34 Ways with Winter Squash
When you’re craving a taste of autumn, try these tasty dishes featuring butternut, delicata, kabocha, and more varieties of winter squash.
Sweet and Spicy Red Kuri Squash Bowl
Use any Asian chili paste or sauce you have in your refrigerator to give this rice bowl a touch of salty heat, including sambal oelek, garlic chili sauce, or even Sriracha chili sauce.
Roasted Fall Vegetables with Lentils and Spices
This vegetarian dish is fragrant with garam masala, an Indian spice blend that typically includes black pepper and a mix of sweet and savory spices.
Spiced Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Roasting a whole squash takes longer than one that’s cut up, but it can be easier (and safer) to peel and cut the squash after it’s cooked.
Roasted Kabocha Squash with Farro and Mustard Greens
We love the play of savory-sweet flavors and big textures in this hearty winter salad from Rocky Maselli of A16 Rockridge in Oakland—and also his foolproof technique for cooking farro.
Recipe: Roasted Kabocha Squash with Farro and Mustard Greens
Sumac Hummus with Kale Ribbons and Roasted Delicata Squash
Bring together some of our favorite vegetarian flavors in this dish. Don’t forget to bring out the warm pita or lavash.
Recipe: Sumac Hummus with Kale Ribbons and Roasted Delicata Squash
Squash and Chickpea Fritters with Winter Greens and Hazelnut Salad
Warm and crispy veggie fritters accompanied by a crisp seasonal salad makes for a lovely autumn appetizer.
Recipe: Squash and Chickpea Fritters with Winter Greens and Hazelnut Salad
Butternut Squash and Corn Soup
The last of late-summer’s corn, cooked so it still has a light crunch, accents this silky squash soup. Clare Carver of Big Table Farm winery uses rich homemade chicken broth, but store-bought works too.
Recipe: Butternut Squash and Corn Soup
Ramen with Ginger Roasted Squash and Crispy Pork Belly
A far cry from the store-bought packages, real ramen starts with amazing broth. Chef Kolin Vazzoler, of the late, lamented Shimo Modern Steak in Healdsburg, California, simmered his for 12 hours. Our simplified version of his dish doesn’t take nearly that long, but it’s still over the top, taste-wise.
Recipe: Ramen with Ginger Roasted Squash and Crispy Pork Belly
Winter Squash Soup with Red Chile and Mint
For this soup—adapted from her 2013 book Vegetable Literacy—author Deborah Madison makes a quick stock from the trimmings of the main ingredients: She sets a pot with 5 cups of water on the stove, and as she chops, she tosses in the squash peels, pulp, and seeds; the ends of the onion; some basil and mint sprigs; and 1 tsp. each of coriander seeds and peppercorns. She lets it simmer, partly covered, and it’s ready by the time she needs to strain it for the soup.
Roasted Winter Squash with Honey, Tahini, and Lime
Almost any kind of winter squash can be cooked this way, including red kuri, which has a nutty flavor and a potato-like texture (red kabocha is similar but not as starchy) and mild, sweet delicata. All three varieties have tasty, edible peels, so there’s no need to cut them off. They’re good in stews, as a side for roasted meat, and in salads.
Wild Rice, Butternut Squash, and Cannellini Stew
An earthy whole grain, sweet winter squash, and hearty beans make this a complete meal in a bowl. Serve with cornbread or polenta.
Curried Roasted Squash Soup
Kabocha (Japanese winter squash) has deep orange, sweet, smooth flesh that makes a terrific soup―especially when tinged with curry.
Recipe: Curried Roasted Squash Soup
Stuffed Kabocha Squash with Arabic Lamb Stew
The sweet spices in this dish make it the perfect stew for autumn.
Red Curry Tofu with Fall Vegetables
Red curry paste—a flavorful mix of chiles, lemongrass, ground shrimp, and more—is one of the great creations of the Thai kitchen. And it’s available in jars, making it possible to cook this complex-tasting dish in just a half-hour.
Pork Chops with Butternut Squash, Escarole, and Walnuts
Apple cider vinegar is great with pork and winter squash; it adds sweet-tart flavor but no extra calories or sodium.
Recipe: Pork Chops with Butternut Squash, Escarole, and Walnuts
Butternut Squash Gnocchi
These little dumplings are ever so slightly sweet. Dress the dumplings with melted butter and parmesan cheese to add a rich flavor.
