This collection of healthy winter squash recipes includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, soups and sweet recipes. You’ll want to bookmark this post!
This week, I’m featuring Winter Squash as a Power Food in a collection of healthy winter squash recipes. Winter squash comes in all different shapes, sizes and colors and I’ve started to see more at our local farmer’s market. I’ve tried the more common pumpkin, acorn squash and butternut squash, as well as spaghetti squash, kabocha squash, buttercup squash, (similar to kabocha), and delicata squash, and I’d love to get my hands on a blue Hokkaido pumpkin, a hubbard squash, or a red Kuri pumpkin.
So what makes Winter Squash a Power Food? They’re packed with beta-carotene (which your body converts to vitamin A) and vitamin C, plus they’re high in fiber, manganese, potassium, folate, vitamin K and vitamin B6. Winter squash’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds are believed to have potential in the area of cancer prevention and cancer treatment, as well as the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
To help get you started, I put together a roundup of 50+ Healthy Winter Squash recipes – Enjoy!
I love using small winter squashes as bowls for serving soups and pilafs. They’re so elegant plus they’re edible!
Winter Squash Soup with Pimenton and Preserved Lemon
Winter Squash Soup with Pimenton and Preserved Lemon from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Beet and Apple Soup in Roasted Acorn Squash
Beet and Apple Soup in Roasted Acorn Squash from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushroom Quinoa Pilaf
Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushroom Quinoa Pilaf from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Stuffed Kabocha Squash with Quinoa and Chickpeas, What Would Cathy Eat
Stuffed Kabocha Squash with Quinoa and Chickpeas from What Would Cathy Eat
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Persimmons, The Recipe Renovator
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Persimmons (Photo copyright © 2011 by Recipe Renovator. Used with permission.)
I also love winter squash pureed, or in chunks, whether in a soup or salad.
Sage, Garlic and Butternut Squash Puree, Food Wanderings
Sage, Garlic and Butternut Squash Puree with Gnocchi from Food Wanderings
South of the Border Chicken and Butternut Squash “Stoup,” Liv Life
South of the Border Chicken and Butternut Squash “Stoup” from Liv Life
Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Wheatberry Salad with Pomegranate, Eats Well With Others
Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Wheatberry Salad with Pomegranate from Eats Well With Others
I’d never think to use winter squash to make chutney, but this Spicy Cranberry Squash Chutney from The Spicy RD looks irresistible.
Spicy Cranberry Squash Chutney from The Spicy RD
And, of course, the best known winter squash for sweets is pumpkin, although I’ve used kabocha squash in desserts too.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffeecake
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Gluten-Free Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Please check out all these healthy Winter Squash Recipes:
Soups/Stews/Chili
Thai Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Creamy Kabocha Squash Soup with Lemongrass, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
3-Bean Pumpkin Chili, Aggie’s Kitchen
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with White Bean + Mushroom Ragout, Everyday Maven
Crock Pot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili, Skinnytaste
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Cashew Cream, Gluten-Free Doctor
Pumpkin Chili, What’s Cookin’ Chicago?
Curried Pumpkin Stew, Guilty Kitchen
Pumpkin Carrot Stew, Jungle Frog Cooking
Side Dishes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Winter Squash, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Butternut Squash Casserole, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Slow Cooker Indian-Spiced Butternut Squash, The Perfect Pantry
Israeli Couscous Salad with Butternut Squash, Cake Duchess
Balsamic Glazed Pumpkin with Walnuts, eCurry
Butternut Squash with Apple Sage and Nutmeg, Foodie Goes Healthy Recipe Blog
Butternut Squash Gratin with Shallots and Cashew Cream, Avocado Pesto
Pumpkin Fried Rice, Appetite for China
Roasted Pumpkin Salad, 101 Cookbooks
Dinner
Japanese Style Kabocha Squash with Meat Sauce, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Whole Wheat Pizza with Pumpkin, Black Beans and Caramelized Onions, The Perfect Pantry
Pumpkin Polenta with Tomatillo Avocado Salsa, Gluten Free Goddess
Red Curry Delicata Squash and Tofu, Herbivoracious
Quinoa & Pistachio Stuffed Acorn Squash, With Style & Grace
Pumpkin Curry with Shrimp, Bamboo Shoots and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Wandering Chopsticks
Pumpkin Curry, Kayotic Kitchen
Sweets
Thai Sweet Black Rice with Kabocha Cream, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Pumpkin Pie Tart, Family Fresh Cooking
Pumpkin and Apple Crumble, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Pumpkin Pie Fruit Rolls, Food For My Family
Pumpkin Butter, Tidy Mom
Maple-Ginger Pumpkin Puree Over Apples, Inspired Edibles
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Honey Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies, GlutenFree Easily
Maple Glazed Olive Oil Pumpkin Cake, Healthy Green Kitchen
Breakfast
Whole Grain Pumpkin Streusel Muffins, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Gluten-Free Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts, Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins with Toasted Almonds, Cookin’ Canuck
Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Shake, Oh My Veggies
Maple Glazed Olive Oil Pumpkin Cake, Healthy Green Kitchen
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles, Gluten Free Goddess
Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread, Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes, The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Pumpkin Granola, Two Peas & Their Pod
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal in the Crockpot, Weelicious
Pumpkin Pie Yogurt, Kathy Eats Real Food
Check out what these other bloggers have cooked up for this week’s Power Foods post: (If you’re interested in joining our group, contact Mireya from My Healthy Eating Habits.)
