Winter squash might seem intimidating, but don’t let it’s unusual shape or generally tough skin hold you back from experiencing this nutrient-dense superfood! This collection of Tried-and-True Winter Squash Recipes will help you get to know the most common varieties and show you how to cook them, including how to remove the seeds and skin when necessary.
Jump to:
- Types of Winter Squash
- How to Store Winter Squash
- How to Cook Winter Squash – Our Favorite Tried-and-True Winter Squash Recipes for Every Occassion
Winter squash is one of the healthiest, most nutritious produce you can purchase during the winter season. The typically bright orange hue of its flesh just screams “I’m packed with vitamins and minerals – eat me!”. And eat it we will – in every form, at every meal, using every cooking method.
Winter squash is an ideal ingredient for a variety of dietary specifications and cuisines – you’ll find it featured in lifestyles as divergent as vegan and Whole30, and used in cultures around the world to create decadent soups, rich pasta sauces, hearty stews, sweet desserts and baked goods, and so much more.
Versatile, beautiful, nourishing, and healthy, winter squash in one form or another should be on your weekly menu all fall and winter. Learn the most common types available, how to store them, and most deliciously, how to cook them!
Types of Winter Squash
This is by no means a finite list of winter squash options, but in my experience they are the most common varieties you’ll find available at local grocery stores. Seek out specialty varieties (they’re worth the hunt) at your local farmer’s market, co-ops, and specialty stores like Whole Foods and Mom’s Organic Market.
- Butternut Squash: Perhaps the most popular winter squash, recipes for butternut squash are abundant. It can be roasted, pan-seared, spiralized, baked, or boiled into a mash. Butternut squash is sweet and nutty, and a terrific substitute for pumpkin in savory recipes.
- Acorn Squash: Acorn squash is small but mighty! These squash typically range from 1-2 pounds each and have a mild flavor suitable to a variety of cuisines. Acorn squash is usually halved or sliced then roasted, but it’s also delicious blended into soup.
- Spaghetti Squash: Aptly named for the long, thin strands of flesh that release after cooking, spaghetti squash’s profile has exploded in recent years as a healthy and low carb alternative to noodles. You’ll find spaghetti squash in a variety of sizes, and once roasted it has a mild, almost neutral flavor. Larger squash are perfect as a base for hearty toppings like meat sauce, while smaller squash are a fun option for stuffing as you might an acorn squash.
- Delicata Squash: Delicata squash is probably my favorite winter squash! If you find most winter squash difficult to work with, you’ll discover a hero in tender delicata squash. It’s a breeze to prep and and a joy to cook, with a sweet and nutty flavor that totally melts in your mouth. It’s best prepared roasted with the skin intact, which is both edible and tasty.
- Sugar Pumpkins: Yes, pumpkins are a winter squash! As it’s name implies, sugar pumpkins (or “pie pumpkins”) have firm, sweet flesh and are ideal for both sweet and savory recipes. Scratch-cooked pumpkin soup is outstanding, and as you might imagine they make the very best homemade pumpkin puree you’ll ever taste.
How to Store Winter Squash
Winter squash are ideal for long-time storage, but some varieties last longer than others. Squash with heartier skins, like butternut, spaghetti, and sugar pumpkins, will last longer than varietals with edible skin, such as delicata squash and acorn squash.
- Winter squash should be stored in a cool (not cold) dry place – AKA, not your fridge!
- Do not wash before storing, as moisture can cause them to rot faster.
- Select blemish-free squash with the roots intact for best storage life.
- When purchasing squash from a chain grocery store, I typically cook it within 2 weeks since I don’t know how old it already is.
- When sourcing squash from my farmer’s market or a local farmer directly, I like to store it in an uncovered plastic tub near our back door (which is a bit drafty and keeps the temperature fairy cool).
How to Cook Winter Squash – Our Favorite Tried-and-True Winter Squash Recipes for Every Occassion
You’ll find a dish for every occasion, skill level, and dietary persuasion in this collection of easy, healthy, and delicious winter squash recipes.
If you’re a squash novice, start with easy to prepare varieties like acorn or delicata, which don’t need to be peeled. For the seasoned home chefs, you might try your hand with roasting a sugar pumpkin from scratch. And for those who want to dive in fork-first with as little fuss as possible, seek pre-prepared butternut squash (it’s often diced or spiralized) in your local grocery store or market.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Brown Butter
Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Browned Butter
Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Browned Butter
A sweet-and-savory combination of maple browned butter, sea salt, and fresh sage makes these roasted acorn squash slices shine. Baking acorn squash in the oven yields tender slightly caramelized flesh. The nutty edible skin cuts way down on prep time too!
