This pizza is a combination of some of my favorite ingredients: pesto, feta, arugula, zucchini, and butternut squash. It’s also straddling two seasons, summer and fall, with the inclusion of a summer squash, zucchini, and a winter squash, butternut squash.

What’s the difference between butternut squash and pumpkin? It’s a bit confusing but pumpkins are considered a squash, but not all squash are pumpkins. There is no botanical difference between pumpkin and squash. If you get a small, round pumpkin it is likely a sugar pumpkin. These are known for their classic pumpkin flavor and are an alternative to the canned pumpkin if you want to make your own puree.

Other types of winter squash to start adding to your diet this fall:

Kabocha Squash or Kent Pumpkin

Characteristics: Kabocha is the Japanese word for squash. It has a nutty, earthy flavor with just a touch of sweetness.

Red Kabocha Squash

Characteristics: Similar to its green counterpart this squash is squat and round. The difference is it’s unmistakably sweeter.

Sugar Pumpkin

Characteristics: They are sometimes called pie pumpkins or sweet pumpkins. They are smaller, sweeter, and less fibrous which makes them great for baking.

Butternut Squash

Characteristics: This light orange squash has a distinctive bell shape. It has a relatively sweet flavor and can be prepared a variety of ways, my favorite is drizzled with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and then roasted. One trick to make cutting the rind off is wrapping it in a damp paper towel and microwaving it for 4-5 minutes to soften the rind. After letting it cool peel it with a potato peeler.

Spaghetti Squash

Characteristics: I’ll be honest I hadn’t tried this squash until a few years ago and was always very confused as to how it got its name but once you take a fork to the inside of a cooked spaghetti squash, and you’ll understand. By scraping the flesh inside you’ll get strings that resemble noodles.

Acorn Squash

Characteristics: This mildly flavored squash is named for its acorn-like shape. Choose one with a dull green rind; an acorn squash that’s turned orange will have tough and fibrous flesh.

Hubbard Squash

Characteristics: This squash tends to be one of the largest winter squash, besides the field pumpkin. Because of their size, they are often sold in pre-cut chunks. They are excellent roasted with simple spices like rosemary and black pepper.