It's Delicata Squash Season! These Recipes Show Why You'll Want It (2024)

FAQs

Is delicata squash in season? ›

Delicata squash is available starting in late summer, through the fall, and into early winter. You can find it at most grocery stores, specialty food stores, and farmers' markets. Look for squash that feels heavy for its size without any soft or moldy spots.

Delicata squash also has a ton of potassium: One cup delivers a whopping 500mg of the mineral, which can help control your blood pressure. As with many varieties of squash, it's also full of vitamin C, which plays a role in the growth and repair of body proteins.

HARVEST: Fruits are typically ready about 50-55 days after fruit set, and should be harvested before any hard frosts. Cut fruits from vines and handle carefully. Sun cure by exposing fruits for 5-7 days or cure indoors by keeping squash at 80-85°F/27-29°C with good air ventilation.

The delicata is actually named for its delicate, edible skin, so there is no need for peeling here. The rind of these cylindrical, striped vegetables is similar in texture to a summer squash like zucchini, and becomes perfectly tender when cooked.

Although delicata is typically considered a winter squash variety, it actually belongs to the same species as summer squash varieties like cousa, zucchini, pattypan, etc. The delicata squash is sometimes referred to as a sweet potato squash or a peanut squash.

Risks and Side Effects

As with any food, taking note of any unusual reaction, such as itching or swelling, is important, but there are no known problems with the delicata squash. However, because of its fiber content, too much could cause flatulence.

Squash is fine for earlier stages of CKD and kidney transplant when potassium is well-managed without dietary restriction. With concern for potassium levels, consider having squash in small amounts.

Delicata Squash Nutrition

In general, winter squash is a good source of dietary fiber, a unique type of carbohydrate that the body doesn't digest. Fiber is important for maintaining gut health and can help manage cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Per cup, butternut also offers 3 grams of fiber to benefit gut health. Due to it's high antioxidant activity, and presence of the carotenoid zeaxanthin, research has suggested butternut squash may help protect your eyes from macular degeneration, support heart health and play a role in immune function.

Storage tips: Winter Squash is best stored between 55-65 degrees, however, Delicata squash does not store quite as well as heartier varieties like Acorn and Butternut. Place in a cool dry room in your house (do not refrigerate) and it should last 3 months.

Do delicata squash like sun or shade? ›

Where are Delicata Squash Plants Cultivated? In an area that receives full sunlight throughout the day, seeds should be placed into mounds of dirt at a depth of one inch, with one to six seeds planted into each mound.

Yes! The skin of Delicata squash is 100% edible. That's the second reason I love this squash so much. It's so easy to prepare because you don't have to bother peeling it.

And if it starts to leak fluid, that's a sure sign that the squash is spoiled. Likewise, if the flesh and seeds of the fruit are mushy and slimy, that's a clear sign that it shouldn't be eaten. Color - the outer skin of the squash is a quick way to check for any sign of spoilage.

The higher the levels of cucubitacin, the more bitter the squash will taste. The most likely cause for a bitter taste in squash is due to an environmental stress of some sort, most likely a wide temperature flux or irregular irrigation. Either of these will create an excess of cucurbitacins to concentrate in the fruit.

Finding delicata squash that's ripe and fresh is always best. You'll know it's ripe if the vertical strips of color in the grooves turn orange. They are unripe when they're dark green.

When is delicata squash in season? Delicata squash is available in the fall up until early winter.

Delicata Squash Defining Qualities & History

It was rare to find it on the shelves of grocery stores or in many restaurants. This is actually because delicata squash was once prone to mildew diseases in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

It is also known as peanut squash, Bohemian squash, or sweet potato squash.

Common winter squash, such as butternut and spaghetti, are also available year-round, but other varieties, such as turban and fairytale, typically peak November to December. With summer squash, and some winter squash, the entire plant can be eaten — meat, skin, seeds, vines and flowers.