Acorn

This acorn-shaped squash has yellow-orange, spongy, moist flesh with subtle, sweet and nutty flavor. When cooked, its texture becomes tender and slightly dry. Acorn squash is a popular variety for stuffing, and its mild flavor works well in both sweet and savory recipes. Best applications: baked, roasted, stuffed, mashed.

Ambercup

With bright orange flesh that is finely textured, dry and dense, Ambercup is considered one of the finest eating squash. It is sweet, with a flavor similar to that of an Acorn or Kabocha squash. Inside, it has a large cavity – great for stuffing. Best applications: roasted, baked, puréed.

Baby Blue Hubbard

Baby Blue Hubbard squash has orange flesh with a fine-grained, dense, and starchy texture. Flavor is sweet and nutty. When puréed, use it in breads, pies, or pasta dishes. Best applications: roasted, baked, steamed, mashed, puréed. Only the flesh is edible.

Blue Kuri

Blue Kuri has dense, dry, yellow flesh with rich, sweet, nutty flavor. A favorite ingredient for soups as well as hearty side dishes, such as roasted, cubed, and topped with butter. Best applications: roasted, baked, grilled, puréed.

Butternut

This popular winter squash has moist orange flesh with a sweet and nutty flavor. The texture is smooth and creamy. Best applications: baked, roasted, or grilled. Use in soups, purées, pies, and other recipes where the smooth texture and sweetness can be highlighted.

Carnival

Carnival squash has pale orange flesh with a firm, dry texture. When cooked, it becomes soft and tender, with a fragrant aroma. The flavor is slightly nutty, buttery, and sweet, similar to Butternut squash. It can replace Butternut and Acorn squash in recipes. Best applications: steamed, boiled, roasted, sautéed.

Cushaw

Cushaw squash has pale yellow-orange flesh and a moist, tender texture. The flavor is mildly sweet, similar to a cross between a pumpkin and Butternut squash. Best applications: roasting, baking, boiling, freezing, and in baking recipes. The flesh can be eaten raw.

Delicata

The rich, creamy, yellow flesh of the Delicata is sweet and nutty, with flavors of chestnuts, corn, and sweet potatoes. Delicata is a quick-cooking squash and will develop even more flavor when baked or roasted. Best applications: roasted, sautéed, baked, steamed, microwaved. The skin is edible. Avoid refrigeration.

Gold Nugget

Gold Nugget squash has firm, dry, dark yellow-orange flesh with a lovely, sweet flavor. Gold Nugget squash is often used in soups, risotto, casseroles, and desserts. Best applications: baked, steamed, boiled, sautéed. Only the flesh is edible.

Golden Acorn

Golden Acorn squash has golden flesh that is springy and moist. When cooked, the flavor develops into sweet and nutty perfection, while the flesh becomes tender. Best applications: roasted, baked, sautéed, steamed, grilled, stuffed.

Golden Hubbard

Golden Hubbard squash is an heirloom variety with very thick, deep orange skin. The golden flesh is fine-grained and very dry with rich, sweet flavor. It is most often cooked in its skin and pairs well with both sweet and savory flavors. Best applications: roasted, baked, canned. It freezes well (cooked).

Kabocha

Also known as a Japanese pumpkin, Kabocha is one of the sweetest winter squash varieties, with deep yellow-orange flesh and fine-grained, moist, dense texture. Once cooked, the texture becomes fluffy (similar to a sweet potato) and has rich, buttery, sweet, slightly nutty flavor. Best applications: roasted, baked, steamed, sautéed.

Long Island Cheese

Long Island Cheese squash has dense orange flesh that is fine-grained and semi-brittle. When cooked, it becomes tender and creamy with a mild, sweet, and earthy flavor. Best applications: roasted, baked, sautéed, grilled, braised, fried, boiled. The skin is edible.

Marina di Chioggia

Marina di Chioggia is an heirloom squash with deep yellow-orange, dense and dry flesh. The flavor is rich, sweet, and nutty. The unique skin has what are known as "sugar warts”, created from the buildup of extra sugars in the skin and flesh, contributing to the excellent flavor. Best applications: roasted, baked, steamed, grilled.

Red Kuri / Ichiki Kuri

Red Kuri squash has gold-yellow flesh and a dense, thick, and dry texture with sweet, chestnut-like flavor. When cooked, the texture becomes tender and creamy. Best applications: roasted, boiled, baked, sautéed. Once cooked, the skin is edible.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti squash has thick, dense, moist, and pale-yellow flesh, that when cooked, becomes tender with a slight crunch. It has a very mild, faintly sweet flavor and is best known for flesh that separates into long strands that resemble angel hair pasta. Great as a pasta alternative. Best applications: roasted, baked, steamed, sautéed.

Stripetti

Stripetti squash has a smooth skin that is pale yellow, mottled and streaked with green and gold stripes. The flesh is pale yellow, thick, and dense. When cooked, Stripetti squash is tender, soft-textured, and has a sweet, nutty flavor similar to sweet potatoes. Best applications: baked, roasted, boiled, steamed.

Swan White

Swan White acorn squash has pale yellow flesh with a moist and sponge-like texture. When cooked, it becomes smooth and tender. The flavor is mild and sweet, and somewhat hazelnut-like. Best applications: roasted, broiled, grilled, puréed, stuffed. Can be used in both sweet and savory recipes.

Sweet Dumpling

Sweet Dumpling squash is known its for rich, sweet flavor with hints of chestnut. The pale gold flesh has a dry, starchy texture (similar to a potato) that becomes tender and smooth when cooked. Best applications: roasted, baked, sautéed, steamed. It can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. Only the flesh is edible.

Sweet Mama

Sweet Mama squash has deep golden, fine-grained, dry flesh that becomes tender when cooked. Its sweet, nutty flavor complements both sweet and savory recipes. Best applications: roasted, baked, steamed, sautéed. It can also be cooked in the microwave.

Turban

The fantastical-looking Turban squash has firm, golden flesh with a hazelnut-like flavor. When cooked, the flesh develops a floury texture that lends itself well to soups and stews. This is the perfect squash for stuffing, with both a bowl and a cap-like lid. Best applications: roasted, baked, steamed.