Autumn and winter cuisine is simply the best. From soups to casseroles to roast meals, this is the time of year when we can all enjoy some seriously hearty and delicious recipes. One great staple of wintertime cuisine has to be the winter squash. And, luckily, there are a ton of excellent recipes for winter squash out there to suit any palate. Whether you're a beginner cook, vegan, an avowed squash-hater, or just overwhelmed with butternut squash in your most recent CSA delivery, there's a quick, tasty, easy and satisfying winter squash recipe somewhere in this list for you.
What Is Winter Squash?
Winter squash can come in several different varieties, including:
- Acorn squash
- Banana squash
- Buttercup squash
- Butternut squash
- Delicata squash
- Hubbard squash
- Kabocha squash
- Pumpkin
- Spaghetti squash
- Sweet dumpling squash
- Turban squash
Virtually all of these varieties can be found at your local grocery store or farmer's market, and will probably start arriving in your rescued organic produce boxes soon. Just as well, these varieties are also very easy to grow on your own.
Ready to cook some winter squash? Check out these 27 incredible recipes from around the web!
4 Roasted Winter Squash Recipes
Most types of squash are delicious with a little bit of a char on them from roasting. Check out these four roasted winter squash recipes!
How to Roast Winter Squash
Credit: Self-Proclaimed Foodie
If you've never roasted a winter squash before, you might be at a loss for where to start. That's why taking the time to read an in-depth guide about how to do it can save you from a major headache. This easy roasting guide requires little more than a squash, olive oil, a sharp knife, and a baking sheet.
Roasted Winter Squash with Vanilla Butter
Credit: Con Poulos for Food & Wine
Winter squash is a very dynamic vegetable that can be delicious in both savory and sweet dishes. This roasted winter squash recipe has the fragrant, subtly sweet taste of vanilla that's very satisfying.
Maple and Spice-Roasted Winter Squash
Credit: Dave Katz/Tasting Table
Squash, maple, and spice go together like three peas in a pod. This recipe brings them all together into a very simple side dish that could easily double as a dessert.
Roasted Winter Squash with Cilantro Chimichurri
Credit: Elise Bauer/Simple Recipes
Fresh chimichurri (an Argentinean sauce made from green herbs, olive oil, and red wine vinegar) can make pretty much anything instantly delicious, but it goes especially well with roasted winter squash.
5 Baked Winter Squash Recipes
There's nothing like a bake or casserole that sticks to your ribs. Luckily, winter squash bakes quite well.
Butternut Squash Bake with Cranberries and Apples
Credit: Cafe Johnsonia/Lindsey Johnson
Three sweet flavors combine to make this ridiculously simple bake that only takes an hour to make.
Acorn Squash Egg-in-the-Hole
Credit: Jennifer Causey/Cooking Light
Squash and egg might sound like a strange combination, but this take on traditional egg-in-the-hole (which is usually made with bread) is a lighter, lower carb, slightly healthier version.
Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard Tart with Olive Oil Crust
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Who doesn't love a good tart? This recipe contains a wide range of interesting flavors, from butternut squash to balsamic vinegar to cave-aged Gruyère cheese.
Asparagus, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Quiche with Spaghetti Squash Crust
Credit: Jamie Vespa/Cooking Light
Spaghetti squash is a great healthier alternative to pasta, but it also works well in a quiche! If you love eggs, asparagus, mushrooms, and goat cheese, give this squashy recipe a shot.
Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Sauté
Credit: Elise Bauer
This quick side dish (or vegan main) counters butternut squash's sweetness with the gentle bitterness of sauteed kale and balsamic vinegar. You can bake the squash ahead and reheat at serving time while sauteing the other veg.
5 Vegan Winter Squash Recipes
Are you in need of some plant-based winter squash recipes? There are a ton of options for vegans and vegetarians.
Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas & Kale
Credit: Love & Lemons
No, there's no marinara. But with olive oil, herbs, and lemon subbing for a heavy sauce, this recipe is very flavorful, filling, and far from dry. It's the kind of vegan recipe that can pass even the most omnivorous muster.
Vegan Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bowls
Credit: Making Thyme for Health
Vegans deserve a hearty lasagna, too! This recipe is an interesting, modern take on traditional lasagna and features spaghetti squash, garlic, and tomato. And the cashew ricotta to top it with is a versatile recipe that's pretty easy to make, too.
