• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Seasonal guide
  • All produce
  • About
  • Subscribe

Ask the Food Geek logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Seasonal guide
  • All produce
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Seasonal guide
  • All produce
  • About
  • Subscribe
×

Home » Seasonal Guides » Pumpkins, butternut & other winter squash

Modified: Mar 13, 2020 by Vee

Pumpkins, butternut & other winter squash

Winter squash are perfect for stuffing, roasting, souping, stewing, and seeding. Get the scoop on each variety.

Winter squash in season

When are winter squash in season?

They start to show up in September and because of their long storage life, some varieties last through the end of winter. Store them in a cool, dry place and most will last a month, sometimes more.

See what else is in season at the same time at the farmers market: September, October, and November, and December. But you can also find them at the grocery store due to their longer storage capabilities: January, February, and March.

Different types of winter squash & their uses

Acorn squash: Edible skin makes it perfect for roasting whole, in slices and stuffing. Mild flavor. Look for a green rind with little or no orange coloring on the outside (indicating it might have fibrous flesh).

Butternut squash: Great in pureed soups, chunky stews, or cut up and roasted. Mild with a sweet taste. Here's a tutorial on efficiently peeling & cutting up butternut squash.

Delicata squash: Edible skin makes this perfect for roasting and stuffing. The flesh is similar to a sweet potato (although yellow), and a bit more earthy.

Kabocha squash: Slightly nutty and just slightly sweet flesh makes this a favorite winter squash for almost any use! The red version is sweeter.

Spaghetti squash: The flesh separates into spaghetti-like strands with raked with a fork. This makes it a trendy substitute for pasta, and also adds texture to dishes. To get long strands, cut the squash across the 'waist' because of how the flesh wraps around the inside.

Here's a tutorial on roasting spaghetti squash.

Sugar pumpkin: Use this in place of canned pumpkin puree for pies. Also perfect for stuffing and roasting.

Different uses for winter squash

Edible skin

Fully edible squash (skin and all) are always fun and take minimal prep work.  Acorn squash (with pretty scalloped edges) and Delicata are fan favorites. Technically, you can eat the skin on any squash, but thicker ones are just not pleasing.

Make sure to fully scrub squash that you plan to eat with the skin, to remove any wax coating it (or buy it fresh from a farmers market). Also avoid spaghetti squash skin, as it become cracked and flaky and no one wants to eat that!

Squash bowls for soup & stuffing

Any winter squash will work, but keep in mind some are fully edible and others aren't that great. Acorn and delicata are favorites again. This time, spaghetti squash is also a good option! Scrape the flesh into strands and fill it with sauce and other vegetables (just don't eat the skin).

Tips:

  • Cut a tiny piece of the bottom off, so it doesn't wobble when stuffed.
  • Scoop out the flesh and seeds, then roast it with a generous amount of butter or oil (or the flesh will dry out). Then stuff it, pour soup in it, or serve a fall salad in it.
  • Make note of the shape - if the top comes in too far (like a typical pumpkin), it will be harder to eat out of it.

Roasting squash seeds

Just like pumpkin seeds, any squash seeds can be roasted in the same way. They are just as tasty as pumpkin seeds. The process is the same, except you also get to eat the flesh instead of just carving a pumpkin.

How to roast pumpkin seeds
by Vanilla and Bean
Check it out
Roasting pumpkin seeds by Vanilla and Bean

Should I buy organic?

If the squash is from the US, yes. If it is from Mexico or South America, it isn't necessary.

Consumer reports tests the amount and toxicity of pesticides found on the edible parts of produce. Winter squash from the US have high levels, where 1-5 servings in a day puts you over the amount of pesticide that is "known to be safe." Winter squash from Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala have levels low enough to be nearly indistinguishable from organic.

I have more information on organic vs conventional produce, where I also put the amounts into context (like comparing to glass of wine).

Winter squash recipe collection - stuffed, roasted, souped, and pureed.

Each recipe below only uses ingredients that are in season at the same time as different winter squash varieties, or ingredients that have a year-round season.

Butternut squash & pomegranate crostini with whipped feta and honey
by Foxes Love Lemons
Check it out
squash pomegranate crostini
Spagetti squash aglio e olio with rainbow chard
by Half Baked Harvest
Check it out
Spaghetti squash aglio e olio - Half Baked Harvest
Pumpkin flatbread with gruyere and crispy sage
by The Bojon Gourmet
Check it out
Pumpkin flatbread - The Bojon Gourmet
Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Soup with Sage Croutons
Check it out
Stuffed delicata squash rings with mushrooms, cranberries, and pecans
by Rhubarbarians
Check it out
Stuffed delicata squash - Rhubarbarians
Roasted brussels sprouts and squash salad with horseradish dressing
by Viktoria's Table
Check it out
Roasted brussels sprouts - Victoria's Table
Roasted butternut squash, kale, and cranberry couscous salad
by Gimmee Some Oven
Check it out
Roasted squash, kale, cranberry couscous salad - Gimmee Some Oven
Slow cooker black bean and butternut squash chili
by The Full Helping
Check it out
Black bean and butternut squash quinoa chili - The Full Helping
Whole wheat butternut squash and pesto lasagna
by My Diary of Us
Check it out
Butternut squash and pesto lasagna - My Diary of Us
How to make pumpkin puree
by Vanilla and Bean
Check it out
How to make pumpkin puree - Vanilla and Bean

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Ask me anything

I do a lot of research about produce to figure out why some fruits & veggies taste good and others bland. I also dig into the science of why some recipes work and others don't. No question goes unanswered, and I'm here to share the results with you.

January image with citrus fruits

The best (and worst) apples for pie

apple pie on a pile of red and green apples

The type of apple used to make your pie actually matters. So why do some apples make the best pies, but other varieties yield disappointing results? It comes down to their flavor, acidity, and texture after being cooked in a hot oven. I can confirm that these characteristics can greatly vary from one variety to...

Read More

Fresh fig banana bread

Fresh fig banana bread with a fig syrup swirl

A seasonal banana bread recipe with a homemade fig-maple syrup swirled into the batter that tastes like fig newton filling. This bread is a perfect way to use seasonal figs this summer and fall, even if they are slightly under or overripe. The recipe requires some extra steps to cook the maple-fig syrup, but it's...

Read More

Farmers market apple butter (Instant Pot)

apple butter recipe in the instant pot and canned

After using almost 100 pounds of apples to test apple butter recipes, I've found the best apple varieties, cooking methods and ingredients to produce the best results. Best apples: McIntosh for their cider-like flavor and smooth consistency with cooked Best cooking method: pressure cooking for its ability to caramelize the sugars Best flavor tip: keep...

Read More

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up for produce guides!

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.