How to cut butternut squash

The skin on the butternut squash is very tough so if you prefer you can pop it in the microwave before you start preparing it for 2-3 mins to make it softer and easier to remove. However, if you’re slow roasting the squash, you can leave the skin on as it is edible and gets softer when baked.

Points to remember

1. Hold the squash steady on your chopping board and use a sharp knife to trim off the top and bottom.
2. Next, split the squash in half at the point where the long “neck” section meets the round base section.
3. If you want to remove the skin you can either use a Y shaped or swivel blade vegetable peeler or a knife.
4. Once the skin has been removed cut the base section in half to expose the seeds and scoop them out using a spoon.
5. You can now slice the prepared butternut squash into wedges, chunks or small cubes, depending on your recipe.

Browse our best butternut squash recipes and put your prep skills into practice.