How I cut butternut pumpkin (squash) (2024)

Here’s a quick little tutorial for how I cut butternut pumpkin / butternut squash. I originally had this included in the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup recipe I also published today but decided to post it separately because it will be useful for other recipes!

How I cut butternut pumpkin

Butternut pumpkin is called butternut squash in the US, UK and pretty much the rest of the world other than in Australia and NZ! It’s part of the squash family and tastes pretty much like pumpkin, though usually it is a little sweeter.

It’s got softer skin that pumpkin so it’s easier to cut. Here is how I cut butternut pumpkin:

1. Peel off the skin using a potato peeler. The skin is softer than pumpkin so it’s easier.

2. Cut in half using a sharp knife. Just straight through the middle, lying down. Use the weight of your body pressing down on the knife and/or rock the knife back and forth.

3. Stand upright, then cut in half again.

4. Halves – Post cutting! 🙂

5. Scoop out the seeds using a spoon.

6. Cut the cheeks off the side with the stem (too hard to cut through the stem).

7. Then trim all the butternut around the rest of the stem.

8. Cut – And finally, cut the butternut into the size you want! For the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup recipe, you want them in 3cm / 1.2″ chunks.

Recipes using butternut pumpkin / squash

I use butternut pumpkin / squash for any recipe I make using pumpkin. It’s a direct substitute – same cooking time, methods, quantity etc.

Here are some of my favourite recipes to try using butternut pumpkin!

Hope you found this useful! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it