Crispy and perfect, roasted Air Fryer Butternut Squash is a fast and delicious side dish. You’ll love that they’re Whole30 compliant, vegan, and vegetarian and packed with so much flavor! No air fryer? You’ll find oven-baking options as well.
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Everyone loves a speedy and healthy side dish and this air fryer butternut squash is no exception! Ready in a flash and easily adaptable to each person’s preference, this is one of those dishes you’ll find yourself making again and again.
No air fryer? Our crispy butternut squash recipe is oven-roasted to perfection.
If you’re in the market for an air fryer, this is the one we have and love. You need very few accessories to go with it but I do love to have some air fryer parchment and a Misto on hand at all times.
If you love this recipe, you’ll want to check out our super-popular Air Fryer Potatoes. And discover more delicious Air Fryer Vegetable recipes here.
What Kind of Butternut Squash to Use
You can buy it “pre-cubed” or whole. If you purchase a whole squash, Katie over at Hey Nutrition Lady has a great tutorial on how to cut a butternut squash.
I have used frozen squash in the air fryer. I find it works best if the air fryer has been preheated for two minutes before adding the squash. And do not defrost the squash before cooking. Related: How to Roast Frozen Vegetables
I also highly recommend tossing the frozen squash cubes in 1 tsp of cornstarch (arrowroot for Whole30 or paleo) to make it the crispest ever.
HOW TO SERVE Air Fryer BUTTERNUT SQUASH
I like to use it as a side for my paleo roasted chicken, Paleo Salmon Cakes, or incorporate it into a sheet pan dinner. And we love to top it with Sweet Potato Fries Dipping Sauce or Homemade Cilantro Chimichurri.
And if you have any squash left over, make some Spicy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup or this Butternut Squash Chili. And if you want to make something fun, check out these Baked Butternut Squash Fries.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do your best to cut the squash into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
- If you’d like the squash to cook faster, cut the pieces small; almost diced. Check after 10 minutes of cooking.
- You can cook the squash ahead of time as part of your easy healthy meal prep. To reheat, pop them back into the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Every person prefers their veggies roasted to a specific level. Use common sense and check on your squash during the cooking process to see what works best for you.
VARIATIONS
- Like a sweeter version? Add 2 tbsp of maple syrup (fine for paleo but not Whole30), 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Add other root veggies like air fryer brussels sprouts, parsnips, turnips, onion, and air fryer roasted beets for an amazing ginormous roasted veg extravaganza.
- If you have leftovers, mash them up and add flour (use almond flour to make it paleo, gluten-free, and Whole30 compliant) tablespoon by tablespoon until the mixture is barely sticky. Make into patties. Heat avocado or coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until the bottom is light brown and has a crunchy sear (2-3 minutes). Flip and cook the other side. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel or newspaper.
MORE DELICIOUS AIR FRYER RECIPES
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS
One serving of butternut squash in the air fryer has 1 WW Freestyle SmartPoints.
Air Fryer Butternut Squash {Vegan, Whole30}
Ingredients
- 16 oz cubed butternut squash {~4 cups}
- 1.5 tsp olive oil {avocado oil works great too}
- 1/8 tsp flaky sea salt {I used Maldon}
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, drizzle butternut squash cubes with olive oil. Gently toss to coat.
- Brush the air fryer basket with olive oil and add squash cubes.
- Bake for 8 minutes at 380 degrees F.
- Shake the basket and cook for another 10-13 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your butternut squash.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt.
Notes
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