Squash & Gourds
1180 recipes found
Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles in Chilled Beef Broth)
The secret ingredient to mul naengmyeon, the North Korean cold noodle dish that is now a staple in South Korea and the world, is the mul — water. Whether in the form of dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth or cold water from your tap or fridge, H2O is a powerful ingredient: When mixed with a rich beef yuksu, the brothy foundation of this dish, then frozen for a couple of hours, it becomes a savory slushy that makes the cold, chewy buckwheat noodles taste even more alchemically divine. This recipe is dense, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s the real deal, and comes from the family behind Olle restaurant in New York City. The main lesson of naengmyeon is that most of the work happens on the front end. Once you have the broth made and the toppings assembled, for the next few days, your meals will be sorted — a bowl of naengmyeon available to you at the drop of a hat, the mere boil of a noodle.
Easy Crudités
A crudités platter can be as simple as a bunch of vegetables piled on a plate, or as composed as a work of art. Use a mix of raw and blanched vegetables, or just raw, keeping in mind that a variety of colors, shapes and textures will help create a beautiful platter and provide guests with more options. Keep the platter simple, or dress it up with additional snacks, such as marinated olives, artichokes, crackers and nuts, and add homemade or store-bought dips, such as hummus, tzatziki or ranch. This recipe easily scales up or down, just plan on about 1 cup vegetables total (blanched and raw) per person. Serve crudités alongside a charcuterie board for a more substantial spread.
Quinoa Salad
This bright, crunchy and hearty quinoa salad is inspired by the flavors and textures of tabbouleh and Greek salad. Quinoa, cucumbers, bell pepper, olives, lots of parsley and an assertive lemon-garlic dressing make it a filling and protein-rich vegan lunch, or a great side for grilled chicken, seared fish or spiced chickpeas. Feel free to add other briny, creamy, snappy or herbaceous ingredients, such as feta, avocado, torn romaine leaves or fresh mint. The salad will keep for up to 2 days refrigerated; refresh with salt and lemon juice before eating as flavors may become muted in the fridge.
Pumpkin Empanadas
During the fall, many Mexican American households and bakeries simmer winter squash with sugar and spices to make a purée then stuff it into disks of dough to make pumpkin empanadas. This recipe from Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, a cookbook author and food blogger, is similar to her grandmother’s, but opts for convenience with canned pumpkin. When Ms. Marquez-Sharpnack was a child living in El Paso, her grandmother – from Chihuahua, Mexico – would cut up an old jack-o’-lantern and simmer it to make the filling, similar to ayote en miel. While Ms. Marquez-Sharpnack recommends making the dough from scratch, you could also use store-bought empanada disks for baking, which are less sweet and slightly firmer but incredibly easy to work with.
Pumpkin Pie With Pepitas
Toasted, maple-coated pumpkin seeds baked directly on the surface of the filling gives otherwise one-note pumpkin pie a little bit of crunch. Thoroughly parbaking the crust before adding the custard as directed prevents a soggy bottom. (Watch Claire make Thanksgiving dinner from start to finish on YouTube.)
Pumpkin Meringue Pie
Even though this dessert works for those who can’t eat gluten or dairy, it tastes as special as standard pies — maybe even more so. A toasty pecan press-in crust replaces a typical butter-flour dough and coconut milk gives the spiced pumpkin filling creamy richness. The fluff of a meringue topping delivers the airiness of whipped cream and the singed ridges offer the delightful bittersweetness of burnt marshmallow. To prepare this ahead, refrigerate the cooled baked pumpkin pie before the meringue is added for up to 2 days. You can top with the meringue and let stand at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Pumpkin Roll
This basic pumpkin roll hits the spot. The cinnamon-scented cake has a soft, airy texture that works well with the decadent American buttercream filling. It’s simple and satisfying as is, but could also be a great jumping off point for experimentation: Fold a bit of chopped chocolate, toasted coconut, raisins or your favorite nuts into the cake batter, or flavor the buttercream with bits of spicy candied ginger, earthy molasses, maple syrup or floral honey. You could even swap the buttercream altogether and fill the cake with your favorite cream cheese frosting or a simple whipped cream. The possibilities are endless.
Baked Brie and Caramelized Vegetable Pie
A vegetarian centerpiece inspired by baked Brie, this caramelized vegetable pie cuddles creamy, earthy molten cheese with a bevy of autumnal vegetables: roasted butternut squash, seared mushrooms, herbed brussels sprouts and tangy red onions, and enrobes the whole mixture in store-bought puff pastry. It’s significantly less work than this mushroom Wellington, but has a similar ceremonial pomp, with a delightful big reveal. Developed with ease in mind, this savory pie benefits from being prepared in advance: Cook the individual components at your leisure, even a few days in advance, and you’ll need only to assemble the pie and bake it off before dinner. This pie is relatively easy to engineer but it does require some patience. You’ll want to let it rest 30 minutes to 1 hour before cutting, to allow the puff pastry to maintain its structure — and for the cheese to firm up a bit before carving.
Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Galette
This savory galette has a secret layer of herbed goat cheese underneath a pile of sweet butternut squash, savory herbs and smoked paprika. The key is to slice the squash nice and thin, so it has time to bake through as the crust gets golden and crisp. Though you could use store-bought pie crust for this recipe (see Tip), the homemade crust is flakier and tastes much more delicious. If you are making your own crust, make sure to leave some time for it to chill and relax; it will be much easier to roll out and will bake up light and flaky. Serve the galette warm or at room temperature, with a green salad on the side.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake With Coffee Frosting
Tieghan Gerard, who runs the wildly popular Half Baked Harvest blog, posts a new recipe nearly every day, all year round, but her favorite season is (of course) fall, when she brings out the pumpkin-shaped pots, pumpkin-scented candles and toasted pumpkin seeds. Even if you don’t identify with the P.S.L. set, separating the pumpkin spice (cake) from the latte (frosting) makes this a delicious snack cake. Pumpkin purée makes it very moist, so test to be sure the batter is baked all the way through.
Miyar Taushe (Lamb and Squash Stew)
Stew is a luxury because it demands what we seem to have the least of these days: time. When making miyar taushe (also known as miyan taushe), this earthy-sweet stew from northern Nigeria, you stand vigil while lamb simmers on the stove, slowly coming undone, and butternut squash softens in the oven, its skin ready to cave in. The squash is rendered velvety in a blender, with a dusting of calabash nutmeg — woodsier and mustier than regular nutmeg — then united with the lush lamb stock. Yemisi Aribisala, a Nigerian writer and the author of “Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste Buds” (Cassava Republic Press, 2016), notes that the pot should be big enough so the stew reaches only halfway up, because it splatters. At the end, you deliver to your guests bowls of tamed sun, hot, creamy, melty, thick and earthy-sweet.
Ayote en Miel (Squash With Spiced Syrup)
Many countries throughout Latin America honor their ancestors on Día de los Muertos, which is often celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, with dishes like pan de muerto or this recipe for ayote en miel. Though this dish is enjoyed in many countries, this recipe is from El Salvador by Alicia Maher, the author of “Delicious El Salvador” (Pacific Apicius Corporation, 2013). Ayote is a squash that is native to this region and is similar to cinderella pumpkin or butternut squash in the United States. The squash is braised with panela or piloncillo, water and spices, which cook down until as syrupy as honey. Serve the jammy pieces in a shallow bowl with spoonfuls of the spiced syrup on top. In some countries, the dish is served with crema, but in Ecuador, the dish is served throughout the year, often accompanied by queso fresco or quesillo, a cheese similar to fresh mozzarella.
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
This no-bake cheesecake has a lot going for it: a buttery, lightly spiced cookie crust, fluffy pumpkin filling and a lofty spiced topping. Another draw: If you decide to make this for Thanksgiving, it won’t need any precious oven space — and can be prepared up to four days in advance. Feel free to substitute about 2 tablespoons of your favorite pumpkin spice blend for the spices in the cheesecake. The topping is optional, and you can also serve it on the side, instead of crowning the cheesecake. If you can’t find Biscoff cookies, use crunchy gingersnap cookie crumbs instead.
Sheet-Pan Pumpkin Pancakes
This light and fluffy pancake is a perfect fall breakfast for a group, and comes together much more quickly than cooking individual pancakes in a skillet batch by batch. You could even mix all of the dry ingredients together the night before to make this large-format pancake even faster. It is lightly sweetened and gently spiced with cinnamon and ginger, but feel free to add about 2 tablespoons of your favorite pumpkin spice blend instead of the cinnamon and ginger. Serve with butter and maple syrup for the full experience. A serving tip: If you cut the large-format pancake into 12 pieces, each piece is equivalent to one large pancake.
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Pumpkin pie bars boast the same creamy, spiced pumpkin filling as a classic pumpkin pie but in slightly different proportions. A traditional pumpkin pie has about 3 inches of filling and a mere quarter inch of pastry, but a pie bar offers a more even ratio of base to filling. This recipe starts with gingersnap cookie crumbs mixed with a bit of flour, butter and sugar to transform the bottom into something more akin to a soft cake. Topped with the perfect amount of sweet pumpkin filling, these bars are a lighter, more casual version of the classic. For a little extra flavor, add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger to the cream before whipping.
