The Easiest Way To Cut Butternut Squash For Your Fall Soups

Cutting butternut squash can often feel like a marathon. Sure, we all say it's worth it by the time we're slurping up delicious spoonfuls of roasted butternut squash soup, but when we're anticipating chopping into our gourd, the task ahead can feel super daunting. Plus, if it's your first time or you're just not slicing your squash properly, you risk cutting your fingers. Luckily, if you have your heart set on tasty seasonal soups this fall, there's a (relatively) risk-free way to tackle your butternut gourd.

Instead of attempting the tricky task that is slicing your squash lengthwise, take your knife and begin with a smaller horizontal cut down the middle, which will create two halves. Then, scoop out the seeds and strings in each half. After this, it should be fairly easy to peel your gourd and cut it from there. You can start slicing it and breaking it down into cubes — or, chop your halves in half again, and then go a step further and make them into chunks. In general, the biggest hurdle when dealing with butternut squash is that initial cut into the massive fruit, but with this method, you can make it as simple as possible. 

There are a few slight variations to this method that you can follow. Feel free to peel your gourd a little later on, like after you've chopped your halves in half — or even earlier, like before you slice it at all. If you need a little help with this step, follow what we think is the best way to peel and cut butternut squash or use this TikTok hack that makes the squash-peeling process so much easier. And while you may see some butternut squash recipes that call for leaving the skin on (like if you're roasting chunks to eat as a side), you'll always want to take it off when making soup, since you'll typically need to purée your fruit later on. 

But even though this method is a much simpler way to chop up your gourd than others, you'll still want to use a super sharp knife for best results. Then, when everything is cut up, what should you do with it? A basic soup is still tasty, but we love to make our butternut squash soup Thai-style with additions like ginger, lemongrass paste, and coconut milk. You can also roast your butternut squash cubes with tomatoes before blending everything to add some acidity, or bring in potatoes, a leek, carrots, and an onion for a well-rounded fall vegetable soup.