Air Fryer Butternut Squash (Oven Roasted Option)
This air fryer butternut squash recipe cooks in half the time it takes in a regular oven. It makes a great easy side dish and can easily be customized by switching up the seasonings. Oven roasted option is included below. See the blog post for step-by-step photos on how to cut a butternut squash safely.
Ingredients
- medium butternut squash about 5 cups
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt reduce to ½ teaspoon if using anything else
Instructions
Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the whole squash.
- Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the squash and stand it upright with the flat bottom surface down a cutting board to stabilize the squash. Place a sharp knife in the middle top of the squash and cut the squash in half.
- Scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then cut the squash into 1-inch cubes.
- Toss the cut butternut squash in a large bowl with the oil and spices until well coated.
- Arrange the seasoned squash pieces in a somewhat single layer. Air fry for 20-25 minutes, shaking halfway through. Check after 20 minutes because all air fryers cook differently. Cook until golden brown on the edges and fork tender in the middle.
Oven
- Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the whole squash.
- Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the squash and stand it upright with the flat bottom surface down a cutting board to stabilize the squash. Place a sharp knife in the middle top of the squash and cut the squash in half.
- Scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then cut the squash into 1-inch cubes.
- Toss the cut butternut squash in a large bowl with the oil and spices until well coated.
- Spread the squash into a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Notes
See the blog post for step-by-step photos of how to cut a butternut squash safely.