• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's

Where Is My Spoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Spring Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Sweets
    • About
    • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Side Dishes

    Air Fryer Butternut Squash – Two Ways

    Published by: Adina November 5, 2020 · Last modified: May 29, 2024 Leave a comment
    Jump to Recipe
    cinnamon squash cubes in a dark bowl

    Air fryer butternut squash cooked in two ways: sweet with brown sugar and cinnamon or spicy with lots of spices.

    brown sugar and cinnamon butternut squash pieces in a dark bowl

    This air fryer butternut squash makes a great side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas or a wonderful healthy snack. You can have it on top of salad, with chicken or meat, you can even have the sweet version with granola or muesli for breakfast. I've tried that and loved it!

    Cooking butternut squash cubes is not difficult, the “hardest” task is peeling and cutting the squash, I suppose, but air frying them makes everything even easier and quicker. So, while your oven is busy with a roast or something else, you can make the side dish easily in the air fryer.

    And if you have a really large squash, you could use the leftovers to make these butternut fritters or roasted butternut slices. Or a quick butternut sausage stew.

    bowls with sweet and spicy roasted butternut squash

    How to cut a butternut squash?

    • Make sure that the cutting surface is stable. You will need a large sharp knife and a bit of strength and if the cutting board slips away you might cut yourself. Place a damp kitchen cloth underneath the cutting board if you feel it is not stable enough.
    • Top and tail the squash. (1,2)
    • You could either peel the squash now, while it is all in one piece, or cut it where the neck meets the body and then peel it. I prefer to cut it first, the squashes I buy are rather large and I often only use about half of it. I prefer to store the rest with the peel still on. Cut the bulb in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. (3)
    • Peel with the knife or a vegetable peeler. Many swear that a vegetable peeler is the better choice, but I prefer the knife. The choice is yours. (4)
    • Chop the butternut squash into cubes. For this recipe, the cubes should be about 2.5 cm/ 1 inch large, but slightly more or less is fine. The only thing that is important is that the cubes all have an even size so that they cook evenly.
    cutting and peeling a large squash

    How to season?

    Sweet version:

    • Place the cubes in a bowl. Add oil and mix to coat. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and mix again until the pieces are coated well. (1)

    Spicy version:

    • Place the cubes in another bowl. Add the oil and mix to coat. Add rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and chili flakes and mix well to coat. (2)

    More seasoning ideas:

    • You can use any spices you like to season the pieces. Try some curry powder or another spice mixture you like. Add paprika, sweet, smoked, or hot to taste, use other dried herbs like thyme or Herbs de Provence.
    • For the sweet version, you can use maple syrup instead of sugar.

    How to air fry the butternut squash?

    • Preheat the air fryer if required. I have to preheat mine for 3 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius/ 370 degrees Fahrenheit, but check the instructions of your machine.
    • Place either the sweet or the savory cubes into the basket, in a single layer. (3,4)
    • Roast for about 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway, or until the cubes are tender, and a little crispy on the outside.
    • Repeat with the other batch.
    seasoned cubes of butternut squash in bowls and air fryer basket

    How to serve?

    Serve immediately as a side dish for chicken, turkey, ham, and so on.

    Or use to top a hearty salad, for instance, this Bulgur Salad or Couscous Salad or let cool and add to a leafy salad, like this Roast Pumpkin Salad.

    Serve the savory version as a snack with hot chili sauce, Greek yogurt, or tahini sauce. Top with some roasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.

    Use to fill wraps.

    The sweet version is also suitable to serve on top of muesli or granola or with a little whipped cream or crème fraiche as a dessert.

    brown bowl with roasted squash sprinkled with parsley

    How to store?

    • Leftovers should be stored in airtight containers in the fridge.
    • You could reheat them, but they will not be crunchy anymore.
    • I prefer to serve the leftovers at room temperature with salad or as a snack rather than reheat them.
    • The dish is not suitable for freezing.

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    close up roasted squash piece on a fork

    Air Fryer Butternut Squash – Two Ways

    Air fryer butternut squash cooked in two ways: sweet with brown sugar and cinnamon or spicy with lots of spices.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Side Dishes
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 86kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • Sweet version:
    • 450 g/ 1 lb/ about 4 cups 2.5 cm/1 inch cubes butternut squash (Note 1)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • pinch of fine sea salt
    • Savory version:
    • 450 g/ 1 lb/ about 4 cups 2.5 cm/1 inch cubes butternut squash
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
    • ½ teaspoon red chili flakes more or less to taste
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • some ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • Peel, remove the seeds, and cube the butternut squash into 2.5 cm/1-inch pieces.
    • Place in a bowl, add the olive oil, and mix to coat. Add the spices, either for the sweet or the savory version. Toss well to coat.
    • Preheat the air fryer, if required by the machine you are using.
    • Place the cubes into the basket in a single layer.
    • Roast for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. When ready, the cubes should be fork tender and slightly crispy on the outside. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    1. Make sure that the pieces are cut evenly so that they all cook evenly.
      You can use precut butternut squash as well.
      Frozen pieces are not suitable, they will be too watery.
    2. Different air fryers might heat differently, start checking after 10-12 minutes.
    3. The nutrition is calculated for the sweet version. One portion of the spicy version has about 79 calories.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 38mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Fast & Easy Side Dish Recipes

    • frankfurter green sauce served with boiled potatoes and boiled egg halves.
      Frankfurter Green Sauce
    • creamy tomato orzo topped with basil leaves in a bowl with a spoon in it.
      Creamy Tomato Orzo
    • smashed peas on toast, one topped with an poached egg.
      Smashed Peas on Toast
    • fried cabbage with bacon in a small white bowl.
      Fried Cabbage with Bacon

    Sharing is caring!

    165 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    • X

    web banner representing all the websites logos that featured our food blog.

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! Where Is My Spoon is a blog where you will find delicious and family friendly recipes, all made from scratch. From simple healthy soups to sumptuous cakes for special occasions, all our recipes have been tried and loved by our family and our friends.

    More about me →

    Potluck Recipes

    • bowl with potato salad with dill pickles sprinkled with chives.
      Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
    • napa cabage ramen salad in a gray bowl with sunflower seeds around it.
      Napa Cabbage Ramen Salad
    • feta and spinach triangles close up on a plate.
      Feta and Spinach Triangles
    • cherry loaf cake sliced on a vintage cloth with a knife and fresh fruit around it.
      Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake

    Popular Recipes

    • air fryer frozen chicken breast after cooking, one whole and one sliced piece.
      Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
    • juicy, golden brown brats cooked on the stove in a skillet.
      How to Cook Brats on the Stove
    • lifting one piece of baked chicken breast with a spoon.
      How to Bake Frozen Chicken Breast
    • stapled sliced pork belly slices sprinkled with parsley, pool of fat in the back.
      How to Cook Pork Belly Strips

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    If you have any questions or want to work with me, please email me @ contact@whereismyspoon.co

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 - Where Is My Spoon. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.