The TikTok Hack That Makes Peeling Butternut Squash So Much Easier

Butternut squash is as delicious and nutritious as it is notoriously difficult to peel. Even though most squash skin is edible — including all winter squash such as butternut — there is still a degree of toughness on the teeth and the digestive system to take into consideration. As such, and particularly with butternut squash, you'll likely want to peel yours for ease of use in cooking. Although this large and shapely squash may seem like a bit of a mystery initially, there's a super simple hack thanks to @brunchwithbabs on TikTok to get your squash peeled in a snap. Skeptical? Don't knock the 'Tok until you've tried it. This trick uses the microwave to soften the skin on even the toughest of squashes.

The most important first step to this hack is washing and then piercing the flesh of your whole butternut squash with a fork in multiple places to allow for ventilation of the steam and liquid produced in the process of microwaving. This will avoid any messy microwaving mishaps and ensure thorough tenderization of your troublesome squash peel. Next, pop your squash into the microwave for three minutes and then carefully remove it once the time is up. This will leave the squash skin supple and simple to peel, while the "meat" of your squash should be much easier to cut through and chop up for soups, bakes, and any other selection of a wide variety of dishes.

Typically, when preparing a butternut squash for cooking, it's ideal to have the squash peeled and cut into chunks, cubes, or slices depending on the dish. For example, in this butternut squash and bacon quiche, the recipe calls for the squash to be diced and peeled. Similarly, as part of a roasted butternut squash salad, the squash needs to be peeled and chopped into ¾ inch chunks. A squash is already hard enough to cut, much less to peel, which is what makes this TikTok hack so useful. This will not only save you time in the kitchen, but likely also save your digits against the risks posed by a sharp knife or peeler.

@brunchwithbabs

You'll never buy prepared butternut squash again #hellofall #learnontiktok #tiktokpartner #cookinghack #butternutsquash

♬ original sound – Babs

With properly peeled and prepared squash, you're free to explore a wide variety of different butternut squash recipes, ranging from that of a simple butternut squash puree to a more labor-intensive butternut squash Sichuan stir-fry. Including butternut squash in macaroni and cheese also adds rich flavor and much-needed nutrients with a nice combination of sweetness and savory. You can also make a healthy snack of butternut squash fries with creamy chipotle sauce with your newly polished peeling skills.