You know the delicious smell and taste of baked butternut squash, but do you ever had the curiosity if you can eat raw butternut squash?
I know I had, and it seemed a weird idea since I always baked it, but after doing some research, I came to some interesting conclusions that might interest you.
It is always a win if you can eat raw fruits or vegetables because most of the good nutrients they have are lost when cooked, baked, or boiled.
So for health reasons or if you are on a diet, it is better to eat them raw. But what about butternut squash which is not common to eat raw. In this article, I will answer this question and some other questions related to this one.
Can you eat raw butternut squash?
Yes, you can eat raw butternut squash. Raw butternut squash has a nutty, sweet taste with a moist, stringy texture that can be a bit annoying to eat. It is very similar to the taste of a sweet potato.
It can be eaten raw on its own, but the best way to eat it raw is to cut it in small sticks or cubes and put it in a salad.
Cutting butternut squash can be very messy since it will have earthy spots on the skin most of the time, so make sure you don’t touch the skin and the inside with the same fingers. Or simply wash the skin thoroughly before cutting the butternut squash.
And please be very careful when cutting butternut squash. This is a very dense veggie and your knife will get stuck in it, and you can easily hurt yourself trying to pull it out. It’s best to go slowly all around the squash than trying one big chop.
Read Also: Pumpkin VS Butternut Squash
Can you eat butternut squash seeds?
Butternut squash seeds are edible raw as well as roasted. But the raw seeds are way worse tasting and texture-wise than the roasted ones.
So even if you don’t plan to add salt or any other thing on top of your roasted butternut squash seeds, at least you can roast them. That will give them a better texture and taste.
The roasted seeds can be eaten on their own, mixed with yogurt and some cereals for a healthy snack, thrown on top of a creamy soup, or tossed in a salad for adding extra texture and valuable nutrients.
So you should not throw away the seeds since there are many quick and healthy uses for them.
Can you eat butternut squash skin?
Butternut squash skin is edible, so there is no point in getting rid of it. It really depends if you like its texture since it can get a bit crisp when baked.
The skin can be eaten raw, but it doesn’t have a great taste or texture and must be very well washed before eating it.
There are many people who roast the skin when making soup as well, so if you like the butternut squash skin, you should know that it is safe to use it in cooking.
How to choose a good butternut squash?
If you plan to eat your butternut squash raw, it will help a lot to get a really fresh, good tasting one from the market, and for this, I will give you a few criteria you should check before buying a butternut squash.
-Color. Usually, the butternut squash will come in a pale beige or orange color. Make sure that it doesn’t have any signs of green which will mean that it is not ripe yet. It may have odd brown patches or bumps, and those are usually just the result of cuts during transport.
-The Weight. You have to pick it up to feel the weight, it should feel pretty have for its size. That means the inside is moist and soft.
-Texture. You should check the texture of the skin. It should be firm without any cracks. Also, check the texture of its stem, which should be firm and dry without any signs of softness or mold. If you find any soft spot on the veggie put it back down. Just like a watermelon, it should sound like a 100% full water bottle when you slap it.
Read Also: Why Are Pumpkins Orange ?
Can you eat unripe butternut squash?
Yes, you can eat a not fully ripen butternut squash, but it defeats the point of eating butternut squash since the sweetness will not be there yet, and you will more like will get a not so good zucchini tasting butternut squash.
There is no point in eating it before it is fully ripened. At least not if you expect the taste and texture of butternut squash.
Uses of butternut squash
There are a lot of uses of butternut squash but not so many of the raw butternut squash.
Here are some of the most common uses of it:
-Butternut squash soup. This can be a healthy dinner idea that can taste delicious, and it is not so hard to make it.
-Stuffed butternut squash. Stuffed butternut squash it’s a great idea, and having in mind that it is quite big, it can be convenient to make half of a butternut squash stuffed for each person.
-Salad. We already touched on this before, and I believe that it is the best use of raw butternut squash.
-Butternut squash pie. Obviously, you can substitute the classic pumpkin pie with the butternut squash pie. I actually prefer to use butternut squash when it comes to baking because I think it has an even sweeter taste, and it’s easier to work with it than the pumpkin.
Conclusion
You can eat raw butternut squash. Also, any parts of it are edible raw, cooked, or roasted. Eating it raw may be the most nutritious way to do it, but it is far from being the most delicious way. So it really depends on why you are eating butternut squash.
If you are on a diet and want the healthiest way to eat butternut squash, go for eating it raw, but if not, baking or cooking will provide you the best taste.
