Roasted Opo Squash

I was perusing my favorite slightly out of the way grocery store that usually has fun produce. If you've ever been to Wisconsin, this is of course Woodman's. Which no one outside of this regionally specific local, employee-owned chain that's open 24/7 and has the best selection of... almost all grocery and liquor stores around. They're the size of Costco without having to buy in bulk or membership fees. And they have produce I can't get anywhere else because food deserts are a problem outside of the major cities here. Even living in the city I have a difficult time getting anything but butternut and acorn squash anywhere else. Hence why I'm roasting an opo squash today!

Opo is a light green bottle gourd. It's similar to a cross between a summer squash and a zucchini. It's oftentimes used in soups, stir fries, and chutneys and is particularly found in Chinese and Indian dishes. Opo squash are also referred to as Tasmanian bean, calabash squash, and just "long squash." It's very similar to a Bengali Squash.

Gallery

I got my opo squash, rather unfortunately, right before I went out of town. There was a snow storm while I was gone and it almost froze in the process. Freezing often dulls the color. So, by the time I got back, I obviously needed to roast this squash! It used to be a bright yellow-green color. I believe that I even picked up the larger one on the left in the grocery store in the above photo here. It obviously lost a little bit of luster by the time I roasted it. Although that's a prime reason to roast and puré, rather than cube or turn into curry, like I did with the slightly similar Bengali squash.

Variations of Roasted Opo Squash

I don't use all that much summer squash because I find the texture a little bit stringy. There are plenty of ways to roast all sorts of squash, though. I tend to use them in everything from dips and sauces to side dishes and roasted morsels in larger dishes.

Bengali Squash Curry w/ Tofu & Garden Peppers, Ethical Food, Produce

Curry w/ Bengali Squash, Tofu, & Garden Peppers

Baba Ghanoush w/ Opo Squash & Mayocoba Beans

The Fundamentals of Roasted Calabaza Squash

Roasted Opo Squash

Roasted Opo Squash might not be on everyone's dinner menu, but it's a fun summer squash with a delicate taste and texture, great for roasting or chopping into cubes and tossing into a curry. Today, I roasted mine with the intention of making Baba Ghanoush w/ Opo Squash & Mayocoba Beans. Opo squash has a bright, citrusy flavor that goes well in a variety of recipes, though. It's a great substitution for other types of summer squash or even eggplant, like I did with baba ghanoush.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Equipment

Aluminum Foil
Oven

Ingredients

1 opo squash peeled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Peel the opo squash and cut the stem off.
You can do this after roasting or skip entirely because the rind is edible. Summer squash rinds can be texturally unpleasant, though, so I tend to remove them. I'm also going to purée this, so it doesn't make all that much difference!
Wrap in aluminum foil.
Cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the squash is tender.