5 Squash Recipes to Celebrate the Fall Harvest Inspired by Harry & Stella’s Family Farm

Recipes
Written By Farm to City BC

So far, 2026 has been a wonderful whirlwind and I’ve been so lucky to be able to go on many multi-stop farm stand hopping adventures, support many more farms, farm stores, and farm stands, and meet so many more of our amazing farmers, growers, bakers, and producers across BC!

This year’s adventures included a few trips to the West Kootenays and back as well as a 3-day loop from the Fraser Valley to Kamloops, North to McClure, East to Malakwa via Salmon Arm, then South through Sicamous, Mara, Grindrod, Enderby, Armstrong, Vernon, Oyama, and Kelowna, and back Southwest to the Valley again.

In mid-September, for my last big trip of the year, I returned to Vernon via Summerland and had the pleasure of stopping in at many new-to-me farms, the second-to-last of which being one of the area’s most coveted local gems - Harry & Stella’s Family Farm.

Established in 1939 by new Canadians Harry and Stella, this beautiful farm originally produced fruit, walnuts, and vegetables to share with their friends and family. Now, almost 90 years later, Kim (Harry and Stella’s granddaughter) and her husband have refined their range of offerings and specialize in growing melons and squash which are available to the community via their lovely onsite farm store from August to November.

Part of what I adore about meeting our farmers and visiting farms in-person is that I learn so much from them. And I have to admit that prior to my visit to Harry & Stella’s, I didn’t really know SQUAT about SQUASH! However, Kim and Ross are experts and they gave me a crash course on everything they grow. Inspired by the squash and all this amazing new knowledge, I set out to use every single one of the items in the Harvest Box I purchased from them to create some delicious and nutritious fall recipes with a different squash variety at the heart of each one. In my Harry & Stella’s Harvest Box, I got a: spaghetti squash, acorn squash, banana pumpkin, delicata squash, butternut squash, and sweet dumpling squash, as well as a shaker of their very own garlic scape powder. The acorn squash I baked and served au naturale next to some steaks and veggies, the rest went into the recipes.

Before we get to the recipes, here are some fun squash facts! Did you know:

  1. Squash are not vegetables, they’re actually FRUIT! Because they develop from the flower of their plants and contain seeds inside, scientifically speaking, they’re actually a fruit and not a vegetable!

  2. Squash all belong to the same plant family called “Cucurbitaceae” which also includes melons, zucchini, pumpkins, cucumbers, and some types of gourds (like luffa, bottle, ornamental, and bitter gourds).

  3. Botanically speaking, pumpkins, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, melons, and luffas, are actually BERRIES! These are actually all a type of fruit called a pepo which is a specialized kind of berry that develops from an inferior ovary and has a hard outer rind. Pepos are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae family.

  4. Squash flowers are edible.

  5. Squash plants produce separate male and female flowers but only the female flowers produce squash.

Now without further ado, here are five fall squash recipes to celebrate the Harvest with squash from my Harvest Box from Harry & Stella’s Family Farm: Zucchini Lasagna, Banana Pumpkin Spice Mini Cakes with Cream Cheese Icing, Herbed Cheese Spaghetti Squash, Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup, and Mexican-style Delicata and Sweet Dumpling Squash Boats. Scroll down and give them a shot - I hope you enjoy!

  1. Zucchini Lasagna

Looking for a healthier way to enjoy one of the coziest comfort foods ever? This is it! Ditch the pasta and swap it for zucchini slices! This is also a great way to sneak some good fibre and essential vitamins into a meal without changing the flavour! The key to this recipe is removing the moisture from the zucchini so it doesn’t get watery when it’s cooked.

Ingredients:

  • 2lbs farm fresh, locally-sourced ground beef (I got mine at Baird Cattle Co.)

  • 1 large zucchini (I used the heirloom variety called a “Grey Zucchini” from my Harry & Stella’s Harvest Box, of course!)

  • 1 Cup mozarella, shredded

  • 1 Cup tomato sauce

  • 1 150ml can tomato paste

  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced

  • ¾ Cup finely grated parmesan cheese

  • 1 Cup ricotta cheese (drained of liquids)

  • 1 farm fresh egg

  • salt

  • black pepper

  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves

  • ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves

Method:

Step 1: Cut and Dry the Zucchini “Noodles”

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F

  2. Slice the zucchini into thin 1/8” thick “noodles” with a mandoline slicer

  3. Arrange the noodles on paper towels and lightly salt them, then let them sit for 10 minutes. Pat them dry when finished and wipe off the salt

  4. Place the noodles (flat and not overlapping) on trays lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes

  5. Remove from oven, then dry and set aside while prepping the rest of the recipe

  6. Keep oven preheated to 375F while prepping the rest of the lasagna ingredients

Step 2: Make the Meat Sauce

  1. In a large pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef

  2. Reduce heat to low and add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and salt and pepper (to taste) mixing until well-combined

  3. Remove from heat and set aside

Step 3: Make the Ricotta Filling

  1. In a small to medium-sized bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan cheese, garlic, fresh basil, egg, and pinch of salt & black pepper

Step 4: Layer the Lasagna

  1. In a 9×9” baking dish, spread a thin layer of marinara and a layer of zucchini noodles

  2. Add a hearty layer of the ground beef mixture, then a thin layer of the ricotta filling, mozzarella cheese & a little parmesan

  3. Repeat each step until finished

  4. On top: layer with sauce, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese

  5. Bake for 40-45 minutes (uncovered), then broil on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is browned

  6. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh basil

  7. Slice and enjoy!

2. Pumpkin Spice Mini Cakes with Cream Cheese Icing

I put a new twist on my old favourite and substituted the Pink Banana Pumpkin from my Harry & Stella’s Harvest Box for the round, orange sugar pumpkin that’s used in the original recipe. Until my visit to Harry & Stella’s I didn’t even know Pink Banana Pumpkins even existed and I was so surprised to learn that they are actually the ideal pumpkin for baking pies, roasting, boiling, or blending into creamy soups - WHO KNEW?! Pink Banana Pumpkins are an heirloom variety of winter squash that grow long, cylindrical, salmon-pink fruits and have dense, fibreless, sweet orange flesh. They’re typically picked when they’re 2-4 feet long and are excellent keepers that can be stored for several months in cool, dark, and frost-free locations.

