A Handy Guide to Winter Squash
Everything you need to know about the It ingredients of the season.
Updated Jan 17, 2019 10:09 AM
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Acorn Squash:
Savory in flavor with subtle sweet notes. When roasting, consider pairing with butter and brown sugar to bring out the breadth of its flavor. Thanks to its cup-like shape, acorn squash is also ideal for stuffing. Here, 23 ways to cook with acorn squash.
Red Kuri Squash
Sweet Dumpling Squash
Another picture-perfect squash, and true to its name, the sweet dumpling variety definitely skews towards the sweeter spectrum, relative to the other types of the veggie. Try it via this roast sweet dumpling squash recipe with red onion and pumpkin seeds or, even sub it into a sweet potato pie recipe!
Delicata Squash
This low calorie veggie is often dubbed as a “sweet potato squash” hinting at its deceptively sweet taste and versatile flavor. You would be surprised to discover that most cooks even prefer it to butternut squash itself. We’re making this hard squash hummus asap.
Butternut Squash
While opting to individually roast each squash variety is an option, the less time-consuming alternative would be to group-roast the bunch. Here’s how:
Ingredients
- Assorted squash
- Sea salt for roasting base and garnish (optional)
- 1 tablespoon brown or white sugar
- Olive oil
- Whole peppercorns
- Sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage
Begin by preheating the oven to 375F. Cut the smaller squashes into halves, scoop out the seeds, and the larger in four or more pieces, making sure that all of the pieces are of about the same size, to ensure an even roast throughout.
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Drizzle olive oil on top and garnish with the sugar, a teaspoon of salt, and the peppercorns. Nestle the sprigs of herbs in between the pieces of squash for a fragrant touch. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the squash is soft to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before peeling off the skin.
From here, you can utilize the squash in recipes ranging from soups to salads, and more. For the sweeter variety—such as butternut squash—you can drizzle the halves with maple syrup and enjoy, directly from the oven. Consider it a healthy alternative to a classic fall dessert.
Related Reading: 27 butternut squash recipes we are SO making this fall We’re Ditching Avocado Toast For This butternut squash lasagna
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