Name: Air Fryer Butternut Squash
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 cups butternut squash (one medium, cubed); 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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Air Fryer Butternut Squash is a quick and easy method to cook this delicious winter squash to crispy, caramelized perfection. This delicious side dish is an easy air fryer recipe that's especially good during squash season when we are loving all the fall flavors.

An overhead view of air fried butternut squash cubes in a black bowl. — Crisp, caramelized butternut squash cubes.

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Butternut squash is not only delicious, but it's also a versatile winter squash. You can roast the squash in the oven and mash it like I did here: Mashed Roasted Butternut Squash, or you can put it in a salad like this Butternut Buckwheat Salad. And this squash is always a welcome holiday side dish like Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash. But one of my favourite ways is cooking butternut squash in the air fryer.

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Why You'll Love Roasting Squash in the Air Fryer
How To Choose Your Squash
How To Cut and Peel Butternut Squash
Here's What You Need
How to Make It
Variations and Substitutions
Tips For Success
Serving Suggestions
Equipment I Used For This Recipe
Recipe
Comments

Why You'll Love Roasting Squash in the Air Fryer

There are so many reasons to love cooking squash in the air fryer!

The butternut squash cubes come out of the air fryer tender, but caramelized and crisp.
It's a very simple recipe, with just a handful of ingredients
You can free up your oven by using the air fryer, especially if butternut squash will be a Thanksgiving side dish or holiday season side dish.
You can use many different seasoning combinations, (see suggestions below) according to your personal preference.
In the air fryer, you can roast squash with less oil, making it a healthy cooking method.
It's quick! Less than half the time as oven roasted butternut.
And, of course, this healthy side dish is gluten free, dairy free and vegan
Butternut squash is not only delicious, it's also highly nutritious. Check out Butternut Squash Health Benefits.

A close up of air fryer butternut squash.

How To Choose Your Squash

When you're shopping for butternut squash, look for an all beige skin, with no green.

Butternut squash skin should be hard and have a matte finish, not soft or glossy.

The squash should be heavy for it's size.

Try tapping with your knuckles. It should sound hollow, which means the squash is ripe.

If possible, look for a squash with the stem intact, which means it will keep longer.

How To Cut and Peel Butternut Squash

If you're new to butternut squash, it can seem intimidating to peel and cut it. However, once you get the hang of it, it's easy.

First, using a sharp knife, and a sturdy cutting board, cut off the top and bottom from the squash.
Peel the squash, using a sharp vegetable peeler.
Cut the squash in half where the neck meets the bulb, and with a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy parts from the bulb section.
Standing the halves upright on the cutting board, cut each one in half.
Lay the halves cut side down and slice them into half circles. Cut each half circle into sticks.
Finally, cut the sticks into one inch cubes.

How to peel and cut a butternut squash, step by step. — Peeling and cutting a butternut squash.

Here's What You Need

Just a few simple ingredients!

Butternut Squash Butternut is probably the most popular of the winter squash, but you can also make this recipe for acorn, delicata, kabocha, or buttercup squashes.
Maple syrup Just a little maple syrup goes along way to enhance the natural sweetness of this air fried butternut squash, and it also helps to caramelize it.
Olive Oil Just 2 teaspoons of oil is all that's needed for air fried squash. Don't use extra virgin olive oil, though. Extra virgin olive oil isn't suitable for the high heat of the air fryer due to its low smoke point.
Seasonings Cinnamon adds warmth and paprika lends a hint of smokiness.

The ingredients to make the recipe on a wooden cutting board. — Ingredients

How to Make It

It couldn't get any easier to make these air fried squash cubes.

Toss butternut squash cubes, maple syrup, olive oil and seasoning in a large bowl until combined.

Butternut squash cubes being tossed in a bowl with seasonings and oil. — Tossing all ingredients together

Place the butternut squash cubes in a single layer layer in the air fryer basket, and cook 15 minutes.

Squash in the air fryer basket ready to be cooked. — Ready to be cooked

After 15 minutes, you'll have crisp and caramelized cubes of butternut ready to serve.

Cooked squash cubes in the air fryer basket. — Crisp and caramelized in just 15 minutes

Variations and Substitutions

Butternut squash is a delicious backdrop to many seasoning combinations. Here are a few great options for seasoning your roasted butternut squash.

Rosemary & Sage
Sesame & Ginger
Italian Seasoning
Cajun Seasoning
Lemon & Garlic
Garam Masala
Cayenne pepper

Tips For Success

You can save some time if you buy pre-cut squash cubes. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time if the cubes are larger or smaller than one inch.
To avoid injury, use a very sharp chef's knife to cut the squash.
Use a sturdy, stable cutting board. If your cutting board has any wobble, or slides around, set it atop a damp kitchen towel.
Try to cut your squash into fairly uniform sized cubes, so they will cook evenly.
You can also make butternut squash fries instead of cubes. Just don't cut the strips into cubes. Serve the squash fries with your favourite dipping sauce.
Prep this dish ahead. Just peel and cut your squash cubes, toss all the ingredients together and store covered, in the fridge until you're ready to cook.
The total cook time can vary depending on your air fryer model, so its a good idea to check for doneness after 10 minutes.
Don't have an air fryer? Cook the fries in the oven at 400° for 25-30 minutes.
Leftover squash will keep in the fridge 3-5 days, stored in an airtight container.
To reheat leftovers, air fry at 400° for 5 minutes.

A black bowl filled with roasted squash cubes.

Serving Suggestions

Air fried butternut squash is a great side dish for almost everything. Serve it with any of these air fryer mains:

Want more squash in the air fryer? Try Air Fryer Acorn Squash (Stuffed, Air Fryer Zucchini, or Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash.

Equipment I Used For This Recipe

Air Fryer This one is perfect if you are new to air frying. It's relatively inexpensive and does a great job: Gourmia AF698
Chef's Knife A good quality, well sharpened chef's knife like this Classic Professional 8" Chef's Knife is essential for every kitchen.
Cutting Board Large winter squash, like butternut, need to be prepped on a sturdy cutting board. I prefer a wood board like this Teakwood Cutting Board.

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