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    Watch What U Eat > Air Fryer

    Air Fryer Butternut Squash

    Published: Oct 18, 2022 by Watch What U Eat · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    Roasted air fryer butternut squash long pin with text overlay.
    Roasted air fryer butternut squash long pin with text overlay.
    Roasted air fryer butternut squash long pin with text overlay.

    Air Fryer butternut squash is one of the easiest ways to prepare a healthy side dish using this seasonal winter squash variety. You can get a crispy crust and delicious flavors without using a lot of oil. Serve it as a healthy Thanksgiving side dish (or a side to any regular meal), or use it in salads, bowls, or for preparing soups.

    Cubed butternut squash roasted in the Air Fryer.

    The fall season is a great time to get freshly harvested seasonal butternut squash. Just looking at them in the grocery stores gives me the vibes of the holiday season.

    How do you cook them at home?

    I cut it into small pieces and roast them in the oven to prepare this delicious butternut squash quinoa risotto or creamy golden butternut squash soup to enjoy on cold nights.

    And my recent favorite way is making this Air Fryer butternut squash fries.

    Jump to:
    • What is special about This Dish
    • Ingredients
    • How to Cut Butternut Squash?
    • How to Make Air Fryer Butternut Squash
    • Serving suggestions
    • Helpful Tips
    • Recipe variations
    • FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe

    What is special about This Dish

    • easy to prepare using simple seasonings.
    • get fried texture without using lots of oil.
    • perfect for snacking or serving as a side to any meal.
    • and with some extra garnishing, you can turn it into a healthy Thanksgiving side dish.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make butternut squash in the air fryer.
    • Butternut squash - buy firm, spotless, and uniform-colored butternut squash. I always prefer to buy the smallest squash to prepare in one single batch of my Philips XL Air Fryer.
    • Cooking oil - I mostly use olive oil suited for sauteing and grilling.
    • Seasonings - I only use salt and pepper to season the butternut squash pieces before frying. You can also add a little bit of paprika and/or Italian seasoning blend or sage to flavor the dish.

    See the recipe card below for a detailed list and quantities.

    How to Cut Butternut Squash?

    Cutting butternut squash is sometimes tricky because of its hard skin and tough texture. It is a three-step process.

    1. Peel - Hold the butternut squash on the cutting board firmly and vertically, and peel from top to bottom. Cover as much area as possible in every stroke.

    2. Remove seeds - Once you've peeled, clean the squash thoroughly to remove dirt from the surface. Trim both ends of the squash and then cut it in half vertically. Remove the seeds using a spoon. You may also need to scrape slightly to remove all the threads and make it nice and smooth.

    Peeling butternut squash, laid on the cutting board with peeler.
    Peeled butternut squash cut into half and placed on a wooden cutting board.

    3. Cut - Now cut each half at the neck where the round and straight parts of the squash meet. Dice it into 1-2" even pieces.

    Butternut squash after peeling and removing seeds placed on the cutting board with a metal spoon and knife.
    Image shows process of cutting butternut squash into cubes on the wooden cutting board.

    How to Make Air Fryer Butternut Squash

    Step 1 - Cutting butternut squash

    Peel and dice butternut squash into bite-size pieces. See details above. In a mixing bowl, combine diced squash with oil, salt, and pepper; mix well.

    Diced butternut squash in a large mixing bowl after mixing with salt, pepper and oil.

    Step 2 - Cooking in Air Fryer

    Preheat the Air Fryer to 390F. Add seasoned butternut squash pieces and spread them evenly in the basket. Cook them for about 15-20 min or until you get the desired texture and color. After every 5 mins., stir the basket to help in cooking the squash pieces evenly. See the images and their captions below for more details.

    Diced butternut squash in Air Fryer basket at the beginning of cooking.
    Diced butternut squash in Air Fryer basket at the beginning of cooking.
    Diced butternut squash in Air Fryer basket during cooking.
    Diced butternut squash in Air Fryer basket at the end of cooking.

    Step 3 - Giving the finishing touch

    Remove air-fried butternut squash from the serving dish or bowl. Serve while it is warm and fresh.

    Serving suggestions

    You can pair these salted butternut squash fries as a side with dishes, viz., whole wheat zucchini flatbread, Air Fryer chicken parmesan, and garlic shrimp and zucchini noodles.

    Thanksgiving butternut squash side dish - Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil or brown butter and garnish with herbs like fresh sage leaves or parsley. Serve this pretty dish along with skillet-roasted green beans and potatoes, easy roasted sweet potato wild rice salad, Instant Pot whole chicken with gravy, homemade whole wheat dinner rolls, etc.

    Air fryer roasted butternut squash garnished with sage leaves, parmesan leaves in a serving dish with a napkin on the side.

