by Laura Ali, MS, RDN, LDN

You’ve probably seen, and maybe even created, displays of a variety of common (and funky looking) gourds and pumpkins every fall. The colors are rich and varied and make beautiful centerpieces or front porch displays. They are also rich, nutritious and flavorful vegetables that are easier to prepare than many think.

Winter squashes have rich yellow to orange flesh and are an excellent source of vitamin A and C, potassium and fiber. They all have a mild but slightly sweet flavor that can take on a variety of seasonings.

While a bit intimidating at first, once you’ve cooked one squash, you can cook any squash. Learning how to cut them is the first hurdle.

• First, wash the squash with warm water
• To make it easier to cut through, pierce it with a fork in a few places and then cook in the microwave on high for 2 – 4 minutes (longer for a larger squash)
• Place it on a cutting board and, starting on one side of the stem, pierce it with a large knife and cut all the way around the other side of the stem.
• Twist it apart and then clean out the seeds and stringy pulp. (You can save the seeds of some and roast them later for a delicious snack!)

Once they are cut and cleaned, there are many ways to prepare them, but roasting is the most common and simple.  (Bonus, you can do other things while these babies cook!)  

• Preheat your oven to 400° F.
• Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper (exception is pumpkin or Hubbard squash when you want to use the flesh for pies or cakes)
• Place the squash cut side down on a foil-lined sheet pan and roast for 30 – 45 minutes, depending on the size of the squash. You’ll know they are done when the skin is easily pierced with a knife or fork.

There are a variety of squash available in most grocery stores today. The ones pictured here are described below with a few ideas for how to serve them.   

Acorn squash – One of the more common of the winter squashes, this green and orange squash is shaped like an acorn; hence its name. These are delicious drizzled with a little maple syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon, or scoop the inside out and puree it with a little apple cider for an amazing side dish with little effort.

Butternut squash – This light beige/pink squash is shaped a bit like a bell. It has a fairly tough exterior that should be peeled before cutting. After peeling, cut off the stem and then slice into 1-inch slices and cube. (You can often buy this squash precut to save time and a lot of work!) This squash makes a hearty wintertime soup – boil the squash along with apples and carrots in a mixture of chicken or vegetable stock and apple cider until soft. Puree it in a blender and serve!

Pumpkin – Best known for jack-o-lanterns, there is a small variety called a pie pumpkin. Exactly – that is where the canned stuff comes from, but you can do it at home relatively easily! Cut the pumpkin halves into quarters and roast in a 400° F oven for 30 – 40 minutes, until soft. Don’t rub them with anything – you want your pumpkin flesh to be clean and free of other flavors if you are going to use it in pies, cakes or bread! Let them cool slightly then scoop the flesh into a food processor and process until smooth. Now you have homemade pumpkin puree!  If you aren’t going to use it right away, freeze it in re-sealable bags in 1-cup portions.

Spaghetti squash has become popular recently as a substitute for pasta with its pasta like strands after roasting. Simply take them out of the oven and allow to cool slightly.  Then gently scrape out the pasta-like strands with a fork onto a plate or into a bowl and top with your favorite pasta sauce!  

Hubbard squash is the big daddy of the squashes. Its pale green exterior is tough but the interior is a bright orange color and sweet. It’s often used in place of pumpkin when making pies and the flesh makes a delicious soup.

Kabocha  –  The green speckled skin of the kombucha or Japanese pumpkin is a tough exterior but leads to a rich orange interior that is sweet but drier than other squash. Its texture is a bit more like a sweet potato than squash and has a mild, sweet flavor. It is also good roasted but also delicious in soups, curry or stew.  

Delicata squash is named for its delicate skin. It roasts quickly and has a mild flavor and is a great substitute for butternut squash.  It’s good stuffed with meat and vegetables or eaten on its own with salt and pepper. The skin is soft and delicate enough to eat – which means no peeling – a huge time saver!  

So, the next time you are in the grocery store or farmers market and one of these catches your eye, grab it and experiment. There are a ton of websites with great recipes and videos for how to cut and prepare them if you want a little extra assurance!

  Laura Ali, MS, RDN, LDN