This air fryer butternut squash recipe is delicious and easy to make! Butternut squash cubes are coated with olive, seasoned with a blend of spices, and cooked in the air fryer to perfection!
Cooking butternut squash in the air fryer is such an easy way dish to prepare. It takes under 30 minutes to make! This healthy veggie side dish pairs well with almost any main entrée and tastes delicious!
If you love this recipe, check out my gluten free scalloped potatoes or instant pot asparagus recipes!
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Reasons to Love This
- This recipe is healthy! Cooking the squash in the air fryer gives it flavor without having to add a lot of extra oil.
- The seasoning that is used on these squash cubes creates a savory flavor that adds life to the dish, yet doesn't go overboard.
- Air fryer squash pairs well with almost any meal. Whether it's pasta, grilled meat or a sandwich, this squash is the perfect compliment.
- The air fryer squash is easy to make. It takes only 15 minutes to cook!
Ingredients Needed
- Butternut Squash- This can be made with fresh or frozen butternut squash. The cooking time will vary slightly if you use frozen butternut squash. I personally prefer to make it with fresh squash!
- Olive Oil- select a high quality extra virgin olive oil. you can substitute canola oil or melted coconut oil in place of olive oil.
- Seasonings- this blend of seasonings creates a savory flavor for the squash. You can substitute "everything but the bagel seasoning" as well.
How to Pick A Good Butternut Squash
- Skin: make sure the skin is smooth and free of any dents, bruises or mold.
- Firm: the butternut squash should be firm. It should not be soft or mushy.
- Color: the squash should be a shade of beige. When cut open, the interior flesh is a bright yellow/orange color.
Step by Step Instructions
Cut the Squash
Step 1: Cut off both ends of the squash. Slice the squash in half length-wise, so that the seeds are showing in the middle. Remove all seeds using a spoon.
TIP: I've found it easier to use a strawberry peeler to remove seeds because it has sharp edges on it.
Step 2: Remove the skin from the squash by cutting it off with a knife of by using a vegetable peeler.
Step 3: Slice the squash into cubes. Try to make all pieces a similar size so that they cook evenly. It's ok if not all pieces are the exact shape of a cube- some may be a triangle or rectangle shape depending on the part of the squash that's cut.
Prepare and Cook
Place the cut squash cubes in a bowl. Toss with olive oil until all pieces are coated. Add the seasonings and mix well.
Place the seasoned squash cubes in the basket of the air fryer. Cook at 400F for 15 minutes. Stir and then cook an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from air fryer and serve hot!
Leftovers
Place leftover squash in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat these by warming them in the microwave or by placing them in a saucepan with olive oil and sautéing until hot.
Variations
This air fryer squash recipe is a savory version; however, you can also make it sweet or spicy. Ingredients are listed below for several variations, follow the original cooking instructions/times listed in the recipe:
Sweet Version: use 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1tsp of brown sugar
Spicy Version: use 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
How to Serve This Recipe
These butternut squash cubes make an excellent side dish! They compliment almost any meal nicely! Here are some of my favorite ways to pair them:
- Serve as a side dish to your favorite grilled meat.
- Make these for a holiday meal and serve with turkey, ham or brisket!
- Serve these as a side dish to a sandwich, wrap or soup!
- Pair with a main entree, such as chicken stuffed peppers, baked boneless wings or avocado chicken pesto pasta.
Nutritional Information
Butternut squash has quite a few nutritional benefits!
Butternut squash is considered a nutrient-dense food, which means that it is a low calorie food with high nutrient content. This article goes through all the health benefits of butternut squash if you're interested!
- Potassium: butternut squash is packed with potassium. In fact, it actually has more potassium than a banana! Depending on your nutritional needs, this may be beneficial.
- Vitamin A: butternut squash is high in Vitamin A.
- Healthy Fat: This recipe uses olive oil as it's method of fat. This is considered is a healthy type of fat!
Why Cook Butternut Squash in the Air Fryer?
Using an air fryer to cook butternut squash has several benefits:
- The air circulates around every side of the squash, which creates a shorter cooking time and more evenly cooked product.
- There is very little mess to clean up because you don't need to worry about washing large baking pans.
- Air fryer squash is a healthier method of cooking as opposed to frying squash in a pan of oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frozen squash can be used in the Air Fryer. Cooking times may need to be adjusted slightly. Using frozen squash is a great way to save time, as the squash is already pre-cut.
Butternut squash cubes can be cooked in the oven if preferred. Prepare and season the butternut squash cubes as suggested in the recipe and then place the cubes on a greased cookie sheet. Cook in a preheated oven at 400F for 20-25 minutes.
When making air fryer squash, it is recommended to peel the squash prior to cooking.
More Favorite Side Dishes
Air Fryer Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash about 2.5 cups of cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon white sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon dried minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried onion flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Remove skin and seeds from butternut squash. Cut into ¼ inch cubes.
- Place squash cubes in a medium size bowl. Pour in olive oil and mix until all pieces of squash are coated.
- Add poppy seads, sesame seeds, garlic, onion flakes and sea salt. Mix well.
- Preheat air fryer to 400F.
- Place squash evenly in the air fryer. Cubes can be touching but should be stacked. (You may have to make multiple batches).
- Cook 15 minutes. Stir and cook an additional 5 minutes.
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Turns out really good and easy to make. I always use frozen squash it and works perfect.