Butternut squash: The most essential ingredient in this air fryer recipe is—you guessed it!—butternut squash. Begin by selecting a butternut squash with a firm texture, matte surface, and no bruises. Then, cut it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Though slicing butternut squash may seem daunting, you’ll find all the pro tips you need in my foolproof guide on How to Cut Butternut Squash. You also don’t need to peel your squash before using it in this recipe, though you may use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin if you prefer. Olive oil: Olive oil is crucial to giving your air roast butternut squash a moist, tender, and perfectly crisp taste. However, you may also use any other mild-flavored oil, such as avocado oil, melted butter, or ghee. Seasonings: All you need is garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper to bring out the natural flavors of the squash. Optionally—depending on your recipe—you may also sprinkle your squash with cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and pumpkin spice for an extra warm, sweet, and spicy taste. Optional sweetener: Though not necessary, you may also add light sweeteners like maple syrup or brown sugar to your whole squash to enhance its caramelization and give it a sweet flavor.
Storage: You can store your leftover squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat: To reheat your air-fried squash leftovers, cook them in the air fryer at 350 degrees F. for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.
Use the flesh: My favorite way to warm up during the chilly winter months is to transform this savory air fryer butternut squash recipe into a warm, hearty meal. My Butternut Squash Soup is luscious, bright, and savory, while my vegan Thai Curry Butternut Squash Soup is a faster way to fill your bowl with bold, aromatic flavors. You can even turn your air-roasted butternut squash into a rich and creamy pasta sauce or a decadent pie filling for a fan-favorite Butternut Squash Pie. Stuff it: Visually stunning and packed with nutrition, Stuffed Squash is a gourmet meal guaranteed to satisfy the whole family. Mashed butternut squash: Transform your air-fried squash halves into the perfect Thanksgiving side dish using a five-star mashed butternut squash recipe. Like my Sweet Potato Mash, this recipe is fluffy, rich, and flavorful—but with half the calories!
Size of your squash matters: When making roasted butternut squash in the air fryer, you must select a squash that will fit in the basket of your air fryer. Therefore, take a minute when selecting your vegetable to ensure it is an appropriate size for your type of air fryer. Air frying time: How long it takes to cook butternut squash in the air fryer may vary depending on the size of your squash and the brand of your air fryer. In this recipe, I cook my squash halves for 22 minutes cut-side down and another 10 minutes after flipping. However, I recommend checking the doneness of your air-fried squash using the knife test—inserting a knife into the neck of your squash—to tell if your veggie is appropriately tender. If the knife encounters resistance when inserted into the squash’s flesh, continue cooking it in one-minute increments until fork tender. No need to peel: You don’t have to peel your butternut squash halves before adding them to the air fryer. Not only does keeping the skin cut down on prep time, but it also helps give you a good grip when scooping out the flesh to use in other recipes. However, you may peel the squash before air frying if preferred. Start with skin side down: The key to cooking butternut squash halves in the air fryer is beginning the cooking process by placing the squash slices skin side down. This orientation ensures that your squash halves cook more evenly, as it allows for better air circulation and helps trap moisture in the skin of the squash to keep the veggie from drying out. It also results in better caramelization, as the flesh side of the squash will have more direct contact with the heat of the air fryer basket. Add the sweetener at the last minute: If you choose to make air fryer butternut squash halves with maple syrup, brown sugar, or other sweeteners, wait until the last 5-10 minutes of cooking before adding the ingredient. Limiting these sweeteners’ exposure to high heat will help prevent burning and over-caramelization.
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