What To Do With Mini Squash This Autumn

Around this time of year, supermarkets begin to fill up with mini squash: the aesthetic micro-pumpkins which often crop up in autumnal displays. But this fruit – yes, squash is technically a fruit, not a vegetable – shouldn’t be resigned to decor. There’s plenty you can do with baby squash in the kitchen: here’s everything you need to know about the different types and how to use them in your cooking.

Baby Squash: Types & Recipe Ideas

What Types Of Mini Squash Are There?

Hooligan Squash

The Hooligan is a petite, bi-coloured squash with orange and white mottled skin, and orange flesh. It has a sweet, slightly nutty flavour, and is well-suited to baking, pureeing or stuffing.

Jack Be Little Pumpkin

This is the smallest pumpkin around, with a distinct bright orange colour, perfect for roasting, stuffing or filling with soup. It’s similar to the Gold Speck pumpkin.

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White Baby Boo

We would buy this pumpkin for its adorable name alone, but it has also got a lot to offer taste-wise. Baby Boo is an all-white, miniature type of squash with pale flesh, measuring just three inches wide. It tastes similar to orange pumpkin, but with hints of chestnut.

Mini Kabocha Squash

Also known as Japanese squash, this variety is either green or orange-skinned, with a particularly firm, sweet and dense orange flesh. 

How To Cook With Mini Squash

• Baking: You can bake mini squashes whole in the oven by piercing the base, drizzling olive oil on top and cooking for around 30 minutes, depending on the size. When the skin is golden and the flesh has softened, they’re ready to enjoy. 
• Stuffing: Stuffed mini pumpkins are perfect for autumnal dinner parties or Halloween soirees. Slice off the top, then scoop out the filling – ideally utilising this in your recipe or in another part of the meal to avoid food waste. Then, create your filling, whether that’s a hearty chilli, a herby rice concoction or a good soup. Place the filling inside your pumpkin, and place in the oven to cook.
• Use the flesh: Whatever you’re doing with your mini squash, don’t throw away the flesh. This can be used to make soup, stock, broth or chutney – or even as a base for mulled wine. You can also create pumpkin puree, mix it into hummus, or blend into a risotto.
• Roasting: Mini squash works well simply roasted with salt and spices. Chop either in half or into smaller cubes, depending on the dish, and serve alongside a protein or as part of a salad. 

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When Is Winter Squash Season?

There are numerous different types of squash, but they can be broadly arranged into two categories: summer and winter. In the UK, winter squash season runs from late summer until mid-winter. All the above fall into this category, alongside things like butternut, delicata and spaghetti. Winter squash should be stored in a cool, dark place, and some types can last for as long as six months – although it’s important to check the individual requirements of each type.