Winter is a season for hot drinks, cozy blankets, oversized sweaters, and squashes. These squashes can add sweetness and variety to your winter cuisine. Squashes come in many forms, including butternut squash, kabocha squash, and acorn squash.

Buttercup Squash is a less popular squash, but you can create various delectable dishes with it. This article guides you through getting, preparing, and cooking a buttercup squash into a mouth-watering dish for your dinner table this winter. So, grab your winter blankets and prepare for a flavorful tour of the buttercup squash world.

1. Winter Squashes

There are two kinds of squashes: summer squashes and winter squashes. Buttercup Squash belongs to the latter category. Interestingly, people grow winter squashes alongside summer ones. They are named so because winter squashes can be stored for the colder months.

One well-known winter squash is the pumpkin, which is very popular around October, especially during the Halloween season. There are a variety of other winter squashes, such as Butternut Squash, Acorn Squash, Hubbard Squash, Spaghetti Squash, and so on.

Winter squashes are perfect for warm dishes like soups and stews and hearty breads and cakes. They can be a tasty and healthy addition to your winter cuisine.

2. Appearance and Health Benefits of Buttercup Squash

Buttercup Squash is similar to an acorn squash in many ways. It is round and squat, green on the outside and orange on the inside, and has uneven, bumpy skin. However, it is larger than an acorn squash.

Buttercup Squash is a highly nutritious fruit rich in vitamins A, B, and C. It is also low in calories and gluten-free, so you can eat a lot of it without worries. Additionally, buttercup squash is rich in carotenoids, making it perfect for people with weak eyesight.

3. Acquiring a Buttercup Squash

Buttercup Squash is not a common type of winter squash. People prefer their cousins, butternut or acorn squash, for their recipes. So, don’t lose hope if you cannot find the squash in your nearby grocery store.

Try your local farmers market. Buttercup squash (among other winter squashes) can be easily found in the nearest farmers market, and it will be fresh.

Order it online. When they say everything can be ordered online, they mean it. If a buttercup squash is not available in your area and you want to try its taste, you can order it online from sites like Veggie Plus. The price may vary with the size of the squash and season.

4. Preparing a Buttercup Squash

Preparing a squash is an easy and quick thing. Before putting a buttercup squash into flavoursome dishes, we should learn how to prepare the fruit. There are two easy steps to preparation- cutting and deseeding the fruit.

4.1. List of Equipment

• Sharp Knife
• Vegetable Peeler
• Spoon

4.2. Chopping and Deseeding a Buttercup Squash

Step 1– Chop the top and bottom parts of your squash. These parts are complex and not pleasing to eat.

Step 2– Use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife to peel the squash. Make sure you hold it tight so that you don’t end up hurting yourself.

Step 3– Chop your squash into two halves.

Step 4– Scoop the inside seeds and pulp out using a spoon. (You can toast the seeds later for a healthy snack)

Step 5– Cut the buttercup squash into thin slices or any size you desire.

5. Buttercup Squash Recipes

5.1. Roasted Buttercup Squash

Even though buttercup squash is often an overlooked winter squash, it has a unique sweetness and flavour. Roasting is the easiest way of cooking buttercup squash, and it utilizes the ingredients already in your kitchen pantry. This recipe ensures a quick yet presentable dish for your dinner table.

5.1.1. List of Ingredients-

• Buttercup Squash
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Maple Syrup (if desired)

5.1.2. List of Equipment-

• Baking Paper

5.1.3. Roasted Buttercup Squash Recipe

Step 1– Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Step 2– Deseed the squash and cut it into thin slices.

Step 3– Place your buttercup squash slices on the baking paper. Now, coat the slices with olive oil.

Step 4– Season the slices with salt and pepper. Roast it for 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 5—Remove the buttercup squash and flip it. Coat the other side with olive oil and season it.

Step 6– Roast it for another 20 minutes.

Take the dish out of the oven, serve it, and enjoy!

Roasted buttercup squash is the easiest recipe, and it only takes 45 minutes to prepare. You can also coat the squash slices with maple syrup before baking them. This will add a new flavour to the meal and give you Maple-Roasted Buttercup squash.

5.2. Buttercup Squash Soup

Soups are the ultimate comfort food for the soul. They are creamy, delicious, and easy to make. Buttercup squash soup is no exception. This soup will be a treat for your taste buds and your heart in the long and cold winter season.

5.2.1. List of Ingredients

• One buttercup squash
• Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper
• Red Peppers
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• Onion
• Garlic or garlic cloves
• Vinegar

5.2.2. List of Equipment

• Baking paper
• Blender

5.2.3. Buttercup Squash Soup Recipe

Step 1– Cut your buttercup squash into two halves. Now, deseed the squash.

Step 2– Rub olive oil and salt into your squash

Step 3—Put a garlic clove in the hollow of the squash. Place the squash on baking paper, making sure that the cut side is facing down on the paper.

Step 4—Roast your buttercup squash for thirty to forty minutes. You can check the squash by pressing a fork on the fleshy part. If it presses easily, your squash is ready.

Step 5—Heat a pan and saute the remaining garlic and chopped onion. Add red peppers, broth, and the prepared squash to the pan. Let them cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 6—Put this mixture into a blender. Blend it until it has a creamy texture. Serve and enjoy!