    Helpful Tips

    • Buy a small-sized squash for making these roasted butternut squash in Air Fryer in a single batch. For large butternut squash, you may need to cook it in two batches.
    • Use a good quality peeler and a sharp knife to make peeling and cutting the squash a bit easier.
    • You can dice the squash in advance and store it in a refrigerator in an air-tight container. Then Air-fry it just before serving to enjoy these freshly roasted butternut squash bites.
    side view of roasted air fryer butternut squash.

    Recipe variations

    • Use leftovers to prepare soup or add in salads or mash roasted butternut squash and then add them to prepare quinoa risotto.
    • You can also use an Italian seasoning blend (or just oregano or thyme) and/or paprika to flavor the dish. Mix it before air frying.

    FAQs

    How to store and reheat leftover air-fried butternut squash?

    Store leftover butternut squash bites in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Before serving next time, put them in a preheated Air Fryer basket and cook for 1-2 min at 390F. This will make them look and taste fresh.

    Can I use frozen butternut squash in this air fryer recipe?

    NO. Frozen butternut squash will not work in making these Air fryer butternut squash. Freezing and thawing change the cellular structure of fruits and vegetables and will not result in the crispy texture of butternut squash after air frying.

    More Air Fryer Recipes

    • Air fryer cauliflower wings with bbq sauce just after cooking is over
      Air Fryer Cauliflower BBQ Wings
    • Under 15 mins. make this quick and easy Air fryer corn whenever you need roasted corn.
      Air Fryer Corn On The Cob
    • Air Fryer Crispy Onions
    • Make these healthy Zucchini Corn Fritters from fresh zucchini and corn with this simple recipe. Fry them in an Air Fryer with very little oil for healthy snacks or appetizers. #zuchhini #fritters #vegan #glutenfree #airfryer
      Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments if you REALLY like this recipe. Thank You!

    📖 Recipe

    Air Fryer roasted butternut squash bites
    Print Pin
    5 from 2 votes

    Air Fryer Butternut Squash

    Prepare Air Fryer butternut squash in less than 30 min for a perfect and healthy side dish. Get a delicious roasted crust and color without using lots of oil. Also learn more tips to garnish the dish and serve it as a healthy Thanksgiving side.
    Course: Appetizer,Side Dish
    Cuisine: International
    Diet Gluten Free,Low Fat,Vegetarian
    Prep Time 7 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 18 minutes minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes minutes
    Servings :4
    Calories :73kcal
    Author:Swati Kadam Gulati

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    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 1 butternut squash peeled and diced
    • 2 teaspoon cooking oil
    • salt and pepper

    Optional

    • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or brown butter
    • 8-10 fresh sage leaves or parsley
    • 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

    Instructions

    • In a large mixing bowl toss diced butternut squash with cooking oil, salt and pepper.
    • Preheat the Air Fryer to 390F.
    • Then spread butternut squash pieces evenly in the Air Fryer basket and cook them for 15-18 min. Stir every 5 min for even cooking.
    • Once frying is done, take the fries out in a serving dish and serve warm. Optionally, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and parmesan cheese.

    Notes

    1. Make sure to spread the butternut squash pieces evenly in the Air Fryer basket the first time and whenever you stir them. This will help in even cooking and getting a roasted color.
    2. After adding optional ingredients, this dish will be perfect for serving on a Thanksgiving table or festive gatherings as a healthy side.
    3. Air-fried butternut squash bites taste amazing when they are fresh and warm (just like potato fries). For this, you can dice the squash in advance and cook just before serving.
    4. You can also cut the squash into long strips, like potato fries, to make butternut squash fries.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.4g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 1.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Potassium: 493mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 3.1g | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag us on Instagram @watchwhatueat or tag #watchwhatueat! OR leave us a comment & rating below. Your feedback is very important to us.

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    About Watch What U Eat

    We are Swati and Tushar, our passion for food and cooking has now led us to share some healthy, tasty recipes and the benefits of eating certain ingredients with the goal of inspiring you to eat well and live well.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lucy says

      November 21, 2022 at 1:05 am

      Do the air fryers cost a lot to run?

      Reply
      • Watch What U Eat says

        November 21, 2022 at 7:49 am

        No. I don't think so.

        Reply
    2. Ann says

      October 30, 2022 at 10:03 am

      5 stars
      This squash turned out delicious! I am a huge fan of squash, especially if I can make it quickly in my air fryer! Thanks for the share!

      Reply
    3. Jamie says

      October 28, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great dish for our very reliable "Air Fryer". This looks absolutely delicious. The finished product looks so satisfying! Loved it!

      Reply

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    Hi, we are Swati and Tushar! Our passion for food and cooking has led us to write this blog focusing on healthy recipes to eat well and live well!

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