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There are a few things you will want to consider when it comes to selecting your squash. Luckily, even a not-so-great butternut squash is usually stilllll pretty darn great, but over-ripe or under-ripe could mean a lack of flavor, dryness, or mushy texture. Follow these tips to avoid those downfalls and be armed with tools to pick the sweetest and most flavorful of the bunch!
Prepare your squash by giving it a gentle rinse, light scrub, and drying completely. Next, microwave your squash for 30-60 seconds to loosen and soften the skin slightly. Doing this will make it much easier to peel.
Place your squash on a cutting board on a flat, stable surface, and use a sharp chef’s knife to slice off the stem at the top, as well as the bottom. Discard.
I like to use a y-shaped vegetable peeler like this one as it provides good leverage and control. Place your squash on a stable, flat surface and peel top to bottom to remove skin.
Stand your squash up on the bottom end on a flat, stable surface, and carefully slice it in half lengthwise.
Use a medium-sized spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings. These seeds can be washed and roasted just like pumpkin seeds if desired!
This time, lay your squash halves cut-side down on your cutting board and carefully slice them in half crosswise to have 4 even sections.
Cut each of the 4 sections lengthwise into 1″ thick strips.
Stack 2 or 3 of the sections at a time on their side and slice into 1″ x 1″ strips.
Take those stacks of strips and carefully slice into 1″ x 1″ cubes. Now, you’re ready to roast!
Roasted butternut squash is a delicacy, I swear. It is sweet, savory, tender, crisp, caramelized, and somehow feels like both a savory meal and a dessert at the same time! Because of this, it is a delicious addition to so many different recipes. Soups, salads, pasta, curries like this one, buddha bowls, and more. Follow these simple steps to achieve the tastiest, slightly crisp, perfectly tender, caramelized squash!
Butternut squash is so delicious and flavorful on its own, that I rarely add anything besides salt and pepper. However, depending on your recipe, there are some herbs and seasonings that compliment it wonderfully!
Absolutely! Butternut squash is a nutrient-dense complex carb. It is high in Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin B6, Calcium, and magnesium. A 1 cup serving has 63 calories, 0.1g of fat, 16g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g sugar, and 1.4g protein. This makes it a wonderful addition to any meal!
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4 Responses
Thank you for the step by step prep – peeling has always been why I avoid butternut squash although I love to eat them.
Hey Rosemarie, I am so happy that you find this tutorial helpful!! I know a lot of people don’t love the peeling process which is why I wanted to reiterate that it doesn’t have to be scary!! I hope you enjoy your butternut squashes soon 🙂