How to Peel and Cube a Butternut Squash

Once you realize that you can easily peel and cube a butternut squash, a new venue of cooking opportunities appear. Use these tasty cubes in soups, in casseroles, or build an array of great side dishes. (See the recipe for Butternut Squash and Green Beans with Maple Syrup.)

Because a butternut squash has a smooth skin, it is easy to peel. The squash consist of two parts—the neck and the bulb. With a sharp knife, cut the neck from the bulb. The horizontal cut should be just far enough into the bulb to expose the seed cavity.

Cut the stem end off the neck. Use a potato peeler to remove the skin from the neck. Because it is smooth and uniform, it will only take a few moments.

Use a spoon to remove the seeds from the cavity of the bulb. Once the seeds are removed, cut the bulb into 3/4-inch horizontal slices. Use a sharp knife and remove the skin from the slices. If you prefer, you can use your potato peeler to remove the skin from the slices.

Cut both the slices and the neck into 3/4-inch cubes. Use these cubes in your cooking.

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