Kaboccha, a Japanese winter pumpkin (squash), is a staple in Japanese cuisine. It appears in many different dishes, but a favorite way to enjoy kaboccha is as a croquette, which in Japanese is called a korokke. Traditional Japanese korokke is made with potatoes and is often mixed with ingredients such as ground beef, onions, corn, or other vegetables, or curry seasoning.
Kaboccha korokke is made entirely of kaboccha and, in the case of this recipe, yellow onions. It is seasoned simply with salt and pepper yet is bursting with flavor. The korokke are breaded in panko crumbs and then fried. They can be enjoyed as is or dipped in a simple tonkatsu-style sauce.
“Kabocha Korokke are the Japanese version of potato croquettes but a lot more interesting. Kabocha squash has a sweet earthy flavor that is well complemented by the crisp and crusty panko exterior of these irresistible korokke. With a little okonomiyaki or tonkatsu sauce as a dip they are an unexpected autumn appetizer or snack” —Joan Velush
Ingredients
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Cooking spray
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1 pound Japanese kabocha squash
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1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil
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Salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1 small yellow onion
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1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, or olive oil
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2 tablespoons low-fat 2 percent milk, divided
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour
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1 large egg
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1 cups panko breadcrumbs
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Canola oil, for frying
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Ketchup mixed with okonomiyaki or tonkatsu sauce, for dipping, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
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Wash kabocha, cut in half, remove seeds, and cut into wedges.
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Lay kabocha wedges on prepared baking sheet, lightly drizzle with olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
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Bake until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool.
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Meanwhile, finely dice onion. Heat butter in a large skillet and sauté onion until browned. Set aside.
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Scoop out the kabocha's flesh into a medium bowl. Discard the rind.
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Add sautéed onions to the bowl and mash together with kabocha using a potato masher.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Add 1 tablespoon of milk and mix well. Place kabocha mixture in the refrigerator to cool completely.
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Roll cooled kabocha mixture into balls the size of walnuts and put on a plate.
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Place flour in a small, deep dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. Combine the egg and the remaining 1 tablespoon milk in a second small, deep dish, and the panko breadcrumbs to a third deep dish.
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Dip the kabocha balls in flour, next in the egg wash mixture, and then coat with panko breadcrumbs. Place on a plate.
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Heat a few inches of canola oil in a medium saucepan to a temperature of 375 F.
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Fry half of the kabocha korokke at a time until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total.
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Remove kabocha korokke to a plate lined with paper towels to cool. Serve with dipping sauce, if desired.
Tips
- When rolling the kabocha korokke into balls, working with cold kabocha mixture is slightly easier than working while the mashed squash is warm. The mixture will still be very soft and a little challenging to shape into a ball, but it is definitely better than working with warm squash.
- When deep-frying food, it's important that the oil temperature is just right. If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, toss in a piece of panko breadcrumb—if it quickly sizzles and floats to the top, your oil is ready.
- Once the korroke are fried, make sure to place on a paper-towel-lined-plate; cooling on a wire rack won't work as the korokke are soft.
Dipping Sauce
A common dipping sauce for the kabocha korokke is a combination of equal parts bottled okonomiyaki sauce or tonkatsu sauce and ketchup. Okonomiyaki sauce is slightly sweeter than tonkatsu sauce, but the two can be used interchangeably for this recipe depending on what you have in on hand, or your preference in taste. Alternatively, you can simply drizzle tonkatsu sauce over the kabocha korokke, or you can eat them plain without any sauce at all; they taste perfect on their own.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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380 | Calories |
25g | Fat |
33g | Carbs |
7g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 380 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 25g | 32% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 14% |
Cholesterol 47mg | 16% |
Sodium 366mg | 16% |
Total Carbohydrate 33g | 12% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 10% |
Total Sugars 5g | |
Protein 7g | |
Vitamin C 6mg | 31% |
Calcium 88mg | 7% |
Iron 3mg | 14% |
Potassium 377mg | 8% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |