Auyama: How to Cook and Complete Guide

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Popular auyama dishes

Auyama or calabaza (the latter as it is known in most of Latin America) is very popular in Dominican cuisine and used in many recipes. Here are some of the recipes with auyama.

All auyama recipes

How to cook auyama

Auyama appears in many of our dishes. The most popular auyama-based dishes are puré de auyama (mashed auyama), served with Dominican sauteed onions, and crema de auyama, a flavorful yet light cream of auyama soup.

At the same time, mashed auyama is an excellent baby and toddler food thanks to its gentle flavor, rich nutrients, and soft texture.

In neighboring Haiti, Soupe Joumou is a traditional New Year's Day soup made with pumpkin. In Jamaica pumpkin can be found in curries and pies as well as in soups. Puerto Rico has pumpkin fritters with the curious name of barriguitas de vieja.

In the United States, of course, pumpkins are associated with autumn and are central features of Halloween celebrations in the shape of Jack-o'-Lanterns, and the Thanksgiving dinner favorite, pumpkin pie.

What is auyama?

Auyama Dominicana is a type of pumpkin, West Indian pumpkin, to be exact. However, many other types of pumpkin and squashes are sold in the Dominican Republic under the generic name of auyama.

West Indian pumpkin, as its name suggests, is also common across the Caribbean region.

Auyama has a lot going for it including its subtle taste and versatility as an ingredient. Its color can range from pale mustard to bright orange. It breaks up easily when cooked, and the resulting creamy texture adds thickness to soups and stews, and it is a very healthy food.

What does auyama taste like?

Auyama tastes like pumpkin, with a stronger flavor than most squashes. Pumpkin is nearly identical to kabocha squash, so the taste and texture are comparable.

Auyama pictures

Auyama in Spanish

Also known as ayote and calabaza squash, auyama is the name by which it is known in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia. Some also spell it ahuyama, but auyama seems to be the most commonly accepted spelling.

In Cuba and Puerto Rico it is called calabaza, the standard Spanish name for pumpkin. In Panama and much of South America, it is zapallo. Ayote is a Nahuatl word, while the word auyama is probably of Taino origin.

Auyama in English

The proper name for auyama in English is West Indian pumpkin, but auyama is also used as the name for several varieties of pumpkins and squashes like Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata, and Cucurbita maxima (kabocha squash).

Auyama substitute

Kabocha squash is our recommended auyama substitute. Its flavor and texture are nearly indistinguishable from Dominican auyama.

Nutritional benefits

Auyama is low in calories, fat, and carbohydrates, rich in vitamins A and C and potassium. If that were not enough, it is a relatively inexpensive foodstuff and it grows very easily.

Cooking auyama

Auyama vs calabaza

Auyama is a type of calabaza, but each type of calabaza has its own flavor profile and texture.

History

Like their counterparts in many other parts of the Americas, the pre-Columbian inhabitants of Hispaniola are known to have cultivated and eaten auyama, which was unknown in the Old World before 1492. The earliest indications of the pumpkin's arrival in Europe appear in early 16^th century paintings and literature.

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