What to Do With All This Winter Squash

Winter squash are here.  Delicata, butternut, acorn, spaghetti, Hubbard, Hokkaido, sweet dumpling, kabocha, turban and all manner of gorgeous pumpkins.  Eben and I can’t resist buying them, because they are so beautiful.  But then what?  Our kitchen nook has a bowl piled high with delicata and acorn squash, promising the roasted, savory, homey flavors of winter.  The problem is we are so busy this season with birthdays, Thanksgiving, dance recitals, and then Christmas.  Not to mention work. When are we going to find the time to cook all this squash?

My go-to recipe is not really a recipe at all.  When in doubt, I hollow them out, grease them up and roast them until they are golden.  Salt, pepper, and a pat of butter.  Dinner is served.  But, there’s only so much roasted, buttered squash a person can eat before inspiration gets sucked out of the room and the squash just sit there, gorgeous and aging.  Something must be done. 

Here are a few recipes I’ve rounded up to get my creative juices flowing.  I chose recipes that are inspiring but not daunting, impressive but not time-consuming, delicious but not unhealthy—the kind of recipes Eben and I might actually make amidst the commitments of this busy season.  These dishes are perfect for Happy Cabin because they are simple enough to put together after a full day of adventures, yet hearty enough to please a hungry crowd.

Miso Sesame Winter Squash (101 Cookbooks)

Marry the umami of miso with the creamy, delicate flavor of your favorite winter squash in a recipe that takes only 10 minutes to prepare. The addition of tofu makes this a delicious one-bowl meal.

Winter Squash Enchiladas (Brooklyn supper)

What I like about this recipe is its versatility. Brooklyn Supper uses roasted red kabocha and butternut, but delicata and acorn would work just as well. The fire-roasted tomato sauce packs a little heat, but not so much that my kids won’t eat it. Paired with black beans, rice and arugula salad, this is a feast.

Butternut Squash Fries (kitchme)

So delicious you will forget that they are baked (not fried) and full of vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, manganese and potassium. My girls eat them by the plateful with garlic salt, a crack of pepper and ranch dressing.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna (Cooking Light)

This one takes a little longer to prepare (35 minutes) but makes up for it by turning squash and spinach into a kid-friendly meal. This version is particularly light with no noodles and low-fat dairy products in place of rich cheeses and béchamel. Add some tofu or browned sausage to the ricotta mixture for an extra kick of protein after a day on the slopes.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Risotto (Eating Well)

This recipe requires specialized equipment, but the end result is worth it. Labor-intensive risotto is usually reserved for special occasions. Not so with the Instant Pot. Putting together this luscious risotto is almost as easy as making a pot of rice.

Squash Hash with Kale and Baked Eggs (Martha Stewart)

At Happy Cabin, we love breakfast for dinner. This dish takes it to a whole new level. Martha’s version is maybe a two-person meal in our family. Double or triple the recipe, and bake the hash in a casserole pan to feed a hungry crowd.

Winter Squash Tagine (Food 52)

Tagine sounds fancy, but you don’t need special cookware to make this special meal. The magic is in the spices and dried fruit. Use an assortment of winter squash, like acorn, delicata, and kabocha, to create a medley of flavors, textures, and colors. Food 52 suggests serving the fragrant stew over a bed of couscous, but quinoa or brown rice would also work well.

Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Banana Bread (Minimalist Baker)

Since my mother-in-law and I developed a wheat allergy, we’ve searched tirelessly for recipes that recreate our seasonal favorites. Yeast breads are tricky, but banana bread is forgiving. You can buy squash or pumpkin puree at the market, but it’s almost as easy (and much more gratifying) to microwave or roast a squash until it’s tender and mash it yourself.

Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup (Caroline’s Cooking)

This silky, kid-friendly soup uses two things we have in abundance this time of year—winter squash and apples. Pack thermoses full of hot soup, crisp apples, and crusty rolls for a quick, warm snack on-the-go.

Winter Squash Casserole with Rosemary (New York Times)

It’s hard to find a delicious, crowd-pleasing casserole that’s also healthy. This one fits the bill. Bonus: a warm kitchen smelling of rosemary.

Spaghetti Squash and Potato Gratin (Food Network)

I love gratin but sometimes balk at pretending that a pan full of cheese and empty carbs is a suitable dinner. This dish has carbs, but they are far from empty. Spaghetti squash is low-calorie and high-fiber with a dose of antioxidants including vitamin-A and vitamin-C. Add a bright salad with arugula or kale for B-12 and iron, topped with fresh avocado and sunflower seeds for protein.

I looked at so many delicious-sounding recipes for this piece that I could probably make a new squash meal every night this winter and still not make my way through them. Yet, I still have questions. I’m particularly interested in how to use the less-popular varieties, like Hubbard and Hokkaido. What about using a sweet pumpkin to make a savory dish? Let’s crowdsource this one. What are your go-to recipes for winter squash? Share your favorites in a comment.

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