What is the difference between butternut and banana squash

By scraping the flesh, you'll get "strings" that closely resemble noodles. If you're in search of a healthy pasta alternative, try this very mild-tasting squash. Characteristics: Most blue Hubbard squash are huge, bumpy, and lumpy, and often sold as pre-cut wedges.

The particular variety pictured here, the Blue Ballet, is much smaller, making it easier to store and prepare at home. Underneath the gray-blue skin is sweet-tasting orange flesh. Characteristics: This particular winter squash, with its pale yellow shading, most closely resembles its summer squash cousins. The thin skin is edible, but also more susceptible to bruises and rot.

When cooked, the delicata has a consistency similar to that of a sweet potato—creamy and soft—although the flavoring is a bit more earthy. For a decorative effect, take advantage of this squash's ridges by slicing width-wise to create scalloped circles or halves; small- to medium-size delicata work best.

Characteristics: Like all Hubbards, the red kuri has an asymmetrical, lopsided look to it. And like the Blue Ballet variety, the red kuri is smaller and easier to handle.

Ball zucchini are easier to stuff than their oblong counterparts. Ball zucchini are a hybrid of zucchini and patty pan that creates a nice grenade-shaped zucchini, with a slightly more intense flavor. Costata romanesco are a better source of squash blossoms than fruit. This squash is an heirloom variety that doesn't yield much fruit but produces a lot of male flowers that are used for stuffed squash blossoms. The fruit has an interesting star shape that makes it great for slicing and eating raw.

There are so many different types of squash available all year round — from soft-skinned summer squashes to hard-shelled winter gourds.

Most winter squashes have a sweeter, nuttier flavor and starchier texture than summer squashes. All can be delicious if you know how to prepare them. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.

Amber Gibson. Table of Contents. Winter squash vs. Types of winter squash Types of summer squash Insider's takeaway. After studying journalism at Northwestern University, where she graduated as valedictorian from the Medill School of Journalism, Amber has been a full-time digital nomad, spending nights a year in hotels.

Champagne, dark chocolate, and gelato are her biggest weaknesses. FOOD How to cook spaghetti squash to make the most of its noodle-like texture. Out go the yellow summer squash and zucchini, and in come the pumpkins, butternuts, and heartier autumn squashes. But beyond pumpkins, butternuts, and acorns, many of us have no idea what all the squashes in crazy shapes and colors are called, and how to use them.

Given the variety available in many markets, we wanted to give you a breakdown of what to look for when shopping. The easiest way to identify an acorn squash? Well it looks like an acorn duh. These green squashes with orange flesh are thick-skinned and can be served peeled or sliced with the skin in tact.

Acorn squash is fairly adaptable and can be used in a variety of dishes. These cylindrical squashes can be gigantic, growing to sizes of up to 3 feet long and 35 pounds.

Once you get through the thick rind, banana squash contains an orange flesh that is similar to Kabocha or Butternut. Use banana squash in recipes that call for roasting or pureeing as a soup. Squat and green, buttercup squashes have a thick, inedible rind with dark yellow flesh. Buttercup squashes have a sweet, nutty flavor and are best used in recipes that involve steaming or baking. One of the most popular and easily identifiable of the winter squashes, butternut squashes are those bowling pin shaped, tannish ones that you will find in pretty much any grocery store.

They can be used in pretty much anything; soups, stews, roasted, pureed, etc. Tiny and heavily creviced, carnival squashes are known for their speckled green and orange skin that will eventually fade to a yellowish orange when fully ripe. While carnival squashes can be treated like any other orange-fleshed squash, they are best when roasted to help strengthen their flavor.

Long and skinny, Delicata squashes are yellow with green or orange stripes running the horizontal length. They have thinner skin than a butternut and are great for using as a cooking vessel see recipes below , since they hold their shape well when cooking. But it's definitely quick and convenient. Banana squash has a sweet, unassuming flavor, similar to butternut squash.

You can use it in any recipe that calls for an orange-fleshed winter squash, such as butternut, acorn , and kabocha. It pairs well with pork, lamb, and apricots, as well as herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage, and spices like cumin, cinnamon, cloves, curry powder , and nutmeg.

It's easy to substitute banana squash in recipes with butternut or some other winter squash recipes. Try banana squash with these squash recipes:. Banana squash is widely available at most grocery stores all year round, but most you're most likely to find it during its peak season during fall and winter.

Since because of the size of banana squash you're most likely to find it in stores precut, you can keep those cut pieces in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to five days. If you happen to get your hands on a whole one, perhaps at a farmers market, it will last up to a month if you store it in a cool, dry place. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.