Alyce –Â More Time at the Table
Ansh –Â Spice Roots,
Chaya – My Sweet and Savory
Martha –Â Simple-Nourished-Living
Mireya –Â My Healthy Eating Habits
Sarah –Â Everything in the Kitchen Sink
Minnie – The Lady 8 Home
Sources:
Power Foods: 150 delicious recipes with 38 Healthiest Ingredients
The World’s Healthiest Foods: Winter Squash
Note: All photographs used in this roundup were used with permission.
I wish I could get squash into my hands. i dont think so I have ever tasted that veggie type. I got some pumpkin here around though, so maybe I can addapt some of your recipes here. By the way I was just hinking of making a pumpkin soup with the pumpkin as pot presentation earlier. ^.^ same idea. 😉
Super roundup of such delicious squash recipes. Thanks so much for including me, Jeanette:)
Such a timely piece as I keep getting squash in my organic box!
Fabulous roundup Jeanette! So many delicious recipes, I don’t know where to start! OK-actually I do know…I just bought a donut pan and promised my daughter we would make donuts this weekend, so your pumpkin donuts look like a perfect place to start, then I’ll moe on to the healthier stuff 🙂 Thanks so much for including my cranberry squash chutney recipe!!
What a thorough roundup Jeanette! Thanks for including my spaghetti squash – that is one of my favorite recipes but on my list for a major photo re-do this Fall!
What a great list Jeanette! So many great recipes, thanks so much for sharing!
I love squash but I don’t cook with it nearly often enough! This round-up is fantastic — there is so much delicious inspiration here! Your pumpkin doughnuts look wonderful. 🙂
Thanks so much for all the Fall inspiration and for including my butternut squash recipe.
Jeanette, I instantly clicked over when I saw you were featuring a boatload of winter squash recipes as I adore winter squash! After I drooled over all your many amazing recipes, I scanned all the others (and drooled some more just from the titles alone), and was so tickled to find one of my links there–the Pumpkin Honey Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies. Thank you so much for including me, dear! It’s time to make winter squash dishes for sure, for all the nutrition they offer and the inherent comfort food factor. 😉
Hugs,
Shirley
Awesome roundup Jeanette! I have an acorn & spaghetti squash sitting on my counter waiting to be eaten! Love all these ideas, thanks for including my chili!
Thx for incl my post Jeanette. What a great one stop resource to fall healthy recipes. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks for a beautiful roundup, Jeanette. Happy Friday!
What a wonderful, colorful, healthy and delicious ode to fall, Jeanette! Thanks for such a great roundup of squash recipes.
Wow, there’s so many recipes to choose from. All lovely. Great choices Jeanette.
what a great roundup! last Thanksgiving I made a quinoa stuffed squash and it was a hit [& healthy]! can’t wait to give some of these a try!
what an amazing round up and a great way to showcase all the delicious ways squash can be enjoyed.
So glad you all are enjoying this roundup of healthy winter squash recipes – I can’t wait to try some of these myself!
I always love winter squash, but for some reason I am especially excited about it this year! Thanks for the great round-up and for including my breakfast shake too! 🙂
Great collection of recipes. I love the level of creativity.
I’m so glad you did this post because so many people ask what to do with winter squash- a great resource for everyone.