Butternut squash is one of the most popular winter vegetables. Learn how to cook butternut squash in the slow cooker for an easy start to your favourite butternut squash recipes, especially soups, or as a simple side dish!

I absolutely love the taste and nutrition you get from butternut squash. What I don't like is how my skin reacts to touching it raw! It quickly creates this weird film that dries and tightens before I'm done cutting it up, especially since I normally have to do 2 for most recipes in our house.

Luckily, I discovered how easy it is to cook butternut squash in the slow cooker! That and putting my husband to work chopping when I want it cubed have it back in the regular dinner rotation at our house.

Ingredients

A Medium to Large Butternut Squash

Yes, you really only need the squash to make it in the slow cooker. No oil or butter. No water in the bottom of the slow cooker. Just the butternut squash 🙂

Everything You Need to Cook Butternut Squash

Slow Cooker
Chef Knife
Spoon/scoop

How to Cook Butternut Squash in a Slow Cooker

Wash the outside of the squash and snap off the stem. (If it’s stubborn, that’s okay. You can remove it after cooking.)
Place the whole butternut squash into a slow cooker.
Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
Poke it with a fork to test for doneness. If it pierces the skin easily, you are good. If not, it needs a little longer.
Remove and let cool.
Cut in half from top to bottom.
Remove the seeds. Discard or save to roast (like pumpkin seeds).
Use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the squash.

How to Pick the Best Butternut Squash

Look for butternut squash that doesn't have any green patches or streaks still and that isn't shiny. One side will have a paler spot and that's fine – it's where it was touching the ground in the field.

If storing for a while, you want to want sure the stem is still attached and a darker brown. Also, make sure there aren't any deep cuts or bruises on the squash. Small, light scratches that don't go through the skin are fine.

Buying Pre-Cut Butternut Squash

I used to buy butternut squash precut from the store until I learned how to cook it whole. For some recipes, I still find it easier but it goes bad in the bag so fast! If buying pre-cut butternut squash, I recommend NOT using a personal shopper/pickup service but running in yourself and grabbing a bag that isn't swollen with gases and everything looks

How do I soften butternut squash for soup?

Cooking it in the slow cooker is my favourite method for softening squash for soup. I simply toss it in the crockpot and come back later.

You can also roast in the oven (with or without the skin), toss in the instant pot, or cut then cook in cubes. The Ninja Foodi is my 2nd favorite method so far.

How long does it take to soften butternut squash?

It depends on which method you use and the size of your squash. For the slow cooker, it's about 3 hours on high and up to 8 hours on low.

Does butternut squash need to be peeled before cooking?

With this recipe, no. I don't cut or peel it at all to toss in the slow cooker. When roasting in the oven, I cut in half and remove the seeds first, but don't peel then either.

How to Peel Butternut Squash

When cubing I peel first. To peel, I use a Y-peeler to remove the skin & start from the curve of the squash. Peeling one section completely around and then the other.

My friend Lauren over at MM has another method to peel butternut squash, with step-by-step pics!

How to Cut Butternut Squash

If cutting after roasting it whole, I like to cut the squash in half longways. Then I remove the seeds. If cooked until soft, I can normally just use a spoon to scoop out the meat. If I only cooked it until it is firm but softened up a bit, I used a knife to cut it into cubes after removing it from the skin.

If cutting before roasting, I cut off the stem and base first. Then slice in half longways, then remove the seeds. At this point, I can either bake it in the oven or cube it.

Does butternut squash skin taste good?

I have no clue. Although it is technically edible, it's not something everyone enjoys due to the texture. I always peel it before cooking or discard it after, before serving.

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