Simple Squash Recipes for Harvest Season

Squash is one of the harvest season’s most delicious and versatile gourds. It is believed to have originated as a wild plant in Central America and Mexico, where it was domesticated by natives over 8,000 years ago– that’s 4,000 years before the domestication of corn! Squash quickly became an integral part of Native American cooking due to its characteristics: it grew quickly, was hardy against weather and pests, and was full of nutrients.

Today, our word for “squash” comes from the Narragansett Native American word askutasquash, which roughly translates to “eaten raw or uncooked.”

Recently, we asked our community to send us their favorite fall squash recipes. Here are three mouthwatering dishes that were shared with us.

Keep It Simple & Spicy Acorn Squash

Keep it Simple & Spicy Acorn Squash

Ingredients: 

• 1 Acorn squash

• Brown sugar

• Cayenne

Directions:

1. Slice squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

2. Roast in the oven, cut-side down on a lined baking sheet, for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

3. Sprinkle with cayenne and brown sugar, to taste.

Roasted Delicata Squash

Yummy Roasted Delicata Squash

Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 Delicata Squash

• Olive oil

• Himalayan Pink Sea salt

Directions:

1. Slice squash in half lengthwise* and scoop out the seeds 

2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle Himalayan pink sea salt to taste

3. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees on a lined baking sheet, flipping halfway

*Alternately you can slice each half into rings and toss with the olive oil and sea salt, spreading evenly on a baking sheet. Feel free to experiment with other herbs and spices such as cumin, nutmeg, rosemary or tarragon.

Autumn Squash Soup

Autumn Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 small yellow onion (chopped)

• Bundle of rosemary

• 2-3 garlic cloves

• 1 medium-large butternut squash (halved & roasted)

• 2 Granny Smith apples

• 1 small sugar pumpkin (halved & roasted)

• 1 turban squash (halved &r oasted)

• Salt/pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (unsweetened)

• 1/2 tsp cardamon

• 1 tsp curry powder

• Pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

1. Prep Veggies: cut the sugar pumpkin, butternut & turban squash in half. Scoop out insides & save for pumpkin seeds. 

2. Place on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste. 

3. Roast in a preheated 425 degree oven (on two racks, rotating pans as needed. They are done when they are fork tender.)

4. Cook the chopped apples, onions, garlic, rosemary & spices in a large stock pot with 2 tbsp of vegetable broth, until apples are soft.

5. Once the veggies are done roasting, scrape all the goods into the stock pot. Add the rest of the vegetable broth. Use an immersion blender if you have one, if not put batches into a blender. Be careful not to over fill & allow SOME air flow or things will explode.

6. Top your soup with some coconut milk & pumpkin seeds you made.

Looking for something sweet? Check out this traditional bake-in-shell pumpkin pie recipe.