White squash come in many shapes, sizes, and names. These tasty members of the cucurbit family can have cream, yellow, or pale green skin. Their flesh is mild, sweet, and nutty. Learning what the different white squash are called will help you pick the best ones for your recipes.
There are over a dozen common white squash varieties. Let’s look at the most common ones so you can find them easily at the grocery store or farmer’s market.
Summer Squash
Summer squash have thin edible skins and more tender flesh. They are picked before they are fully ripe, while the skin is still soft. Here are some of the most common white summer squash.
Patty Pan or Scallop Squash
This cute little squash looks like a flying saucer. It has a scalloped edge and comes in pale green or bright golden yellow. The name “patty pan” refers to its resemblance to old fashioned cake pans.
Patty pan squash has a sweet, mild flavor. It’s delicious baked, sauteed, or even eaten raw. Look for patty pans that are about 3 inches wide with tender flesh. Oversize specimens can be stringy and seedy.
White Bush Squash
As the name suggests, white bush squash grows in a compact bush. The squash itself resembles a pale zucchini, with smooth white skin and faint stripes.
White bush squash works well in baked goods casseroles salads and as a zucchini substitute. Pick them when less than 8 inches long for optimal tenderness.
Eight Ball Squash
Eight-ball squash is a round summer squash that is usually 4 to 6 inches across. It’s called “eight ball” because it looks like a small, tasty pool ball.
The skin is glossy and pale green. When cooked, eight ball squash turns bright yellow and has a mild, nutty flavor. It’s great stuffed, baked, or grilled whole.
Middle Eastern or Lebanese Squash
With its white skin and light green stripes, this long summer squash looks like a cucumber. Middle Eastern squash, which is also called cousa, has sweet, creamy flesh.
It’s commonly stuffed with rice or meat mixtures. You can also slice it up raw for salads or cook it like zucchini. Pick them at 5-7 inches long.
Winter Squash
Winter squash have tough skins and store well through colder months. They are harvested when fully mature and cured to harden the rind. Here are some popular white winter squash.
Sweet Dumpling Squash
Unlike other winter squash, sweet dumpling has edible skin when cooked. It resembles a small acorn squash in shape. The skin is cream-colored with green stripes.
Inside, the flesh is yellow-orange with a sweet, nutty taste. Sweet dumpling squash is delicious stuffed and baked. It also purees well for soups and stews.
Ghost Pumpkin
Also called snowballs or luminas, ghost pumpkins are a spherical winter squash. They have hard, pale grayish-white skin with faint splotches.
Their flesh is dense and mildly flavored. Ghost pumpkins work great baked into breads, pureed for soup, or used wherever pie pumpkins are called for.
Triamble Squash
Triamble squash are tear-drop shaped with green, cream, and orange stripes on the skin. The thick flesh inside is bright yellow.
Triamble has a unique hazelnut-like flavor that intensifies when roasted. It’s delicious stuffed with meat, rice, or cheese mixtures. The squash can grow quite large, up to 15 pounds.
La Estrella Squash
La estrella means “the star” in Spanish, a perfect name for this star-shaped squash. It has bumpy, cream-colored skin with faint green striping.
The yellow flesh has a dry, nutty sweetness similar to butternut squash. La estrella works great in soups and stews or baked into casseroles as a potato substitute.
Turks Turban Squash
This colorful winter squash resembles a turban or hat. It has swirls of green, white, and orange rind. The flesh inside can be yellow or orange.
When cooked, Turks turban squash offers a delicate, somewhat nutty flavor. Try it baked, pureed into soup, or substituted in pumpkin pie recipes.
Other White Squash Varieties
Here are a few more varieties of white squash you may encounter:
-
Baby Boo: Tiny white pumpkins, perfect for decorating
-
Sunburst: Pale green patty pan type with scalloped edges
-
White acorn: Small, acorn shaped with creamy white skin
-
Queensland Blue: Pumpkin-shaped grey-blue squash from Australia
-
Jarrahdale: Hard-shelled grey squash from New Zealand
-
Valenciano: Large oblong squash with white and pale green skin
As you can see, white squash come in all shapes and sizes. Now that you know the names of the most common varieties, you can pick the perfect ones for whatever dish you have in mind. Their sweet, mild flavor and smooth texture make white squash extremely versatile.
Tips for Selecting and Using White Squash
-
For summer squash, choose small, unblemished specimens with shiny skin. Oversize summer squash can be bitter and seedy.
-
Opt for winter squash that feel heavy for their size with hard, unbruised rinds. Soft spots indicate spoilage.
-
Store summer squash in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 days. Winter squash keep for months in a cool, dry place.
-
Scrub skins well before cutting to remove dirt and bacteria. Peel winter squash if skins seem tough.
-
Roast halved or diced white squash to bring out the sweetness. They’re also great sauteed, baked into breads, or simmered into soups.
-
Substitute white squash in any recipe calling for zucchini, yellow squash, pumpkin, or butternut squash.
What Are White Squash Called? – The Racket Xpert
FAQ
What is another name for white squash?
Known as white scallop or patty pan summer squash.
What type of squash is white?
Mashed Potato Squash (White Acorn Squash): This oval-shaped squash is also known as “white acorn” squash. Its skin is deeply ridged and cream-colored.
What does white summer squash taste like?
The favor of White eight ball squash is similar to that of zucchini, with a fresh vegetal taste and sweet, nutty accents. They can be anywhere from one to four inches across, with the smaller ones being sweeter and more tender.
What is white squash good for?
When it comes to cooking, white acorn squash works best when roasted, broiled, grilled, or baked. It can also be used in sweet or savory dishes.
What is a white squash?
White squash, also known as pattypan or scallop squash, is a type of summer squash and a member of the cucurbit vegetable family. It is recognized for itsdistinctively small size, flying saucer shape, andmild flavor. White squash can also come in colors other than white, such as yellow or green.
What does acorn squash taste like?
Acorn squash has a bit of a mild and buttery flavour. It is similar in flavour to a pumpkin (not pumpkin pie) but cooked pumpkin, however, it isn’t as flavourful as pumpkin. The benefit of acorn squash is that it can be combined with many flavours well and can be prepared in many different ways.
What is a yellow squash called?
The name comes from the fact that this squash splits into strands like that of spaghetti. This cylindrical shiny yellow squash weighs from 4 to 8 pounds and is used in pasta or savored by adding herbs and butter. It is also termed as vegetable spaghetti, noodle squash or vegetable marrow. 8. Turban
What is white corn squash?
Let’s check out our essential guide below. White corn squash has smooth and tough skin and is known as pale yellow or creamy white. It has an oval shape with deep ridges. Many gardeners usually call this kind of squash with the name “Pepper Squash” because of its versatility in most dishes, ranging from savory to sweeter taste.
How long is a white bush squash?
It is harvested when it is about 7 inches long. Lebanese white bush squash is sometimes known as Lubnani squash. Not all squash is the typical green or yellow color. Learn here about seven varieties of winter and summer white squash in various shapes and sizes.
What is Lebanese white squash?
When you touch its skin, a smooth texture appears, making it called “tender skin.” However, Lebanese white squash is not one of the types of winter squash, but summer squash. You can collect them when they are about 7 inches long and make salads, stir-fries, or baked goods. It is really enjoyable!