47 Winter Squash Recipes You Have To Try - You Should Grow (2024)

FAQs

What is the best winter squash to grow? ›

Delicata, along with butternut, is a choice that may be easier to grow than some. Choose one of the many buttercup, kabocha, or hubbard types from A.P. Whaley seed company or Fedco. The blue/green color squashes on this baking sheet are the 'Baby Blue Hubbard' variety, which will grow well in northern climates.

Because winter squash requires a long growing season (generally from 75 to 100 frost-free days), the seeds are generally planted by late May in northern locations to early July in extremely southern states. See your local frost dates and length of growing season.

Over the past several years, butternut squash has become a standard ingredient on menus as the star in a creamy soup, ravioli filling, or risotto flavor. It is the sweetest winter squash with a thick, bright orange, moist flesh that hides very few seeds.

Cucurbita moschata

Known as one of the easiest to grow of the 4 families, some popular moschata varieties are Butternut, Cherokee Tan, Seminole, and Watham squash. These need to be cured for 6-8 weeks and are medium to long vining so they need lots of dedicated space. This family can store the longest, from 4-6 months.

Butternut. One of the most ubiquitous winter squash, this variety requires a bit of prep work, but it's well worth the effort. The smooth, tan skin should be peeled (it's edible, but tough), and then the seeds should be removed.

Acorn squash is milder in taste and slightly more fibrous in texture than butternut squash: Its sweet, nutty flavor is additionally muted by the watery character of its flesh. Still, most recipes that call for acorn squash can be made with another members of the squash family, such as Hubbard or butternut.

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

For example, winter squash tends to ramble and vine all over the garden. It will easily trample root crops like radishes. The broad leaves and fast-growing squash vines are also prone to shading out anything planted too close to it.

Winter squash needs regularly watering, especially when the squash themselves are forming. Water your winter squash an inch a week at minimum, but they will be happy with more – especially if you are in a dry climate. Stop watering when the fruit is fully mature.

Do winter squash like sun or shade? ›

Winter squash will grow best in soil with a pH that's in the range of 6.0-6.5. The planting location should receive full sun — that's 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily — and the soil should be very fertile and well draining.

Butternut squash is incredibly nutritious! It's rich in minerals too: 89 mg of calcium, making it a surprisingly calcium-rich food plus 1.3 mg of plant-based iron. It also contains 615 mg of potassium and 63 mg of magnesium for a healthy heart.

Hubbard & Butternut

Fruits are best after 1–2 months of storage, and will keep 4–6 months. (NOTE: Because of its smaller size, 'Butterscotch PMR' is an exception; it can be consumed at harvest, and is best within 3 months of harvest.)

Acorn Squash

Laura Farrell, R.D. mentions eating the fiber-rich skin can promote optimal digestive function. Acorn squash is a good source of vitamin A, magnesium and potassium and is high in vitamin C.

Acorn squash is nutrient dense and definitely worth eating more of! Acorn contains less beta-carotene than butternut, but similar amounts of folate + vitamin C.

1. Butternut Squash. Bulbous, smooth-skinned butternuts (Cucurbita moschata) get high marks among organic gardeners because the sturdy vines are naturally resistant to squash vine borers, and because squash bugs usually prefer other types of winter squash.

Winter Squash:

Waltham Butternut– My favorite winter squash. Disease resistant, incredibly long storage life, good flavor, and manages to stay alive even with squash bugs and borers. South Anna Butternut– Same long keeping characteristics and good flavor but with downy mildew resistance.