How To Cook Winter Squash

It’s fall and winter squashes are abundant everywhere – at the Farmer’s Markets, grocery stores, health food stores, and outdoor produce stands. They are tasty, filling, nutritious, and easy to prepare.

Here are some of the more prominent winer squashes that I get regularly, and some ideas for how to prepare them. In addition to the ideas below, you can bake any of the winter squashes whole and then use the squash for whatever dish you are making. Or, bake and cut up and eat as is. Pieces can be seasoned with a little salt and cinnamon, drizzled with melted butter and a sprinkle of coconut sugar, or anything else that appeals to you. Bake the squash whole at 425 degrees in a lightly oiled pan or on a cookie/pizza sheet. Bake 1-1 ½ hours or until tender when a knife is inserted.

Butternut Squash

This winter squash is smooth and sweet. You can use it to make squash soup or soup with other veggies (I like it paired with cabbage and a bit of purple sweet potato). I also like to peel it and cut it into small chunks and cook it with kale and/or collard greens. It is also nice roasted with other veggies. One of my go-to’s is roasted butternut squash, patty pan squash, Brussel sprouts, and purple sweet potato. To make this roasted veggie dish, peel and cut veggies. Put in bowl and mix with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder or fresh minced garlic, and rosemary. Or use other herbs and seasonings of your choice. Basil, oregano, thyme are other good options.

Put on a lightly oiled baking sheet and roast about half an hour at 425 degrees. Turn veggies about halfway through for more even roasting. Roast until tender, going longer than a half hour if needed. I also enjoy baking cooked chunks of butternut squash with cooked pasta, seasoned with herbs, salt, pepper, and tahini sauce.

You can substitute butternut squash in a sweet potato or pumpkin pie. It is also good in muffins.

Kabocha Squash/Buttercup Squash

Kabocha squash is also smooth and very sweet. It has a pleasing starchy kind of consistency. I cook it with greens or roast with other veggies, as described above for butternut squash. Buttercup squash is very similar and can be used the same way. Both of them are dark green in color and shaped like a squat pumpkin. The buttercup squash has a little whitish dome on the top, which looks like a little hat.

Acorn Squash

This winter squash is more starchy than sweet, so is not good for those who favor sweet. I like to cut it in chunks, baste it with a little olive oil and sprinkle on salt, garlic powder, and cinnamon. Bake in a lightly oiled pan at 425 degrees about 35-45 minutes or until tender. Eat as is or add something like apple butter, sorghum, ground sesame seeds on top.

Spaghetti Squash

This squash is also more starchy than sweet and is often substituted for pasta on low or no carb diets. Bake whole in a pan or on a cookie or pizza sheet, 425 degrees about 1-1 ½ hours. Insert a knife to make sure it’s tender.

Then, scoop out the squash into a bowl and separate the strands with a fork. You can put tomato sauce on top or mix it with pesto. For a complete meal, mix stir fried veggies and tofu in with the squash. Another option is to mix it with tahini sauce and sprinkle black sesame seeds on top.

Delicata Squash

My husband and I did not have this squash until last year, and now we are totally hooked on it. While not sweet like butternut or kabocha, it is very tasty and has a nice smooth texture. My favorite way to make it is to cut it in chunks, place chunks in a pan, baste the chunks with olive oil, and sprinkle on cinnamon and a seasoned salt that is infused with lemon, garlic, and rosemary. You can get creative and add the spices and herbs of your choice. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees 30-45 minutes.

Check out the internet for all kinds of other recipes, such as stuffed squash, squash cookies, pies, muffins, and cakes, main or side dishes using squash.

Other Cooking Ideas. Check out these short videos.

How To Roast Vegetables

Delicious Sweet Potato Ideas

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