Sheet-Pan Zucchini, Tomatoes and Feta
The star of this speedy supper is the golden-topped, lightly scorched feta that remains irresistibly spreadable and melty when sliced. Thanks to the direct heat of the broiler, charred and burst tomatoes add juiciness to the sheet pan, along with tender zucchini spears. You could also scatter some arugula or baby spinach over the ingredients, gently tossing to wilt, and eat this dish right out of the pan with some bread for a warm, late-summer salad. During other times of year, you could swap the zucchini for asparagus or broccolini.
Sheet-Pan Chopped Salad With Chicken
A vibrant mix of vegetables roast alongside chicken in this recipe, transforming into a warm chopped salad. Quickly marinated chicken breast pieces stay juicy and moist during cooking, emerging with the texture of chicken that has been gently poached. Zucchini and bell peppers release flavorful juices as they cook; the resulting liquid gets transformed into a tangy vinaigrette that comes together in the pan. Leftovers are great the next day, tucked into a baguette. You could also chop the chicken and veggies, then simmer them in marinara sauce for a heartier pasta meal.
Cold Sesame Noodles With Cucumber, Corn and Basil
For a summertime update on a beloved Chinese dish, cold sesame noodles are freshened up with crisp cucumbers, raw corn and aromatic basil. The minimalism of the three-ingredient sesame dressing belies its complex flavor. It brings together three flavor-dense condiments: chile crisp, sesame oil and sesame paste. Available from Asian grocery stores (or online), Chinese or Japanese sesame paste is similar to tahini. It is made from toasted sesame seeds, so the finish is darker, nuttier and stronger. If you can’t get a hold of sesame paste, substitute with smooth peanut butter or tahini. The noodle choice here is flexible to make space for those with dietary restrictions; use any type of thick rice or wheat noodle.
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Yellow Squash Casserole
Packed full of sweet yellow squash and topped with buttery crackers, this Southern staple is worth turning on the oven, even during the hottest summer days.
Grilled Halloumi and Zucchini With Salsa Verde
A punchy salsa verde can instantly elevate any simply grilled vegetable, but in this recipe, it does double duty, serving as a garlicky, herby marinade and a finishing sauce for chunks of halloumi and zucchini. Firm, salty halloumi, which originated on the island of Cyprus, is a rare cheese that grills well, because of its high melting point. The key to getting a nice char on the halloumi and zucchini is to cut both into pieces of similar sizes, so they make good contact with the grill, and to be gentle when threading the pieces of halloumi so they don’t tear. These would make a nice meat-free main course, or an unexpected grilled side as part of a larger cookout spread.
Crispy Zucchini Hero
Massive and tasty, this vegetarian sandwich celebrates sweet zucchini, pan-fried until golden and crispy. The veggies are tucked into one long soft roll for easy assembly, and drizzled with an oregano-spiked oil-and-vinegar dressing that seasons the sandwich with tangy zest. The zucchini can be fried up to 30 minutes ahead of time; be sure to hold the pieces on a rack set over a sheet tray to prevent steaming and to keep them crisp. For best results, build the sandwiches right before serving.
Smashed Cucumber, Avocado and Shrimp Salad
Smashed, salted cucumbers form the base of cooling summer salads in many parts of Asia, whether dressed with rice vinegar and soy sauce or spicy Sichuan peppercorns, chiles and peanuts. This version pairs smashed cucumbers with avocados for creaminess, along with briny shrimp steamed with sesame oil. Served with rice or flatbread, it makes a light summer meal, but you can serve it on its own as an appetizer, to open for grilled or roasted meat or fish.
Frozen Pimm’s Cup
A Pimm’s cup is an English cocktail traditionally made with a splash of its namesake (a mildly spiced, fruity, gin-based liqueur), plus a glug of ginger ale, lemonade or lemon soda. Simply called a “Pimm’s” in the United Kingdom, the drink is a summertime favorite, famously sold in the stands at Wimbledon. This frozen version is easy to make at home and is perfect for sweltering summer nights. Lemon simple syrup gives the cocktail a burst of tart citrus without diluting it, and ginger beer provides a nice kick of ginger. Once the drinks are blended, they’ll stay frosty for a surprisingly long time. The herby and fruity garnishes, a nod to the flavors in Pimm’s, are a distinctive and essential part of the drink.
Chilled Zucchini Soup With Lemon and Basil
During the warmest days, there is no more welcome promise than a no-cook meal. A blender or food processor makes quick work of this peak summer zucchini soup, which requires no cooking and is best served chilled. Cashews thicken the soup while adding a creamy silkiness and a gentle sweetness. Since taste buds don't register the flavors of cold foods as well as warm ones, chilled soups require generous seasonings. Here, the mellow raw zucchini is bolstered by the hefty use of garlic, miso, lemon juice and basil. The soup can be prepared ahead and chilled in the fridge for up to 24 hours or it can be served right away, chilled with ice cubes.