Summer squashhas thin, edible skin with soft seeds, and its flesh is tender with ahigh water content.
It cooks quickly and has a mild flavor, even a buttery texture.
Winter squash has hard, thick skin and seeds.
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The vibrant flesh is firm and requires a longer cooking time than summer squash.
More commonly known varieties are acorn, butternut, delicata, kabocha,pumpkin, andspaghetti squash.
Don’t be fooled by the category name!
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Winter squash is actually harvested in late summer-early fall and stored throughout the winter months.
Look out for other types of acorn squash such as orange/golden or white.
They’re mighty pretty!
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Banana Squash
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Banana squash is an oblong-shaped winter squash thats often quite large.
They can grow to around three feet long, and can weigh up to 35 pounds.
Banana squash typically has a pale yellow or light pink skin, and some varieties may be striped.
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Since its hearty, banana squash is at its best when its roasted, baked, or steamed.
you’re able to also puree it to use in soups, stews, or pasta dishes.
How to cook it:Acorn squash recipes work beautifully with the buttercup squash, too.
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it’s possible for you to roast it, stuff it, or turn it into a soup.
Cut the neck from the rounded bottom for easy prep, and work with the two parts separately.
Buttercup squash has green skin, and it is squat and compact.
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Its orange flesh is mild when cooked, but dry and fares better when boiled or steamed.
Its orange flesh is sweet, but plays nicely with a range of flavors and spices.
It has a sweet and creamy flavor and a golden-colored flesh.
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How to cook it:As a summer squash, chayote is pretty versatile.
you’re able to cook it or serve it raw, and the skin is edible.
it’s possible for you to try it in a tasty soup.
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Cousa Squash
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Cousa squash comes from the Middle East.
Due to its thickness and oblong shape, cousa is also often served stuffed.
In Lebanese cuisine, cousa squash is often stuffed with ground meat, rice, and spices.
Crookneck Squash.Photo © pixhook/Getty Images
The peak season for delicata squash is from late summer through late fall.
It’s the most perishable winter squash of the bunch due to its thin, yet edible skin.
Smaller squash tends to be sweeter, yet larger ones still offer a mild flavor.
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It’s mostly found at farmer’s markets during the peak summer season.
Find this cutie of a squash at grocery stores and farmer’s markets from September through December.
Hint: it makes for a gorgeous holiday side or veggie main.
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After roasting, hit it with a bit of cayenne pepper and a drizzle of maple syrup.
is a sweet yellow-orange flesh.
You’ll find Hubbard squash in stores from early September to March.
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Choose a smaller squash (no more than four pounds) as it’s best for cooking.
How to cook it;Cook green kabocha like acorn squashsteam or braise itit absorbs flavors incredibly well.
The skin is edible, albeit tough looking, but be sure to halve and seed the squash.
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Kabocha squash lends well to both savory and sweet recipes: Try this flavor-packedpork and kabocha squash curry.
Pattypan Squash
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This might be the cutest squash you’ll ever see.
It looks like a cross between a UFO and a spinning toy.
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It’s considerably smaller than Hubbard squash and easier to peel.
After cooking, its mild and pale flesh turns into spaghetti-like strands when scraped with a fork.
Some home cooks love to use this squash as a delicious substitute for pasta.
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Try this recipe forCreamy Spaghetti Squash Alfredoand you’ll be a convert.
Its flesh is creamy and sweet, perfect for use in baking and creamy soups.
How to cook it:It’s great for baking, and its flesh is creamy and sweet.
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Not only is it a flavorful pick, but its skin is easier to peel than larger varieties.
Reach for smaller ones up to 5 pounds, and make your own puree for your favoritepumpkin pie recipe.
Or take a slightly different approach and whip up a flavorfulpumpkin spice bread.
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Young tatume has a green skin, and older (winter) tatume has a yellow skin.
Use it in tacos, stir-fries, salads, or grain bowls.
It’s a sizable squash, and can weigh up to 6 pounds each.
Sugar Pie Baking Pumpkin.Annabelle Breakey / Getty Images
It has a delicate, slightly nutty and sweet flavor.
How to cook it:Swap it in for zucchini or crookneck squash for a punch of color.
Their shelf-life is shorter than winter squash, and so is the cooking time.
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They can also be pureed and used in soups or stews.
The best squash for eating is really a matter of personal preference.
If youre looking for squash with a white skin, there are a few varieties to choose from.
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Pattypan squash can be white, as can cousa squash.
Mashed potato squash (also known as white acorn squash) is also white.
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