Recipe: Stuffed Winter Squash (2024)

FAQs

How do you give squash more flavor? ›

Brown Nicely When cooking summer squash, don't be afraid of a little browning. A nicely browned surface adds great flavor. 5. Partner Strategically Finally, balance squash's milder taste with stronger flavors like chilies, curry, ginger, garlic, lemon, goat cheese and so on.

Cooking Whole

Cut the squash in half, clean out the seeds with a spoon and place cut-side down on an oiled sheet pan or lasagna dish. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until you can easily poke through the squash with a fork.

To use canned pumpkin or squash, drain the jars, mash the cubes and re-heat.

Not Seasoning Enough

"It's important to season ingredients at the beginning and during the cooking process so the salt can penetrate the food and taste seasoned versus tasting bland with a salty exterior," says Schmuck. "On the stovetop that means adding salt when you add the raw ingredient.

If it's underripe, the squash won't have developed its signature taste. If it's overripe, it may be dry, mushy or flavorless. Follow these tips the next time you're at the grocery store or farmers market to find the perfect recipe-ready butternut squash.

Butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes, should be perfectly roasted after about 25 to 35 minutes in an oven heated to 400 degrees F. When it's done, the squash should be lightly browned and easily pierced with a fork.

For the best-quality squash, wait to harvest all types until they are mature — at least 50–55 days after the fruit has set — and cure before storing and eating.

Steaming. Steaming veggies can preserve nutrients, color, shape, and texture, without having to add any unnecessary fats through ingredients like oils or butter.

The antioxidants in squash can play an important role in reducing oxidative stress. In turn, this may help with cancer prevention. The vitamin C and beta-carotene found in squash may help to slow the progression of macular degeneration and reduce the chances of related vision loss.

Does canned squash get mushy? ›

Safely canning any low acid food requires a pressure canner to ensure temperatures high enough to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores that produce a dangerous toxin. However, processing squash and zucchini at such high temperatures in a pressure canner would compact them and create an undesirable mush.

Improve Pollination

Squash plants produce both male and female flowers, so in theory one plant is enough to ensure pollination. But from experience I can tell you that pollination and fruit set is so much better if you have more than one squash plant growing in the same area.

To do so, you'll need to transfer pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers. How to Hand-Pollinate: First, identify the male and female flowers. Recall that female flowers have a small bulbous growth at their base, which will eventually develop into the squash fruit.

Most gardeners purchase butternut squash seed packets (available at grocery stores, hardware stores, online, and from seed catalogs). Once you have the seeds, you can start them indoors to get a jump on the season, or you can wait until danger of frost has passed and direct-sow outdoors.

Squash plants have high yields, making them a heavy feeder. To encourage squash growth, it is important to fertilize prior to planting the seeds and during its growing season as well. Prior to planting seeds, mix up to 3 inches of compost into the soil where you plan to plant the seeds.