, and naturally sweet. Give it a try for a quick weekday dinner, a Japanese-style meal, or a homemade bento!
The recipe was originally published on September 22, 2013. The video was added on September 28, 2021, and the post was edited on September 15, 2026 with revised text and new photos.
Video
Ingredients
- 1/4 – 1/3 Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin)
- 1 Japanese cucumber (or 2 Persian or 1/2 English cucumber)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise (preferably Japanese mayo)
- black pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Cut Kabocha into small pieces and place in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook about 6 minutes in the microwave oven or until soft. Remove skins and mash Kabocha (you don’t need to mash all the way if you want it chunky).
- Slice cucumber thinly and sprinkle with salt in another bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes and squeeze water out.
- Mix Kabocha, cucumber, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste.
What is ‘Japanese mayo’? If I can’t find any in the US easily, can I ‘spice up’ some American mayo?
Bob,
Japanese mayo tastes more like dressing. Add some vinegar or lemon juice and a little salt to American mayo. It’s still not the same, but a little closer.
Buy some Kewpie from Amazon, that’s what I do when I’m in the US and I cannot easily find Japanese mayo
When cooking the kabocha in the microwave, do you use any water?
I don’t think so.
Thank you for these delicious recipes! I am an American woman and my husband is Japanese. Every time we visit his Mom in Osaka she always cooks such delicious food that it really inspires me to want to cook more Japanese food since I know my husband loves it. Your website/YouTube really helps me out!! I made two things already and my husband was really happy! Thank you so much!