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Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing
Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing
Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing
If you find most winter squash varietals to be difficult to work with, you will discover a hero in tender delicata squash. The skin is soft and edible, and the seeds easily scoop from the flesh, making it a superior squash for busy weeknights when you just cannot bother with tedious prep work. Roasted delicata squash is sweet, nutty, and impressively versatile. It shines in this seasonal fall salad recipe tossed with quinoa, vegetables, and pepitas, then drizzled with a sweet and creamy maple vinaigrette.
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Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk
Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk and Pepitas
Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk and Pepitas
This paleo roasted pumpkin soup made with coconut milk and finished with fresh herbs and pepitias is a hearty, healthy, and simply delicious fall soup!
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Sausage and Veggie Stuffed Acorn Squash
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squashis a fall favorite! Italian sausage, cranberries, spinach,sage, and rosemary are stuffed into acorn squash, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, and roasted until tender and bubbling.
White Bean and Butternut Squash Ragout
White Bean Ragout with Butternut Squash and Mushrooms
White Bean Ragout with Butternut Squash and Mushrooms
This white bean ragout with butternut squash and mushrooms is a hearty, super nutritious winter stew. Serve it over polenta, rice, or crusty bread, or for a grain-free option, pureed or riced cauliflower.
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Baked Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Fritters
Baked Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Fritters
Baked Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Fritters
Sweet potato and butternut squash go together like peas and carrots, or Saturdays and pajamas, or brothers and sisters (minus all the early childhood squabbling). When you crave this combo but can’t stand another soup or casserole, reach for these sweet potato and butternut squash pancakes. They’re airy and crispy, with the perfect al dente bite and herby edge.
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Honeynut Squash Rice Pilaf
Honeynut Squash Rice Pilaf
Honeynut Squash Rice Pilaf
This honeynut squash rice pilaf is the perfect balance of nutty and sweet, with a bright herby finish. It’s an easy, seasonal, and nutritious recipe that’s perfect on it’s own for lunch, or paired with your favorite protein for dinner.
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Butternut Squash Noodles with Crispy Sage Butter
Butternut Squash Noodles with Sage Butter
Butternut Squash Noodles with Sage Butter
These butternut squash noodles are a delicious, nutritious, and vibrant pasta substitution. Grain free, gluten free, and ready in just 20 minutes.
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Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Pumpkin brings sweetness and adds a velvety, melt-in-your mouth texture to traditional chicken chili. This recipe can be made in as little as an hour, but a longer, slower simmer session will maximize both flavor and tenderness. Save this for the weekends, and savor the mouth-watering aroma for hours.
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Butternut Squash Soup with Pomegranate Seeds
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Delicate butternut squash, warming spices, and a splash of cream make for a cozy roasted butternut squash soup.Roasted the vegetables lends more flavor and naturally sweetens the squash. Puree in a blender for a velvety smooth finish.
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Roasted Butternut Squash Galette
Butternut Squash Galette with Caramelized Onions
Butternut Squash Galette with Caramelized Onions
I am an unapologetic butternut squash enthusiast, and this butternut squash galette is one of my favorite ways to use this sweet, nutritious squash. It’s sweet and delicate, and a gorgeous centerpiece for a gathering with friends.
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Healthy Tuscan Chicken over Spaghetti Squash
Healthy Tuscan Chicken over Spaghetti Squash
Healthy Tuscan Chicken over Spaghetti Squash
This healthy tuscan chicken is a one-skillet dinner recipe that’s loaded with classic Italian flavors. Tossed in a creamy dairy free sauce with tons of vegetables, this healthy take on the classic delivers big bold flavor with none of the guilt. Serve it over roasted spaghetti squash for a low carb, Whole30 compliant meal, or over your favorite base (like whole grain pasta, polenta, or creamy cauliflower puree).
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Crockpot Bolognese over Spaghetti Squash
Crockpot Bolognese
Crockpot Bolognese
This crockpot bolognese is an easy, kid friendly gluten free meal. Packed with real, whole foods, it’s a savory, hearty, weeknight meal that is perfect for chilly winter nights. The pre-crockpot prep and cook time takes about 30 minutes, and the suggested time in the crock pot is 8 hours on low.
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Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
When my children come calling for snacks, I can feel pretty good about serving them these chocolate pumpkin muffins. Made with wholesome real foods like pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup, and extra virgin olive oil, these muffins are impossibly moist and tender and perfectly spiced. They're completely sugar free, dairy free, and ready in just 30 minutes.
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Mini Butternut Squash Tarts with Caramelized Onions and Ricotta
Mini Butternut Squash Tarts
Mini Butternut Squash Tarts
These mini butternut squash tarts are the perfect vegetarian two-bite holiday party appetizer offering. They look so chic and elegant, but thanks to the magic of puff pastry, they're a snap to pull together.
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