Group · Vegetables
Red kuri squash (potimarron)
Red kuri squash (potimarron) is a Japanese squash with dense, sweet flesh, whose taste recalls chestnut, hence its French name (from potiron and marron). Its skin is thin and perfectly edible once cooked, which sets it apart from most other squashes.
On the nutrition side, cooked red kuri provides 38.6 kcal per 100 g, with 6.88 g of carbohydrate, 1.8 g of fibre and 1.06 g of protein. It provides 443 µg of vitamin A and 5,310 µg of beta-carotene per 100 g, as well as 330 mg of potassium and 8.65 mg of vitamin C.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 39 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 163 kJ |
| Protein | 1,1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 6,9 g |
| Fat | 0,3 g |
| Fibre | 1,8 g |
Micronutrients per 100 g
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Vitamin A443 µg55 %
- Potassium330 mg17 %
- Vitamin E1,52 mg13 %
- Vitamin C8,65 mg11 %
- Copper0,08 mg8 %
- Vitamin B50,29 mg5 %
- Vitamin B30,74 mg5 %
- Vitamin B60,06 mg4 %
- Vitamin B9dietary folate equivalents9,28 µg
See the other 10 nutrients
- Vitamin K13,17 µg4 %
- Phosphorus27 mg4 %
- Manganese0,06 mg3 %
- Zinc0,24 mg2 %
- Magnesium8,5 mg2 %
- Calcium18 mg2 %
- Total omega-30,05 g2 %
- Omega-3 ALA0,03 g2 %
- Iron0,19 mg1 %
- Omega-6 LA0,04 g0 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
Do not peel it. This is the only real tip to remember: its skin becomes tender when cooked and provides fibre. You save ten minutes of laborious work and you throw nothing away. A simple scrub under the tap is enough.
It is denser than pumpkin, and that is an advantage. Less water, more substance: a red kuri soup does not need cream to be velvety, whereas a pumpkin soup seems watery. A real saving on the finished dish.
Pair it with some fat. Like all orange squashes, its carotenoids are absorbed much better with a little fat. A few toasted pumpkin seeds or a spoonful of olive oil will do.
Roasted in wedges, it replaces a starchy food. Twenty-five minutes at 200°C (about 180°C fan) with thyme: at 38.6 kcal per 100 g, it takes the place of a potato for a fifth of the calories, while providing more fibre and beta-carotene.
Choose one that is heavy with a matt skin. A shiny red kuri has been picked too early and lacks flavour. A dry stalk and a matt skin signal a ripe squash, which will also keep much better.
Sources
Average nutrition values per 100 g, given as a guide only (they may vary by brand and preparation).