Here’s my squashiest tips and a few you have to sample!
Seek out squash that have hard, corky stems still attached; that have deep, vibrant colors; and that have a flat, matte-like finish rather than being glossy and shiny.
Winter squash are best after they’ve been left to mature fully on the vine. That’s why they have harder shells than summer squash. It’s also why they are sweeter, starchier and in some cases, stringier.
When cut, the outside should “dew” up with a moist appearance.
Prep – It’s easiest to prepare winter squash when you cook them before the skin is removed.
Wash squash thoroughly then use a sharp and heavy vegetable knife to cut open. Use a spoon to scrape out seeds and the grainy fibers.
If a specific recipe calls for peeling the squash first then use a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler for the task.
This is only if you don’t have mice, rats, squirrels or other rodent-like creatures residing there. Last year, we ate our last squash in March!
Ever buy winter squash out of season? Pretty much a mortgage payment.
Worth buying in bulk at the local farmer’s market and storing for later use. Always keep your eyes peeled at roadside stands where squash range from 50 cents to $2 each. Good buy.
How-to Cook
A-Z Squash Dictionary
Acorn Squash
Sometimes, the skin will be ivory or orange entirely. The flesh has a mild, if not bland flavor.
In my opinion, acorn squash are more watery, gritty, and stringier than some other varieties of squash. So I like to roast them cut side up putting butter, brown sugar and sometimes a bit of maple syrup in the hollows to add flavor.
Because acorn squash is a little less sweet and more fibrous than some other types of winter squash, it’s not my first choice for soup.
Buttercup Squash
The sweet flesh is bright orange with a smooth, dry texture. Yum! Because buttercup squash is a drier squash, you’ll want to steam or bake it as both methods of preparation will bring out the sweetness of the flesh and add moisture.
Many substitute buttercup squash in any recipe that calls for sweet mashed potato. Or, you can roast it just like you would an acorn squash with cinnamon, brown sugar and maple syrup.
Buttercup squash works well in soups, muffins, pies and purees. And to be fully transparent with you, I need to add butter and lots of it to buttercup squash otherwise it’s too dry for me.
Butternut Squash
The smooth, tan-skinned squash have moist yellow orange flesh with a subtle nutty flavor. Many people think butternut squash is akin to pumpkin in taste and substitute it in breads and pies.
I just like to mash mine as I would a potato and find I never need to add butter to enhance it. It’s perfect just boiled and mashed to my taste buds!
Due to its starchiness butternut squash also makes a great soup too with a bit of onion and a splash of cream. To make butternut squash easier to handle, cut the neck from the body and work with each section separately.
Delicata Squash
Delicata squash have a creamy yellow flesh with a slight corn flavor. Because they are smaller than most other types of winter squash, they are easier to carry home from the farmer’s market and easier to work with (less seeds, less peeling of the skin.)
Their rich and creamy texture make them scrumptious all caramelized in the oven when roasted, kind of like a sweet potato! Roasting vegetables is the best way to enhance their natural sugars! Tasty.
Hubbard Squash – Winter squash
The tapered shell is dark green, blue-green or even orange-colored with small knobs covering the outside. The flesh is yellow-orange with a more coarse texture and mild flavor.
Every Thanksgiving, I get the nomination to peel the hubbard squash and it takes me about a week. But I love it….warts and all.
Like butternut squash, hubbard squash are great in soups and pies. And there’s more than enough of it use it for every cooking project you can dream up!
Spaghetti Squash – Winter squash
Their claim to fame is their stringy “spaghettish” flesh that when cooked, can be scraped with a fork into thin, delicate strands that can be used just like pasta.
The nutty, mild flavor has a crunchy texture.
Sunny Squash
Sweet and mild in flavor, tastes perfect roasted in the oven or mashed.
I love seeing these at roadside stands for 75 cents each!
All but the hubbard. I love squash and can easily eat it all year round!
My grandmother always served Hubbard squash at our family Thanksgiving dinner. Hard to find any where I now live. We eat mostly Acorn and Butternut.
thanksgiving dinner. hard to find any where I live.
We love spaghetti squash with homemade sauce or with parmesan and fresh pepper.
I have had Acorn Squash
I love Spaghetti squash
We have a few acorn squash this year, going to have to try some new recipes!
I need to branch out and try more winter squash, as I have a surprisingly large number I’ve yet to try. Thank you for this informative article!
I love winter squash but have only had 3 of the above.
I’ve only tried Butternut and Acorn – I did a CSA share this year and they had a ton of Acorn. It was so good!
I’m a big fan of butternut squash soup.
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i love squash!!
Have enjoyed squash this year as our local farm markets has such a great selection
Mmmm…squash!!! After having great success with spaghetti squash the summer before last, I decided to plant acorn and butternut squash this last summer. (I love eating them, but have never tried to growing them.) Unfortunately, our already short growing season was made even shorter by cool, wet weather that seemed to go on forever. So, long story short, I ended up with these huge, trailing plants/vines covered in flowers that didn’t end up having enough time to grow…and no squash! Well, I got a couple tiny spaghetti squash, but no acorn or butternut. Maybe next year! 🙂
I might try them. Hopefully they taste as delicious as they look here.
interesting article, enjoyed reading
I’ve tried 5 of the above!
0 I don’t eat squash. I do grow summer squash and give it away.
I’ve tried acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash. Acorn is my favorite!
Few things smell better than roasted squash in the autumn. I love putting roasted cubes in my kale salad!
nice
I should try more varieties of squash with so many available.
spagetti squash..is frequent around here…not so much the others.
Didnt know there were that many kinds of squash! I do like it baked with lots of butter and pepper!
I have a Delicata squash that i’ve been meaning to prepare – thanks for the tips!
I love squash