30+ Delicious Ways to Turn Winter Squash Into a Healthy Meal
Got a butternut to get through? We can help.
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From classics like acorn squash and butternut, to favorites like delicata, spaghetti squash and kabocha, there are almost as many kinds of winter squash are there are ways to cook them. So we've rounded up the very best winter squash recipes out there so that you can enjoy your favorite gourds all season long. No matter what you like to eat, there's something here on our list for you and your family.
Pumpkin & Pesto Crostini
Make this easy, satisfying app as part of a snack dinner, or serve it up as the first course at a party.
Pumpkin, Beef, and Black Bean Chili
Chunks of tender winter squash—in this case, pumpkin—make a tasty addition to a hearty chili.
Pumpkin Cannelloni with Sage Brown-Butter Sauce
Sweet squash makes the perfect filling for these pillowy pasta.
Roasted Chicken and Winter Squash
A variety of winter squashes complement a perfectly roasted chicken.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Cider Vinaigrette
Butternut squash tastes great on its own, but with flavors like whole-grain mustard, parsley, red wine vinegar, and apple cider, this roasted recipe packs a punch.
Roasted Squash with Goat Cheese and Poached Cranberries
These simple little medallions make an easy side dish or an elegant hors d'oeuvre.
Winter Squash Soup
This winter squash soup can be served for dinner on a chilly night or as a Thanksgiving starter.
Winter Squash Lasagna
Bring the flavors of fall to traditional lasagna by loading it with winter squash, nutmeg, and three cheeses.
Roasted Beet-and-Squash Salad
This salad of roasted veggies and farro is Thanksgiving-side good, but weeknight-easy.
Farro-and-Acorn Squash Salad
Make this recipe for a hearty lunch—it's packed with blue cheese, hazelnuts, and pomegranate seeds. You can even eat it out of a Mason jar, seen here, for an easy, reusable container.
Savory Pumpkin Soup with Spice Shake
Upgrade your squash soup with this vegetarian recipe, topped with a homemade spice shake.
Chard and Feta-Stuffed Acorn Squash
This low-maintenance stuffed squash recipe would make an excellent side, or even a main dish, considering how filling it is.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple-Bacon Drizzle
This warm side mixes seasonal flavors of maple and squash. And you can't ever really go wrong with slices of black pepper bacon, right?
Roasted Acorn Squash Salad
Crushed red pepper and cinnamon spice up this squash, onion, farro, and nut salad.
Baked Butternut-Squash Rigatoni
Sweet squash adds color and seasonal flavor to this creamy, cheesy pasta dish.
Orange-Dijon Roasted Acorn Squash
This savory-sweet squash dish might not be traditional, but the combination of different spice notes from cinnamon and Dijon mustard will soon make it a staple.
Focaccia with Roasted Squash
Shavings of butternut squash turn melt-in-your-mouth sweet when roasted atop a focaccia.
Butternut Squash Bake with Cranberries and Apples
This dish, loaded with fresh herbs, spices, and orange juice, would be delicious all winter long, but would be especially perfect on your Thanksgiving table.
Get the recipe at Cafe Johnsonia.
Chicken Pesto Paleo Spaghetti Squash
For a lighter option than noodles, opt for spaghetti squash. Mix in pesto and chicken for an easy, filling dinner. Protip: For longer strands, cut and roast the spaghetti squash in rings, instead of in half.
Get the recipe at Paleo Running Momma.
Winter Squash Alfredo Pasta
Here, the respective textures of roasted butternut squash and Alfredo sauce complement each other beautifully...and this particular sauce happens to take less than 30 minutes to make from scratch. It's safe to say we're smitten.
Get the recipe at Damn Delicious.
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