We love the sweet, buttery flavors of squash crisped up and caramelized in the air fryer! Whether it's butternut, delicata, or acorn...this is one of our favorite easy and healthy side dishes. Bonus points for not requiring any stove or oven space. You'll love this easy air fryer butternut squash recipe for any day of the week!
Making squash in your air fryer is one of the simplest and most irresistible ways to transform basic winter squash into a sweet, roasty, caramelized veggie side dish that everyone will love. We even use it as the base for bowl recipes packed with other veggies, protein (frequently with these no-breadcrumb baked turkey meatballs), and whatever delicious sauce we can whip up (like homemade parsley pesto or a drizzle of basil vinaigrette).
Some of our favorite squashes to air fry are delicata, butternut, and acorn squash, though you'll see butternut squash primarily featured here. If you don't have an air fryer, don't worry--I've got an oven-roasted butternut squash recipe for you. Now, let's get some squash on the table!
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Key Ingredients
- Butternut squash - Acorn squash or delicata squash will work, too! Technically you can leave the skin on, but I do peel my butternut squash.
- Seasonings - This recipe keeps it very simple with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Feel free to spice it up with different seasoning combos, such as garlic powder + oregano, curry powder, cumin + chili powder, or cinnamon and Moroccan seasonings.
Veggies for dessert? Okay, real quick, here is a DELISH butter and brown sugar variation you can try. Once the butternut squash is done air frying, transfer it to a bowl while still hot. Place a ½-1 tablespoon pat of butter into the bowl and stir to coat, then sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar (I usually use a tablespoon or less). You could also use honey or maple syrup here! YUM.
Let's Make Amazing Squash in Your Air Fryer
Step 1: Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees and prepare your squash. Optionally peel your squash using a vegetable peeler. Usually I peel butternut squash, but I don't peel delicata. Slice off each end of the squash and discard. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out any seeds.
Step 2: Cut squash into slices about ¼ in./1 cm. thick. Then cut each slice into chunks. I love using half moons for delicata squash (pictured below) and 1-inch pieces for butternut. Transfer squash pieces to a bowl and toss well with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Transfer the squash to your air fryer in an even layer. Air fry the squash at 390 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring or flipping the squash halfway through.
Behold your final product! Perfectly browned, sweet squash. YUMMY.
Important Note on Air Fryer Size: I tested and regularly use a 5-quart Ninja Foodi air fryer for this squash recipe with about 2 pounds of squash, which slightly overlapped int the bottom of my air fryer. If you use less squash, or if you have a larger air fryer, note that the squash will cook faster. Likewise, if you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook the squash in smaller batches so that the convection air can get around all the squash pieces.
Pro Tips
- Use the right amount of squash for your air fryer. You'll need to keep the total amount of squash small enough so that air can circulate around the pieces and cooked them evenly. This means you don't want a huge heap of squash, but rather enough to cover the bottom with some overlap. If you use less, the squash will cook faster, so be prepared to check on the pieces about 10-15 minutes in.
- Stir halfway through. While you're checking on your squash, I recommend stirring the squash or jiggling the air fryer basket halfway through to ensure all pieces are getting that convection air exposure. This will help the squash cook evenly!
Air Fryer Squash FAQs
Air fryer type and size could cause results to vary, so there are a few sensory clues you should use to ensure success. Be sure that the amount of squash being used allows for enough air circulation around each piece. This means squash pieces can be slightly overlapping, but there shouldn't be several layers of squash piled high. Additionally, check the squash about halfway through, stir if needed, and check around 15-18 minutes. Squash is done when pieces are lightly browned and easily pierced with a fork.
You sure can! Oven instructions are included in the recipe card below.
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.
Sure can! If you want to freeze batches of squash for later, first allow it to cool completely. Then, place the 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!).
Did you make this air fryer squash recipe? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!
📖 Recipe
Freakin' Amazing Air Fryer Butternut Squash
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
Sweet, buttery squash crisped up and caramelized in the air fryer! Whether it's butternut, delicata, or acorn, this is a delicious, easy, and healthy side dish that goes with any meal. No stove or oven space required!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of squash (butternut, delicata, or acorn), halved and sliced ~1 centimeter thick
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer. Preheat your air fryer at 390 degrees for 2-3 minutes while you prepare the squash.
- Prep squash. Place squash slices in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Air fry squash. Place the squash in your air fryer in an even layer. Air fry the squash for 20 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 browned, and the thickest pieces can be easily pierced by a fork. Once done, remove from the air fryer and serve!
Notes
- Air fryer. We use a 5-quart Ninja Foodi, which is perfect for air frying approximately 2 pounds of squash at once. If I used less squash, I would 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 fry. You don't need an air fryer for this recipe! To oven fry the squash, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and roast squash 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 an even heat exposure.
- Prep Time: 2 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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