Air Fryer Butternut Squash

Air fryer butternut squash is soft and tender on the inside, caramelized on the outside in about half the time it takes in the oven to roast. Make butternut squash in the air fryer with just 2 ingredients and about 16 minutes.

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy to make
• Cooks in under 20 minutes
• Perfect Side Dish
• Great for small batches
• Customizable
• Versatile
• Healthy side dish

Ingredients

• Butternut squash (peeled, cubed or cut into fries)
• Olive oil or avocado oil spray
• Salt (optional)

How to make butternut squash in the air fryer

Peel and cut the butternut squash into equal sized pieces

• To peel: I start by peeling the top half of the squash first, moving from the bulb part up to the stem on top. This way I am holding on to the skin on the bulb as I work around the largest part of the blub with the peeler.
• Once the top half of the squash is peeled, hold it in your hand and peel the bulb working from the top of the bulb down to the bottom of the squash.
• Next, make 3 cuts to the butternut squash. Cut off the about ½ inch at the top, ½ inch at the bottom and make a cut at where you think the bulb of the squash starts.
  • Now you will have 2 separate pieces of squash to work with, with flat tops and bottoms. Having flat surfaces makes it much easier to cut going forward.
• Cut the bulb in half, scoop out the seeds with a large spoon. Place the flesh flat side down and carefully cut into cubes or fries.
• Cut the large top in half from top to bottom creating two half moon shaped pieces. Now you have the flat side of the moon to put on the cutting board, making it easier to cut into fries or equal size cubes.

Spray the bottom of the basket of the air fryer with olive oil or avocado oil spray (do not use a non-stick spray with added propellants, it can break down the coating on the basket) and add enough butternut squash to cover the bottom of the basket (keep the squash in one single layer). This means you will likely need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

Cook at 375F for 16 minutes. After 8 minutes of cooking, pause the air fryer and shake the basket. Spray the top of the squash with more olive oil or avocado oil spray and sprinkle with salt (optional).

Continue to cook the squash, shaking the basket again with about 4 minutes left and again in the last minute or two.

Tips

• Don’t overcrowd the basket. To ensure the outside gets caramelized and cooked through, you want just one single layer of squash on the bottom of your air fryer.
• Be sure to shake the basket regularly, especially at the end. Although the air fryer is circulating air, I find that if you don’t shake the basket regularly, one side may burn and the other sides will not get that nice caramelization you are looking for.
• If you want to add spices/seasoning, do it before cooking so that you are sure that the butternut squash are fully coated. Be sure to add some olive oil or avocado oil to help coat it.
• Eat the butternut squash quickly after cooking. As it sits, it starts to steam from the inside and the crust that has formed on the fries/cubes starts to soften as well. The texture is best right out of the air fryer.
• For the quick and easy clean up (and to avoid the butternut squash from sticking to the air fryer basket), put down parchment paper or silicone liner in the basket.
• Some people get contact dermatitis where their hands get itchy, dry or have another kind of reaction to the flesh of the butternut squash. You can wear gloves when handling if you notice this.

Spices to add

It can be fun to change it up and add sweet or savory spices. To do this, you will want to add your squash to a large bowl, and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil before sprinkling on the spices. Don’t forget to add salt to the savory spice options.

Here are some great spices:

• Cinnamon (for a sweeter kick)
• Nutmeg
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Garam masala
• Curry seasoning
• Red pepper flakes
• Garlic powder
• Chinese 5 Spice Powder

How to serve

• On top of salads or make your own salad with your favorite fall vegetables and maple tahini dressing.
• As a side dish for any meal. Burgers, Chicken Nuggets, Sandwiches
• Dip in ketchup, pesto, chipotle mayo, or chimichurri sauce for a fun snack or appetizer.
• In tacos or taco bowls (with spicy tahini sauce)
• As part of grain bowls (with quinoa or yellow rice and roasted veggies).
• On rice with chickpeas and curry seasoning
• With cinnamon or nutmeg on top of yogurt bowls with granola

Common questions

Can you use frozen butternut squash?

You can use frozen butternut squash cubes. I will note that when cooked, the texture is not quite the same but this is a great recipe to use if you have them in the freezer.

Do you have to peel butternut squash before cooking it?

I suggest peeling the squash before cooking it, as the skin does not have good texture when cooked and it’s difficult to remove once cooked.

Can you make a small batch?

If you only want to cook 1 serving and save the rest of your squash for another meal (like this Butternut Squash Soup), that is fine! Simply wrap the leftover squash in plastic wrap or store leftover cubes in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Storage

• Fridge: This is best eaten immediately, but you can also store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat in the toaster oven or in the air fryer, at 350F for 4-5 minutes to warm up and crisp up the skin.
• Freezer: Cooked butternut squash can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. The texture will change after freezing. If you are going to freeze, you may want use it in soups as the texture will be watery.

If you love air fryer recipes, you should try:

• Sweet Potato Wedges
• Baby potatoes
• Delicata Squash
• Carrot Fries
• Frozen Cauliflower
• Frozen Brussels Sprouts