Roasted Butternut Squash with Ginger, Miso & Tofu

Flavor-bomb is what you can call this roasted butternut squash recipe! Cubed butternut squash is roasted in the oven with fresh ginger, garlic and chili flakes, then half way through, its tossed in the most amazingly tasty miso sauce. Umami pure, the miso sauce is made with white miso paste, Japanese rice vinegar, soy sauce and pure maple syrup.

And it doesn’t stop there! This vegan pumpkin recipe (technically a winter squash recipe) is also baked with smoked tofu — a flavor bomb in itself. The result: a healthy, delicious, hearty side dish (or main for two!) that will impress even non-pumpkin lovers, as well as your vegan and vegetarian friends. Or, simply anyone who want to enjoy a little more plant-based goodness into their diet.

A new take on winter squash

Okay, so it’s not actually one of those google-able recipes. But it should be! It’s so good. Oven roasted butternut squash can be so much more than the simple version tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. And definitely enjoyed more ways than in a soup, as much as I do love butternut squash soup.

Miso: flavours of Japan

This past year I have been trying to experiment more with using miso paste in recipes, other than standards like miso soup, which is made with the salty-tasting fermented red miso paste. There is also the milder, sweeter white miso paste which is fantastic used in salad dressings, sauces and glazes for vegetables. There is so much depth to its indescribable flavor, making it a worthy addition to any cooks kitchen.

How to adapt this recipe

• The sweetness of maple syrup together with miso, soy sauce and rice vinegar are a fantastic flavor combination with the butternut squash. But that doesn’t mean you can’t adapt this recipe to make it your own.
• Rather than using butternut squash, you could use red kuri (hokkaido) squash or even sweet potato.
• This dressing could even be used to glaze salmon. Miso also go great with eggplant.
• Instead of smoked tofu, you could use regular firm tofu, or you could skip it all together and just make pumpkin the focus of this recipe.

What to serve with this Roasted Butternut Squash with Ginger, Miso & Tofu

Since this recipe makes either a hearty side dish you could easily serve it with a side of steamed jasmine rice. Or try serving this with some additional greens, like my Asian-Style Beet Greens or broccolini. Alternatively, you can enjoy this as a delicious main for two.

Looking for other idea on how to use miso in recipes?

Try one of these favorites:

• Miso Glazed Eggplant (Nasu Dengaku)
• Miso Kohlrabi Apple Salad
• Glass Noodle Salad with Strawberries & Cucumber
• Asian-Style Broccoli Salad

5 from 4 votes

Print

Roasted Butternut Squash with Ginger, Miso & Tofu

Roasted butternut squash with ginger, garlic and chili tossed in a maple-miso glaze makes for a hearty vegan side dish or main for two.

Course Side Dish

Category Asian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 311 kcal

Autor Elle

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 Kg butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cubed (ca. 2 cm)
• 2 tablespoons white miso (Shiro)
• 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar (Japanese)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 200 g smoked tofu with almonds and sesame (or firm tofu), cubed
• juice from 1/2 a lime

To garnish:

• black or white sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves
• handful pomegranate seeds (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, chilli, oil, salt and pepper. Add the butternut squash pieces, and toss well until coated. Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet, and arrange in a single layer.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the miso, maple syrup, rice vinegar and soy sauce together. Set aside.

4. Transfer the butternut squash to the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and drizzle the miso mixture over the squash, and scatter the cubed tofu over top. Using a spatula, gently toss to combine so that the squash is coated in the sauce. Ensure the mixture is spread in an even layer, then return to oven.

5. Roast for another 10-15 minutes. or until the butternut squash is lightly browned and cooked through.

6. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl. Drizzle over the lime juice and scatter the sesame seeds on top. Add a garnish of green onion, herbs and pomegranate seeds.

Notes

For a relaxing atmosphere in the kitchen I recommend my personal Elle Republic: Chilled Out Kitchen Tunes or Lounge Kitchen Tunes Playlist on Spotify.

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