Creamy (Vegan!) Butternut Squash Linguine with Fried Sage
Credit: Cookie & Kate
There's nothing like the comfort of a good, creamy pasta. This recipe doesn't require any fancy ingredients to make, either: just some pantry staples and a few minutes of prep.
Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Credit: The Simple Veganista
Sometimes you just need a good, hearty soup on a particularly chilly day. Pumpkin is an excellent variety of winter squash to use for soup, and the result is creamy, savory, and sweet all at once.
Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
Credit: The Simple Veganista
Are you seeing a trend here with the sweet and savory? This recipe is perfect for a casual meal or a more sophisticated holiday gathering.
5 Stuffed Winter Squash Recipes
What is it about food that's stuffed into other food that's just so appealing? Winter squash is great for stuffing because of the body of the squash can be quite dense, which means it holds up well to longer cooking times and added weight.
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa
Credit: The Simple Veganista
If you're a fan of minimalist cooking, this stuffed acorn squash recipe would be perfect to try. Plus, the quinoa and chickpeas make this an ultra-filling meal as well.
Vegan Stuffed Squash with Brown Rice and Mushrooms
Credit: Simply Recipes
Even if you aren't vegan, this rice-stuffed squash recipe is still delicious and worth trying. We recommend using either kabocha or acorn squash.
Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash
Credit: Jar of Lemons
If you're looking for a recipe with a little more spine, this stuffed butternut squash recipe has the perfect blend of heat and flavor. Check out the recipe here.
Turkey, Mushroom & Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
Credit: Clean Eating Couple
Keep things simple with this stuffed acorn squash recipe. Think of it as a turkey dinner, just stuffed into a squash (and ready in far less time).
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Credit: Recipe Runner
Chicken and broccoli go perfectly together, so why not throw spaghetti squash into the mix for an interesting, lower-carb take on pasta?
4 Easy Winter Squash Recipes
Not exactly a top-tier cook? Don't worry! These four recipes are extremely easy to take on for even the most inexperienced chef.
Easy Butternut Squash Soup
Credit: Taste of Home
Butternut squash soup is one of the easiest soups to make. This recipe breaks it down into easy-to-follow steps that are pretty hard to mess up.
Cider Baked Squash
Credit: Taste of Home
You can't get much simpler than simply baking a squash. While this recipe does have a few ingredients, the cooking process is incredibly easy. And the results are delicious.
Easy Roasted Seasonal Vegetables with Winter Squash
Credit: Debbi is Vegan/AllRecipes
Roasted vegetables are the staple of many meals. This easy casserole dish recipe involves little more than chopping veggies, making a baste, and roasting everything together for under an hour.
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Credit: Eri Hoshina/AllRecipes
Pumpkin is an excellent dessert ingredient, and these pumpkin pie bars take the cake. We recommend serving these with sweet cream.
4 Mashed Winter Squash Recipes
Winter squash is a lot like root vegetables: they tend to be quite tasty when mashed!
Basic Mashed Butternut Squash
Credit: Spend with Pennies
This extremely simple recipe could also be under our list of easy recipes. While it does take a bit of time to cook, the process of cooking and mashing is pretty self-explanatory.
Mashed Winter Squash with Indian Spices
Credit: John Kernick/Food & Wine
Winter squash pairs beautifully with Indian spices like coriander, turmeric, and black mustard seeds. We recommend using a buttercup squash for this recipe.
Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Credit: Steamy Kitchen
We said squash and root vegetables are quite similar. Unsurprisingly, mixing them together also yields some pretty tasty results. Kick your mashed potato game up a notch by introducing some pumpkin into the mix.
Parmesan & Butter Spaghetti Squash Mash
Credit: eatingwell101
While usually touted as a great pasta replacement, spaghetti squash also makes a great, tasty mash as well. The upshot is that it's easier to mash than to pull long strands, so even if you aren't great with a knife, you can reap the full tasty rewards of this winter squash.
Bottom Line
There's no need to limit ourselves to pumpkin pie once a year or the soggy boiled squash of our childhood nightmares. There really are some excellent winter squash recipes for virtually all tastes! These versatile mainstays are inexpensive, easy to prepare, nutritious, satisfying, and above all, in season all winter long. Why not put them to their highest and best use?
How was our list of the best winter squash recipes out there? Tell us which one you've tried in the comments below!