Peeling, slicing, and dicing butternut squash might seem hard, but following the right steps, it's easy! We'll show you How to Prepare Butternut Squash step-by-step for easy use in a variety of recipes.
Jump to:
What You'll Need
- Whole butternut squash: Use a squash that feels heavy for its size and has a matte, tan-colored skin without any blemishes or soft spots. This means it is ripe and will taste great!
- Chef's knife: A chef's knife has a wide and sturdy blade that can easily slice through the tough skin and dense flesh of the squash. You want it to be nice and sharp knife.
- Cutting board: The best type of cutting board for cutting butternut squash is one made of wood or plastic. Both wood and plastic boards provide a stable surface for cutting.
- Vegetable peeler: The best type of vegetable peeler for peeling butternut squash is a Y-shaped peeler. Y-shaped peelers are comfortable to hold and provide good control, making it easier to peel butternut squash skin than other peelers.
- Spoon: To easily scoop out the butternut squash seeds.
Watch the Video
Preparing Butternut Squash
Set Up Your Space
Wash the whole squash well under water to clean it, then dry it completely with a clean towel. Place a clean cutting board on a flat surface, and make sure your knife is sharp and ready to use.
Be careful when using the knife and work at your own pace to stay safe. Remember to never cut towards yourself to prevent injury.
Trim the Ends
Use your chef's knife to carefully cut off both the stem end and the bottom end of the squash. This makes it stable and easier to work with.
Peel the Squash
Hold the squash firmly with one hand and peel off the squash’s skin using a vegetable peeler. We recommend a Y-shaped peeler as they are easy to control. Start from the top and peel downwards until all the skin is gone, revealing the orange squash inside.
Cut it in Half
Place the peeled squash on the cutting board vertically. If it wobbles, trim a bit more from the bottom to flatten it and make it stable. Then, use your knife to cut the squash in half from top to bottom.
Remove the Seeds
Use a spoon or knife to scoop out the seeds and any stringy bits from the bulbous end. You won't need these parts for cooking, so you can discard them, or save the seeds to roast separately (just like pumpkin seeds!). If using a knife to scoop, be careful.
Slice and Dice
Lay the squash halves flat on the cutting board, cut-side down. Carefully slice them into half-inch thick strips. Then, cut each strip into half-inch squash cubes. Do the same with the bulbous ends. They can also be cut into 1-inch cubes, if you'd like larger chunks of squash.
Ready to Cook
Once you've finished, you can use your diced squash in lots of tasty recipes such as our Air Fryer Butternut Squash recipe. It makes the perfect side dish for all of your air fryer dinners!
Butternut Squash Recipes
There are many ways to cook butternut squash. Here are a few of our favorite suggestions:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes: You can leave the squash as-is after you bake it in the air fryer or oven and simply serve it as a simple side dish for dinner. We recommend serving it with roast chicken, turkey, or pork, as the flavor of squash complements these proteins well. Try our recipe for chicken thighs or our boneless pork chops. It's great with pork tenderloin, too.
- Butternut Squash Soup: This is a classic choice and perfect for winter. Melt butter in a pot, then cook celery, carrots, onions, and squash cubes together until browned. Cover it with chicken stock, bring it to a boil, then simmer it until all the veggies are fork-tender and ready to blend. Season the soup with salt and black pepper, blend it in a blender (carefully), and serve! You can also boil the soup with fresh herbs such as thyme and rosemary.
- Butternut Squash Ravioli: Another favorite way to use butternut squash is in ravioli. You can make your own ravioli dough or buy a premade dough, then stuff your raviolis with a creamy roast butternut squash filling. For sauce, try browned butter.
- Butternut Squash Salad: Yes, you can even serve this versatile winter squash in salad! Dice it into small cubes, toss it in seasoning, then follow our air fryer squash recipe (or roast it however you prefer). We recommend pairing it with arugula for the flavor contrast, plus a tangy vinaigrette and either seeds or nuts according to your preference.
How to Store Butternut Squash
Before cutting it, you can store uncooked squash out at room temperature for about 1 to 3 months. After cutting and/or cooking the squash, it should be refrigerated. Refrigerate for 3-5 days, or freeze in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 6 months.
FAQ
Because butternut squash stores well and lasts a long time, you can generally find it available at the store year-round. However, the squash harvest is around late Fall.
You sure can! We recommend tossing the seeds in olive oil and a seasoning of your choice, or just salt, then roasting them on a baking sheet in the oven. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown, at about 350ºF.
Other popular types of squash are acorn squash and spaghetti squash. If you'd like to try adding more squash to your dinners, try our spaghetti squash recipe, too!
Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!
How to Prepare Butternut Squash
Equipment
- Chef's knife A chef's knife has a wide and sturdy blade. Make sure it's sharp.
- Cutting board Wood or plastic cutting boards work best.
- Vegetable peeler We recommend using a Y-shaped peeler.
- Spoon For scooping out the seeds.
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Butternut Squash Make sure your squash is tan in color and free of blemishes.
Instructions
- Wash the whole butternut squash well under water to clean it, then dry it completely. Place a clean cutting board on a flat surface. Make sure your knife is sharp and ready to use.
- Use your chef's knife to carefully cut off both ends of the squash. This makes it stable and easier to work with.
- Hold the squash firmly with one hand and peel off the tough outer skin with a vegetable peeler. Start from the top and peel downwards until all the green skin is gone, revealing the orange inside.
- Place the peeled squash on the cutting board vertically. If it wobbles, trim a bit more from the bottom to make it stable. Then, use your knife to cut it in half from top to bottom.
- Use a spoon or knife to scoop out the seeds and any stringy bits from the bulbous end. You won't need these parts for cooking, but you can save the seeds to roast separately if you'd like.
- Lay the squash halves flat on the cutting board, cut-side down. Carefully slice them into half-inch thick strips. Then, cut each strip into half-inch cubes. Do the same with the bulbous ends.
Notes
- Always cut away from yourself.
- A Y-shaped peeler works best for peeling the tough skin of the squash.
- For an easy recipe to use squash in, try our diced butternut squash in the air fryer.
Comments
No Comments