The method for baking the Pink Banana Pumpkin differs a little from the method I described for cooking the sugar pumpkin in my original recipe, so here’s how to prepare and bake the Pink Banana Pumpkin and then you can follow the rest of the original recipe as written here.

How to Roast a Pink Banana Pumpkin to Make Puree:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375F

  2. Cut the pumpkin into manageable lengths or halve it lengthwise because these pumpkins can be quite large (2-4ft long)

  3. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a large spoon

  4. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet

  5. Bake for 40 to 75 minutes (depending on the size of the pieces) until the flesh is completely tender and easily pierced with a fork

  6. Cool and scoop out the soft flesh, then mash or puree it smooth in a blender

Now continue on with the rest of the recipe and enjoy!

3. Herbed Cheese Spaghetti Squash

Tangy, creamy herbed cheese + sweet, nutty spaghetti squash = a match made in heaven. This is the simplest and most delicious side dish or even (dare I say it) snack! Just three simple ingredients and 30-40 minutes of bake time and you’re ready to eat! Let’s make it!

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  2. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Tip: If the skin is too hard to cut safely, microwave the whole squash for 1 to 4 minutes to soften it first

  3. Use a large metal spoon to scoop out all the seeds and pulp from the center

  4. Drizzle or lightly brush the inside flesh with olive oil (this helps brown the edges and keeps the strands from drying out)

  5. Place the squash halves face-down on the prepared baking sheet and pierce the outer skin a few times with a fork

  6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (or up to 45–50 minutes for larger squashes) until the outside is lightly browned and the flesh is fork-tender

  7. Let the squash cool for about 10 minutes, flip it cut-side up, and drag a fork across the flesh to fluff out the spaghetti-like strands

  8. Add the half the cheese to each half of the squash and mix gently until melted and evenly distributed amongst the squash strands

  9. Serve hot and enjoy!

4. Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy, rich, and just a little bit spicy, this really is the PERFECT fall soup! I love how the peppers bring just enough of a warm heat to compliment the earthy, nutty, sweetness of the squash. One of my coveted all-time favourites for the past 20 years, this recipe is sure to have you looking forward to the fall harvest every year (and very sad when it’s over). Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Halve the Pasilla pepper crossways. Soak it in a bit of water for about 30 minutes, then chop. Keep the liquid

  2. In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the squash, garlic, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer the mixture, covered, for about 10 minutes

  3. Add the chopped Pasilla pepper and the soaking liquid and simmer the mixture, covered, for about 20-30 minutes or until the squash is tender

  4. Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender with the roasted peppers and transfer the puree to a saucepan

  5. Over moderately low heat, stir in the cream and half and half

  6. Add salt and pepper to taste

  7. Serve with a thick slice of local sourdough from your favourite local baker (pro tip: find your nearest local sourdough microbakery on the Farm to City App)

5. Mexican-style Delicata and Sweet Dumpling Squash Boats

My latest obsession. In traditional Mexican cooking, ground beef recipes for things like tacos and birria call for cinnamon as It cuts through heavy, savory meat fats and rounds out pungent spices like cumin, garlic, and chili powder. In this recipe, the sweetness of the squash compliments the cinnamon-spiced beef, the brightness of the veggies, the tanginess of the yogurt, and the creaminess of the cheese perfectly. Buen provecho, familia!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef (from your favourite local farm)

  • 2 delicata squash or 2 sweet dumpling squash

  • 2 tsp olive oil

  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon

  • ½ tsp ground cumin

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • ½ tsp smoked chipotle powder

  • ½ tsp chili powder

  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

  • ½ cup chopped farm fresh tomato

  • 1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper (or ½ of a bell pepper, chopped, if you’re not feelin’ the extra heat)

  • 3-4 Tbsp plain, greek-style yogurt

  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

Method:

Part 1: Baking the Squash

  1. Preheat oven to 400F to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  2. Trim off the ends and cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise (you don’t have to trim the ends on the sweet dumpling squash before cutting in half, just the top where the stem is)

  3. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon

  4. Drizzle or brush the flesh with olive oil

  5. Place the halves cut-side down on the baking sheet and bake for 35-45 mins or until tender

  6. Remove from oven, but leave oven on so it stays preheated to bake the squash boats

Part 2: Preparing the Beef Filling

  1. In a large pan over medium heat cook the ground beef and spices together until the beef is browned

  2. Remove from heat

Part 3: Preparing and Baking the Boats

  1. Turn each squash half over on the baking sheet and fill each with the ground beef mixture

  2. Top each with and equal amount of the grated cheddar cheese

  3. Pop the squash boats back in the oven for 3 minutes or until cheese has melted

  4. Remove from oven and top with the fresh chopped tomato, pepper, and a dollop of yogurt

  5. Plate and serve!

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