Nothing beats the ease of butternut squash caramelized in the air fryer! It's ready in 25 minutes or less, and saves on stove and oven space. Perfect for a cozy fall side dish or addition to salads or bowls. You'll love this easy air fryer butternut squash recipe for any day of the week!
Making butternut squash in your air fryer is one of the simplest (and fastest!) ways to transform basic winter squash into a sweet, roasty, caramelized veggie side dish that everyone will love. Roasting a butternut squash only takes 20-25 minutes in the air fryer, so it's perfect for a healthy side dish that's almost completely hands-off while cooking.
Whether it's a simple side dish for a elegant fall meal like roasted chicken, being blended into Thai butternut squash soup, or used in grain bowls with no-breadcrumb baked turkey meatballs, these roasty toasty air fried butternut squash pieces are completely versatile.
And if you don't have an air fryer, don't worry! I've got an oven-roasted butternut squash recipe for you that's just as good. Now, let's make some air fryer butternut squash!
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How to Pick a Ripe Butternut Squash & Store it
Our star ingredient for this recipe is butternut squash, so we want to pick a good one! Here's how:
- Selecting butternut squash: Look for a squash with beige or tan skin without green spots. It should be feel heavy when you pick it up, and the skin should feel hard.
- Storing butternut squash: Winter squash varieties (like butternut) last for 2-3 months stored in a cool, dry place (such as a pantry). Once cut, the pieces will last for 3-5 days stored in the fridge.
Seasoning Ideas
- Classic - Olive oil, salt, and pepper are a tried-and-true combo that can lean savory or sweet when added to dishes! This is my go-to and how I'll be seasoning it in this recipe post.
- Maple cinnamon - Olive or avocado oil (or butter), maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. This version is such a treat! Brush with more maple syrup and melted butter at the end if you're feeling indulgent.
- Moroccan - Olive oil, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper (the seasoning blend I use for my Moroccan roasted carrots) is so warming and cozy on butternut squash! We never have leftovers.
- Garlic + oregano - For a savory, Mediterranean spin.
- Curry powder - Cozy and Indian-inspired... so good.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Peel your butternut squash (using a vegetable peeler is easiest!). Slice off each end of the squash and discard. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out any seeds.
Step 2: Cut the butternut squash into cubes about 1 inch in size. Transfer squash pieces to a bowl and toss well with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Transfer the seasoned butternut squash cubes to your air fryer in an even layer (slight overlap is okay). Air fry the squash at 390 degrees for about 20 minutes, stirring the squash or giving the basket a shake about halfway through to help with even cooking.
Step 4: The air fried butternut squash is done when cubes are golden brown on the edges and forker tender in the centers. YUM! Serve as a simple side dish, or add to salads, bowls, or breakfast burritos throughout the week.
Can I Cook Butternut Squash Halves in the Air Fryer?
Yes! As long as there is enough room in your air fryer to lay a couple halves facedown, you can totally air fry butternut squash halves.
You can skip peeling for this method, so it saves a bit of time too. Cut off the ends of the squash, cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Brush the flesh of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place squash facedown in the air fry and cook at 390 degrees for 24-25 minutes (until golden brown and fork tender all the way through).
Air Fryer Size & Tips
I used a 5-quart Ninja Foodi air fryer for this butternut squash recipe, using about 4 cups of cubed squash that covered the bottom with a slight overlap (see photos above).
- If you have a smaller air fryer: The squash might be piled too high to get exposure to the convection air flow, so you may need to cook in a couple smaller batches.
- If you have a larger air fryer: Keep an eye on the butternut squash, which may need less time to cook. You could also add more in and cook more at one time (yay!).
- Check & stir halfway through: Giving the butternut squash a stir/shake halfway through helps all pieces of squash even heat exposure, plus it allows you to check how things are cooking.
Sustainability Tips
- Save & roast squash seeds! Rinse the squash seeds as best as you can to remove any squash. With butternut, you kind of need to squeeze the seeds out of that inner pulp (they pop right out!). Let them dry on a towel, then roast with olive oil, salt, and pepper at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes (unless browned and crisped).
- Save squash seeds for planting: You can also wash and dry the squash seeds, and allow them to sit out and dry on a clean towel for a week. Store them in a labeled envelope to plant in your garden next year!
- Compost butternut skin: After peeling your butternut squash, you can compost the skin. We love using our Lomi for this.
Air Fryer Butternut Squash FAQs
You sure can! Oven instructions are included in the recipe card below, or check out my oven-roasted butternut squash (cubes & halves) recipe!
Store leftover squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. You can serve leftovers cold in salads, or reheat in your air fryer if you prefer the leftovers to be warm and slightly re-crisped.
Yep! Place completely cooled air fried butternut squash in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months, and thaw in the fridge when you're ready to eat. You can reheat it in the air fryer, oven, or even blend it up into soups (like my favorite ever Thai-spiced butternut squash soup!).
📖 Recipe
Quick & Roasty Air Fryer Butternut Squash (Easy Side Dish!)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: ~3-4 cups
Description
This air fryer butternut squash recipe makes tender, caramelized cubes in 20 minutes. Perfect for healthy sides, bowls, salads, or meal prep!
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash (from ~2 pound squash)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prep squash. Place the butternut squash cubes in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Air fry butternut squash. Place the squash in your air fryer in an even layer. Some may be overlapping slightly and that's okay, as long as it's not in a tall pile. Air fry the squash for 20-22 minutes at 390 degrees, stirring or flipping halfway through to evenly cook all the pieces. The number of batches you need to do will depend on your air fryer (see notes). The squash is done when the edges are golden brown, and the thickest pieces can be easily pierced by a fork. Once done, remove from the air fryer and serve!
Notes
- Air fryer size. I use a 5-quart Ninja Foodi, which is perfect for air frying up to 4 cups of cubed squash at one time. For less squash (such as 2 cups of cubes), reduce the cook time to 15-18 minutes, depending on how much squash is covering the bottom. If you have a smaller or larger air fryer, you may need to adjust the amount of squash and cook time accordingly. The best way to achieve great results is to check halfway through to see how quickly the squash is cooking!
- Oven roast. No air fryer? Roast butternut squash cubes in your oven at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes (depends on your oven; check for doneness by seeing if squash can be easily pierced with a fork and starting to brown on edges). Just like with the air fryer, stir the squash halfway through to get even heat exposure.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Air fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 162
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 299.8 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.6 g
- Fiber: 4.6 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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