32 Winter Squash Recipes to Squash the Cold-Weather Blues (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a squash and a butternut squash? ›

Winter squash, such as butternut, spaghetti, acorn or pumpkins, have hard, thick skins, sweet, dense flesh and mature seeds, making them ideal for roasting, mashing or soups. Summer squash, like courgettes and patty pan, have tender, edible skins, edible flowers and a milder-flavoured flesh.

Cooking Whole

Cut the squash in half, clean out the seeds with a spoon and place cut-side down on an oiled sheet pan or lasagna dish. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until you can easily poke through the squash with a fork.

Cucurbita moschata

Known as one of the easiest to grow of the 4 families, some popular moschata varieties are Butternut, Cherokee Tan, Seminole, and Watham squash. These need to be cured for 6-8 weeks and are medium to long vining so they need lots of dedicated space. This family can store the longest, from 4-6 months.

Acorn squash is milder in taste and slightly more fibrous in texture than butternut squash: Its sweet, nutty flavor is additionally muted by the watery character of its flesh. Still, most recipes that call for acorn squash can be made with another members of the squash family, such as Hubbard or butternut.

Winter squash needs regularly watering, especially when the squash themselves are forming. Water your winter squash an inch a week at minimum, but they will be happy with more – especially if you are in a dry climate. Stop watering when the fruit is fully mature.

"Most squashes and pumpkins are warm-season crops and are susceptible to injury at temperatures less than 50 degrees," said Gail Langellotto, an Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturist and professor. "If left out in the garden too long, they may decay prematurely in storage.”

You'll see best storage results when you stash squash in a cool, dry spot. For most winter squash, store at 50º to 55º F with relative humidity of 60 to 70 percent.

The delicata squash has a moist, creamy yellow flesh that tastes and smells like a blend of corn, butternut squash and sweet potato. It is often referred to as the sweet potato squash. They are best eaten when steamed or baked.

Butternut squash is incredibly nutritious! It's rich in minerals too: 89 mg of calcium, making it a surprisingly calcium-rich food plus 1.3 mg of plant-based iron. It also contains 615 mg of potassium and 63 mg of magnesium for a healthy heart.

Although delicata is typically considered a winter squash variety, it actually belongs to the same species as summer squash varieties like cousa, zucchini, pattypan, etc. The delicata squash is sometimes referred to as a sweet potato squash or a peanut squash.

Can squash take cold weather? ›

Squashes do not tolerate cold temperatures. In short-season areas, start seeds inside three weeks before the frost-free date in spring—but no earlier because older transplants will produce poorly.

Some squash skin is edible, while other types of squash have tough skin that can be removed before cooking. Remove the skin of butternut, hubbard, buttercup, and turban squash. If you enjoy the taste, leave the skin on acorn, spaghetti, kabocha, and zucchini squash.

For the best-quality squash, wait to harvest all types until they are mature — at least 50–55 days after the fruit has set — and cure before storing and eating.

Over the past several years, butternut squash has become a standard ingredient on menus as the star in a creamy soup, ravioli filling, or risotto flavor. It is the sweetest winter squash with a thick, bright orange, moist flesh that hides very few seeds.

Butternut Squash

Its sweet, nutty flavor makes it ideal for soups, purees, and roasting. The versatility of butternut squash is endless and is a great choice for anything from roasted sheet-pan recipes, hearty stews, soups, roasted and thrown into risottos and lots more.

Delicata, along with butternut, is a choice that may be easier to grow than some. Choose one of the many buttercup, kabocha, or hubbard types from A.P. Whaley seed company or Fedco. The blue/green color squashes on this baking sheet are the 'Baby Blue Hubbard' variety, which will grow well in northern climates.

Butternut. One of the most ubiquitous winter squash, this variety requires a bit of prep work, but it's well worth the effort. The smooth, tan skin should be peeled (it's edible, but tough), and then the seeds should be removed.