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Pick of the Season: Winter Squash
And five two-line recipes you can try this week
Pam Miller
January 27, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
Hello seasoned readers! In this issue:
Winter Squash 101
Five two-line recipes you can try this week
Plus a squash dessert?
Revolution!!
Pick of the Season: Winter Squash
Butternut. Kabocha. Pumpkin. Delicata. Winter’s colorful bounty of gorgeous gourds offers a nutritional boost that keeps you warm and well-fed throughout the year's coldest months.
Winter squash remains something of an enigma. Despite its versatility, it’s often assumed that it can only be prepared with sugary toppings or broiled with butter. Well, happy day! Savory soups, stews, pasta, and other delights await you.
Winter squash 101
Some of the more readily available varieties include:
Acorn  | Small and dark green acorn squashes are perfect for stuffing or serving in individual portions. Avoid an acorn squash with orange skin; it will be stringy and tough. |
Butternut (aka “Butternut Pumpkin” and “Gramma Pumpkin”)  | This is the MVP of winter squashes. Always abundant, this versatile fruit can be used for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, from side dishes to comforting mains and desserts. |
Delicata  | These little beauties are striped and oblong, with thin, edible skin, making them ready to roast in slices or halves. |
Hubbard  | Don’t let the alien-like appearance throw you for a loop. These giant blue-gray squash are super sweet but a bit challenging to cut. |
Kabocha  | A cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin in flavor and texture, this foodie gift from Japan is versatile and makes killer tempura. |
Spaghetti  | This is Mother Nature's pasta alternative. After cooking, the flesh separates into spaghetti-like strands. Perfect for a carb-free carbonara! |
Sugar Pumpkin  | Similar to their larger cousins, these mini pumpkins are sweeter with a creamier, smoother texture. |
Sweet Dumpling  | This petite, yellowish-white and green striped squash is a perfect size for an individual serving. The skin is edible and can be used in recipes calling for sweet potato or pumpkin. |
Pro tips
The harder it is to pierce with your fingernail, the riper the squash.
Roast the seeds of any squash for a superfood snack.
Most winter squash varieties are interchangeable in recipes.
The darker the orange flesh, the more beta-carotene.
If the squash is too hard to cut, microwave for 2-3 minutes to soften.
Did you know… The roasted seeds of any winter squash give you a potent dose of vitamins and minerals like vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, calcium, and iron, plus healthy fats.
Easy-peasy recipes (just a couple of lines each!)
Basic Roasted Squash
Cut in half, scoop out the seeds, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400°F until tender (30-60 minutes, depending on size).
Butternut Squash Soup
Roast butternut chunks with onion and garlic until tender. Blend with stock, cream, and warming spices. Top with pumpkin seeds (pepitas), a dash of turmeric, and a swirl of cream.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Halve and roast acorn squash until tender. Fill with a mixture of quinoa, sautéed mushrooms, kale, and sauteed onions. Top with Parmesan and broil until golden.
Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
Roast spaghetti squash and pull it into strands. Toss with traditional pad thai sauce and add tofu or shrimp, bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts.
Don’t forget dessert!
Try out this Pumpkin Crisp dessert from I Am Baker.
Photo courtesy I Am Baker
Resources
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Ripped from the pages of Guinness
Photo courtesy Guinness World Records
“The heaviest squash weighed 2,164 lb (981.57 kg) and was grown by Todd and Donna Skinner (USA). It was authenticated by the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth at the Oakland Nursery National Pumpkin Weigh-off in Dublin, Ohio, USA, on 10 October 2021.”
Read more at this Guinness World Records archive
“I like a little bit of revolution. I think it's a very good hobby for a young woman. Better than squash.”
- Caitlin Moran, English journalist and broadcaster
(OK we know she was referring to the sport rather than the vegetable, but we liked the quote so sue us!)
Try any of these recipes or have some of your own? Reply and let us know!