Once you’ve conquered this challenge, prepare yourself for step two: how to roast butternut squash. Still figuring out how to use your chopped-up butternut squash? We recommend butternut squash pizza.
How to Cut Butternut Squash
What You Need
Chef’s knife or cleaver (or another sharp, heavy knife)Cutting boardY-shaped peelerSpoon with a sharp edge (such as a soup spoon)Kitchen towel or paper towels (optional)Butternut squash
Lay the squash down on its side and, using your sharpest, heaviest knife (your go-to chef’s knife or a cleaver), cut all the way through the squash to split it into two more regular-shaped pieces. Cut off the ends, too. And remember, a sharp knife is always safer than a dull one. If you haven’t sharpened lately, now’s the season. A note on that sticky film that might accumulate on your hands: It’s actually a kind of sap and can leave your hands feeling somehow chalky and waxy at the same time. Too yucky for you? Use the kitchen towel to hold the squash in your non-dominant hand and peel with your other one. With the bottom, rounder half, use a sharp-edged spoon to remove the seeds and stringy membranes. Use a spoon that’s slightly thinner at the edge and easy to handle, such as a soup spoon. Scoop out the seeds and discard. If you’re making soup and want extra credit, simmer the seeds with some veggie or chicken stock before you add them to the rest of your soup ingredients for an extra squashy (that’s a good thing) batch. Use your newly honed butternut-cutting skills anywhere a big one crops up. But know that these same principles—manageable parts and the right, sharp tools—make any kitchen task easy to squash.
