Description
Air Fryer Butternut Squash is seasoned with herbs, spices and maple syrup and air fried until tender. Try it as squash cubes or halves!
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized butternut squash (about 2 1/2 – 3 lbs)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
For squash cubes:
- Peel and chop the squash into 1-inch cubes. You’ll need 4 cups of squash cubes. (See section above on how to cut a butternut squash).
- Add the squash cubes, oil and maple syrup to a bowl and toss to combine.
- Add the seasonings and toss until the cubes are well coated.
- Arrange in a single layer in your air fryer basket.
- Air fry on 400F for 13-15 minutes, or until fork tender, stopping a few times to shake the basket.
For squash halves:
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and any stringy flesh. Brush the flesh with one tablespoon of oil.
- Air fry flesh side up at 360F for 15 minutes.
- Carefully brush the flesh with remaining oil and maple syrup and sprinkle on the seasoning. (Only use about 1/4 of the seasoning that you would use for the squash cubes as there is much less surface area to cover. You can also just season it with salt and pepper if you prefer).
- Air fry for another 10-15 minutes, or until fork tender.
Notes
- If you want to save a bit of time, you can buy pre-cut butternut squash cubes at your grocery store.
- Cut the squash cubes close in size so they air fry evenly. This recipe uses 1-inch cubes. If you have smaller or larger cubes, you will need to adjust the air frying time.
- Air fry the squash cubes in a single layer so they cook evenly, and shake the basket a few times to rotate them around.
- For the squash halves, make sure you buy a squash that fits in your air fryer. You may need to cut the stem off to fit it in.
- To add a little spice to the squash, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Use dried herbs and garlic powder for this recipe. Fresh chopped herbs and minced garlic do not coat the squash evenly and burn quickly.
- Different air fryer brands and sizes will differ so you may need to adjust the air frying time slightly depending on your air fryer. The squash is ready when it’s fork tender.
