How to Cook Winter Squash
OVEN METHOD
Recommended winter squash varieties: All varieties, small or large – such as delicata squash, sugar pie pumpkin, acorn squash, kabocha squash or butternut squash.
Delicata squash: Preheat your oven to 420 degrees F. Cut into ¼ inch slices, leaving the skin on and seeds intact. Arrange squash slices on a baking sheet (lined with parchment or foil). Drizzle with olive oil, ghee or a neutral vegetable oil. Sprinkle squash with sea salt and other seasonings of choice. Place tray on the upper ⅓ section of the oven. Check after 30 minutes. Remove slices from the tray that are caramelized and have golden brown seeds. Continue roasting pieces that are undercooked, watching carefully so they do not burn. Serve as is for a sweet and salty side dish, or enjoy as a crunchy topping on a fresh salad.
Whole sugar pie pumpkin: Preheat your oven to 420 degrees F. Using a fork or a sharp knife, prick multiple holes around the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin on a lined sheet tray and place the tray on the lower ⅓ rack of the oven. After 1 hour, check if the pumpkin is done with a knife. If the knife slips through the pumpkin flesh easily and the outside skin looks dry and crispy, it is finished cooking. Remove cooked pumpkin from the oven and allow to cool before handling. Peel off the skin to expose the pumpkin flesh. Cut into the pumpkin to expose the seeds in the center. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Discard seeds or roast in the oven with olive oil and salt for a crunchy snack. Use a fork or a blender to mash the pumpkin. You now have pumpkin puree that can be used for baking, soups, sauces or sweet breads. Refrigerate any leftovers and use within one week, or freeze to use another time.
STOVETOP METHOD
Recommended winter squash varieties: All varieties, small to medium in size – such as sugar pie pumpkin, spaghetti squash, kabocha squash, honeynut squash or acorn squash.
Begin by washing any excess dirt off the squash. Prick holes in squash and place in a large pot with 2-3 cups of water. Place the lid on the pot Note: even if the lid doesn’t completely cover the pot, due to the size of the squash, it’s best to still use something to cover and trap in the steam. Set the burner to high and bring water to a boil. Keep a close eye on the pot and make sure there is always water in the bottom throughout this process, continue adding more as needed. After 25 minutes, rotate the squash carefully using tongs. Continue cooking, covered, until the squash is tender enough for a knife to easily slip through. When the squash is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and allow time for the squash to cool enough to handle safely. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds from the center. Discard, or save for roasting. For a stringy squash like spaghetti squash, it can be helpful to use scissors to separate the seeds from the squash. Enjoy steamed squash with butter and sea salt. Dense, orange squashes are great in stews and varieties like spaghetti squash pair well with tomato sauce or pesto.
RICE COOKER METHOD
Recommended winter squash varieties: Any small variety – such as honeynut or acorn squash.
Begin by washing any excess dirt off the squash. Cut squash in half* (see note). Drizzle oil into the bottom of the rice cooker pot and add the squash, cut side down. Add about ½ cup water into the pot, cover and set to “cook”. Continue cooking until the water evaporates and the setting flicks to “warm”. Check if the squash is done by cutting into it with a knife. If the knife slips through easily, it is done. If it still needs to cook, add another splash of water to the pot and turn the setting to “cook”. When the squash is done, remove the pot from the heat and give the squash 5 minutes to rest. Then remove the squash from the pot. Enjoy with butter and sea salt, or incorporate into salads, sweet breads, soups or rice dishes.
Note: if you don’t have a sharp knife, you can prick holes in the squash with a fork and cook it whole instead. This may require more water and a longer cooktime.