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This Air Fryer acorn squash is a quick and delicious fall favorite, with its center caramelized from the butter and brown sugar.
It’s so much quicker than roasting it in the oven, and you’ll still get to enjoy that sweet, golden-brown caramelization. Pair it with some Air Fryer pork tenderloin or your favorite holiday roast for a spectacular meal!
Air fried acorn squash is such a delightful simple side dish that has the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors, making it perfect for the holidays.
I’ve loved making Air Fryer squash, Air Fryer honey glazed carrots and Air Fryer baked sweet potatoes as sides, but I never quite got the chance to try roasting an acorn squash in the Air Fryer. This time, I found one that seemed like it would perfectly fit my Air Fryer, so of course I had to give it a shot.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Sweet, nutty and tender.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes.
🔥 Cook time: 20 minutes.
⏲️ Total time: 25 minutes.
👥 Servings: 4 servings.
🥄 Tools: Air Fryer, knife and chopping board.
❄️ Freezer friendly: No.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: Be careful while slicing the acorn squash. Use a very sharp knife, as it can be really tough!
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s incredibly easy to make, and is the perfect side dish for almost any of your winter and fall recipes- just like Air Fryer butternut squash.
- You’ll need just 5 minutes of prep to put it together, and everything comes together in the Air Fryer, which means less mess to clean up later!
- Air frying is SO much faster than roasting- that’s true for Air Fryer roasted potatoes too and almost all other foods.
Recipe Ingredients
- Acorn squash: You’ll need 1 medium-sized acorn squash for this recipe!
- Unsalted butter: For that rich, golden brown color. If you are avoiding butter, you can also use olive oil.
- Brown sugar: For that gentle sweetness and caramelization that complements the squash and melted butter.
- Cinnamon: For that warmth. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice for a more seasonal flavor.
- Kosher salt: Just a pinch, to balance out the sweet flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- You can also change the shape of the cut if you want to. Instead of serving squash halves, you can slice them or chop them into bite-sized pieces- like I did with my Air Fryer sweet potato cubes. This will actually help them cook faster too.
- Switch things around and use savory seasonings instead of sweet ones. Think garlic power, cayenne, pepper flakes, salt and black pepper.
- Another great idea is to drizzle the air fried acorn squash with some honey or maple syrup (like Log Cabins Syrup) top it with some chopped pecans (I love using my Air Fryer sugared pecans).
How to Make Air Fryer Acorn Squash
Start by lightly spraying the Air Fryer basket with cooking spray, or line basket with air fryer parchment paper like I did when I made my Air Fryer turkey meatballs.
- Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Rinse the squash, and pat dry. Cut the squash in half lengthwise using a sharp knife and remove the seeds using a sturdy spoon.
- Spread or brush the butter over the top of each slice of squash, and then place leftover butter slice in the center of the acorn. Top with the brown sugar mixture.
- Arrange carefully in the greased Air Fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry at 400 F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and fork tender. Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Enjoy this Air Fryer acorn squash as a side dish with your holiday mains like Air Fryer ham or Air Fryer turkey breast, and other sides like Air Fryer sweet potato wedges and my favorite Air Fryer stuffed mushrooms. And of course, don’t forget the Air Fryer green bean casserole too!
You can also team it up with some classic Air Fryer pork chops (or some Air Fryer maple glazed pork chops) and some Air Fryer cheesy scalloped potatoes for a hearty and wholesome meal!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don’t peel the acorn squash- it is actually really difficult. You can easily peel away the skin after it has softened from the air frying.
- To make things quicker, you can simply brush the acorn squash halves with some melted butter (or olive oil), sprinkle some homemade cinnamon sugar and top them with Air Fryer pumpkin spice pecans before air frying.
- If you’re using a smaller sized acorn squash or simply chopping it into quarters or slicing it, the cooking time will reduce. Keep an eye on the squash a couple of times, just to be sure it doesn’t burn.
- A good way to check if the squash is done cooking is to poke it with a fork (I did this when I made my Air Fryer spaghetti squash). If it easily pierces through the flesh, it is done!
Are you new to Air Fryers? If you are, we have a great article about What is an Air Fryer. It talks about what you can make, how to use it, and more.
Looking for the BEST accessories to use with your Air Fryer? We’ve put together this list of our favorite Air Fryer Accessories.
Recipe FAQs
If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate them for up to 3 days in a clean, airtight container.
To reheat leftover squash, air fry it at 350 F for 3-5 minutes until warm.
Yes, you can! Once roasted, the squash skins actually softens and can easily be eaten. If you don’t prefer that, you can easily peel it away from the insides, or just use a spoon and eat the insides of the squash around the peel.
More Air Fryer Side Dish Recipes
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Broccoli and Carrots
Dinner
Air Fryer Tofu
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Snap Peas
Dinner
Air Fryer Scallops
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a STAR ⭐️ RATING in the COMMENTS 📝 SECTION below.
Air Fryer Acorn Squash
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized acorn squash, about 2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: Drizzle with a touch of honey or maple syrup and chopped pecans
Instructions
- To prepare the food basket, lightly spray the basket with cooking spray, or line basket with air fryer parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to mix together, then set aside. (If using pecans, add them to this mixture.)
- Rinse and pat dry the squash. Then, use a sharp knife and cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a sturdy spoon to remove the seeds.
- Once seeds are removed, spread the butter over the top of each slice of squash, and then place leftover butter slice in the center of the acorn. Top with the brown sugar mixture.
- Place the acorn halves in air fryer basket. Air Fry at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Depending on your air fryer basket size, you may only be able to cook one squash piece at a time. I try to get small acorn squash to medium size squash for this air-fryer acorn squash recipe.
- Feel free to add more spices if you want to make a delicious side dish with a bolder flavor.
- If necessary, you can cut a small strip off the bottom of each slice so they don’t rotate or tip over while cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
