This Air Fryer Butternut Squash recipe is a quick and healthy side dish that you can easily customize for any meal. It only takes 20 minutes to cook and you get tender, caramelized butternut squash that’s amazing every time.
I love to serve this recipe with my garlic butter baked chicken and a shaved Brussels sprouts salad. It’s a quick and easy meal with the perfect flavors to welcome fall.
Tell Me About This Air Fryer Butternut Squash
Minimal ingredients: The butternut squash is probably the only ingredient you’ll need to run out and get. The rest are pantry staples – olive oil and whatever seasonings you like.
Flavor & texture: The air fryer turns these simple ingredients into something truly amazing. It makes the butternut squash perfectly tender with crispy caramelized edges.
Hands-off cooking: This recipe does require some chopping to start, but the rest is totally hands-off in the air fryer. You can make this recipe even easier if you buy pre-diced butternut squash.
If you don’t have an air fryer, my roasted butternut squash recipe is for you! It cooks up on a sheet pan in the oven, so it’s just as hands-off and just as good!
Is it necessary to peel butternut squash before roasting it?
It’s best to peel the squash before roasting it, as the skin isn’t very pleasant to eat. You can use a knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. But I much prefer a vegetable peeler, because it only removes a thin layer, which is all you need.
How to Cut Butternut Squash
You can always buy pre-cut butternut squash to save time, but I prefer buying a whole squash because it’s fresher, lasts longer, and usually costs less. Let me show you how to cut it!
- Place the butternut squash on a cutting board. Then, cut the whole butternut squash lengthwise from the top to the bottom.
- Now you’re ready to scoop out the seeds from the squash, using a spoon, a melon baller or a stainless steel Ice cream scoop.
- Lay the squash half flat and cut into three parts. The half rings may be uneven, but cutting at an angle helps. For the flatter top and bottom, cut in half, then cut it into 1-inch cubes using a sharp knife.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe starts with a medium-sized whole butternut squash. You want to look for one that’s nice and firm with smooth skin and no bruising.
But if you have problem to find butternut squash, you can use another winter squash like acorn and delicata squash instead.
How to Make Butternut Squash in the Air Fryer
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Toss to evenly coat the butternut squash in seasonings.
Step 3: Place the squash cubes in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Air fry for 10 mins and then shake the basket a little bit for a minute.
Step 4: Air fry butternut squash for 10 minutes more or until the cubed butternut squash is fork-tender. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Seasoning Variations
You can add flavor with dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning or oregano. If you like spicy food, try adding cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, or spicy curry powder.
This air-fried butternut squash is amazing as a savory dish. However, I also love making a sweet version with a dash of cinnamon, a bit of brown sugar, or pumpkin pie spice. Then, drizzle with maple syrup when they’re hot out of the air fryer. It’s so good and Thanksgiving side dish!
Storage and Reheating
Cooked butternut squash will last for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It makes a great veggie to prepare in bulk. You can use it in recipes, like mashed butternut squash or butternut squash soup.
The texture is best if you reheat the butternut squash in the air fryer for a couple of minutes. But, the leftovers are just as good if you need to heat them in the microwave too.
Air Fryer Butternut Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 cups peeled and diced butternut squash 1 –inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 340°F.
- Coat the diced butternut squash with olive oil in a large bowl.
- Combine onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning over the squash and toss to coat evenly.
- Air fry the squash for 20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the squash is golden and fork-tender.
- Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Cut the butternut squash into uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
- Some air fryer models require preheating while others do. Check your model for specific preheating instructions.
- You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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