Kitchen Tip: How to Cut Hard Squash

Whether or not squash is in season, knowing how to cut hard squash is an important lesson for any home cook.

Cutting hard squash of any variety can be really difficult and somewhat scary, so I’m here to alleviate some of those nerves and show you the most simple and classic techniques for cutting various types of squash, including spaghetti squash, acorn squash and butternut squash.

While all of these squashes are available year-round, they are in peak season during the fall and winter. Each also have varying degrees of difficulty when it comes to cutting, so brush up on these knife skills.

The first and most important thing to have on a hand is a very sharp chef’s knife or a longer, thick utility knife. Here we go!

How to Cut Spaghetti Squash

1. Lay the squash on it’s side. Raise a knife 3-4 inches above the squash and give it a little chop to break into it.
2. Using your other hand, press down on the top of the blade and slice all the way through.
3. To prepare the squash, start by removing the seeds completely using a large spoon.
4. Once all seeds are removed, place the squash face-down in a pan or on a sheet tray with water and bake it in the oven.

How to Cut Acorn Squash

1. Remove the stem on the top of the squash.
2. Lay the squash on it’s side. Raise a knife 3-4 inches above the squash and give it a little chop to break into it.
3. Using your other hand, press down on the top of the blade and slice all the way through.
4. To prepare the squash, start by removing the seeds completely using a large spoon.
5. At this point, you can roast the squash as is or cut it into wedges and roast in the oven. If slicing into wedges, be sure to tuck in your fingers that are holding the squash in place to keep them safe.

How to Cut Butternut Squash

1. Start by separating the top and bottom half of the squash. Place the knife at the point where the neck meets the bulb and, using your other hand, press down on the top of the blade and slice all the way through.
2. Peel the top half using a peeler.
3. Cut off the stem from the top half.
4. Slice the top half into 1/2-inch or 1-inch rounds and then dice the rounds into large chunks.
5. Once diced, the squash is ready to be roasted or added to your favorite soups and stews.
6. For the bottom half, simply scoop out the seeds and large dice it just like the top half or roast it as is, like the acorn squash.

There you have it! As you can see, cutting hard squash is way easier than you may have thought and I promise, you will be safe using these techniques. Now go slice, dice and enjoy these delicious seasonal squashes!