Air Fryer Butternut Squash

Air Fryer Butternut Squash uses just a few simple ingredients and is one of my FAVORITE ways to cook squash. Cooking butternut squash in the air fryer results in pieces that are tender, slightly caramelized with brown edges, and are super flavorful. Serve as a side on their own or add to a leafy green or grain salad.

Jump to:

• Why I Love It:
• Ingredients
• Step by Step Instructions
• Substitutions and Variations
• Equipment
• Leftovers and Reheating
• Recipe Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Serving Ideas
• Other Butternut Squash Recipes
• Related Recipes
• Recipe

Why I Love It:

• Slightly Sweet - Adding a little brown sugar helps bring out the squash's sweetness.
• Cooks Fast - Cooking butternut squash in the air fryer cuts the cook time in half vs if you made it in the oven.
• Versatile - Serve them as a side, on a salad, or in a grain bowl.

Ingredients

• Butternut Squash - You can buy a whole squash and peel/dice it or you can buy pre-diced squash cubes
• Spices - Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Kosher Salt and Pepper
• Brown Sugar - This is optional but the slight added sweetness is so good with the squash!
• Olive Oil

Step by Step Instructions

Air fried butternut squash takes only minutes to prep and cooks in. under 20 minutes!

1. Dice Squash - Peel your squash and dice into 1-inch cubes. Try to make them all the same size so they cook evenly.
2. Toss Squash - In a large bowl, toss the squash in the olive oil to coat then in the brown sugar and spices until evenly coated.
3. Air Fry - Add to your air fryer basket. They should be in an even layer, but a little overlapping is okay. Air fry until they are tender and have a few brown edges. I like to give it a shake halfway through to avoid any sticking.

Substitutions and Variations

• Sweet Potatoes - You can swap in diced sweet potatoes for the butternut squash. The cook time will change slightly, so air fry until they are also tender and have lightly browned edges.
• Brown Sugar - Instead of brown sugar, try swapping in pure maple syrup or honey.
• Oven Roasted - Instead of air frying butternut squash, you can spread out the coated diced squash on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees F 400 for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender.

Equipment

Air Fryer - You can use a basket-style air fryer, like pictured, or one that has pull out racks.

Large Bowl - You'll want a bowl to toss the squash with the oil and spices.

Sharp Knife and Peeler - Unless you buy pre-diced, you'll want a large sharp knife to cut up the squash as well as a peeler to remove the skin (or you can carefully use your knife to do this.

Leftovers and Reheating

Leftovers - Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheating - I reheat leftovers at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes. They aren't as crispy as when they are first made, but they are still good. 

Recipe Tips

• Shake Halfway - I like to give the air fryer basket a shake about halfway through to help keep the squash from sticking and to help ensure even cooking. This is especially important if you had to overlap your diced squash slightly.
• Cut into Even Cubes - This helps make sure that it all cooks evenly. If you have some pieces that are much larger then they will need longer to cook and the smaller pieces may become too soft in that time.
• Preheating Air Fryer - Preheating your air fryer (or letting it run empty for a few minutes to warm the basket) is optional in air fryer recipes, but it does result in slightly better browning on the bottom of the food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Ideas

• Grain Salad - Pair with cooked quinoa or farro, diced apples, and shredded chicken or sliced chicken apple sausage.
• Serve as a Side - It's a great side alongside pork or chicken. Like this grilled pork tenderloin.
• Leafy Green Salad - Add to a leafy green salad (such as made with kale or spring mix). Other great mix-ins are diced apples, dried cranberries, nuts like pecans, and this maple balsamic dressing.

Other Butternut Squash Recipes

• Butternut Squash Pasta - Just roast the butternut squash with onions and garlic then blend up with the remaining ingredients. The sauce even freezes well to enjoy later.
• Harvest Pasta Salad - Butternut Squash, apples, cranberries, and pecans! It’s all tossed in an easy homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette that will become your new favorite dressing! You can even swap in this air fried butternut squash for the roasted squash that the recipe calls for.

Related Recipes

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