In the fall, grocery store displays are filled with beautiful squash, ripe for the season.
Easy to cook, perfect for leftovers and affordable, it is the ultimate fall vegetable. But do you often choose the
same type of squash for soups, curries and cheesy baked dishes? Here are some varieties to discover to take you off
the beaten track.
Delicata squash
This squash owes its name to its thin and delicate skin that can be eaten, so there’s no need to peel it! Its
flesh is sweet and is similar to that of corn. Since it is a rather small squash, you can cook it as a side
vegetable without much in the way of leftovers.
How to cook it: in oven-roasted slices, fries.
Blue Hubbard squash
This imposing squash with a blue peel has bright orange flesh. There are very large ones, but others in more
accessible sizes as well. The flesh is firm enough to roast and has a rather dry texture.
How to cook it: in cubes for stews and curries or puréed for soups.
How to peel squash
It is not always easy to peel squash. It helps if you cut the squash in half and lay each side flat on a worktop
before peeling. But the easiest way to peel squash is to do it once it’s cooked. You can then simply
remove the flesh with a fork or spoon.
Red Kuri
These look like small pumpkins, but rounder and less flat, and are a beautiful dark orange colour. With its small
size, red kuri is perfect for making smaller portions. Slightly sweet, its flesh is tasty and creamy.
How to cook it: in soup, as a side purée, in desserts.
Stripetti
A cousin of spaghetti squash, stripetti has a filament-like flesh and notes of pepper and hazelnut. After baking it
in the oven, cut it in half on a baking sheet, remove the flesh with a fork and garnish the filaments to your
liking. As it contains a lot of water, be sure to turn each half flesh-side up at the end of cooking for about ten
minutes to let the water evaporate.
How to cook it: like pasta (add the sauce of your choice), in salads, in cheesy baked dishes.
Pepper squash
More well known than the varieties mentioned above, pepper squash is available in grocery stores all year round. Its
taste is peppery, as the name suggests, and powerful. Its flesh is yellow, its texture is similar to that of a
potato, and its size is convenient for recipes.
How to cook it: in roasted quarters, stuffed, in soup.
How to cook squash
- Roasted: You can cut the squash into quarters or slices and place them on a baking
sheet with a little oil, in the oven, at 425°F (215°C).
- Purée for a recipe: If you want to prepare a purée to be incorporated
into a recipe such as a soup or pie, cook the squash, cut in half and flat on a baking sheet, at 375°F
(200°C), until tender.
- Side dish purée: Cut the squash into cubes and place it on a baking sheet with a
little oil, in the oven, at 425°F (215°C), until it is tender. Wait for it to be coloured and
caramelized so that it has a richer flavour.