Creamy Pumpkin Salad- Japanese Home Cooking Class and Sweets in Tokyo

October will be here before we know it. This is the time of year when we have more chances to gather with family and friends. Autumn in Japan is especially delicious, with pumpkins, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and other root vegetables at their best. Pumpkins become sweeter after being stored and ripened after harvest, and they are at their peak from September through December.This time, I’d like to introduce a quick and delicious pumpkin salad.

Japanese Creamy Pumpkin Salad

Tips: Kinako (roasted soybean flour) is added to pumpkin salad mainly to enhance its sweetness, nuttiness, and creaminess. Its toasty soybean flavor pairs beautifully with the natural sweetness of pumpkin, giving the salad more depth and a subtle Japanese-style taste than mayonnaise alone.

⚫︎Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
・Pumpkin: 250–300 g
・Cream cheese: 40–50 g
・Boiled egg: 1
・Kinako (roasted soybean flour): 1 tablespoon
・Mayonnaise: 2 tablespoons
・Salt: a pinch, if needed
・Black pepper: to taste
⚫︎Instructions
1️⃣Remove the seeds and fibers from the pumpkin and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2️⃣Place it in a microwave-safe bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and microwave at 600 W for 4–5 minutes, until a skewer goes through easily.
3️⃣Keep the skin on or remove it as you prefer. While the pumpkin is still hot, roughly mash it with a fork.
4️⃣Once it has cooled slightly, add the cream cheese, kinako, mayonnaise, and boiled egg.
5️⃣Mash the egg with a fork and mix everything together gently.
Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper, if needed.
6️⃣Serve and enjoy.