“Winter squash” is a bit of a misnomer. In truth, these veggies really come into season at the end of summer and early fall. As the temps start to drop, I find myself looking for the best winter squash recipes and ways to use all of the beautiful picks piling up at grocery stores, markets, and farm stands. Lucky for all of us, too, their buttery flavors are the perfect addition to soups, salads, and pastas, and they even stand up as the hero in many of the meatless main dishes I’ll be eating all throughout the season.
Perhaps you’re already familiar with a few of the vegetables that fall into this family. Butternut and spaghetti squash have become fan favorites in recent years, but I’d also recommend trying your hand at a recipe that includes delicata or red kuri squash this fall. Keep scrolling for tips on how to identify the seven most popular varieties of winter squash, plus some must-try recipes below.
How To Tell if a Squash Is Ripe
To tell if a squash is ripe, you’ll need to check out the exterior. The skin should be a matte color (if it’s glossy, it’s not ripe yet) and should have a hard exterior.
Throughout the season, I’m apt to pick up kabocha squash, delicata squash, a sugar pumpkin, acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and red kuri squash for experimenting with my favorite winter squash recipes. Of course, when I’m in full-on fall mode, I can’t help but grab some mini gourds and pumpkins, too! These are mainly used for decoration but can be found in some recipes as well.
How to Identify the Seven Most Popular Winter Squash
- Kabocha: squat, green squash with faint white lines running up and down the surface
- Delicata: yellow cylindrical squash with green and orange stripes along the ridges
- Sugar Pumpkin: small, almost perfectly spherical pumpkin in bright orange
- Acorn: dark green squash with thick ridges all the way around
- Butternut: bell-shaped squash with a light peachy yellow exterior
- Spaghetti: round cylindrical squash with a bright yellow exterior
- Red Kuri: warm orange squash with a lopsided shape
20 Winter Squash Recipes to Satisfy Your Seasonal Cravings
This is your sign to pick up a squash you haven’t tried next time you’re at the grocery store or farmer’s market. For me, the hardest part of trying new foods is finding ways to incorporate them into recipes. Below I’ve shared 20 delicious recipes using my favorite varieties of winter squash.
Roasted Honeynut Squash with Hot Honey, Pecans, and Rosemary
Let me introduce: a simple yet show-stopping side dish that’s packed with flavor. The natural sweetness of the roasted squash is perfectly balanced by a drizzle of spicy hot honey and a sprinkle of flaky salt. With minimal ingredients and maximum impact, it’s a dish that will elevate any meal.
Squash & Farro Salad With Apples, Goat Cheese, & Pecans
This salad is the perfect marriage of hearty and fresh, making it an ideal dish for any season. Roasted delicata squash and nutty farro create a satisfying base, while bright herbs and a zesty vinaigrette add layers of flavor. Topped with creamy goat cheese and crunchy pecans, it’s a crowd-pleasing salad that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Butternut Squash and Ricotta Tart
This butternut squash is a major stunner that looks way more complicated than it really is. With a flaky crust and creamy ricotta, layers of seasonal root veggies come together to make the ultimate cold-weather appetizer.
Roasted Delicata Squash With Feta, Almonds, and Herbs
If you’re unfamiliar with it, delicata squash is slightly sweet, caramelizes perfectly, and is the ideal canvas for all of fall’s flavors. This specific recipe serves it with a simple dressing and lots of toppings to make the squash a complete meal. The crunch from the almonds and the creaminess from the feta is just the icing on top of the already delicious cake.
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Both savory and sweet, this pasta is everything warm and cozy in a bowl. It can sometimes prove a challenge to create a creamy and decadent dish that’s dairy-free, but this pasta does just that (and some more!).
Butternut Squash Pizza With Arugula & Almond Ricotta
As seasons come and go, one thing stays the same: my love for pizza. This butternut squash pizza shot its way up to the top of my favorite winter squash recipes because it’s seasonal, dairy-free (although you wouldn’t know it), and downright delicious. The sweet squash and almond ricotta combined with the savory bacon will have you going back for third and fourth slices.
Whole Roasted Butternut Squash
When it comes to winter squash recipes, roasting these roots is always my go-to method of prep. For this go-to roasted butternut squash recipe, all you need is two hours in the oven to create a delicious, filling, and hassle-free appetizer.
