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How to Cut Butternut Squash Easily (and other hard squashes)

July 20, 2020Updated September 24, 2021 By Nava Atlas Leave a Comment

Roasted Butternut Squash

Here’s how to cut butternut squash easily, even if you don’t have great kitchen knives! This works for other hard winter squashes as well.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but until just a few years ago, winter squashes were more likely to be kitchen decor (a job for which they’re well suited during the late fall and winter) than as standard dinner fare.

That’s because when a recipe instructed me to “peel and dice a butternut squash” (or any other hard winter variety), I’d feel quite inadequate. Seriously? My knives are pretty good, but I always felt like I needed a chain saw to do the job.

Then, as I started to give more talks, I found that a lot of cooks shared my little secret. So, I developed a completely lazy way to tackle the winter squash dilemma.

Butternut Squash

Even cutting raw squash in half like this can be a struggle

An easy technique for any hard squash

This technique works for any kind of hard squash. A proliferation of squash varieties seems to have emerged over the last few years.

Before that, butternut, acorn, and sugar pumpkin were the primary choices, but now, you’re likely to encounter golden acorn (a sweeter, smoother cousin of the dark green variety), banana squash, delicata, turban, hubbard, and more.

The steps to avoiding the squash struggle:

Butternut squash wrapped in foil

1. Wrap the entire squash in aluminum foil and place in a casserole dish.

2. Bake at 375º F for 30 minutes (for smaller squashes) to 45 minutes or slightly more (for butternut, sugar pumpkin, and larger squashes). You should be able to just pierce through the skin and flesh, a couple of inches for larger squashes, about an inch for smaller ones.

If you’re planning to use the squash for pie or soup: Keep baking until you can easily pierce through.

Partially baked buttenut squash

3. Once cool enough to handle, Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and fibers.

Baked butternut squash on a cutting board

4. Cut the squash into thick slices (or see note), then peel and cut into large dice or chunks. Use as directed in recipes, or continue to roast in combination with other vegetables. 

Or, if you’ve baked the squash until soft for pie or soup: Scoop the flesh away from the peel with a large spoon.  Put into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until very smooth.

Note: If you’re using smaller squashes like acorn, one way to prepare them is to leave the halves intact, and stuff the cavities with grain or bean dishes. 

Plant Power by Nava Atlas

Adapted from Plant Power by Nava Atlas

I love winter squash, especially butternut and sugar pumpkin; they’re nutrient dense, as well as delicious and versatile. Now, during cold season, they grace our meals more frequently, instead of just sitting on the table looking pretty.

Use this technique to make:

Fall or Winter Kale and Butternut Squash Salad with Apples and Cranberries

Kale and Butternut Squash Salad with Apples and Cranberries

Roasted Butternut Salad with Arugula and Pumpkin Seeds

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Arugula

Coconut butternut squash soup

Coconut Butternut Squash Soup

pumpkin or butternut squash cheesecake with coconut whip

Vegan Pumpkin (or Butternut) Cheesecake with a Hint of Chocolate

See more ways to make plant-based life easier in Tips & Trends.

Filed Under: Tips & Trends

About Nava Atlas

Nava Atlas is the author of many vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including 5-Ingredient Vegan, Plant Power, Wild About Greens, Vegan Holiday Kitchen, and many more. A longtime dedicated vegan, find out more about her on this site's About page.

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