Recipe: Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Giant Butternut Squash Ravioli
To lighten up cooking while keeping it vibrant, look to Italy for inspiration. Butternut squash has a naturally rich, creamy texture and sweet flavor. Paired with crunchy almonds and earthy sage and parmesan, it makes an unforgettable filling for oversize ravioli.
Recipe: Giant Butternut Squash Ravioli
Whole-Wheat Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Kale
If only all vegetarian lasagna tasted this good. The crunchy kale and the puréed squash make a fabulous duo layered between sheets of pasta and tangy tomato sauce.
Creamy Squash Soup with Salad Topping
Some butternut squash soups can be too sweet; here, almond butter, lime juice, and slightly spicy salad mix-ins keep the flavors lively. For a heartier dish, add a few cooked medium shrimp (warmed first in a little hot water) to each bowl.
Black Rice Salad with Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds
Need a little excitement in your life (or at least your cooking)? Try this jet-black rice, filled with sweet hunks of roasted squash, toasted pecans, and juicy, bright-red pomegranate seeds. It’s drama in a bowl, and it’s utterly delicious.
Recipe: Black Rice Salad with Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds
Chile-Roasted Acorn Squash
You can eat these spicy-sweet, soft wedges skin and all, making them a no-fuss addition to your holiday meal.
Recipe: Chile-roasted Acorn Squash
Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeño Cream
We’ve tossed spaghetti squash with a spicy cream sauce and baked it, mac-‘n’-cheese-style, for a warming, hearty dish that doubles easily and reheats beautifully.
Rooibos Butternut “Pizzettas”
Think of these roasted squash rounds as tiny pizzas: You simply bake them, and add any topping you like or have on hand. In this version, Bay Area cookbook author Eric Gower melts butter and fruity rooibos tea leaves, creating a rich and floral infusion to brush on the pizzettas; then he finishes them with a mix of tea and salt. Rooibos, derived from a South African plant, is not a true tea but rather an herbal infusion. It sometimes goes by the name “red tea.”
Nut-Stuffed Delicata Squash
This vegetarian recipe for delicata squash satisfied even the most carnivorous Sunset staff members. Some kind of alchemy takes place with the onions, sage, and nuts to create a distinctly sausagelike flavor.
Miso-Glazed Kabocha Squash (Top)
The umami flavor of miso plays well with rich-tasting kabocha squash.
Recipe: Miso-Glazed Kabocha Squash
Butternut Squash with Green Chile and Mustard Seeds
Time: 30 minutes. A fast, fun accompaniment to any simply grilled, broiled, or roasted meat. We particularly like it with a rotisserie chicken, some crusty bread, and Greek-style yogurt on the side. Save time and effort by using a 2-lb. bag of precut butternut squash.
Roasted Squash Soup with Sage
Roasted acorn squash and earthy sage sing in this delightful winter soup.
Kabocha Squash with Dukkah and Cider Molasses
This brilliant combo of sweet squash with tangy yogurt, fruity syrup, toasted spices, and browned butter comes from Matthew Dillon, chef of Sitka & Spruce and the new Bar Sajor in Seattle.
Wild Mushroom and Butternut Squash Bread Pudding
This works really well as a vegetarian main dish too.
Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing
Cube the bread a day or two ahead and leave it out on the counter to dry, so it will fully absorb the flavors of the dressing. (If you forget, you can dry it in a 375° oven for a few minutes.) For a moister dressing, use the larger amount of broth. This makes a good main dish for vegans (use kosher rye, which excludes dairy). But it’s good with sausage too; add about 1 pound, casings removed, browned and crumbled.
Squash Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls
Soft, cheerfully orange, and slightly sweet. Prep and Cook Time: 3 hours.
Butternut Squash Bread Pudding with Tres Leches Sauce
Time: 2 hours, plus overnight to dry bread. This hearty dessert also makes a tasty breakfast, with maple syrup in place of the tres leches sauce.
Kabocha Squash Crème Fraîche Pie
Feel free to swap in other squash in Michelle McKenzie’s recipe: Sugar Pie comes out sweeter, and canned pumpkin is mellow-tasting, if less distinctive. Shauna Sever, an 18 Reasons instructor, suggested the spicy gingersnap layer. You’ll need a 9-in. deep-dish pie pan.
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