Follow our simple step-by-step tutorial on How to Cut Butternut Squash into halves, slices, and cubes! This complete butternut squash guide will also show you how to peel butternut squash and so many different recipes you can make with this delicious vegetable!
How To Peel And Cut Butternut Squash
A ripe butternut squash is typically in season during the fall and winter months. Our family loves roasting butternut squash in the oven or making Instant Pot butternut squash. Whether you are enjoying it as an easy side dish recipe or adding it to your favorite soup recipe, it is going to be delicious and packed with great nutrition! This tutorial will make preparing butternut squash to cook so easy!
Ever wonder how to cut delicata squash? We have a simple tutorial on that too!
What You Will Need
- fresh butternut squash – this is a winter squash that has a sweet, nutty taste similar to a pumpkin.
- cutting board – make sure it is large enough to hold the entire squash – we love using a wood cutting board!
- large, sharp knife – you will want to use a large chef’s knife to make sure you can cut all the way through the squash.
- vegetable peeler – if we choose to peel the butternut squash, we love using a sharp Y-peeler that has a good grip.
- metal spoon – used to scoop all the seeds and guts out of the inside.
How To Choose A Ripe Butternut Squash
There are 3 things you want to examine when choosing a ripe squash for cooking.
- Color – It should be a solid light beige color that has a matte finish and doesn’t have brown or green patches.
- Skin – feel the skin on all sides. You want to make sure that it is firm and doesn’t have any soft spots.
- Weight – the weight of the squash should feel pretty heavy. If it feels doesn’t feel heavy, then it might not be ripe enough or a bit too old.
How To Cut Butternut Squash In Half
First, make sure the squash is clean by rinsing under cold water and patting dry with clean paper towels. Simply place your butternut squash on the cutting board and cut off the ends. It will be about 1/2″ thick piece on each end. Then cut through the squash where the thinner neck begins to widen towards the bottom.
Do I Need To Peel A Butternut Squash
No, you do not HAVE to peel a butternut squash. It all depends on how you plan to cook and serve your squash. If you plan to cube the squash, we highly recommend peeling the squash to make cooking easier. But if you are roasting your squash to scoop out and serve as a mash, there is no need to peel it.
How To Peel A Butternut Squash
If you do choose to peel your butternut squash, this can easily be done with a vegetable peeler. After you cut the squash in half, you will hold it firmly in one hand with the peeler in the other hand. Firmly run the peeler down all sides of the squash to quickly remove the skin.
Pro tip: place the butternut squash in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds to make the skin easier to remove.
How To Cut A Butternut Squash Into Slices
After following the instructions for cutting a butternut squash in half, place each section on the cutting board and cut them in half, lengthwise.
The wider bottom sections will have seeds and strings that will need to be scooped out. This can easily be done with a spoon.
Now place each section of the squash on the cutting board and cut into slices, moving from one end of the squash to the other.
Continue this process until the entire squash is cut into slices.
How To Cut Butternut Squash Into Cubes
First, follow the instructions for how to cut butternut squash in half and into slices. Then stack 3 of the butternut squash slices on top of each other. Slice them in half lengthwise, turn them 180 degrees, and then make 1/2″ slices across to create cubes. Continue this process with all of the slices until you have a fully cubed butternut squash.
We love to roast butternut squash cubes in the oven for a delicious side dish! Simply place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
How To Cook Butternut Squash
There are a few different ways to easily cook butternut squash! Here are a few of our favorite ways:
- Roasted Butternut Squash: We love to roast butternut squash in halves to get a nicely browned, slightly crisp edges. This is done at a fairly high heat in the oven.
- Baked Butternut Squash: You can also bake butternut squash at a lower heat (350 degrees F) in halves, slices, or cubes to prevent a lot of the browning. It will just take longer to cook.
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash: We also have a great tutorial on how to easily cook butternut squash in an Instant Pot!
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Other How-To Tutorials You Might Like
How to Cut Butternut Squash
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cut up butternut squash 1x
- Category: How-To
- Method: Counter Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
How to Cut Butternut Squash – an easy tutorial that teaches you how to cut up butternut squash into halves, slices and cubes!
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- cutting board
- sharp knife
Instructions
Before cutting into your butternut squash, make sure you rinse and dry the squash.
Halves:
- Cut approx. 1/2 inch off of each end, discard.
- Use a large, chef’s knife to cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise.
- You can also cut the squash in half where the thinner neck starts to get larger at the base for more manageable, smaller sections.
Slices:
- Follow the directions for cutting the butternut squash in half.
- Cut each section of the squash in half, lengthwise, again and place the cut side down on the cutting board.
- Start at one end of the squash section and work your way to the other end making 1/4-1/2 inch thick cuts all the way through, resulting in half circle-shaped slices.
Cubes:
- Follow the instructions for cutting into halves and slices.
- Stack 3 butternut squash slices on top of each other, slice in half lengthwise, rotate 180 degrees on the cutting board, and make 1/4-1/2 inch slices across the slices resulting in small cubes.
- Continue this process for all sections of the butternut squash.
Cook the squash any way you want – we love roasting butternut squash to make Butternut Squash Soup!
Notes
- Storage: cut, uncooked butternut squash can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: place the cut pieces of butternut squash on a baking sheet in a single layer. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 3 hours, or until fully frozen, and then transfer the pieces to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months.
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