My favorite quick & easy side dish for fall and winter is this recipe for Air fryer Acorn Squash. Slices of tender squash with a tasty seasoning blend is flavorful & satisfying. Just 20 minutes and a few seasonings for a tasty vegetable the whole family will love.
These roasted little squash pieces can be eaten with or without the skin. I admit, I eat them like french fries since they are dippable like air fryer french fries but healthier! Serve with a dip like ketchup or homemade ranch and enjoy!
If you have never fried squash, you are in for something amazing when you try this simple recipe. Like my recipe for Air Fryer Sweet Potato Slices, they will become finger food because you won't be able to wait to grab a bite.
What I love about this recipe is that is a great appetizer or side dish. Serve them with vegetarian chickpea curry or smoked beef short ribs for a low-carb & keto meal.
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Ingredients for Air Fried Acorn Squash
This simple recipe packs in a lot of flavors with only a few ingredients. To make acorn squash in the air fryer, you need only 5 ingredients. This is a low-fat & healthy recipe without much oil.
- Acorn Squash - common fall or winter starchy vegetable in North America.
- Avocado Oil - the high heat oil is great for air frying.
- Salt - to boost the flavor of the squash.
- Garlic Powder - for bold spiciness.
- Curry Powder - a great sweet, spicy, & savory combination.
See the recipe card for amounts & instructions.
How to Cut an Acorn Squash
You will need a sharp chef's knife to cut through the hard skin of acorn squash. It will be difficult to cut these without a good quality one. If your is dull or not strong enough to cut through melon rinds or squash, it may be time to spend a little and buy a new chef's knife for under $100.
1 - Cut the Ends & Scoop
To cut acorn squash, slice off each end so that it will stand up flat on the cutting board.
Once the ends are off, cut the acorn squash in half across the middle. Open up the acorn squash to expose the inside. Next, scoop out the seeds and fibers in the acorn squash.
2 - Cutting Acorn Squash Slices
Once the acorn squash has been scooped clean, you can begin cutting it into slices. Make each slice about ½" wide and try and keep them uniform in size so they cook evenly.
You can leave them all in half-circle slices or cut them a second time to make them into quarter slices. I like them smaller as they seem to line up on the air fryer basket easier.
How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Air Fryer
Air-fried acorn squash once sliced into thin slices cooks up fast for a wonderful appetizer, side, or snack. Once the slices are ready, add them to a medium-sized bowl. Spray them with oil and toss them to coat.
Combine the spices together into one spice blend. Sprinkle the spices over the acorn squash and toss to coat. The curry seasoning is a great sweet and spice combination for the rich nutty acorn squash.
It only takes a few minutes for slices of acorn squash to cook in the air fryer. Slicing the acorn squash into rings is a much faster way to air fryer it than cooking the halves uncut.
Line up the slices on the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer. Make sure the acorn squash has a bit of space around each slice so they get crispy edges and cook evenly for a tender inside.
Time & Temperature
This air fryer cook time and temperature work on acorn squash slices, fries, rings, and small wedges. As long as they are about ½" in thickness, they will cook just fine.
For air frying acorn squash slices in the air fryer, set it to 375° and for 12 minutes. There is no need to wait for it to preheat. The cooking time includes a few minutes to preheat plus the cooking time.
You do not need to flip them, just let them air fry and they will be tender and golden yellow-brown when ready.
How To Tell When Acorn Squash is Done
Air-fried acorn squash is done when it is fork-tender. The pulp of the squash will be soft with a little browning and toasting of the spices. The skin should be slightly crispy and tender as well.
Using tongs, carefully remove the acorn squash from the air fryer. They will cool off quickly so enjoy them immediately.
Nutrition Information for Acorn Squash
The tough outside skin of acorn squash is edible once cooked. I actually enjoy eating it, especially with this recipe. Acorn squash has about 15 carbs per 1 cup of raw cubes.
The acorn squash is a healthy vegetable with a lot of nutrition benefits such as Vitamin C 25%, Fiber 8%, Vitamin B6 10%, and Magnesium 11%. When you eat the skin and the pulp, the Vitamin C goes up to 32% of your daily allowance and 12% of your daily fiber. So eat the acorn squash skin and all.
Variations
This simple recipe is only 5 ingredients. You can make a few changes to mix things up and still have a great acorn squash recipe. Try these & enjoy something new.
- Italian - omit the curry powder & use Italian seasoning instead.
- Mild - omit the curry powder & garlic powder, use just the salt.
- Spicy - add ¼ teaspoon cayenne to the spice blend.
What to Serve with Acorn Squash
Here are some great recipe ideas to cook, serve, and eat with acorn squash. This list includes beef, chicken, vegan, and vegetarian recipes that all go well with acorn squash.
Air Fryer Acorn Squash
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Using a sharp chef's knife, slice off each end of the acorn squash. It should now stand up flat on the cutting board.
- Once the ends are off, cut the acorn squash in half across the middle. Open up the acorn squash to expose the inside. Next, scoop out the seeds and fibers in the acorn squash.
- Now that the acorn squash has been scooped clean, you can begin cutting it into slices. Make each slice about ½″ wide and try and keep them uniform in size so they cook evenly. You can leave them all in half circle slices or cut them a second time to make them into quarter slices.
- Once the slices are ready, add them to a medium-sized bowl. Spray them with oil and toss to coat.
- Combine the spices together into one spice blend. Sprinkle the spices over the acorn squash and toss to coat. The curry seasoning is a great sweet and spice combination for the rich nutty acorn squash.
- Line up the slices on the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer. Make sure the acorn squash has a bit of space around each slice so they get crispy edges and cook evenly.
- Set the air fryer to 375° and for 12 minutes. There is no need to wait for it to preheat. The cooking time includes a few minutes to preheat plus the cooking time. You do not need to flip them. Air-fried acorn squash is done when it is fork-tender. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy.
Nutrition
More Air Fryer Side Dishes
Here are some simple side made in the air fryer that you will also love:
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