Easy Air Fryer Butternut Squash Recipe
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You all know I love a good air fryer recipe. From air fryer egg rolls, air fryer sesame chicken or air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites, I’ve done it all in the air fryer. It’s convenient, quick and delicious. Which is exactly what we need when making holiday dishes.
If you’re looking for easy side dishes for fall, this is one of my favorite ways to make butternut squash. It’s quick, easy and delicious! With just 6 ingredients and an air fryer, you have a great side dish that’s not only healthy but easy and ready in no time.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 6 simple ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Low fat, low calories, gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Buy pre-cut butternut squash to save on time.
- An easy way to make use of leftover squash.
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash makes the perfect side dish for the holiday season.
What is butternut squash?
Believe it or not, this winter squash is a fruit! It’s filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low in calories with a light, nutty, sweet flavor, making it one of my favorite foods to cook with this time of year. Believe it or not, this winter squash is a fruit! It’s filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals and low in calories with a light, nutty, sweet flavor, making it one of my favorite foods to cook with this time of year. If you’re looking to make something simple and easy this squash season then you’ll love this air fryer butternut squash.
How to choose squash: look, feel, weight:
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.
How to cut squash
If the reason you’ve never cooked with butternut squash is because it looks scary, you’re not alone. The skin is tough and hard, making it a little daunting.
If the reason you’ve never cooked with butternut squash is because it looks scary, you’re not alone. The skin is tough and hard, making it a little daunting. The best way to cut the squash is to start with a vegetable peeler.
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.
​I love my air fryer!
I use my Cosori air fryer for everything! I’ve had it for years and hasn’t failed me yet. It fits one whole butternut squash cut into cubes perfectly, which is why I love using it for this recipe. Some of my favorite air fryer recipes are Air Fryer Blackened Chicken and Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos.
No air fryer, no worries
You can use a conventional oven too! Place your diced and seasoned butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray to prevent the squash from sticking. Cook at 350 degrees F for XX. The cook time varies depending on the size of your butternut squash pieces so keep an eye on it until they are slightly golden brown and fork tender.
Ingredients and substitutions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for the three pizzas pictured. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for Air Fryer Butternut Squash.
- Butternut Squash
- Spices: cinnamon, garlic powder, salt.
- Brown Sugar: or sugar substitute, such as Swerve.
How to make an air fryer butternut squash
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the squash with a potato 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 butternut squash into the basket of the air fryer in a single layer and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender, stirring halfway through.
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!
Serving and storing notes
Keep any leftover butternut squash in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the air-fryer or oven to keep it crispy.
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
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.Â
- Peel and squash with a potato peeler and cut lengthwise with a sharp knife to expose the inside. Scoop out the seeds and discard.Â
- 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 squash into the basket of the air fryer in a single layer and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender, stirring halfway through.Â
- Remove and add 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, mix to combine and return to the air fryer at 350 for 3 minutes.Â
- Once done cooking remove from the air fryer and enjoy.Â
Notes
- Serving size is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.
- Serving size is for 3/4 cup which is about 114 grams.Â
Nutrition
Photographs by: Marie-Catherine Dube
