What To Do With Kamokamo
If you’ve just opened your box and found a kamokamo staring back at you… hi. You’re not alone.
Kamokamo is a traditional New Zealand vegetable, often described as a giant courgette or marrow. It’s commonly grown in home gardens and has long been used in Māori cooking. It looks a bit dramatic, but don’t let that intimidate you. It’s actually one of the easiest vegetables to cook.
When harvested young, the skin is soft and completely edible. The flesh is mild, slightly sweet, and becomes beautifully tender when cooked. Think courgette vibes, but a bit more substantial.
If it’s more mature, the seeds can be scooped out, but the flavour stays lovely and neutral, which makes it incredibly versatile.
So… what do you actually do with it?
Roast it
Slice into thick wedges, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast at 200°C until golden and soft. It caramelises slightly and makes an easy side dish. Add parmesan or feta at the end if you’re feeling fancy.
Slice it
Treat it like a courgette. Slice into rounds and sauté in a pan with garlic and butter. Or layer it into a bake. It holds its shape well and doesn’t go watery like some other squashes.
Stuff it
Cut it in half lengthways, scoop out the centre, and fill it with rice, lentils, mince, herbs, tomato, whatever you’ve got going on. Bake until tender and you’ve got a proper hearty meal.
(We’ve got a full recipe for stuffed kamokamo here.)
Crumb it
Slice into thick rounds, coat in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, then bake until golden and crispy. It works surprisingly well as a vegetarian “parm” style situation. Serve with a tomato dipping sauce and you’re onto something.
BBQ it
Brush thick slices with oil, season well, and throw it straight onto the barbecue. It softens, gets those nice char lines, and takes on a slightly smoky flavour. Finish with lemon and herbs.
Layer it
Use thin slices in place of pasta sheets for a lighter bake. It works beautifully in a lasagne-style dish.
(We’ve done exactly that here with our kamokamo lasagne.)
Kamokamo is one of those vegetables that doesn’t need complicated techniques. It’s forgiving, mild in flavour, and works anywhere you’d normally use courgette or marrow.
If you’ve never cooked it before, start simple. Roast it or stuff it. Once you realise how easy it is, you’ll start finding excuses to cook it again.
And if you’re still unsure… just slice it and cook it in butter. That’s rarely the wrong move.