Delicata Squash
Estimated Inventory, 20 lbs : 0
This item was last sold on : 04/24/25
Description/Taste
Delicata squash is a small to medium-sized vegetable, averaging 12 to 15 centimeters in height and 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter. It has a long, narrow, cylindrical shape with grooved skin and lines that run the length of the squash. The thin, smooth skin has a creamy yellow base with green or orange vertical stripes. The flesh is firm, thick, fine-grained, and yellow to orange with a central, hollow cavity that contains stringy pulp and multiple flat, hard, cream-colored seeds. When cooked, Delicata squash takes on a sugary, rich, and moist flavor that's similar to a sweet potato.
Seasons/Availability
Delicata squash is available in the fall.
Current Facts
Delicata squash is botanically classified as Cucurbita pepo and belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family along with pumpkins, gourds, cucumbers, and zucchini. Delicata squash is known as Bohemian squash, Peanut squash, and Sweet Potato squash. It is a winter squash variety, which means its planted in the summer and harvested in the fall. Most winter squashes have a hard rind, but Delicata possesses a tender, edible skin. Delicata squash was developed in the late 19th century and is thus considered an heirloom variety. The term heirloom refers to vegetables and fruits cultivated before 1951, passed down through generations of gardeners. Since hybrid varieties had not yet been developed at that time, saving and sharing seeds was the primary way to grow and preserve new varieties. Delicata squash has a short growing season and a late harvest. It's used for its ornamental appeal, thanks to its distinct stripes, as well as in culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Delicata squash is a significant source of dietary fiber, which supports digestive health and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Rich in vitamin A, Delicata squash promotes healthy vision, skin, and immune function. It also provides vitamins C and E, which act as powerful antioxidants, protecting cells from oxidative damage and supporting skin and immune health. This variety contains vitamin B6, which is important for brain development and function. Delicata squash also provides manganese, a mineral crucial for bone formation, and it supplies key minerals like potassium and magnesium, which are essential for maintaining proper muscle function, heart health, and electrolyte balance.
Applications
Delicata squash is best suited for cooked applications such as baking, roasting, steaming, boiling, and sautéing. This variety is easy to slice and has thin, edible skin that does not need to be peeled before consumption. Delicata squash holds its shape well through cooking, making it an ideal choice for stuffing with grains, meats, or cheese to serve as a side dish. Delicata squash can also be sliced into rings or cubes for tacos, soups, salads, gratins, sandwiches, risotto, pizza, and pasta. Delicata squash pairs well with apple, pear, fennel, kale, spinach, arugula, garlic, shallot, parsley, sage, lemon, maple syrup, butter, toasted pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, quinoa, eggs, white beans, dried cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, Italian sausage, ground beef, roasted poultry, feta, blue, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. Delicata squash will keep for several weeks at room temperature when stored in a cool, dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Delicata squash was once popular but lost favor during the Great Depression due to its vulnerability to disease, short shelf life, and low yield. Demand for the Delicata squash was revived in the late 1990s when Molly Jahn and George Moriarty of Cornell University developed a compact, higher-yield, and disease-resistant variety known as the Cornell Bush Delicata. This new Delicata cultivar was selected as a 2002 All-American Selections Winner. This award celebrates the year’s best new varieties of fruit and vegetable seeds that have exhibited superior growing performance in gardens throughout North America.
Geography/History
The Delicata squash was first introduced in 1894 by the Peter Henderson Company of New York. It is a cultivated variety that's not found in the wild but is commonly sown in home gardens. This variety grows best in climates with full sun exposure. The Delicata quickly became a preferred squash and maintained its popularity through the 1920s until it fell out of favor during the Great Depression. Delicata squash began to regain popularity in the United States in the 1990s after new and improved varieties like the Cornell Bush were developed, making it a favored winter squash once again. Today, Delicata squash can be found at grocery stores and farmers markets in North America, Central America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Delicata Squash. One
is easiest, three is harder.
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