Butternut Squash

How to cut Butternut Squash

With a heavy-duty chef's knife, cut off the stem and the bottom of the squash. Cutting a flat surface on the bottom can help if you plan to remove the squash peel and cut the squash into smaller pieces for roasting. Then, cut the squash in half. It may be helpful to cut one side to the middle of the squash, then cut from the other side to meet the previous cut. Most kitchen knives are too small to cut through the whole squash at once. You can also stand the squash on end and cut from the top down, but be careful to get equal halves. Remove the stringy flesh and seeds from the center of the squash.

Roast in the oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a medium-sized baking sheet with aluminum foil. Then, move the squash to the aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the squash halves with olive oil, then flip the squash cut-side down. Bake the squash for about 50 minutes at 400°F. The skin will darken and may blister. You can press against the flesh with tongs, it will be pliable when it's cooked. A fork inserted cleanly will indicate the squash is done, too.

Boil

Peel the squash and cut it into cubes. Fill a large pit halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Put the squash in the boiling water and bring the temperature down to a simmer. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until tender.

Microwave

Using halved squash, place each half (with the skin side facing up) on a piece of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper with the squash halves into the microwave. Microwave for 15-25 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender. Rotate halfway through. The microwave time will depend on the size of the squash. For a medium-sized squash, it will take around 15 minutes. However, large sizes will require more time.