ABOUT Summer squash

Summer squash is a fruit in the same family as cucumbers and winter squash. It’s earliest cultivation has been traced to Central America, particularly in Mexico where it’s been grown, cooked, and enjoyed anywhere from 7,000 - 10,000 years (depending on the type). They’ve also been included in the Indigenous agricultural practice used across several Indigenous groups of the Americas and known most ubiquitously as “The Three Sisters”. The Three Sisters are three plants that support each others’ growth and include corn, beans, and squash.

Many parts of the summer squash can be used including the fruit, leaves/shoots, and flowers. All of its parts are popular to cook with across Central American cuisines in stews, fillings for tacos or quesadillas, as well as fried and sauteed. Different types of summer squash like Zucchini have gained popularity in Southwest Asian, North African, Japanese (e.g. fried in tempura), and French (e.g. in Ratatouille) cuisines.

Summer squash have a softer, thinner skin than their winter/storage counterparts (think pumpkins) that is perfectly edible, with varying degrees of light to dense flesh. These colorful fruits come in quite the variety of types, and some of the ones we grow on the farm are listed in our photos (above and below). The flavors can range from sweet to nutty.

COOKING & STORAGE

Edible parts: Fruit, leaves/shoots, and flowers (blossoms)
Medicine and Nutrients: Squash fruits are rich in minerals like magnesium and potassium as well as vitamins C, B6, and A. They also provide a significant source of fiber. The leaves contain all of that plus iron and zinc. The flowers have a significant source of calcium, fiber, as well as vitamins A and C.
Storage: Store summer squash by gently wiping the fruit with a damp cloth and then placing it in a perforated plastic bag (to maintain humidity) in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator. Do not store summer squash in the refrigerator for more than 4 days.

Ways to Prepare

RAW: Some types of summer squash can be eaten raw like zucchini and crookneck if they’re cut into super thin slices, strips, or “noodles”.
COOKED: Summer squash fruits and leaves can be sautéed, roasted, grilled, broiled, steamed, and braised; as well as added to soups, stews, and sauces. The flowers are best eaten raw or fried; either alone, in salads, or to fill tacos or quesadillas.

RECIPES

Zucchini Shakshuka (Super Nummy)
Squash Vine and Shoots Soup (Mexico in My Kitchen)
Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Quesadillas) (Pati Jinich)
Squash Au Gratin (A Girl Named Adri)
Mexican Squash with Cheese (Mexico in My Kitchen)
Late Summer Bruschetta with Summer Squash (A Cozy Kitchen)
Ratatouille with Summer Squash (Cookie & Kate)
Zucchini (or any squash) Soup (Food & Wine)
47 Summer Squash Recipes (Epicurious)

Authored and compiled by Maya Marie of Deep Routes, Ayllen Kocher, and Amara Ullauri.