Jump to recipes
- Maple-glazed squash salad with maple-glazed pumpkin seeds and currants and a maple syrup dressing
- Squash and leek soup
- Pumpkin-cream cheese tart with gingersnap crust
When I see the words “pumpkin spice” appear in the window of coffee shops and bakeries, on restaurant menus — even in the window of the dry cleaners — I experience a queasy feeling. I know summer is truly ending.
Pumpkin spice is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice, all spices I adore. But this overused term summons the ultimate cliche of fall. It’s used to “greet” autumn, meant to signal the coziness of the new season: more time indoors, fires, falling leaves, soups and stews.
Autumn is a spectacular time of year, particularly in New England with its blaze of colors, still-warm days and chilly nights. And pumpkin and winter squash of all kinds are worth paying attention to, with their creamy texture and warm, soothing flavor.
So in tribute to the season, and without any further mention of “pumpkin spice,” here are three new recipes that pay tribute to the beautiful winter squash that is so abundant in farmers markets and shops this time of year.
The first is a perfect salad or first course for autumn, pairing maple-glazed roasted pumpkin or winter squash slices with fall greens, maple-glazed pumpkin seeds (or pepitas) and a maple syrup dressing. It’s a great lunch, first course, or addition to upcoming holiday meals.
The next dish is a hearty squash and leek soup that takes less than an hour to make and can be topped with fried sage leaves and a drizzle of cream. You can also make a vegan version using vegetable stock and no dairy.
And finally, a pumpkin cream cheese tart with a gingersnap crust. It sounds fancy, but can be put together in very little time. It makes a really impressive dessert for any fall meal.
Keep in mind that pumpkins and other winter squash like butternut, hubbard, honeynut and others are all interchangeable. Use whatever is at your local farmers market or in local shops.
Pro tip: Find my guide to winter squash varieties here.
Maple-glazed squash salad with maple-glazed pumpkin seeds and currants and a maple syrup dressing
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
The maple squash
- One 2-pound kabocha or honeynut squash, peeled, cored with a kitchen spoon, and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
Maple-glazed pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon butter
- ¼ cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds*
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Coarse sea salt
The salad and maple dressing
- 2 cups tender greens and/or arugula
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons currants or raisins or sun-dried cranberries
*Pro tip: Pumpkin seeds are whole seeds with the shell still on. They need to be roasted after they are scooped out of a pumpkin or winter squash. Place them in a bowl of cold water and remove the stringy pieces. Dry them on a clean tea towel, then roast with olive oil or spices and salt.
Pepitas (available in grocery stores and health food shops) are pumpkin seeds that come from certain varieties of pumpkin that produce hull-less seeds. They can be used raw and work well in this recipe.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the squash slices on a half-sheet pan or ridged baking sheet and toss with the oil, salt and pepper. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 12 minutes.
- Drizzle the syrup on top of the squash and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the squash feels tender when prodded with a small sharp knife. Remove and cool. Make sure to keep any juices from the bottom of the sheet pan for the dressing.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin seeds: In a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. When the butter is sizzling, add the pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Drizzle on the maple syrup and cook, stirring, for another minute, or until the seeds are coated and the mixture appears thickened. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Arrange the greens in a salad bowl or serving plate.
- Make the dressing: Pour any juices or syrup from the bottom of the squash pan into a small bowl or jar. Add the mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning.
- Arrange the squash along the edges of the salad greens. Sprinkle on the maple-glazed pumpkin seeds and the currants. Drizzle with half the dressing and serve the remaining dressing on the side.
Squash and leek soup
Thick, comforting, soothing and sweet, this soup has the vibrancy of fresh winter squash or pumpkin. It can be made a day ahead of time.
Serves 4 to 6.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 to 5 leeks, depending on size and thickness, pale green only, with the dark green sections discarded or saved for stock, cut down the middle lengthwise, washed, dried and then chopped, about 3 cups
- Salt and pepper
- 1 honeynut, acorn or your favorite winter squash, peeled, deseeded with a kitchen spoon and cubed, about 5 cups
- 4 to 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Optional toppings
- Drizzle heavy cream
- Fresh sage or fried sage leaves*
*Pro tip: To fry sage leaves, see this recipe for sage pork chops and pasta.
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large soup pot, heat the oil over low heat. Add leeks, salt and pepper, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the squash, stir to coat, and cook for 4 minutes. Raise heat to high. Add stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, partially cover and cook for about 15 minutes until squash is tender. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Puree the soup in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. Taste for seasoning. Reheat. Drizzle in cream if desired and/or sage leaves.
Pumpkin-cream cheese tart with gingersnap crust
Find your favorite brand of gingersnaps and whirl them up in a blender. Add a touch of melted butter and dry ginger, and press the mixture into a tart pan.
Prebake, then add a simple filling of pumpkin puree, cream cheese and spices and fill the tart pan. Bake the tart, and your kitchen fills with the scent of falling leaves and every other cliche associated with pumpkin spice. Oh no, after my rant above is this a pumpkin spice cheesecake tart?!
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
The crust
- Around 7 ounces gingersnaps, about 2 cups
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- Pinch ground ginger
The filling
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- About ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch allspice
- Salt
Topping
- Coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped gingersnaps, about 3 to 4 cookies
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Make the crust: Place the gingersnaps in a food processor or blender and whirl until they are finely ground. In a small bowl, mix the gingersnaps with the melted butter and dried ginger. Press the mixture into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or pie plate. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove.
- Make the filling: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar and the egg until well combined. Add the cream cheese and whip until fully incorporated. Add the pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and a pinch of salt, and mix until fully combined.
- Pour the filling into the prebaked crust and bake on the middle shelf for about 50 minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch. Remove and let cool. Chill, gently covered, for at least 2 hours.
- To serve: sprinkle the top with the chopped gingersnaps, a sprinkling of the coarse salt and the whipped cream on the side, if you like.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2026 WBUR