Curried Roasted Winter Squash Soup
This delicious winter soup is Chitra Agrawal’s go-to weeknight meal, and I can’t blame her. I love that you can make it with any winter squash—butternut, acorn, kabocha, or delicata—so you’ll never grow tired of it. Plus, if you roast the squash ahead of time, this recipe comes together in one pot.
Slow Roasted Cod with Broccolini, Winter Squash, And Mint
I love a recipe that feels ultra elegant, yet comes together in a matter of minutes. (Bonus: it’s baked in one pan.) This roasted cod with broccolini, squash, and mint does exactly that, giving you a restaurant-grade meal with minimal effort. You can make this recipe with any firm white fish or winter squash, and the formula will turn out just as delicious every time.
Butternut Squash, Spinach, & Goat Cheese Pasta
I’m a sucker for a good fall pasta, and this is one of the easiest and best recipes I’ve tried. The short list of ingredients comes together in just one bowl and is perfect for a cozy weeknight or a wine night with friends. Take it from me: the optional sage leaves should most definitely not be optional.
Crispy Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa
This simple yet delicious fall meal will be your new weeknight hero. The butternut squash is golden and crispy on the outside and creamy and warm on the inside—just how I like it. The currant vinaigrette perfectly brightens the dish, complements the fall flavors, and brings it all together. Plus, you’ll want to bookmark this genius tip for cooking quinoa.
Curry Butternut Squash Soup
My roommate and I have started a new tradition this fall: Soup Mondays. I know you’re thinking that Soup Sundays makes more sense, but we coincidentally had soup two Mondays in a row, and it stuck. On tap for this week is this comforting curry butternut squash soup. The curry adds even more flavor than traditional butternut squash soup, which is already a favorite of mine. It’s also freezer-friendly and one of the best winter squash recipes for meal prep.
Wild Grain & Winter Squash Salad
Salads that don’t feel like salads are trending on TikTok and this wild grain and winter squash salad should be going viral. With no leafy greens to be seen, it’s a great recipe for when you want something a little more comforting but still healthy. The delicata and dumpling squash rest on a bed of rice and are topped with almonds, feta, and plenty of herbs to satisfy every single taste bud.
This Roasted Delicata Squash & Kale Salad Is On My Thanksgiving Menu
This colorful and seasonal salad is the perfect addition to all of your fall dinner parties. It comes from Sheela Prakash’s cookbook Mediterranean Every Day and is just as healthy as it is comforting. I like making a big batch of this on Sunday to have on hand all week since it’s full of veggies that won’t get soggy from the dressing.
Pita Tostadas with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, & Avocado
As much as I love squash recipes, sometimes they can all start to taste the same. These tostadas, however, are the perfect way to shake things up while still eating with the season. Camille took the genius approach of swapping tortillas for pita bread in this recipe, which makes the perfect chewy, golden-brown crust for this Tex-mex spin on squash.
Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Figs, and Pesto
Just the name of this recipe makes my mouth water. Butternut squash, goat cheese, and pesto are three of my favorite foods and thrown together—they can’t be beat. This is an excellent affordable, healthy, vegetarian meal to add to your fall meal rotation.
Delicata Squash Salad with Pistachios and Marinated Lentils
One of my favorite meal-prep winter squash recipes is this delicata squash salad. Add your favorite greens and complement them with crunchy pistachios and creamy feta cheese for the most mouthwatering fall bowl.
Turmeric Roasted Kabocha Squash Salad
To celebrate everything we love most about fall in a lighter, plant-packed form, this turmeric squash salad throws together plenty of nutrients and a wide variety of flavors. Pumpkin seeds and cranberries add a bit of texture and tanginess to complement your sweet autumn star.
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
This soup is my favorite way to dive into squash season. It’s one of the coziest soups I’ve ever had while still tasting clean and healthy. Thanks to the coconut milk, it’s ultra creamy without any cream at all. I highly recommend doubling this recipe and saving it for lunch or keeping it in the freezer for a rainy day.
Roasted Acorn Squash
The brown butter and hazelnuts, with the hint of spice from the chili flakes, create the flavor combo you didn’t know you needed.
