Koginut squash: a veggie with a unique name, an interesting history, and a growing following. It’s a hybrid that’s only a few years old, but it combines the best things about kabocha squash and butternut squash into one single food. Like other winter squashes, it’s loaded with nutrients — […]
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Koginut squash: a veggie with a unique name, an interesting history, and a growing following.
It’s a hybrid that’s only a few years old, but it combines the best things about kabocha squash and butternut squash into one single food.
Like other winter squashes, it’s loaded with nutrients — but unfortunately, due to how new it is, it may be difficult to find in some areas.
This article reviews koginut squash, its potential benefits, and how to cook it.
Koginut squash is a hybrid that is made from butternut squash and kabocha squash.
It combines some of the best qualities of both squash, leading to a plump, creamy-textured squash (like kabocha) with a sweet taste and an edible skin (like butternut).
Its soft outer skin makes it easy to slice and hastens cooking time compared with hard-skinned winter squashes like kabocha and acorn squash, so it is quickly becoming a popular choice.
Koginut squash was first developed in 2018 at Row 7 Seeds in New York, but it is now available across the United States (1).
Koginut squash is a new hybrid between butternut squash and kabocha squash. It has a creamy texture, a sweet taste, and a thin edible skin.
Koginut squash is similar in nutrient content to other squashes, like butternut, kabocha, and acorn.
However, official nutrient information for this hybrid squash isn’t available, so we’ve used the nutrition information for raw winter squash here. One cup (140 grams) contains (2):
- Calories: 36 calories
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbs: 9 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Riboflavin: 12% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin A: 66% of the DV (as carotenoids, which can be converted to vitamin A in the body)
- Vitamin C: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin E: 10% of the DV
- Copper: 20% of the DV
- Potassium: 10% of the DV
In addition to the nutrients listed above, koginut squash likely contains smaller quantities of several other vitamins and minerals.
Koginut squash, like other winter squashes, contains several vitamins and minerals. However, since it’s such a new hybrid, official nutrition information is not yet available.
One of the major benefits of koginut squash in comparison to other winter squashes is that it’s much easier to cook.
Varieties like acorn squash have thick, hard skins that can be difficult to cut into, causing the squash to cook more slowly, but koginut squash — like butternut squash — has a thin, edible skin that cuts easily and cooks quickly.
However, like other squashes, koginut squash is rich in important nutrients, including potassium and vitamin C.
Potassium is necessary for heart and muscle function and may help reduce your blood pressure, while vitamin C provides a number of immune, antioxidant, and skin benefits (3, 4).
It also contains carotenoid antioxidants, which your body can convert into vitamin A. Additionally, it provides 10% of the DV of vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin that helps support hair, skin, and nail health (5, 6).
SummaryKoginut squash is much easier to cook than winter squashes with thick, hard skins like acorn and kabocha squash. Additionally, it’s low in calories and a good source of several nutrients.
Koginut squash may be hard to find in some parts of the U.S. You are more likely to find the squash at local farmers’ markets or grocery stores in larger metro areas than more rural areas.
Koginut squash, like other squashes, is rich in potassium as well.
Although potassium is essential, some people — notably, those with heart or kidney problems — may be instructed to limit their potassium intake. If this applies to you, you’ll need to limit how much koginut squash you eat (7, 8).
It’s a good idea to talk with a healthcare professional like a physician or registered dietitian if you’re unsure how much potassium is safe for you to consume.
SummaryKoginut squash may be hard to find in some areas. It’s also high in potassium, so if you’re required to restrict potassium intake due to a medical condition, you’ll need to be careful about how much you eat.
Most people roast koginut squash in the oven, but you can cook it any way you would cook other winter squashes.
Here’s how to roast it:
- Preheat the oven to 400 ºF (205 ºC).
- Slice the koginut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out all of the seeds. You could also cut it into smaller pieces, such as wedges or cubes, if you wish.
- Brush the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake koginut squash halves for roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour. The squash is done when it is tender. If you sliced the squash into wedges or cubes, it should be done cooking in 30–35 minutes.
From here, you can use the cooked koginut squash as a standalone side dish, as a base for soup, or as an addition to salad. Many people drizzle the squash with maple syrup or honey before eating it.
The most common way to cook koginut squash is to roast it in the oven and drizzle it with syrup or honey before serving.
Here are some koginut squash recipes that you might enjoy:
However, you can easily use koginut squash as an alternative to acorn squash, kabocha squash, or butternut squash in any recipes that call for these squashes, thanks to their similar texture and flavor.
These recipes all highlight koginut squash, but you can also use koginut squash in place of acorn squash, butternut squash, or kabocha squash in any recipe.
Koginut squash is a hybrid squash combining kabocha squash and butternut squash. It has the silky texture of kabocha with the sweetness and edible skin of butternut.
The squash is rich in several nutrients, but people who need to restrict potassium will need to limit how much of it they consume.
The squash is often roasted and drizzled with maple syrup, but it can be used instead of butternut, kabocha, or acorn squash in nearly any recipe.
If you can find it at a local grocery store or farmers’ market, it’s definitely worth a try.
