Winter Squash 101: How to Prep and Cook the Season’s Best Gourds
Just a few minutes of prep get you halfway to quick fall meals all week long.
The summer months are gone, and gone with them are off-the-cuff raw summer salads and the like. But honestly, that’s just fine with me because squash is now on the menu. The winter squash coming into our Marketplace are insanely delicious this season— there are no two ways about it. A few simple tips (and a very sharp knife) make breaking down one of these thick-skinned, thick-bodied beauties so quick and simple, so just a few minutes of chopping can give you squash to add to any and everything all week long. Here, we’re breaking down our favorite varieties of winter squash and how to prep them for easy, quick fall meals all week long.
Butternut Squash
Butternut squash has a lovely smooth texture, sweet, nutty taste, and super vibrant orange color. You know you love it, but you might not love preparing it — that’s where we come in.
You’re really only here for the sweet, sweet flesh. The easiest way to access the bounty without all the fuss is to very simply lop off the ends using a very sharp knife, then cut the whole thing in half lengthwise. Start with the bulgy end towards you and make a cut down the middle, halfway up the length of the butternut. Rotate the squash and follow the same cut down the skinny end. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and you’re ready to roast!
Coat with olive oil , salt, and pepper then bake cut side down for about an hour at 375°F on a lined baking sheet (squash is very forgiving, so no need to keep an eagle eye on the oven — set a timer and forget about it). Use in soups, mash, or peel the skin off and cube it up.
Red Kuri Squash
Red Kuri squash has a remarkable melt-in-your-mouth texture when roasted with quite a distinct flavor — it’s somewhere in between a butternut squash and pumpkin, but with a slightly tangy edge.
I find that although the skin is rather tough, Red Kuri squash are quite easy to peel with a regular vegetable peeler. So lop off the ends, then stand the squash up on the now-flat bottom. Cut the squash in half by lining up your very sharp knife and using a rocking motion with both of your hands on top of the knife. Scoop all the seeds and junk out of the halves with a spoon, then peel with a vegetable peeler. Slice and dice into your desired chunk size and save to add to soups and stews later in the week
Delicata Squash
This winter squash takes on a nutty, caramel-y flavor when roasted (no honey or brown sugar required).Delicata are also the simplest squash to prepare and the quickest to cook (!).
Bonus, you can totally eat the skin of delicata! It actually adds an awesome chewy-crispy texture and really beautiful colors to the finished dish. So simply cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then slice into half-moons. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper — that’s all you need — then roast until golden brown and crisp on both sides. I like to adjust the time and temperature based on what else I’m cooking. If I’m roasting chicken thighs at 375°F for 30 minutes, that’s about how long I put the squash in for (in the same pan, if you’re genius level). If nothing else is going in the oven — 450 °F for about 15 minutes works perfectly.
Acorn Squash
Lots of winter squash can be quite sweet, but acorn squash refreshingly falls more on the savory side. It has quite a mellow, pumpkin-y type flavor and texture and lovely sunny color, so it brightens up any plate and takes on the flavors you add.
The skin and flesh is pretty tough when raw, so peeling isn’t really a viable option, but makes acorns perfect for stuffing with meats, grains, and cheeses (just bake the squash for about 30 minutes before you add the filling). We’re better suited here to using our beloved very-sharp-knife and rocking motion to split acorn squash in half, not bothering with the stem. Place the acorn squash on a towel for extra stability, and start your cut in one of the grooves (this should prevent any squash-related injuries).
Sugar Pie Pumpkin
These are the beautiful creatures that go into silky smooth pumpkin pies — they’re not just for decoration. You can cook and eat these guys! Sugar pies are the pumpkin to cook with because the flesh is so much smoother than those large pumpkins, which can be watery and stringy. This method for preparing and cooking sugar pie pumpkins is the easiest and fastest way for perfect smooth and silky pumpkin soup or veggie pumpkin curries, where using fresh pumpkin really makes a difference.
Take a really sharp and sturdy knife and using the same method as acorn squash split the pumpkin in half. Scoop out all the seeds then split the halves into a few smaller pieces. Place the pieces in a microwave safe bowl with about an inch or so of water, cover with plastic wrap (poke a few holes) then microwave on high for 10 minutes. Check how soft the flesh is — if you need chunks of pumpkin for a warming curry, you’ll want a knife to go in with mild resistance. If you need very soft flesh for soup, give it another 5 minutes on high. If you need cubes, wait for the pumpkin to cool until you can handle it, peel the skin off and chunk it up. If you need a puree, throw it in a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth. You could also do this with a fork if you don’t mind a few stringy bits.
