10 Types Of Pumpkin And How To Use It!

A ripe pumpkin can be recognized by the hollow sound when tapped gently. There are many types, sizes and colors of pumpkins, some edible and some not. Gourds are an inedible pumpkin. Below are 10 types of edible pumpkin described.

These 10 edible types of pumpkin are described below. Pumpkins are actually a fruit, but are thought of as a vegetable.

1. Bottle gourd

The butternut squash falls under the butternut squash.

The butternut squash or Butternut as this pumpkin is called has the shape of the bottle. It has an elongated figure.

The skin is beige in color. The flesh is dense in structure and orange in color. The butternut squash is medium in size and has a weight of about 2 kilograms.  

The taste is sweet and nutty. The skin of the butternut squash is soft and therefore edible.

This butternut squash is a delicacy on the barbecue and then sprinkled with cinnamon. It is also delicious in a curry. It is a popular pumpkin for soup and can be baked. You can read how to make the soup in our blog ‘ How to make bottle gourd soup? 5 Variants ‘.

There are many ways to enjoy the butternut squash. 

2. Hokkaido Pumpkin

The next of the 10 types of pumpkin is the Hokkaido pumpkin. This Hokkaido pumpkin, from Japan, is a descendant of the giant pumpkin. However, it only grows to 1 to 2 kilograms. It is a small broad-round pumpkin.

The color of the skin is orange-red or dark green. The meat of the hokkaido is firm in texture.

The skin is edible because it is soft. The taste tends to the sweet side. It has barely perceptible fibers making this pumpkin easy to clean and eat.  

This Hokkaido pumpkin can be stewed well because of the firm meat structure and is delicious in pumpkin soup or curry.

3. Turkish Hat Pumpkin

The Turkish hat is an old breed from 1817. The Turkish hat looks like a turban. This pumpkin grows to about 17 centimeters high and has beautiful orange, white and green stripes. Decoratively beautiful to look at.

The flesh is hard and the taste is mealy sweet. The peels are not edible. The weight can differ between 1 kilogram and 4 kilograms.

It is an edible pumpkin but whether this would be a first choice is the question. There is little pulp.  

Grilled and then used as lasagna seems to be delicious.

4. Pattison Pumpkin And Mini Pattison

The Pattison pumpkin is a pumpkin that has many colors but is mostly white. It is also known as ‘Emperor’s hat’. This flat, scalloped pumpkin and small pumpkins have light colored flesh.

The smaller the Pattison is harvested (so the younger they are) the more flavor is in this small pumpkin. It has a mildly sweet taste. The skin is edible. When they are larger than 10 centimeters, the taste is lost.

This Pattison is delicious when it is filled with various vegetables. It is less suitable for the soup. The Pattison pumpkin can be cooked quickly in the microwave. Also very good in a savory cake. 

In addition, the Pattison Pumpkins are decorative a feast for the eyes.

5. Melonette  Pumpkin

The Melonette pumpkin is a melon pumpkin. It tastes like melon and the longer this pumpkin is kept, the better it will taste. The skin is typically orange-yellow and has white dots or white veins on it. In terms of weight, it can reach 2 kilos.

The Melonette tastes raw, super sweet and tastes great with desserts, cake or as jam. This Melonette also fits perfectly when a salad is made of carrot, onion and celery with a mayonnaise-yoghurt sauce. The Melonette can also be cooked. The texture then becomes slightly grainy.

6. Spaghetti Pumpkin

This light yellow and elongated pumpkin owes its name to the stringy flesh. This spaghetti pumpkin is 20 to 30 cm long. The taste is sweet and nutty.

It is boiled or steamed. When this pumpkin is going to be cooked, the stem must be removed and holes pierced with a fork or skewer, otherwise it will not be cooked. Then the spaghetti squash is cut open lengthwise. Now you can see where this spaghetti pumpkin owes its name. In the center are many threadlike fibers that resemble spaghetti. This can be scraped off with a fork.

When steaming, this pumpkin is cut into quarters. Then the wires are disconnected. These can be used as a spaghetti meal.

Delicious with a tomato sauce or cheese sauce.

7. Jarrahdale Pumpkin

This very decorative Jarrahdale pumpkin has a high ornamental value. It is a pumpkin of 30 centimeters high and weighs about 4 kilograms. Its color is blue-green. Its shape is pleated.

This edible pumpkin has a firm and thick layer of flesh and has a neutral, slightly sweet taste. The color of the flesh is orange-yellow. 

The Jarrahdale pumpkin does well in a chutney, is delicious in a soup. The texture is also great for making a jam.

8. Blue Pumpkin

The blue pumpkin gets its name from its bluish-green skin. This pumpkin has a puckered skin and is very hard. He looks like a big rugby ball. They can be harvested after about 90 days.

The taste is nutty. It has a full, soft, sweet, slightly floury taste. The flesh is more powerful and stronger than the orange pumpkin. The color of the flesh is deep orange.

This blue pumpkin lends itself well to dessert.

9. Giant Pumpkin

The giant pumpkin of a South American variety. This pumpkin can weigh 40 kilograms. These large specimens have almost no taste. The texture of the flesh is spongy. The giant pumpkin is especially nice to see.

The current record Giant pumpkin is 2000 kilograms. These pumpkins are usually used to act as a ghost during Halloween. The less mature, so young pumpkins have more flavour. These pumpkins will also grow to about 5 kilograms. They can be used well for jam or seasoning.

10. Kabocha Pumpkin

The last of the 10 types of pumpkin is the Kabocha pumpkin. The Kabocha pumpkin is a Japanese pumpkin. The Kabocha has a thick leathery shell and is shaped like a rugby ball. The color is dark green with light stripes and spots. The Kabocha can grow between 12 and 35 centimeters. The flesh is deep orange in color.

The taste tends to the chestnut taste and is spicy in taste. The skin is roasted delicious to eat with some salt and herbs.

This kabocha can be cooked in many ways: Baked, roasted, fried and in the oven, this pumpkin tastes delicious.

It can be made into pumpkin soup, a delicious chutney or in curries to make the taste buds go wild. Plenty of options!