Sweet & Savory Air Fried Butternut Squash Cubes Recipe

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This tenderly roasted air fried butternut squash cubes recipe is both savory and sweet, perfectly seasoned with cinnamon, maple, and hints of chili spice. It pairs perfectly with almost everything, making it the perfect addition to any autumn meal!

overhead view of air fried butternut squash cubes in white bowl with silver spoon on wooden table

I love a great side dish made in the air fryer, and butternut squash is no exception. This healthy, easy side dish is made with simple ingredients such as olive oil, maple syrup, and the perfect blend of spices you almost certainly already have on hand.

It’s squash season, and this recipe is the perfect side dish to take advantage of it. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat butternut squash, and I don’t think I’ve made butternut squash any other way for a very long time! The seasonings of this dish are perfect–they’re bold and flavorful, but yet light enough that they complement the flavors beautifully and won’t overpower anything on your table.

I don’t love peeling squash, so I often buy pre-cut butternut squash from the grocery store making this recipe even easier to prepare. But even if you have to peel and chop the squash yourself, it’s worth it! Just use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the skin, and you’ll have it peeled in no time.

Ingredients

To make this maple cinnamon air fried butternut squash recipe, you need:

2 lbs Butternut Squash, peeled & cubed into 1-inch cubes
Olive Oil (avocado oil will work as well)
Maple Syrup
Seasonings such as dried parsley, cinnamon, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper

air fried butternut squash ingredients on wooden table: squash cubes, syrup, and oil in white bowls, white plate with spices

Air Fried Butternut Squash Instructions

Making air fried butternut squash is incredibly simple with this easy air fryer recipe!

An airfryer control panel set to 400F with person pressing a button.

1. Prepare Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.

glass bowl with spices and oil being stirred with gray spatula

2. Make Seasoning Paste

While the air fryer is heating up, add all of your seasonings, a little oil, and maple syrup to a small bowl. Stir to make a paste.

A bowl of butternut squash cubes being stirred with seasoning.

3. Mix Squash with Paste

Add your peeled & chopped butternut squash to a large bowl, and then pour your seasoning paste on top of the squash. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to stir your squash and seasoning paste together until all squash pieces are evenly coated.

squash cubes arranged on air fryer racks on wooden board

4. Air Fry

Place your seasoned butternut squash in a single layer on an air fryer rack or air fryer basket. Roast in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 20-24 minutes cooking time, or until the squash is fork tender and golden brown.

If using more than one rack, rotate your racks halfway through cooking to ensure the squash cooks evenly.

This deliciously roasted squash is best served while hot. Enjoy!

close up of air fried butternut squash cubes in white bowl with silver spoon on wooden table

Squash Air Fryer Tips

Your total cook time may vary depending on the model and size of your air fryer. We own a Nu Wave and like to make this recipe as described here, but it’s possible you may need to lower the temperature or reduce the cooking time for other air fryer models.

I suggest checking on your squash about 15 minutes of the way through the cooking time to see how it is doing. Use a fork to poke a cube to see if it is soft all the way through.

Serving Suggestions

This air fryer butternut squash recipe makes a great healthy side dish for the holiday season and is a great companion for many hearty fall and winter meals. We love it with our smoked whole chicken recipe, our fall-apart sirloin tip roast, and even my chicken wild rice soup recipe.

It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner, but it also feels festive enough to serve at holiday gatherings. It makes a perfect Thanksgiving side dish, especially because you can cook it in the air fryer which saves oven space for the turkey!

This recipe also works well to make roasted butternut squash in the regular oven, too! We use the oven for this when we do not feel like taking out the air fryer.

If you would like to bake this recipe, heat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake it for 25 minutes.

overhead view of squash cubes in white bowl with silver spoon on wooden table

Nutritional Information

This recipe makes four servings. For one serving (1/4) of the recipe, the nutritional information is as follows:

Calories: 150
Protein: 3 grams
Fat: 4 grams (0.5 gram saturated)
Carbs: 31 grams
Fiber: 5.1 grams

Recipe Notes

It’s a good idea to store leftover squash in an airtight container. It is good for 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator. This reheats well in the microwave for a minute or two, or you can also reheat it on low heat in the air fryer or oven (around 300 degrees F).

FAQ

Is squash good in the air fryer?

Yes! So good! Properly cooking squash in the air fryer gives it caramelized edges that can’t be replicated in a regular oven. It’s delicious.

Is it necessary to peel butternut squash before eating it?

Butternut squash skin is edible, so you can choose to leave the skin on if you wish. My family prefers to eat the squash without the skin.

Why is my roasted butternut squash mushy?

The most likely reasons for mushy butternut squash is an overcrowded pan and too low of a temperature. You want to make sure you cut your squash into even pieces, and then arrange them in a single layer on the air fryer rack, making sure they have at least a little room to breathe. This will get the edges more crispy.

Did You Make This Recipe?

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