How to Cut Butternut Squash
Updated Sep 29, 2025
Follow my step-by-step method for how to cut butternut squash three different ways for roasting and salads. Learn easy practical knife skills
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Learn How to Cut Butternut Squash
Let me show you how to cut butternut squash in three different ways. Butternut squash is all over winter menus – in my butternut squash soup, butternut lasagna, and butternut squash quinoa salad. I used to be intimidated by this heavy, hard-skinned winter squash because it looked like a beast to peel and chop. But then I learned this easy method for how to cut butternut squash and I’m not afraid to buy it anymore!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Sizes and uses for different cuts
- Halves: You can keep squash unpeeled and roast the halves. They can be stuffed, or simply roasted and then the flesh can be scooped once tender.
- Semi Circles: This is great when roasting squash for a salad or as a simple side dish.
- Sticks: Sticks are also great when you want the squash to have a big presence on the plate or for baking butternut squash fries!
- Cubes: Cubing squash helps it cook quickly when you are roasting on a sheet pan or steaming or boiling for soup or butternut squash mac and cheese. Here’s a quick guide to cooking butternut squash in 3 ways.
How to Cut Butternut Squash
How to Slice into Squash Shapes
How to Cut Butternut Squash
Learn how to cut butternut squash safely with this step-by-step guide. Tips for peeling, halving, seeding, and cubing to make roasting and soups easier!
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash
Instructions
- Lay the squash on its side, remove about ½ inch from the top and the bottom
- Cut the squash just above the bulbous section that contains the seeds.
- If the neck is extra-long, cut in half again across its hemisphere.
- Stand each piece up on its cut end, and using a sharp knife, carefully peel a thin layer of the skin off from the top to the bottom. Repeat all the way around until cleaned
- Cut the bulbous section in half and remove seeds by scooping with a spoon.
- Cut the squash into desired shapes and sizes (cubed, circles, half circles, etc.)
Equipment
Notes
Storage: Store any cut butternut squash in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Whole, uncut squash can last up to three months in a cool, dark place.To freeze, I suggest freezing pieces on a sheet pan and then bagging for freezer storage up to six months.
Nutrition
Calories: 84kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 8mg, Potassium: 660mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 19931IU, Vitamin C: 39mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Video Tutorial
Recipe Tips
- Use gloves. Butternut squash can release a sap when you are cutting it. While it is harmless, it can be annoying to get off your hands. I wear disposable food safe gloves when working with squash to avoid this.
- Use a Y-Peeler. To limit waste and make peeling the squash easier, sometimes I use a sturdy Y-peeler instead of my knife.
- Use a sharp knife. It may seem counterintuitive, but the sharper your knife, the more safe cutting will be. With a dull knife you have to use a lot of force which can be dangerous if your hand slips.
Recipes With Butternut Squash
- Use prepared squash in a cozy savory dish like my Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta, Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese or Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Use sticks to make a fun veggie side the whole family will love like these Baked Butternut Squash Fries
- Or roast off some cubes to add to this Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
