Grilled Red Kuri Squash

Grilled Red Kuri Squash with Greens combines incredible complexity to what could be an ordinary grilled squash. Kuri Squash is topped with greens, roasted pine nuts, grapes, Craisins, feta cheese and drizzled with a homemade lemon balsamic vinaigrette to make the perfect light fall meal. 

Kuri squash is not found as frequently as butternut or acorn squash, but when you find it, grab it! It isn’t as hard to cut, the seeds are super easy to remove and the mild flavor lends itself to many meals. Adding it to a salad mix is a simple idea, but this squash is just begging to be included. Once you try it, you are going to love it. 

Granted, we don’t usually make many recipes that require multiple steps like this one, but this was so delicious that I am sure you’ll look past it and see what a great squash this is to grill up. 

Why This Recipe Works

Fast – We all need a few quick and easy side dishes to make successfully for not only dinner but our next block party as well. Whether you are looking to serve this for a bbq, cookout or Sunday night out on the deck, this one is fast and easy.

Flexible – We show you how to make this as simple slices or as part of a heaping salad. Either way, this shows you how versatile this dish can be for you. Try mixing up the squash with different coatings like we did in the Za’atar seasoned Butternut Squash, Honey Acorn Squash or Grilled Acorn Squash with Herbs.

Delicious – This is a gorgeous and delicious dish that tastes amazing every time even though it is a simple squash.

🍴Ingredients

Kuri Squash – This bright red fall squash is the star of the show here.  I have only found them in the autumn, but I always grab a few.  Not only are they gorgeous, they are delicious too.  This is a very mild squash that has a slightly nutty flavor. It is loaded with fiber and Vitamin C, and relatively low in calorie count. This is a flexible squash that you can slice and roast or halve and use your favorite filling. You can eat the skin as it is thin.  I have never encountered a problem with the larger ones, but the skin will be thicker. For this recipe, grill it with the skin on. 

Pine Nuts – These are little seeds that come from pinyon pine trees. They tend to be a tad more expensive due to the length of time it takes to grow and then to harvest. You’ll find pine nuts in many Mediterranean dishes and salads, often toasted to bring out the earthy flavor. That’s what we did here – on a cast iron skillet on the grill.

🍽️ Instructions

Step One: Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds from the inside. Cut each half into thirds to get nice wedges. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I don’t recommend using stronger seasonings here, as the squash is wonderfully mild and it can overpower the flavor quickly

Step Two: Place squash on the grill at 400 degrees on direct heat. Grill for 15 minutes and turn over. Grill 15 more minutes or until fork tender. 

Step Three: While the squash is cooking, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, salt and pepper and whisk in a bowl to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Shake a little prior to serving.

Step Four: Place the pine nuts in a small cast iron skillet and place over the grill at 400 degrees for five minutes. Stir them every minute or two so they don’t burn. You want them to be a nice toasty brown. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. 

Step Five: Lay out one section of the squash on a plate and top with a handful of greens, grapes, pine nuts, Feta cheese and Craisins. Drizzle with dressing. 

🍲  Substitutions 

There are lots of ways to make this recipe your own – and if you’re like us, you can already feel your brain going crazy with options. 

Always think of serving this with just olive oil, salt and pepper for an easy grilled side dish that you don’t have to think about. 

Drizzle a bit of honey as it comes off the grill. You can even cut it into cubes and toss it in a bit of honey before grilling. You would need to watch this closely so it doesn’t burn but this is an awesome option. 

Make a seafood stuffing serve on top. 

Add a rice medley that is mixed with fall fruits. 

Toss the squash in an olive oil/cinnamon mixture to grill up. 

Add a dollop of applesauce to the center (I’d warm it up!) for the perfect grilled fall dish. 

📌 Storage 

You can eat these as leftovers by simply reheating in the microwave and serving. We made a big batch so we could enjoy a week full of lunches by heating them up and adding greens each day. 

If you want to freeze these after cooking, place these on a sheet pan and put them in the freezer for 12 hours. Remove them from the sheet pan and place in a freezer safe gallon Ziplock bag. This flash-freeze technique allows you to grab one and reheat it when you want.

💡 Recipe Tips

Don’t cut the squash too thin.  You’ll want them a bit thicker to be a solid base to the salad. 

Make sure to brush or spray the squash with olive oil before grilling so it doesn’t stick to the grill. 

Always keep a close eye on the pine nuts when roasting them. You are looking for them to brown up and get toasty, but not burn. They will turn from brown to burnt in a few seconds if you are not watching them closely. 

You can eat the skin of the squash if it is thin enough. We have found that grilling the Kuri squash softens the skin most of the time and we have no problem being able to eat even the larger ones. 

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