This Air Fryer Butternut Squash recipe is really simple to make and much quicker than using the oven! Perfect for weeknight dinners, use an air fryer to cook your butternut squash. Choose from sweet or savory seasoning options!

What is an Air Fryer?

I’m sure most of you know what an air fryer is, since it’s all anyone raves about now! But on the off chance you don’t, an air fryer uses convection heating to circulate air around your food. The food is held inside in a basket and a fan rapidly moves air around the food. It’s a great way to get that crispy, fried texture without a lot of additional fat. Air fryers use little to no oil to get the same effect as traditional deep frying.

Air Fryer vs. Oven – Why Use One Over The Other?

Conventional ovens work differently than air fryers because they produce heat by gas or electric. The heat is slowly dispersed through the oven over time. That’s why it takes a lot longer to cook food in the oven. On the other hand, air fryers use rapid air technology to create heat, which helps them heat up much more quickly. That small size helps them circulate the heat more evenly, crisping up your food without hot spots. Both are great ways to cook your food. Sometimes an air fryer is the better option if you want something done quickly.

MAIN INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS Air Fryer Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash

Oil – Vegetable or Avocado

For Sweet Butternut Squash – Cinnamon & Brown Sugar

For Savory Squash – Salt, Paprika, and Garlic Powder

Tips To Follow When Making Butternut Squash in an Air Fry

First things first…you need to cut the squash into cubes for this recipe. If you aren’t sure how to properly (and safely) do that, you should totally check out my recent post explaining how to cut butternut squash!

Don’t forget to pre-heat your air fryer to ensure even cooking! If your air fryer does not have a pre-heat setting, turn it to the desired temperature (in this case, 390 degrees F) and allow it to run for around 3 minutes before placing your food in.

Remember to shake! When air frying smaller items you’ll want to shake the basket every so often to ensure even cooking. Once you open the basket to shake, the air fryer will temporarily pause but will resume cooking your food at the same temperature once you return the basket.