How to Bake Gem Squash

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 30, 2024 Tested

Noted for its rounded shape and dark green skin, the gem squash has a sweet taste and can be prepared a variety of ways. One of the most common methods of eating this summer squash is to bake it. You can cut the gem squash in half, stuff it with cheese or vegetables, and bake it with the skin, or you can peel the squash, cut it into bite-sized cubes, and lightly season it with salt and pepper. To get started, you are going to need a ripe gem squash and a large roasting pan.

Ingredients

Roasting Diced Squash

1 ripe gem squash
¹⁄₄ US tbsp (3.7 mL) olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Yields 2 servings of baked gem squash.

Creamy Corn Filling

1/2 tsp (2.5 g) ground black pepper
¹⁄₄ US tbsp (3.7 mL) olive oil
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, chopped or grated
1/2 cup (90 g) fresh or frozen corn
1 tsp (4.9 mL) ketchup
2 tbsp (10 g) shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp (4.9 mL) cream

Brown Sugar and Honey Filling

1/4 tsp (1.25 g) salt
1/4 tsp (1.25 g) pepper
4 tsp (20 mL) honey
2 tbsp (28.4 g) butter, diced
1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed

Chunky Salsa Topping

1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice from 1 lime
1 tsp (2.5 g) cumin
1 tsp (2.5 g) paprika
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup (12.5 g) cilantro, chopped
Additional toppings like crumbled corn chips, shredded cheddar cheese, or sour cream

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Cutting Gem Squash

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1
Rinse your ripe gem squash under cool water and dry it with a paper towel. Wash the gem squash under cool water. Use your hand or a gentle produce scrub brush to remove any dirt or grime from the skin of the squash. Then, dry the squash with a paper towel or a clean hand towel.^{[1]
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- Make sure the exterior of the squash is completely dry before attempting to cut it, as the water will make the squash slick and hard to handle.
- Your gem squash is ripe if the skin is dull, dark green color, and if the skin cannot be easily chipped away with your fingernail.^{[2]
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2
Place the squash on a cutting board and use a heavy knife to slice it in half. Hold the squash still with one hand to keep it from rolling on the cutting board. Then, carefully, place your knife center of the squash and press down firmly. Keep your cut center to the squash to create 2 equal halves; otherwise, the pieces might cook differently.^{[3]
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- Refrain from slicing away the skin on the gem squash if you are stuffing the halves and baking them. The skin will hold the baked squash and stuffing together.
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3
Use a spoon to remove the seeds and pulp from the squash halves. Scrape a spoon around the hollowed cavity to gather the seeds and pulp. Then, scoop out the mixture and discard it to clean the cavity.^{[4]
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- Place the seeds in a bowl to clean and bake later. Gem squash seeds bake just like pumpkin seeds and can be seasoned a variety of ways.^{[5]
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- Repeat this process for the other gem squash half.
Remove the skin from the halves with a vegetable peeler. Use similar motions as you would to peel a potato. Then, carefully cut the peeled halves into 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) cubes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Baking Squash Halves

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Remove any baking pans or sheets from inside of your oven. Place the oven rack on the center rung so your squash will bake evenly.^{[6]
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2
Put squash halves on a baking sheet and coat them with olive oil. Distribute the weight of the squash halves evenly on the baking sheet to keep it from buckling in the oven. Then, use your fingers or a baking brush to lightly coat both of the squash halves with a ¹⁄₄ US tbsp (3.7 mL) of olive oil.^{[7]
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- Season the squash with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
3
Stuff the squash centers with cheese or vegetables, or bake them as is. Fill the cavity of the squash halves with a mixture of cheese, breadcrumbs, cooked meat, or vegetables. But if you enjoy eating the squash plain, then leave the squash halves as is and don’t stuff them.
- Create a creamy corn filling to bake inside the squash. Sauté ¹⁄₄ US tbsp (3.7 mL) of olive oil, 1 clove of chopped or grated garlic, 2 thinly sliced spring onions, 1/2 cup (90 g) of fresh or frozen corn, 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of ground black pepper, 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of ketchup, and 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of cream. Divide the mixture between the squash halves and sprinkle each with shredded cheddar cheese.^{[8]
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- Turn the squash into a sweet dessert with a sugar and honey filling. Simply mix together 1/4 tsp (1.25 g) of salt, 1/4 tsp (1.25 g) of pepper, 4 tsp (20 mL) of honey, 2 tbsp (28.4 g) of diced butter, and 1/4 cup (50 g) of packed brown sugar. Then, divide the mixture between the squash halves to bake.^{[9]
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4
Bake the squash halves in the oven at 320 °F (160 °C) for 20 minutes. Check on the tenderness of the squash by prodding the interior with a fork. The meat of the squash should be tender when prodded.
- If the squash does not seem tender and the meat is still firm, continue to bake the squash for another 5 minutes or until tender.
5
Plate the squash halves and enjoy eating the roasted squash. Use a spatula or tongs to move the hot, roasted squash halves onto plates. Then, allow it to cool a little before grabbing a fork or spoon and enjoying the sweet meat of the gem squash.^{[10]
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- Treat the roasted skin like a bowl and discard it when you are finished eating the squash or use a knife to cut up the skin with the squash meat and enjoy the contrast of the bitter tasting skin to the sweet meat.
- Place leftovers in a sealed container and store them in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Roasting Diced Squash

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Clear the oven of any baking pans or sheets before setting your oven to preheat. Move the oven rack to the center rung so your squash will bake evenly without burning.^{[11]
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2
Place cubed gem squash into a large roasting pan. Choose a roasting pan that is shallow and large enough to support a single layer of the cubed squash. Arrange the squash pieces into a single layer within the roasting pan.^{[12]
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- If you do not have a large enough roasting pan, divide the cubed squash into 2 batches and bake separately.
3
Season the squash with olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Start by drizzling on a ¹⁄₄ US tbsp (3.7 mL) olive oil onto the cubes, and gently rotate them until they are coated. Then, sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste.^{[13]
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- Refrain from adding too much olive oil to the squash as the squash will naturally soak up the oil and will become greasy while baking. But if needed, add more than the recommended amount if you are afraid that the squash will stick to the roasting pan.
4
Bake the squash cubes at 425 °F (218 °C) for 15 minutes. Prod some of the larger cubes with a fork to see if they are tender. If needed, continue to bake the gem squash for another 5 minutes or until the cubes are tender and have a light golden-brown color. ^{[14]
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- Use a spatula to rotate the squash within the roasting pan halfway through the baking time to aid the baking process.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Adding Chunky Salsa Topping

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1
Serve the squash as is or mix it with additional ingredients to alter the flavor. Use a spatula to scoop and plate the cubed squash. Then, enjoy eating the baked gem squash plain, or add other vegetables or seasonings to vary the flavor.^{[15]
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- Make the warm gem squash spicy by sprinkling it with a 1/4 tsp (1.25 g) of ground red pepper or diced peppers.
- Enhance the sweet flavor of the gem squash by drizzling it with honey and cinnamon to taste.
- Toss the roasted squash cubes with a homemade chunky salsa. In a bowl, mix 1 onion, 1 tomato, and 3 cloves of garlic that are chopped. Then, add in the juice from 1 lime, 1 tsp (2.5 g) cumin, 1 tsp (2.5 g) paprika, 1/4 cup (12.5 g) of chopped cilantro, and salt and ground black pepper to taste. Add additional toppings like crumbled corn chips, shredded cheddar cheese, or sour cream.^{[16]
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