Honey-Glazed Kabocha Squash with a lemon-blackberry whipped ricotta spread

This Recipe Is For A Delicious Honey-Glazed Kabocha Squash with a lemon-blackberry whipped ricotta spread! Perfect For your Christmas or holiday meal. This Recipe Can Easily Be Made vegan with vegan ricotta cheese.

During the holidays I always take the liberty of creating recipes that are so flavorful, so vibrant and so festive looking! It’s a time where you can experiment by getting creative in the kitchen and playing around with textures and intriguing flavor combinations. I have always loved honey-glazed vegetables, yet I wanted a way to elevate them even more. So when I saw the most gorgeous and perfectly sweet blackberries by California Giant Berries, I knew I wanted to incorporate them into an unexpected ricotta spread!

Ricotta is naturally slightly sweet, while the blackberries add a note of sweetness, yet with an earthy undertone. This combination pairs so beautifully with the honey-squash and crispy sage. I am just in awe of the ways in which you can take an ingredient as humble as a blackberry and create something as unique as this spread. A spread that not only can be used in this dish alone, but also smeared onto bagels, used as filling in raviolis, or even dolloped onto salads and pizzas! It’s exceptionally versatile and will add that touch of sweetness and vavavoom to your next holiday meal :)

 Wishing you nothing but the happiest of holidays!

xx Marie 

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You Can Watch The Full Cooking Video here!

 A Big Thanksgiving Thank You To California Giant Berry Farms For Partnering With Us On This Delicious Recipe Video! Your Support Means The World And I’m So Glad We’re Able To Showcase Just How Delicious Your Berries Are All Year Long! 

Honey-Sage Glazed Kabocha Squash with a lemon-blackberry whipped ricotta spread:

Serves: 4-6

• 1 kabocha squash, cut into large half moon shapes just as in the photos (seeds removed + skin intact)

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp honey

• 1 cup ricotta cheese (you can also use vegan, almond milk ricotta)

• 1 cup California Giant Berries Blackberries 

• Handful fresh sage leaves

• 1/4 cup oil, reserved for the sage

• Zest of 1 small lemon 

• Pomegranate seeds 

• Sea salt 

Add the kabocha squash slices into a mixing bowl and drizzle with the 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Add in the honey and a generous pinch of sea salt. Mix well until all the squash is combined with the honey. Evenly distribute the squash onto a parchment paper lined baking tray and pop into the oven to cook at 420F for 25 minutes (flip half way), or until the squash is golden brown, tender and cooked through. 

In the meantime, add the blackberries and lemon zest into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the blended blackberries into a bowl with the ricotta and gently mix till combined. Set aside. 

Now fry the sage leaves by warming the 1/4 cup oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Fry 6 leaves at a time until crispy, about 1 minute. Transfer and lay the sage leaves over a paper towel (collecting the excess oil) and sprinkle with sea salt. 

To serve, lay the kabocha squash on a large serving plate, pipe the blackberry-ricotta on top of the squash in small dollops, and top with the crispy sage and sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Alternatively, spread the ricotta onto a serving plate in a large circle and layer the roasted kabocha squash on top, along with the crispy sage and pomegranate seeds. 

Enjoy!