Our Favorite Types of Winter Squash, And the Best Ways to Use Them

The BHG Test Kitchen plunge into nine types of wintertime squeeze to find the best way to gear up them .

Pumpkins , crush , and gourds are all part of the Cucurbitaceae ( gourd ) family , but there is n’t an accord - on botanical eminence for what makes a pumpkin a pumpkin . It ’s essentially an informal term for the round , orange types we chip at and the cooking potpourri of similar shape we typically turn into Proto-Indo European or puree . As we roasted , pureed , splash - fry , and try form in the Test Kitchen , we found that some “ pumpkin ” made scrumptious soups and some “ squash ” made delicious pie . Read on for our scout to nine different types of wintertime squash includinghow to grow wintertime squashand our Test Kitchen ’s recommend uses for each .

How to Grow Winter Squash

Bookmark these footmark for early next outflow when you want to buypumpkin source for plant . right charge of your seedling will be essential to a quality autumn harvesting .

Types of Winter Squash

The BHG Test Kitchen dove into nine types of winter squash to find their unique culinary strengths and the best ways to prepare them .

Carson Downing

Early Abundance

modest but mighty , this Cucurbita pepo averages 4 to 7 pounds and is prolific in a short farm season . It was our Test Kitchen team ’s favoritepumpkin for pieand baking .

recommend Use : Pureed for all your fall baking need .

Black Futsu

Do n’t countenance the bumpy exterior deter you from enjoying this eatable ( Robert Peel and all ! ) Japanese squelch . It ’s one of the few winter squeeze that are delicious when eaten falsify or raw .

Recommended utilisation : Pickled , raw , hustle - fried , or roast .

Winter Luxury

When roasted , the material body is creamy and sweet , making an excellent prospect forhomemade pumpkin puree .

Recommended United States : Pureed for Proto-Indo European or other desserts .

Autumn Frost

This squash James Cook up mellifluous and smooth with a standardized consistency tobutternut squash . Roasting shows off its beautiful orange tint .

Recommended Uses : Pureed or roasted in savoury recipes .

Thelma Sanders

An heirloom named for its originator in Missouri , the emollient - vividness acorn squash rackets is comparable to thesweet potatoboth for its look and the fact that it store just as well as , if not better than , the tuber .

Recommended Use : Roasted or pureed for spicy dishes such as soups and ravioli .

Sunshine Kabocha

When cooked , this wintertime squash has a tender , smooth stringless texture with a super odorous smell that reminded our Test Kitchen of veryripe cantaloup .

Recommended Uses : Gorgeous roasted , as it holds its bright color , and it puree ultrasmooth .

Turban

ably make for its classifiable shape , this heavy squash has a hard exterior , making it hard to peel raw . Our Test Kitchen suggests halving then roast it first so you may easily remove the skin . The tang is mild , less odoriferous , with vegetative notes .

Recommended use : Pureed or roasted in savory dishes with bluff seasonings .

Tetsukabuto

This green mantrap keep its dark chromaticity when fully mature . A cross of a kabocha and butternut developed in Japan , it has a nutty — almost chestnut - similar — spirit with a buckram grain reminiscent of a sweet potato .

Recommended Uses : Roasted or pureed in savoury dishes . Holds up well in lather and braises .

Kakai/Pepita

This unripened - specked pumpkin is grown for its seeds rather than its flesh ( compost the figure or eat it to wildlife ) . The edible hull - less seeds ( pepitas ) acquire by nature without the bad white shells you see on the seeds inside jack - o’-lanterns .

Recommended Uses : Roast the seedsto feed or use in baked good .

different types of edible pumpkin and squash on display