You can also add herbs like basil for presentation. Subsequently, you can add nuts, herbs like thyme, or even cheese to the soup to make it more personal. No matter how you make this soup, you are in for a delicious and cozy treat with this recipe.

5.3. Buttercup Squash Crumble Bars

If you are craving a snack but still want to satisfy your sweet tooth, butternut squash crumble bars are the perfect recipe for you. Filled with satisfying sweetness, this recipe may not be the healthiest, but it will be delightful for your taste buds.

5.3.1. List of Ingredients

• One Buttercup Squash
• Flour- one or one and a half cup
• Sugar- Half cup or according to taste
• Butter
• Salt
• Maple Syrup
• Vanilla Extract
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Nuts- if desired
• Chocolate Chip- if desired

5.3.2. List of Equipment

• Food processor
• Baking paper

5.3.3 Buttercup Squash Crumble Bar Recipe

Step 1– Preheat the oven to 392°F

Step 2– Prepare your buttercup squash by cutting and deseeding it.

Step 3– Place the buttercup squash facedown on baking paper. Poke a few holes in the squash.

Step 4—Roast it until a fork runs quickly through the squash, about 30-35 minutes.

Step 5– Separate the fleshy part from the squash. This is your buttercup squash puree.

Step 6– Take butter, maple syrup, squash puree, and a pinch of salt. Mash it together. Store this mixture in the refrigerator.

Step 7—Put flour, butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Blend until crumbly. You can also add nuts in this step for better texture.

Step 8– Place this crumbly mixture on a baking dish and bake it for about 10 to 12 minutes. Put some of it aside for layering. Let the mixture cool after baking.

Step 9—Pour the puree over the baked crumble. If you desire, layer it with the remaining crumble and chocolate chips.

Step 10– Let it cool before slicing it into your desired shape.

Buttercup Squash Crumble Bars are the perfect go-to snack to grab before heading out the door. They are also great for experimenting with your daily cuisine and making a non-traditional dish. You can also use other winter squashes in this recipe.

5.4. Roasted Buttercup Squash Salad

You can cook Buttercup Squash in a variety of ways, including fancy ways, easy ways, time-consuming ways, and so on. A roasted buttercup squash salad is a healthy way of including the fruit in your diet while still ensuring a mouth-watering experience. It combines the squash’s flavour with the earthy flavour of vegetables.

5.4.1. List of Ingredients

• One Buttercup Squash
• Olive oil
• Maple Syrup
• Salt and Pepper
• Vegetables of your choice
• Cheese
• Vinegar
• Mustard
• Canola Oil

5.4.2. List of Equipment

• Salad bowl
• Knife
• Baking sheet

5.4.3. Roasted Buttercup Squash Salad Recipe

Step 1– Preheat the oven

Step 2– Cut and deseed your buttercup squash. Chop the squash into slices

Step 3– Mix maple syrup and olive oil.

Step 4– Pour half of this mixture into the squash slices. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the slices.

Step 5– Place your squash slices on a baking sheet and roast them for 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 6– Flip them and apply the remaining mixture on the slices. Roast it.

Step 7– Cut them into bite-size pieces.

Step 8– Mix canola oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt. Keep it aside.

Step 9—Chop your desired vegetables. Add everything to a big salad bowl and stir well.

Serve the salad with your meal and enjoy. This is a simple, healthy, and delicious salad that can be served as a side dish or a main dish.

5.5. Roasted Buttercup Squash Seeds

After you’ve made a buttercup squash recipe, you are left with the squash’s peels and seeds. This recipe will show you how to roast these seeds and turn them into crunchy, addictive, and healthy snacks you can munch on all day.

5.5.1. List of Ingredients

• Buttercup Squash Seeds
• Olive oil
• Salt

5.5.2. List of Equipment

• Baking sheet

5.5.3. Cleaning the Buttercup Squash Seeds

Before you get ahead to roasting the seeds, you may want to wash them, especially if a pulp is still attached.

Cleaning the seeds is a relatively straightforward process. One way is to run them under cold water and separate the pulp lightly with your fingers. But if you don’t want your hands to get dirty, soak them in cold water for a few hours. The pulp will separate from the seeds. You can then take the seeds out and pat them dry. Now, the seeds are ready for cooking.

5.5.4. Roasted Buttercup Squash Seeds Recipe

Step 1– Clean and dry the seeds

Step 2– Preheat the oven to 275°F

Step 3– Season your seeds with olive oil and salt

Step 4– Roast the seeds until they are golden brown

You can eat Buttercup Squash Seeds simply as snacks or use them to garnish salads. They are nutritious, crunchy, and highly snackable. This is an easy recipe to ensure that nothing from your squash goes to waste. You can also use this recipe to roast seeds of all other winter squashes and store them to eat as snacks.

6. Conclusion

In the long and dreary winter nights, buttercup squash can be a comfort meal for many people. You can cook stews, soups, cakes, and breads and even roast the seeds for a healthy snack. Additionally, buttercup squash is a nutritious fruit high in vitamins and low in calories.

The guide and recipes hope to make buttercup squash an integral part of your diet. As it is not so common, it can be overlooked, but the fruit’s health benefits and nutty taste cannot be denied. Whether you bake, roast, or add your buttercup squash to a soup, we hope you enjoy buttercup squash this winter season.

Last Updated on March 12, 2024 by Khushahal Malakar