How To Cut Strawberries

Strawberries taste amazing, thanks to their sweet, juicy nature and light, underlying tang.

Strawberries are versatile and can dress up many different dishes, like yogurt at breakfast, fruit salad at lunch, and baked desserts at the end of dinner.

No matter when or how you enjoy strawberries, there are many ways to cut them! These all have advantages, based on what recipe you want to use them in. 

You’ll find three of the best ways to cut strawberries below. These range from simple to fancier, depending on your needs at the time.

Keep reading to discover how to cut strawberries!

Method One: Hulling Strawberries

This method covers hulling strawberries. You’ll remove the green stems and cut out the unripe white parts. This leaves you with the berries’ ripe, tasty flesh.

Hulling is preferable to cutting the tops off the strawberries, as it doesn’t waste any ripe, tasty fruit. 

Step One: Wash The Berries With Cool, Clean Water

• Place your strawberries in a strainer, then hold them under a running faucet. Rinse the berries with cool water to eliminate grime, dirt, or pesticides.
• If your sink has a spray attachment, use the tool to clean the fruit well. The spray will cover more of the fruit’s surface area, allowing you to clean more areas.

Tip: Don’t soak strawberries in water to clean them. They have a sponge-like quality that soaks up water easily. This can make them lose their taste and firm consistency.

Step Two: Pick The Green Stems Off Of Each Berry

• Hold one berry in one hand, then pinch the green leaves with the two fingers on your opposite hand. 
• Carefully twist and tug to take the stem off. The stems aren’t dangerous, but they don’t have a nice consistency or flavor. Removing the stems and leaves ensures you end up with tasty fruit.

Step Three: Press A Paring Knife’s Tip Into The Top Of The Fruit

• Insert the knife’s tip at a rough 45° angle on the edge of the white middle component. 
• The white portion is the hull, the unripe, bitter part of the berry. Hulling it will ensure you only eat the berry’s tasty red flesh. 

Step Four: Move The Knife Around The White Component To Remove The Hull

• With care, slide the knife’s tip around the edge of the white middle portion. Aim to keep the blade at a rough 45° angle. 
• After you cut around the white middle, use the knife’s tip to slide the hull out of the fruit.
• If you notice more white areas after you remove the middle, you may need to cut slightly deeper. 

Method Two: Slicing Different Sizes

Here are some different ways of slicing strawberries. 

Remember to wait until you plan on eating the berries before you cut them. This will ensure they are as tasty, firm, and succulent as possible. 

Step One: Cut The Berries In Half For A Fast, Easy Snack

• To cut the berries in half, place one berry, top-down, on a chopping board. 
• Use your paring knife to cut straight down the center, from the top through the center. 

Step Two: Cut The Berries Into Quarters For Smaller Pieces

This method is ideal for anyone preparing a fruit salad.

• Place a berry top-down on a chopping board. Use your knife’s blade to cut directly down the center. 
• Swivel the berry 90°, then cut down the center again. This will divide the berry into four quarters. 

Step Three: Slice The Berries Into Vertical Slices For Thinner Pieces

This method is best when you need strawberry slices for toppings, like for pies, cakes, or breakfast dishes. 

• Place a berry on a chopping board with the tip side up. 
• Begin at one side of the berry, using the knife to create slices as you go. The slices can be however thick or thin you want. 

Method Three: Creating Fun Designs

Step One: For Heart Shapes, Create A V At The Top Of The Berry Before Slicing

• Cut from the top down, beginning at one side. At the top, slice at a 45° angle toward the middle of the fruit. 
• Cut until the knife’s blade reaches the middle, then do the same on the other side until the cuts meet. 
• Remove the V-shaped portion from the fruit, then vertically slice the strawberry to create heart-shaped pieces. 

The two exterior slices will have rounded edges, which makes them appear more like hearts. These are ideal for topping off desserts like pies or cupcakes. 

Step Two: For A Fan-Like Pattern, Leave The Stems On 

• Don’t remove the hulls or stems from the berries. Position a strawberry tip side up on a slicing board, then use a paring knife to make slices. 
• Instead of slicing all the way, slice down to just beneath the stem. Once you’ve made all the cuts, use your fingers to carefully spread out the slices. 
• The berries will look like small fans held by the stem. This is a simple method of making the berries look fancy without too much effort. 

Step Three: Make A Rose By Slicing Petal-Like Pieces Into The Berry

Leave the stem on your berry, then poke a skewer into the center from the stem side.

• Grip the skewer, then use your knife’s blade to make slender, partial slits around the berry’s center. This will form the first line of petals.
• Slice another line of petals between the tip and the first line. Cut another slice into the tip of the fruit and carefully spread the ‘petals’ out. 
• If your berry is quite big, you may be able to cut another line of petals. 

Final Thoughts

Now you know some different methods of cutting strawberries! 

There are many ways to enjoy these tasty berries, like leaving them whole, chopping them into pieces, or making fun designs. 

Just remember to wash them thoroughly with cool, clean water before slicing them. They won’t be as delicious if they still have dirt on them.  

No matter how you cut your strawberries, they are bound to be tasty! 

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• Can Dogs Eat Kiwi Fruit?

Video: How to Cut Strawberries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3XmU3hP6Z0&ab_channel=MonkeySee