How to Peel, Cut, and Cube Butternut Squash

While peeled and cubed butternut squash is convenient, it often costs more per pound than a whole squash. Its tough, butterscotch-colored skin can make the squash seem intimidating, but with a few straightforward steps you can confidently turn it into cubes or slices for soups, roasts, casseroles and more.

Butternut squash is easy to prepare and very versatile. Learning how to peel and cut a whole squash will save money and give you a fresher result for dishes like roasted butternut squash soup, maple-roasted squash, and butternut squash casserole.

How to Pick a Butternut Squash

Choose a squash that feels heavy for its size with matte, evenly colored tan skin — too shiny often means it was harvested underripe. The stem should be dry and intact, and the squash should have no soft spots or cuts. A longer neck is advantageous because the neck is solid flesh without seeds, so you’ll get more tidy, symmetrical cubes.

How to Peel and Cube Butternut Squash

1. Peel the squash: Use a sturdy vegetable peeler (an extra-wide peeler is especially helpful). The skin is thick, and you may see a muted tan or greenish layer beneath before you reach the bright orange flesh. Continue peeling until you reach the orange flesh; you can also use a paring knife if needed.

2. Slice off the top: With a large, heavy knife on a secure cutting board, cut off the very top of the squash. Then slice the squash crosswise at the point where the long neck meets the bulbous bottom.

3. Halve the neck: Take the long cylindrical neck piece and cut it lengthwise into two halves from top to bottom.
4. Halve the bulb: Cut the bulbous bottom piece in half from top to bottom so each piece exposes the seed cavity.
5. Remove seeds: Trim any hard stem edge from the bottom halves and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings, much like cleaning a pumpkin.

6. Cut into strips: For the neck halves, lay the flat side down and slice into 1-inch-thick planks (adjust thickness to your preference). Then cut those planks into 1-inch-thick strips.
7. Cube the strips: Slice the strips crosswise to create 1-inch square cubes.

8. Cut the bulb pieces: Slice the bottom halves into 1-inch strips and then cut crosswise into pieces. The cubes from the bulb may be less uniform than those from the neck — that’s perfectly fine.

9. Ready to cook: Cubed squash can be roasted in the oven, sautéed and finished with a little liquid to steam through, or added to simmering broth and pureed into soup.

Storing Cut Butternut Squash

Raw cubed squash keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, making it great for meal prep. To freeze, spread raw cubes on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 6 months. Frozen cubes can go straight into a roasting pan or a pot of soup.

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More Fresh Produce Cooking Tips

Once you’re comfortable with butternut squash, try similar guides for other produce — learning basic prep techniques expands what you can cook and saves time.

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