Do you peel your squash?

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

At the weekend, we ended up having to eat out. It was a bank holiday Monday and our usual place was closed (a wonderful vegan café where I can eat without worrying about dairy in the food) so we had to bale to the only other place that is easily available, and serves some vegan options and ensures that they are vegan, IKEA. Yep IKEA believe it or not. They now have 2 vegan options on the main menu, though one is vegetarian until you ask them to hold the sour cream. So we usually have 1 of each and then some chips and veg and/or a bread roll.

In the roasted veg, (vegan) was some butternut squash with its skin on. It didn't bother us, but got me wondering why I always peel butternut squash. The skin was not hard or difficult to eat. In fact the red pepper was firmer than the skin on the butternut squash, so I wanted to know what everyone else here does?

Do you peel your butternut squash? If so, why? What other squashes can I eat the skin of?

 

[Caribbean girl]

No, I do not peel my butternut squash. This is just one of the few vegetables that I do not peel. I would just wash it thoroughly before cutting it up, and then steaming it. I am not in the habit of peeling zucchini either. Other vegetables can also be eaten with the skin on as well. and I believe they are more nutritious eaten that way too. Even though christophines (known as cayote in other places) can also be eaten with the skin on, I prefer to peel it since the skin is not that soft.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Curious. Most veg I eat with the skin on and even in recipes that say peel the veg I never do. I'm not bothered by the skin and yes it often holds most of the vitamins and sometimes the flavour to. It is just with squash in general I have always and had never come across any of them unpeeled. Strange. I actually can't think of another veg that I always peel!

 

[epicuric]

Interesting point. I have always peeled butternut squash but I really don't know why, other than the perception that the skin is so tough that it would remain so after cooking. Will try leaving the skin on next time!

 

[Cinisajoy]

Never cooked butternut squash but I don't peel zucchini or yellow squash.

 

[Morning Glory]

I usually leave the skin on butternut. If you bake it its quite edible. Recently I made a quiche using butternut and I did peel it in that case as I wanted a delicate finish (not a rustic one!). Pumpkin, is another matter I think.

 

[Berties]

We roast them whole and scrap the flesh out ,but have never ate the skin,same with marrows and pumpkins,same with the seeds some people eat them ,cooked and seasoned