Cinnamon Sugar Air Fryer Butternut Squash (low calorie)
This air fryer butternut squash recipe makes the perfect side dish to any dish during the holiday season. It’s slightly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with a flavorful balance of sweet and salty.
This healthy side dish requires minimal effort to cook and is ready in a fraction of the time using the air fryer. Simply toss your diced butternut squash with olive oil and a few spices and it’s ready to fry.
While it doesn’t take much effort to taste delicious, butternut squash does require some prep work to peel and cut. If you’re the person that avoids winter squash the grocery store, buying pre-cut butternut squash is an option to make life easier.
Pair this easy side dish with some of our favorites like Cajun Steak Bites and Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs or serve alongside turkey dinner on your holiday table with Corn Casserole with Green Chiles.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A low-fat and low calorie side dish for any meal.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Delicious paired with so many different spice blends.
Ingredients and substitutions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for air-fried butternut squash. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions.
- Butternut Squash: squash is actually a fruit (wild, right) with a slightly nutty and sweet flavor. Choose a hard and firm squash that’s a matte beige color with no cuts or bruises. The squash should feel heavier than it looks.
- Spices: cinnamon, garlic powder, salt. You can add your favorite seasoning blend instead but I love this sweet and salty flavor combo.
- Brown Sugar: or sugar substitute, such as Swerve.
Variations
- Make these into butternut squash French fries by cutting them into fry shape rather than cubes. Cooking time may be different so keep an eye on them.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, as written.
How to make air-fried butternut squash (a step-by-step visual guide):
Step 1: prep
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees f. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler and cut lengthwise with a sharp knife to expose the inside. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
Step 2: chop and season
Chop the squash into bite size chunks (about 1-inch cubes) and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, cinnamon, garlic and salt and mix to combine.
Step 3: air fry
Pour the diced and seasoned butternut squash into the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender, stirring halfway through. Total cook time will depend on the size of your air fryer and size of your squash pieces.
Step 4: remove and add sugar
Remove and add 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, mix to combine, and return to the air fryer at 350 for 3 minutes. Remove and enjoy!
Expert Tip!
Buy pre-cut squash to save on time. Cut each squash piece the same size to ensure an even cook.
Recipe FAQs
Look: you want a matte beige color. Nothing shiny, discolored, green or cuts in the skin.
Feel: squash should be hard and firm, anything soft is a sad squash, past it’s prime and not for you.
Weight: looks can be deceiving and squash should feel heavier than it looks. Too light or too heavy means underripe or overripe. Pass.
Start by cutting the top and bottom of the squash off with a sharp knife. Then, remove the skin using a sharp vegetable peeler, as though peeling a carrot. Start from the top and peel all the way down to the bottom. Once skin is removed, cut your squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. From there, cut the squash into strips, lengthwise. Once into strips, cut into squash cubes, about 1 inch thick.
Store leftover squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer.
Check out some of our other easy air fryer recipes!
- Air Fryer Pizza Bagels
- Air Fryer Southwest Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Tortilla Pizza (3 ways!)
- Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Butternut Squash
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Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash chopped and cubed, 2 lbs.
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar or sugar replacement
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheight.
- Peel the squash with a potato peeler and cut lengthwise with a sharp knife to expose the inside. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
- Chop the squash into bite size chunks and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, cinnamon, garlic and salt and mix to combine.
- Pour the seasoned butternut squash into the basket of the air fryer in a single layer and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender and slightly golden brown, stirring halfway through.
- Remove and add 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, mix to combine and return to the air fryer at 350 for 3 minutes.
- Once done cooking, remove from the air fryer and enjoy.
Notes
- Serving size is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.
- Serving size is for 3/4 cup which is about 114 grams.
- Squash can be difficult to peel. Use a potato peeler to peel of the tough skin to make it easier to cut into.
- Turn squash halfway through to ensure an even cook. If you have a larger squash, you may need to cook in two batches.
Nutrition
Photographs by: Marie-Catherine Dube
