Winter Squash

Winter squash is a broad category that includes some of Australia’s favourite vegetables: butternut pumpkin, Kent (Japanese) pumpkin, and Queensland Blue, among others. Unlike soft-skinned summer squash (like zucchini), winter squash has a hard rind and dense, sweet flesh that stores well for months.

These are enormously versatile in the kitchen — roasted wedges, puréed soups, risotto, curries, salads, and baked goods all showcase winter squash beautifully. Roasting caramelises the natural sugars and concentrates the flavour, making it the most popular cooking method by far.

In Australia, pumpkin (as most winter squash is called here regardless of variety) is a year-round staple, though it’s at its best in autumn and winter. It’s cheap, filling, and endlessly adaptable — equally at home on a weeknight dinner plate and a Christmas table.