Buttercup: This squash looks like a kabocha, but on the underside there is a telltale “cup” or ridge around the blossom scar. The flavor is mild; the texture is dense.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Butternut: The best commonly available squash, butternut has a rich nutty flavor and creamy texture.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Carnival: Carnival looks like a brightly colored acorn squash. It has a nutty flavor and buttery texture.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Potimarron: This is the French version of Red Kuri. It has a delicate nutty flavor and a firm, fairly dry texture.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Potimarron (Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
Banana: A gentle giant, Banana squashes can weigh up to 35 pounds. The flavor is rich and nutty and the texture is dense and meaty.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Banana squash (Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
Fairytale pumpkin: An old French variety, the fairytale has a tough outer rind but a relatively small seed cavity, meaning there’s plenty of sweet, creamy meat.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Kamo Kamo: A New Zealand native, it is rare in the United States. The flavor is rich with a slight vegetal edge.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Kamo kamo squash (Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
Sweet dumpling: This mini-squash is growing in popularity because of its sweet flavor and soft texture. It can be cooked whole.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Chirimen: A Japanese squash with a hard, warty shell, Chirimen has a delicate sweet flavor and a creamy texture.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Spaghetti: Delicately vegetal in flavor, the texture of this squash is so dry and fibrous that when you scrape it with a fork, it comes loose in “spaghetti” strands.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Rouge Vif d’Etampes: An heirloom French pumpkin, it can grow to more than 30 pounds. It is mildly sweet and moist. It is the same as the Cinderella pumpkin.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Red kuri: The same as the French heirloom potimarron, it has a delicate nutty flavor and a firm, fairly dry texture.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Galeuse d’Eysines: A striking French pumpkin, this squash is covered with warty “peanuts”. The flesh is sweet and creamy.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Delicata: Most winter squash look like pumpkins; the delicata looks more like a brightly colored zucchini. Appearances aside, the flavor is sweet and mildly vegetal, and the texture is creamy.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Acorn: Acorn is probably the squash most Americans are familiar with. It has a fairly sweet nutty flavor and a fairly creamy texture.
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
White pie pumpkin: This ivory-colored pumpkin is similar to a sugar pie, it’s a manageable size (one pumpkin is roughly enough for a pie) and the flesh is sweet with a buttery texture.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Fairy: Not often seen, the Fairy squash has a rich, honeyed flavor and dense, velvety flesh.
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Wintery Luxury Pie: This is one of the best pumpkins for pie. The flesh is rich and creamy. “Unequaled table quality” says squash expert Amy Golden.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Winter luxury (Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
Blue Jarrahdale: This Australian pumpkin has a flattened shape and a distinctive blue-gray color. The flavor is mildly sweet and the texture is dense and creamy.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Blue Jarrahdale (Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
Sugar pie pumpkin: Another great pie pumpkin, this one comes in manageable 5- to 6-pound sizes. One of the sweetest pumpkins, it also has a buttery texture.
(Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
Blue Hubbard: A great New England variety, Hubbards are mildly sweet with a dense, firm flesh.
(Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
Kabocha: A relatively recent addition to the American staple squash collection, Kabochas have a very sweet flavor and a firm texture.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Kabocha squash (Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Musquèe de Provence: This variety is traditionally sold in wedges in French markets. The flesh is rich, sweet, creamy and dense.
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Musquee de Provence (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Turban: Honestly, best used as a centerpiece. The flesh is mild and tends toward stringy.
(Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Turban squash (Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times)
Pink pumpkin: This is a new variety that is also called porcelain doll. Though the peel is pale pink, the flesh is deep orange and the flavor is mild and sweet. A network of retailers pledges a donation to breast cancer research for every pumpkin sold.
