Butternut squash is considered one of my favourite fall elements, however when you’re new to cooking with it, peeling and chopping this oddly formed vegetable could be a bit intimidating. However don’t fret! Right here’s a fast tutorial so you’ll be able to see simply how simple it’s to chop butternut squash. I promise it’s painless! After which you should utilize that scrumptious and exquisite butternut squash in soups, salads, casseroles, pasta, and extra.
Select A Butternut Squash
When selecting a butternut squash, search for a squash with easy, mild flesh-colored pores and skin. The inside of the butternut squash might be way more vibrantly coloured than its pores and skin. Examine the squash for mushy spots, dings, or different broken areas. The squash ought to really feel agency to the touch and heavy for its dimension.
Do You Must Peel Butternut Squash?
For those who’re planning to dice or slice your butternut squash, you’ll wish to peel it first. For those who plan to roast your squash complete or halved, you’ll be able to go away the pores and skin on throughout roasting after which simply scoop the mushy flesh out of the pores and skin after roasting.
What In regards to the Seeds?
You’ll wish to scoop the seeds out of the squash earlier than chopping or roasting as a result of they’re a lot simpler to take away when the squash flesh continues to be uncooked and agency. However don’t toss these seeds! You may clear them and roast them identical to you’ll roast pumpkin seeds.
Use Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is so versatile and will be added to salads, casseroles, pasta, sauces, and extra! Butternut squash can also be very related in texture and taste to candy potatoes, so it will possibly typically be used rather than candy potatoes in recipes. Listed here are a few of our recipes that use butternut squash (extra to come back!):
Peel and Minimize Butternut Squash – Step by Step Photographs
Start by making a flat, steady floor on the squash so it doesn’t roll round whenever you attempt to peel it. Slice off the highest and the underside of the squash to create flat surfaces.
Set the squash on the huge, flat backside and use a vegetable peeler to peel straight down towards the reducing board. Peel all the way in which across the squash till all the peel has been eliminated and the colourful squash flesh is seen.
Whereas the squash continues to be standing up on the bottom, slice it in half lengthwise from prime to backside. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds from the middle.
To chop the butternut squash into cubes, first minimize it into slices horizontally, then minimize every slice into cubes. To make this step quicker, you’ll be able to stack two or three slices at a time after which minimize them into cubes collectively.
When you’ve got an excessive amount of butternut squash to make use of in your recipe, you’ll be able to freeze the remainder of the cubes for later! Merely place the cubed butternut squash in a freezer bag and retailer it within the freezer for as much as three months. The frozen cubes will be thawed within the fridge in a single day earlier than use, dropped proper into boiling water from the freezer, or popped proper right into a sizzling oven for roasting! Tremendous simple peasy!
What’s your favourite manner to make use of butternut squash? Tell us within the feedback!!
