My Favorite Winter Squash Recipes

A collection of favorite recipes for winter squash, the (mostly) colorful, tough-skinned squash that appear in early fall and are easily available well through the winter.

But first, a quick vegetable lesson. What's the difference between winter squash and summer squash? Both grow during the warm months of summer so why is one called 'winter' squash and the other called 'summer' squash?

THE QUICK ANSWER for COOKS Summer squash have tender, edible skins. Winter squash have tough, inedible skins.

BUT PLEASE KNOW This is a 'cooking answer' not a botanical answer! Cooks use the two terms as loose designations for what might be considered the two squash 'families,' the tender-skinned summer squash and the tough-skinned winter squash. But please know, each 'family' has many offspring and cousins and some times, the names change after immigrating. Like most families, it's complicated!

WHAT IS SUMMER SQUASH? 'Summer squash' is the shorthand name for the soft-skinned squash that appear early in the growing season. Summer squash is more perishable than winter squash. It can be cooked but is often eaten raw. Our global food distribution system provides supermarkets with 'summer squash' all year long. No wonder it's confusing!

COMMON NAMES of SUMMER SQUASH A green-skinned zucchini (called 'courgette' in Europe and other places) is one kind of summer squash, so is the yellow-skinned crookneck squash, so are the pattypan squash that look like satellites (my photo of pattypan squash is on Flickr).

WHAT IS WINTER SQUASH? 'Winter squash' is the shorthand name for the tough-skinned squash that appear later in the growing season, late summer and early fall. In Britain and Australia, 'winter squash' is called 'pumpkin' -- which is all very confusing since pumpkin, indeed, has a tough skin but isn't a squash. (There's a photo of what North Americans call 'pumpkin' in my recipe for Stuffed Pumpkin with Apple & Cranberry. More confusion? Canned 'pumpkin' is actually puréed 'calabaza squash'.) Winter squash can be eaten raw but is nearly always cooked.

COMMON NAMES of WINTER SQUASH The most common kind of winter squash is the butternut squash (see photos below), perhaps because of its especially sweet flesh, especially when roasted. Other kinds of winter squash are acorn squash, carnival squash (pictured on the left), kabocha squash, Hubbard squash, even spaghetti squash. Beginning in early fall, my supermarket keeps a bin of colorful winter squash, many different shapes and varieties. Explore!

And now, without further ado, all my favorite winter squash recipes!

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HOW TO ROAST a WHOLE BUTTERNUT SQUASH You will not believe how perfectly easy this is! Roast two or three while you're roasting one, then you'll have roasted squash on hand for other dishes, ideas below. How to Roast a Whole Butternut Squash

MICROWAVE ACORN SQUASH In a rush? Sure, we often are. You can cook a smaller squash like an acorn squash in the microwave in just a few minutes. It's not 'quite' as succulent as squash slow-roasted in the oven but still, very good. Microwave Acorn Squash

SQUASH PUFF But if you're roasting one squash, roast another one or two at the same time so you'll have roasted squash on hand. This means the next squash dish can be on the table in no time at all. This recipe for Squash Puff comes from my dear Auntie Gloria. I make it for Thanksgiving every year but the color is so beautiful, its texture so fine, like a roasted turkey, it shouldn't be reserved for just one day a year. Squash Puff from Kitchen Parade, my food column

ACORN SQUASH WITH MUSTARD & HONEY It's traditional to brush acorn squash with a little maple syrup. But branch out a little with common pantry ingredients and OH OH MY. Acorn Squash with Mustard & Honey

ACORN SQUASH WITH QUINOA & CHERRIES When you stuff an acorn squash with protein-rich quinoa, it's a meal in itself. Acorn Squash with Quinoa & Cherries from Kitchen Parade

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH with MAPLE GLAZE But okay, you're right, you're right, you just know you're right. And so do I. There really truly is something magical about a little maple syrup on butternut squash. Heaven, this stuff. Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Glaze

BUTTERNUT MAC 'N' CHEESE And while we're mid moan, add one for the dreamy combination of mac 'n' cheese and roasted butternut squash. This was the run-away hit for Thanksgiving a couple of years back. Butternut Mac 'n' Cheese

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP THAT ACTUALLY TASTES LIKE BUTTERNUT SQUASH So I'm funny in a certain way. I want foods to taste like what they are. It's why I don't use canned mushroom soup, it makes everything taste like canned mushroom soup. It's why I use less sugar, because I want applesauce to taste like apples not sugar. You get the picture. And so this is where I ran into trouble, finding a soup recipe that really tasted like butternut squash. THIS ONE DOES. It was worth waiting for, it's worth the extra steps in the unusual technique. Butternut Squash Soup Recipe That Actually Tastes Like Butternut Squash And this butternut squash soup, it adds the sweetness of fruit and can be served chilled when the weather's warm. Butternut Squash Soup with Mango & Toasted Coconut

So we've roasted our hearts out, now what? Cute little cubes of winter squash. But first, a safety lesson. HOW TO CUT UP A BUTTERNUT SQUASH Sure, we can buy winter squash already cut up but it's expensive and cut who-knows-how-many-days-ago. Once you learn the technique, it takes just a couple of minutes to peel and chop a butternut squash -- and keep all ten fingers. How to Cut, Peel & Cube a Butternut Squash and Keep All Ten Fingers

SWEET POTATO & BUTTERNUT SQUASH TAGINE Pretty soon, you'll find yourself tucking into one dish of butternut squash cubes after another. Pretty soon, you'll be pairing butternut squash with all classic fall and winter ingredients. Like sweet potatoes. Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Tagine

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & APPLE And apples. OH the apples. Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple from Kitchen Parade

WINTER STEW And pork and venison and other tender, juicy bites of succulent meat. Winter Stew from Kitchen Parade Note to Vegetarians

CHICKEN & WILD RICE SOUP And back into soup, here matched with chicken and wild rice, the butternut squash adds texture and color and sweetness. So good! Chicken & Wild Rice Soup from Kitchen Parade

RAW BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD Would you believe it, raw? Yes, even winter squash can be eaten raw, no cooking! This is a great season-transition salad. Raw Butternut Squash Salad

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