Walk into any farmer's market in October and you'll see them. Piles of ribbed, warted, striped, and speckled gourds that look more like alien artifacts than dinner. Most people grab a butternut and run. It’s safe. It’s familiar. But honestly, if you're only looking at one type, you're missing out on a massive world of flavor and texture that most grocery stores don't even bother to stock.
Visuals matter here. Identifying squash isn't just about being a "foodie." It's about not accidentally trying to roast a decorative gourd that tastes like bitter soap. Seeing pictures of varieties of squash side-by-side helps you realize that a Kabocha and a Buttercup might look like twins, but they behave very differently once you hit them with heat.
The Big Divide: Summer vs. Winter
Before we get into the heavy hitters, we have to clear up the naming convention. It's kinda confusing. "Summer" and "winter" don't actually refer to when they grow—they both grow in the summer. The difference is all about the skin. Summer squash are harvested young. Their skin is thin, edible, and delicate. Winter squash stay on the vine until they develop a literal suit of armor. That hard rind is what lets them sit in your pantry for three months without rotting.
Seeing the Difference: Pictures of Varieties of Squash in the Winter Category
When you're scanning a bin of winter squash, you're looking for matte skin and a heavy feel. If it's shiny, it was probably picked too early.
The Butternut (Cucurbita moschata)
This is the baseline. It looks like a beige bell. Inside, the flesh is bright orange and smooth. Because it has a relatively thin skin for a winter variety, it’s the easiest to peel with a standard Y-peeler. You’ve likely had it in soup, but try dicing it small and roasting it with sage.
The Acorn Squash
Dark green with deep ridges. It looks like a giant, oversized acorn—hence the name. If you see one with a big orange splotch on the side, don't worry. That's just where it was resting on the ground. The flesh is more fibrous than butternut. It’s best when halved and stuffed with sausage or grains because the shape acts like a natural bowl.
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Delicata: The Lazy Cook’s Favorite
This one is a game changer. It’s small, oblong, and cream-colored with green stripes. Why is it a favorite? You don’t peel it. The skin is so thin it softens perfectly in the oven. It tastes remarkably like corn or sweet potatoes. Seriously, if you hate peeling squash, find a Delicata.
Spaghetti Squash
It’s an oval, yellow football. It looks boring until you cook it. Once roasted, the flesh pulls away in long, translucent strands that mimic pasta. It doesn't actually taste like pasta—it’s crunchy and mild—but it carries sauce like a champ.
Kabocha (Japanese Pumpkin)
The heavy hitter. It’s squat, dark green (usually), and feels like a rock. The flesh is dense. Like, really dense. It has a chestnut-like flavor and very little water content. This makes it the king of roasting because it gets crispy edges instead of turning into mush. Fun fact: the skin is totally edible if you roast it long enough.
The Bizarre and the Beautiful
Sometimes you run into the "heirloom" section. This is where things get weird.
The Blue Hubbard looks like a giant, dusty-blue teardrop. It’s huge. You might literally need a mallet to crack one open. But inside? It’s some of the best pie filling you’ll ever find. Then there’s the Turk’s Turban, which looks like a squash wearing a smaller, different colored squash as a hat. It’s mostly decorative, but the flavor is okay—sort of mild and nutty.
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Don't overlook the Red Kuri. It looks like a giant, glowing orange onion. It’s a Hokkaido-style squash with a deep, mellow sweetness. It’s become a darling of high-end chefs because the color stays vibrant even after intense pureeing.
Summer Varieties: Beyond the Basic Zucchini
Zucchini is the king of summer, but it’s the tip of the iceberg. Most people don't realize that pictures of varieties of squash in the summer months include some pretty wild shapes too.
- Pattypan: These look like tiny flying saucers. They can be yellow, green, or white. They are firmer than zucchini and hold their shape better on a grill.
- Yellow Crookneck: These have a bulbous bottom and a curved neck. They often have "warts" or bumps. Don't be grossed out; it’s a natural trait of the variety, not a disease.
- Zephyr: This is a hybrid. It’s yellow on top and light green on the bottom. It looks like it was dipped in paint. It’s exceptionally sweet and nutty.
Why Knowing Your Varieties Actually Matters
Texture is the big one. If you try to make a "pasta" dish out of butternut squash, you’ll get a puree. If you try to make a creamy soup out of spaghetti squash, you’ll get a watery mess with weird strings in it.
You also have to consider the sugar content. According to Oregon State University’s Extension Service, different varieties store carbohydrates differently. A squash like the Kabocha or Butternut has a high starch content that converts to sugar as it sits. If you eat them too early, they aren't as sweet. If you wait until mid-winter, they are dessert-level sugary.
How to Buy and Store Like a Pro
When you’re looking at your haul, check the stem. A dry, corky stem means the squash was cured properly. If the stem is missing, bacteria can get into the "wound" and rot the squash from the inside out.
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Keep your winter squash in a cool, dark place—but not the fridge. The cold of a refrigerator actually breaks down the cell structure of winter squash and makes them rot faster. A pantry or a dry basement is perfect. Most will last 2 to 4 months if you leave them alone. Summer squash, on the other hand, are the opposite. They belong in the crisper drawer and should be eaten within a week. They are mostly water, and they wilt fast.
Common Misconceptions
People think pumpkins are a separate thing. They aren't. A pumpkin is just a type of squash. Specifically, the classic Jack-o'-lantern is usually a Cucurbita pepo. The "canned pumpkin" you buy for Thanksgiving? That’s almost always a variety of Cucurbita moschata, which is much closer to a butternut squash than the orange thing you carve on your porch. The carving pumpkins are bred for size and thin walls, which makes them taste watery and stringy. If you want to bake, look for "Sugar Pumpkins" or "Pie Pumpkins."
Practical Steps for Your Next Kitchen Adventure
Next time you're at the store, don't just look at the labels. Look at the skins.
- For Roasting: Grab a Kabocha or a Delicata. High density, low water, edible skins.
- For Soups: Go with Butternut or Red Kuri. They puree into a silky texture without any grittiness.
- For a Low-Carb Meal: Spaghetti squash is your only real option here for that strand-like texture.
- For Stuffing: Acorn squash is the classic "bowl" shape, but a small Carnival squash (which looks like a multi-colored acorn) works even better and looks more impressive on a plate.
Check the weight. Pick up two squashes of the same size. The heavier one is usually fresher and has more moisture in the flesh. If it feels hollow or light, it’s likely drying out inside.
If you're dealing with a particularly hard-skinned variety like a Hubbard or a large Kabocha, don't risk your fingers. Use a heavy chef's knife. Poke a few holes in the skin and microwave the whole thing for 2 or 3 minutes. This softens the rind just enough to let the knife glide through without you having to use a hammer.
Once you get comfortable identifying these based on their visual traits, you'll stop seeing "squash" as a monolith. It’s a massive spectrum of flavor. From the watery crunch of a zucchini to the dense, maple-syrup sweetness of a roasted Buttercup, there is a variety for every possible cooking method.
Go find a Delicata. Slice it into rings. Toss it in olive oil and salt. Roast at 400 degrees until the edges are brown. It’ll change how you look at the produce aisle forever.