Fast delivery
Get in as fast as 1 hour
It’s all local
Shop your favorites
Direct chat
Connect with shoppers
Crookneck Squash Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to crookneck squash
About crookneck squash
The squash family of vegetables is both versatile and fruitful, serving as a nutritious food as well as producing items such as pumpkins that can be used for decoration around the house or even as a way of feeding wildlife. The larger family is known as "cucurbits," and in addition to squash and pumpkins, includes zucchini, gourds, and even melons. If it's summer, you might start hearing quite a bit about crookneck squash. Here's a primer on the beautiful bright yellow and uniquely shaped crookneck squash.
You don't need to wonder long about how the crookneck squash got its name. The vegetable presents with a bent neck and is distinct from a straight-necked yellow squash. Crookneck squash is considered an heirloom squash; as such, its praises are sung repeatedly by home gardeners. Crookneck squash is an abundant plant with a fruit that can be harvested repeatedly over the course of a summer. The plant just keeps growing.
Crookneck squash has a sweet-tasting, yellowish flesh that some describe as mild and buttery, with a hint of pepper or other spices. The vegetable typically grows to about 5- to 7-inches in length and 2 inches in diameter. Crookneck squash will sometimes exhibit a bumpy exterior, but that's not a blemish. It's a sign of a successfully harvested vegetable.Â
The crookneck squash is often compared to and sold alongside the zucchini. It is rich in antioxidants, providing vitamins and minerals that defend against cancer and a good potassium and vitamin C source. It's also known to create compounds that help with eyesight and in the fight against heart disease.
Crookneck squash is intertwined with the history of colonial America. It traces its origins back to the early 1800s, but historical references suggest it could go back even further. The vegetable was later brought to Europe and is widely grown on that continent.Â
How to pick out crookneck squash
Look for crookneck squash with tender skin and a bright or pale yellow hue. Squash that is between 5 and 7 inches long is typically ready to eat. One key signal that the vegetable is peaking is if the skin looks shiny. Don't reject squash that looks overripe; it can be used for a dip, or you can try roasting it. Keep in mind that crookneck squash is not a vegetable with a long shelf-life. Once it lands in your refrigerator, you should plan on using crookneck squash within five to seven days. Wrap the squash in plastic after you cut into it initially, if you have not used the entire vegetable.
What can you make with crookneck squash?
Crookneck squash is a delicious vegetable that can be added to various main dishes. For example, sliced crookneck squash can serve as an extra layer in baked lasagna. It can be substituted for pasta noodles if carved into thin strips. Crookneck squash is often baked, fried, or sauteed as a side dish. One common way to use it is to cut it into thin slices, mix it with olive oil, sprinkle it with parmesan cheese and bacon bits, and bake it.Â
You can cut the vegetable lengthwise, stuff it with a meat or cheese such as goat, parmesan, or ricotta and bake it for a great meal. It can be stewed and pureed for use in soups, or canned for future use. Don't forget to include it as a vegetable in various salads.Â
Crookneck squash is often mixed with items such as tomatoes, corn, eggplant, beans, garlic, and chicken. It is great for adding to breads and can even be used in breakfast dishes such as pancakes.Â
Crookneck Squash Near Me
Buy your favorite Crookneck Squash online with Instacart. Order Crookneck Squash from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about crookneck squash
When both are in season, you are likely to find bins of crookneck squash and zucchini side-by-side in vegetable displays in produce sections of the supermarket. Crookneck squash and zucchini are both in the summer squash family. The biggest difference lies in color: Zucchini is green while crookneck squash is yellow. Zucchini is mainly straight, without a bent neck. To make matters a little confusing, as the Food Network describes it, all zucchini are squash, but not all squash are zucchini. Generally speaking, the two vegetables are interchangeable, substituted for each other in various recipes, or used as a delicious side dish.
Squash is a vegetable that provides culinary delights in both winter and summer. Other types of summer squash come with colorful names such as pattypan, zephyr, eight-ball, and cousa squash. Winter varieties include acorn, delicata, and butternut. The next time you're looking to restock with produce or other grocery or household items, make sure to use the Instacart app. We will save you time and money by having Instacart shoppers do the shopping for you. You can get your groceries delivered the same day, often in as little as 2 hours!