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Delicata Squash: Oh So Delicious. Move Over Butternut

January 21, 2017 By: Anna24 Comments

delicata squash

This was my first year growing Delicata squash.  It reminds me of a striped zucchini with a hard shell.  I am in love with this squash since it is easy to grow and easier to cook.  Here’s the scoop about why Delicata squash should be on your table. I call it the new butternut!  

 My First Date with Delicata Squash.

I saw these little squashes at a farmer’s market and really liked the fact that you don’t need to take off the skin to cook it.

Why? Let me share a secret.  Knives and I don’t get along.

Peelers and I can be enemies at times.

When I cook, I cut myself on a regular basis.  If you ever experienced a peeler cut, then you know what I mean.  Those cuts are so so painful.

Oh and That Beautiful Color and Shape.

But my love for this squash is not just confined to its no skin removal rules. Did I mention the color and shape?

I love its small shape and bright yellow color with green stripes.  (I like a vegetable in stripes.  Can you blame a girl?)

Plus, you can easily buy one squash for one person or several for a family.

Oh, and did I mention the inside?

delicata squash

 

 

It has a creamy orange color reminiscent of a butternut squash.  I think they taste just like butternut.

Stop gushing Anna.  It is only a squash.

I am sorry.  I feel like I met this squash on eharmony since I am so in love with it.

One date and that is all it took.

*Swoon.*

(By the way, Anna.  You fall for all your vegetables…)

How to Grow Delicata Squash

Yes, I have a love affair with all my vegetables.  And yes, I have more pictures of them then my children.

But Delicata squash has other attributes that I love more than some of my other vegetables.

You don’t need a ton of room to grow it!  I do love my vertically grown vegetables but this one grows like a bush just like zucchini.

Remember, it is still a winter squash.  You need to wait until the shell of the squash is hard for winter storage.  I tried one which had a soft shell and it didn’t taste very good.

The downside of my love is those darn squash vine borers think it is pretty cute too.

(Can you hear me swearing about those squash vine borers?)

I lost one early in the season and decided to plant another one in July.

And guess what?

By September, I had a bunch of Delicata squashes.  Lucky me!  And I was doing the happy dance.

Word to the wise–if you want these squashes to last during the winter, make sure the shell of the squash is nice and hard.  I try and pierce the shell with my finger nail.  If I can’t dent it, then it is ready.

PS You can buy seeds HERE.  Thank me later.

How to Cook Delicata Squash:

I love roasted vegetables.  Roasting Delicata squash is so easy and delicious. You can also use it to make butternut squash soup for one too!

I used three Delicata squashes for this recipe.  It serves at least 6 people and stores great too.

Delicata Squash Roasting Recipe.

delicata squash

Ingredients:

3 Delicata Squashes

Instructions:

  1.  Cut the squash in half moons.  The shell is quite hard so you are going to have to use your muscles.  This squash is hard to cut!
  2. Coat the pieces evenly with 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 teaspoon of garlic.  (I love garlic so pile it on if you love it as much as I do.)
  3.  Add spices if you like or simply use salt and pepper.
  4.  Lay them on a cookie sheet with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  (Make sure you use the mats in the oven at the below roasting temperature.)  Don’t crowd the pieces.
  5. Roast at 425 for 30 minutes.  Then flip them every 10 minutes or so.  You want the squash to evenly roast.
  6. Enjoy!

Join the Conversation:

Do you eat or grow Delicata Squash?

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About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

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Comments

  1. 1

    Lindsay says

    January 23, 2017 at 8:56 pm

    I’ll try this recipe! I never have used garlic with squash! YUM.

    Reply
    • 2

      Anna says

      January 26, 2017 at 7:00 pm

      So good, Lindsay! Anna

      Reply
  2. 3

    Raia Todd says

    January 24, 2017 at 11:30 am

    I pretty much love all squash, too. But I’ve never been able to get it to grow, due to those darn vine borers. 🙁 Thankfully squash isn’t that expensive, ’cause most people don’t like it. Haha.

    Reply
    • 4

      Anna says

      January 24, 2017 at 1:30 pm

      Raia, the squash bug does like this plant. I might plant it in July when the bugs have found another home. Anna

      Reply
  3. 5

    SusO says

    January 24, 2017 at 11:59 am

    Love delicata and really want to try and grow it.

    Reply
    • 6

      Anna says

      January 24, 2017 at 1:31 pm

      SusO, It is definitely worth growing. Just realize the squash vine borer thinks it is pretty good too.

      Reply
  4. 7

    Megan Stevens says

    January 24, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    I loved learning about growing it too! It’s one of my favorites!

    Reply
    • 8

      Anna says

      January 24, 2017 at 1:29 pm

      Megan, it is delicious! Anna

      Reply
  5. 9

    Kelsey says

    January 24, 2017 at 4:26 pm

    How great! I’d love giving growing them a try…I’ve not noticed a squash borer before…if planted in July, would they have enough time to grow if we usually have our first frost in September?

    Reply
    • 10

      Anna says

      January 24, 2017 at 4:55 pm

      Probably not, Kelsey. My frost is 10.10 so I got a bunch of them by September and they had time to harden.

      Reply
  6. 11

    Carol@studiobotanica says

    January 24, 2017 at 7:32 pm

    Love your post. I’ve never eaten this squash. All summer, after hearing about it, this year, I stalked my farmers markets but never found it. They were growing it, in small quantities, I guess, because they were always sold out..Need to go earlier next year or come for a visit!!

    Reply
    • 12

      Anna says

      January 26, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      Carol, you would love it –especially with some of your spicy herbs!

      Reply
  7. 13

    Sylvie says

    January 25, 2017 at 12:18 am

    One of my favorites as well!

    Reply
    • 14

      Anna says

      January 26, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      You are in good company, Sylvie! Anna

      Reply
  8. 15

    Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says

    January 25, 2017 at 2:24 am

    I LOVE Delicata squash! It’s my favorite! I love that you grew your own. So fun to see the one that grew together with another.

    Reply
    • 16

      Anna says

      January 26, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      Emily, you can imagine my surprise when I saw the two of them together.

      Reply
  9. 17

    Diane Hoffmaster says

    January 25, 2017 at 2:14 pm

    I have never seen this but have been doing a lot more winter squashes lately. I will have to check at Whole Foods!

    Reply
    • 18

      Anna says

      January 26, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      If it wasn’t for the squash vine borer, I would just grow this one, Diane.

      Reply
  10. 19

    Marjorie says

    January 25, 2017 at 9:26 pm

    This is one of my favorite squashes! So delicious!

    Reply
    • 20

      Anna says

      January 26, 2017 at 6:59 pm

      It is becoming mine too, Marjorie.

      Reply
  11. 21

    Sandra says

    January 30, 2017 at 3:05 pm

    I have read about using row covers to protect from vine borers. You would remove covers when the blooms begin. At about what age would you say the vines begin to flower?

    Reply
    • 22

      Anna says

      February 1, 2017 at 11:14 pm

      Sandra, about a month after they are planted by seed. I do cover mine until they start to bloom. Those bugs are pretty clever! Anna

      Reply
  12. 23

    Tonya says

    March 22, 2017 at 11:24 am

    Oh, I’ve experienced a peeler cut … I lost a small piece of my finger 🙁
    I love delicata squash! But I’m not able to grow them 🙁

    Reply
    • 24

      Anna says

      March 23, 2017 at 10:14 am

      Tonya, the worse!!! Anna

      Reply

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