How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash

In this Cooking Tips post, I’m going to teach you some easy steps for How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash. And while I don’t judge if you buy pre-cut butternut squash cubes, the freshly peeled and cut squash is so much more flavorful and less expensive!

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I think roasted butternut squash is one of the best things about autumn. For years I grew butternut squash in my garden and I got to be pretty good at peeling it and cutting it up. But I do admit, cutting up the big butternut squashes takes some practice.

That’s why, if you live in the U.S., you’ll see those bags of already peeled and cut butternut squash start to appear in stores at this time every year. (I’ve confessed to buying the squash cubes myself, even though I knew it wouldn’t ever be as good as freshly cut squash.)

If you’ve been a bit daunted by trying to cut up a hefty squash, here are some tips for How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash that can help you save money and get that garden-fresh squash flavor. And check below for after some ideas for using that delicious butternut squash!

Detailed Steps for How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash:

(See below for a short printable list of these steps.)

1. If you’re buying your squash in the store, you’ll may get one that’s shaped a bit differently than this, since most butternut has a thin neck with a bulb-shaped end where the seeds are. This is the Really Big Squash variety I used to grow in my garden.
2. Some people may have a reaction to touching raw winter squash, this is sometimes called Squash Hands! If you think you have that or notice a reaction when you’re touching raw squash, wear rubber gloves while you’re cutting it up.
3. Whatever variety of butternut you have, start by cutting off the stem and blossom end of the squash.
4. Next cut the squash in half so you can scrape the seeds out. You’ll need a bit of muscle on the knife to cut through the squash. If it’s a particularly big squash you might want to cut it into quarters.
5. Get the most pointed and sharp spoon you can find to scrape out the seeds. Grapefruit spoons are great if you have them. Try to scrape off all the stringy material that’s around the seeds.
6. The inside of the squash should look really clean when you’re finished scraping the seeds out.
7. Now comes the part that’s nearly impossible to do with a knife. Using a sharp vegetable peeler (affiliate link) peel away the skin in long strips.
8. I’m not too compulsive about removing every bit of those green stripes that are just under the skin, but if they bother you, just peel until they’re completely gone.
9. Once all the squash pieces are peeled, cut into strips the width that seems right for what you’re making with the squash. For roasted squash, I try to make pieces that are slightly over an inch square.
10. Then turn the strips the other way and cut again to make cubes. Use the butternut squash cubes to make something tasty!
11. Check below for an easy-print version of these tips and some favorite butternut squash recipes from Kalyn’s Kitchen.

Butternut Squash Favorites from Kalyn’s Kitchen:

• Roasted Butternut Squash with Lemon, Thyme, and Parmesan
• Slow Cooker Buttery Butternut Squash
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar
• Butternut Squash and Kale Soup
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices
• Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Butternut Squash and Peanut Soup
• Foil-wrapped Grilled (or Baked) Butternut Squash with Sage
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

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Yield: butternut squash cubes

How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash

Active Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Instead of buying those past-their-prime butternut squash cubes in the store, use these tips for How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash. It's a bit of work, but the freshly cut butternut squash is so much better!

Materials

• 1 large whole butternut squash

Tools

• large sharp knife
• sharp spoon such as a grapefruit spoon
• vegetable peeler

Instructions

1. Some people may have a reaction to touching raw winter squash! If you notice a reaction when you're touching raw squash, wear rubber gloves while you work
2. Start by cutting off the stem and blossom end of the squash.
3. Next cut the squash in half so you can scrape the seeds out. If it’s a particularly big squash you might want to cut it into quarters.
4. Get the most pointed and sharp spoon you can find to scrape out the seeds. Try to scrape off all the stringy material that’s around the seeds.
5. The inside of the squash should look really clean when you’re finished scraping the seeds out.  
6. Using a sharp vegetable peeler (affiliate link) peel away the skin in long strips.
7. Once all the squash pieces are peeled, cut into strips the size for what you’re making with the squash. For roasted squash, I try to make pieces that are slightly over an inch square.
8. Then turn the strips the other way and cut again to make pieces.

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Want more ideas for Butternut Squash?

Check out My Favorite Roasted Butternut Squash Recipes!

Check out My Top Ten Butternut Squash Recipes.

Find More Recipes Like This:
Use Winter Squash Recipes to see all the recipes with winter squash including butternut, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, delicata squash, and of course pumpkin. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Post:
How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut squash was first posted in 2008, when I had lots of butternut squash in my garden! It was last updated in 2022.

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