How to Peel and Cut a Butternut Squash

Cutting into a butternut squash can be intimidating, but we make it easy with our video and simple instructions. With a little bit of practice, you'll feel empowered to peel and cut butternut squash safely at home.

April 20, 2025 · 2 min · 259 words · James Mejia

Butternut squash can be rather daunting to prep.

They’re round, hard, thick, and dense.

First you oughta have a large sharp knife.

A split image with a whole butternut squash on the left and a bowl of chopped up butternut squash to the right

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Using a very sharp vegetable peeler, one with a carbon steel blade, will help with the peeling.

This will help soften the peel just enough to make it a bit easier to peel.

Then cut off 1/4-inch from the stem end.

Butternut squash with bottom sliced off by kitchen knife

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

you could also secure the squash standing upright and peel it in downward strokes with the peeler.

Stand the peeled squash upright on a cutting board.

It shouldn’t wobble, you want the squash to be stable.

Butternut squash with top cut off by kitchen knife

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

(If it is wobbly, make another cut at the bottom to even it out.)

Use a metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and the stringy pulp from the squash cavity.

(If you want, you’re free to prepare the seeds liketoasted pumpkin seeds.)

Vegetable peeler peeling a butternut squash

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Lay the squash halves, cut side down on the cutting board for stability.

Some recipes call for 1/2-inch slices or cubes, some for 1-inch or greater.

Then make crosswise cuts to make cubes.

A knife cutting a peeled butternut squash in half

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

One 1 1/2 pound butternut squash will yield approximately 4 cups of 1/2-inch cubed squash.

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A spoon scooping out butternut squash seeds

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Butternut squash halves, scooped and clean

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Peeled butternut squash cut into fourths

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Peeled butternut squash slices

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

A knife cutting butternut squash being into cubes

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Cut and prepped cubes of butternut squash in a bowl

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer