Comparing Winter Squash

Acorn Squash

• Appearance: shaped like an acorn of course!
• Available: All year
• Size: 1-2 pounds
• Nutrition:9 grams of fiber per cup, 25% DV of potassium
• Ideal for: roasting with the skin on due to tough exterior

Buttercup Squash

• Flavor: sweet pulp
• Texture: firm and somewhat dry but rich, similar to a sweet potato
• Ideal for: baking with the skin on, steamed, or pureed

Butternut Squash

• Appearance: orange flesh
• Available: All year
• Flavor: mild & sweet
• Nutrition: excellent source of vitamins C & A, > 6 grams of fiber per cup
• Ideal for: roasting or tossed in stew or smoothies

Carnival Squash

• Background: Hybrid of acorn & sweet dumpling squash
• Flavor: sweet, buttery, and rich when roasted
• Ideal for: roasting, can be used in any recipe as a substitute for acorn or butternut squash

Delicata Squash

• Appearance: oblong with green stripes and yellow
• Flavor: sweet
• Texture: smooth and creamy
• Ideal for: roasting or stuff with savory fillings such as whole grains
• Pairs with: parmesan, nuts, and woody herbs like rosemary for a savory spin

Hubbard Squash

• Appearance: dark green, orange, or pale blue rind
• Flavor: sweet
• Texture: grainy
• Size: up to 20 pounds
• Ideal for: mashing or pureeing into a sauce or filling for a pie

Kabocha Squash

• Background: Kabo0cha is Japanese for “squash”
• Appearance: smooth and yellow
• Available: All year in green & red varieties
• Flavor: sweet with notes of honey, becomes custardy when cooked
• Nutrition: less fibrous than the others
• Ideal for: soup when pureed or as pie filling with the skin on due to tough exterior

Red Kuri Squash

• Background: Sometimes called the baby red hubbard, native to Japan
• Flavor: chestnut-like
• Texture: smooth & creamy yellow pulp
• Ideal for: roasting in the skin and scooped out due to the hard rind

Spaghetti Squash

• Appearance: pale yellow
• Flavor: mild, slightly sweet
• Texture: crunchy, stringy flesh resembling noodles
• Nutrition: lower in vitamin A than the others
• Ideal for: using in place of noodles when cooked, top with olive oil or tomato-based sauces

Sugar Pumpkin

• Background: one of the most popular winter squashes, commonly canned and available at supermarkets
• Appearance: squat
• Available: All year
• Flavor: sweet
• Nutrition: < 50 calories per cup
• Ideal for: roasting or pureeing into a soup, oatmeal, or pie filling and other desserts

Sweet Dumpling Squash

• Appearance: most petite, weighing < 2 pounds
• Flavor: sweet with a tender edible rind
• Ideal for: cutting in half, stuffing, and roasting for a quick & colorful meal

 

 Reference: 

Moore, Marisa. “Winter Squash”. Food and Nutrition. November/December 2016. 30-31.