What's The Best Way To Cook Delicata Squash And Is The Skin Edible?

If delicata squash hasn't been on your radar recently, it absolutely should be. This winter squash, which was once a rarer find in supermarkets but has become more popular and readily available in recent years, is not only a delight to the eye, but a treat for the taste buds, too. Food Republic spoke with Sabrina Rudin, recipe developer and Spring Cafe Aspen founder, about her preferred method for cooking delicata squash. 

"I like to scoop out the seeds and slice them in half moons, leaving the skin on," she said. That's right, the hype is real: Delicata squash skin is totally edible. The delicate and thin nature of it allows for a satisfyingly chewy bite.

To cook the delicata squash, Rudin advised to "toss them with avocado oil, paprika, and garlic powder, which balances out the sweetness of the squash."  You'll want to roast the slices at 400 degrees Fahrenheit "for about 25 minutes until golden and caramelized," she said. This prep method could not be any easier to make, or modify. But for a different approach, you could also slice them in half and use them as boats, filled with a mixture of ground meat and cheese — like with this meatball marinara-ish zucchini recipe. Or, you can try slicing them into rings and baking them as onion ring approximations.

Delicata squash has a mild, sweet flavor; its sugar content is made obvious by how easily it caramelizes in the oven. That sweetness makes it well-suited as an ingredient for desserts and sweet treats as well as savory dishes. Delicata squash is "delicious in a pie in lieu of pumpkin," said Sabrina Rudin. You can "roast and puree it just as you would pumpkin, but it has a more mild and naturally sweet flavor."

Delicata also works well in brownies, sweet breads, and cakes, adding a nutty flavor dimension, while also keeping the finished product moist — much like the titular vegetable in homemade zucchini bread. It's also tasty on its own, baked up with sweeteners. "I roast them in coconut oil and maple syrup for a delicious caramelized effect," said Rudin. She added that squash makes for a delicious — though unexpected – smoothie, with the addition of "pumpkin pie spice, plant-based milk, a hint of vanilla, and frozen banana." 

The best part about using delicata squash in sweet or savory recipes? Unlike other varieties you might use for these purposes, you don't have to worry about peeling the skin off, because it's so soft, thin, and edible when cooked. Which makes delicata a breeze to prepare for all kinds of dishes.

Of course, a good dish, savory or sweet, depends on the quality of the delicata squash you use to make it — so it's always handy to know how to pick the freshest perishable groceries. "Squash should always be firm to the touch, without any soft or mushy spots on the exterior," advised Sabrina Rudin. A soft delicata squash could also be a not-quite-ripe squash; while it's not a test we recommend you perform, especially at the store or farmer's market because it can cause accelerated spoilage, if you nick the skin with your fingernail and it gives without resistance, it likely hasn't peaked in ripeness yet.

"You also want to check for vibrant color," Rudin recommended. The bolder the colors of the stripes, the closer to peak ripeness it is, and you want to avoid anything that's too green. If it's "faded or browned in any spots, it means it is most likely rotten on the inside," she said. 

You should also check the stems for a clue as to the ripeness of the squash. Fully mature delicatas will have a stem that is completely dry — growers of winter squash know that a tell-tale sign the crop is ready to be harvested is a brown, dry vine, which then extends to the stem.