The Edible Part Of A Squash Plant That's Often Overlooked

If "waste not want not" and minimizing your kitchen waste is your goal, you might want to start looking in unexpected places. We all know the basics like freezing veggies on the verge, and keeping leftovers visibly displayed in the fridge (an awesome fridge hack that prevents food waste). But, what about also making use of commonly tossed parts of plants, like by eating the leaves of your summer or winter squash plants?

If growing your own veggie garden, you can get a whole lot more meal mileage out of your squash plants, says Greg Lauro, culinary relations manager at Rethink (@rethinkfood on Instagram). Most recipes focus on the fruit itself — be it summer squash or zucchini, or winter squashes like acorn or butternut — but the leaves, too, are fair game, so don't toss out 90% of the plant when the squash are done producing. Cook up the leaves as a delicious, resourceful new green to enjoy. 

The produce selection we're presented at the grocery store represent very few of the vast world of veggie options. And squash leaves are just one such example of a plant part that's 100% edible and delicious, but not typically on any menu — at restaurants or our homes. It's time to change that though, argues Lauro — and we're convinced.

The key to cooking with squash leaves, Greg Lauro tells us, is to cook them down properly. "Squash leaves need to be cooked in some sort of way: steamed, sautéed — you can even use them as a wrap, sort of like a stuffed cabbage-style dish." Anyone who's ever handled a plant knows the leaves are prickly — covered in tiny nettles — so a good cook is needed to turn them tender.

Lauro describes cooked squash leaves as "quite lovely," with a mild, grass flavor, and a delicious and nutritious alternative to more mainstream greens like spinach or chard (cook and add flavor to them just how you would other greens). "The more simple you keep it, the better." Use a "neutral flavored oil like grapeseed or avocado oil, sauté thinly sliced garlic and onion until soft, add the leaves and let them wilt, then finish with a little lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flake."

Yellow summer squash, zucchini, patty pans, along with all types of winter squash all produce delicious, edible leaves that can be cooked down and enjoyed as a green side dish or added to other dishes. Winter squash leaves especially, says Lauro, are heartier and stiffer and especially suited to be cooked down in soups and stews. When cooking any type of squash leaf, always wash thoroughly and remove tough center ribs and any discolored leaves. Then, get ready to discover this hidden culinary gem, as Lauro describes them.