How to Cut Butternut Squash Without Cutting Yourself (with Photos!)

Butternut squash is one of the most beloved and versatile winter squash. As a former line cook, I’ve mashed it with butter and spices, finely diced it for risotto, cut thick planks for miso-glazed steaks, and sliced wedges for roasted squash with crispy sage. Prepping it, however, can be an anxiety-inducing experience for many home cooks. 

Those bulky, awkwardly shaped squash are responsible for a lot of frustrating nicks and cuts. That is because butternut squash, like all winter squash, is incredibly dense and has thick skin. 

If you can learn how to properly, and safely, prepare a butternut squash, you’ll have plenty of delicious culinary options available. 

With a mellow, nutty and sweet flavor, butternut squash is perhaps best known as the base of a creamy soup. But it has so much more to offer than soup. When roasted, it has a complex flavor and tender texture, perfect for topping a warm fall salad. You can cook it in an air fryer, slow cooker, electric pressure cooker, steamer or skillet. All you need is a sharp knife, a sturdy cutting board, a vegetable peeler and a kitchen towel, plus a little know-how.

How to Choose a Butternut Squash

First things first: you need to choose a good-quality butternut squash. Choosing a winter squash is like picking out just about any other vegetable (botanically speaking, butternut squash is a fruit, but for our purposes, it’s a vegetable). It should be heavy for its size, typically at least a couple of pounds. The skin should be relatively smooth and dark beige in color without any blemishes, cuts or green spots. If you tap the bulb end of the squash, it should sound a bit hollow.

Butternut squash are a staple long-term storage vegetable. They are typically left to cure for several weeks or a couple months. This hardens the skin, allowing them to be stored in a cool, dark place for about two months. Once cut, however, store the squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

Is Butternut Squash Healthy?

Butternut squash has a number of health benefits. It is a great source of nutrients, like fiber, minerals and vitamins. One cup of cubed raw squash contains about 3 grams of fiber, which can promote a healthy gut. It can also aid in eye health with its high amounts of vitamins A and C. These vitamins may also protect you against colds by boosting your immune system. And when it comes to potassium, which can reduce your risk of chronic diseases, butternut squash actually packs more of a punch than bananas (493 milligrams per serving compared to 422 mg in a medium banana).

How to Prep Butternut Squash

Now that we’ve established that butternut squash is not only delicious and versatile but also quite healthy, we need to know how to work with it. First, determine whether you want to peel the squash. Fun fact: did you know you can eat the skin of most winter squash? If you plan to eat the skin, know that the texture will be a bit chewy, making for a less pleasant experience if mashed. However, you can also leave the skin on and remove it after cooking—this is especially true when roasting squash halves.

How to Peel Butternut Squash

• First, lay the squash on its side on a sturdy cutting board (place a damp towel under the cutting board to prevent it from sliding on the counter). Then slice off a bit of each end with a sharp chef’s knife or cleaver. 
• Use a good-quality vegetable peeler (read: sharp!) to remove the skin. Run the peeler along the length of the straight end (neck) of the squash. 
• Peel the bulb end of the squash by following the curve with your peeler. You may want to use a kitchen towel to hold the squash in place, as it can get slippery once peeled. Seriously, using a kitchen towel can drastically reduce the likelihood of getting nicked with the peeler.

How to Remove the Seeds from Butternut Squash

Regardless of whether you decide to peel the squash or leave the skin on, you should remove the seeds.  

Step 1

Lay the squash on its side on a sturdy cutting board. Trim off both ends and peel, if desired.

Step 2

Cut the squash in half lengthwise.

Step 3

Cut through each squash half just above the bulb to separate the neck from the bulb.

Alternatively, you can cut the squash crosswise first and then halve the bulb and the neck.

Use a metal spoon to scoop out the fibrous strands and seeds. Don’t toss those seeds in the compost, as they are delicious roasted like pumpkin seeds, but do discard the fibrous strands. 

How to Dice or Cube Butternut Squash

Diced or cubed butternut squash is ideal anytime you want tender, bite-size pieces of squash, such as for a salad topping, taco filling or vegetarian chili base.

Step 1

Cut the peeled and seeded bulb halves into small strips, ¼- to ½-inch thick, and cut each strip into bite-size pieces. 

Step 2

Stand the neck pieces upright, then carefully cut them into long planks. Cut each plank into ¼- to ½-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip into bite-size pieces. 

How to Cut Butternut Squash into Wedges

Butternut squash wedges are perfect for roasting with the classics: brown sugar and sage. You can peel the squash, if desired, or leave the skin intact. 

Step 1

After peeling and seeding the squash, separate the bulb and the neck. Lay each bulb half on the cutting board with the rounded side on the board. Cut each piece in half, then cut each half in half again. (Depending on how big you want the wedges, you may want to cut each quarter in half again). 

Step 2

To use the neck, cut it in half lengthwise, then cut each half into equal-size planks or wedges. 

How to Cut Butternut Squash into Steaks

Cutting butternut squash into long, moderately thick planks makes steak-like portions, ideal for roasting at high heat.

Step 1

Trim off the stem, then cut the squash crosswise just above the bulb.

Step 2

Stand the neck upright on a sturdy cutting board and cut in half lengthwise. 

Step 3

Cut each half lengthwise to create ¾- to 1-inch-thick planks. If desired, use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Be sure to use a kitchen towel if the squash feels slippery. Square off the edges of each steak, if desired.