This air fryer acorn squash is a great addition to any meal whether for a busy weeknight or a holiday dinner. And when you cook it in the air fryer, it'll be perfectly tender on the inside with much less time baking.
Not sure how to cook acorn squash? No worries! This recipe is easy to make and is the perfect side dish for fall.
I often get acorn squash in the fall from my farm csa. Like with most winter squash, I tried roasting it with cinnamon and a touch of brown sugar. It was ok, but not great. But when I started roasting acorn squash with savory flavors instead of sweet, that's when we really enjoyed it.
Using an air fryer to roast vegetables speeds up the cooking time. For more air fryer recipes, try out my air fryer glazed carrots, air fryer spinach chips, and air fryer tofu katsu.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Air fryer: When you cook with an air fryer it takes much less time than roasting in an oven.
- Looks great: The squash slices look beautiful on a plate.
- Savory: There are a lot of sweet roasted squash recipes. But acorn squash really lends itself to savory spices.
What is Acorn Squash?
An acorn squash is a type of winter squash that's shaped like an acorn! They are bright orange on the inside and have a dark green, ridged skin. They taste slightly sweet and nutty and are great for roasting, baking,
If you like winter squash, try out my sauteed delicata squash.
Ingredients
This simple recipe only uses a handful of ingredients:
- Acorn squash
- Olive oil
- Seasonings: onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper
Please see the recipe card below for the amounts needed.
Variations
- Make it spicy. If you want to kick it up a notch, add a pinch of cayenne pepper (or more) to the seasoning mixture.
- Make it sweet. Instead of the savory seasonings, use cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. Also, make sure to add a tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar.
How To Make Air Fryer Acorn Squash
Step 1: First, wash the acorn squash. Then, cut it in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Be careful when cutting it in half!
Step 2: Using a sharp knife, cut in ½" slices. You can also keep the acorn squash in 2 halves if you prefer but it's quicker and prettier in slices.
Step 3: Next, in a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and seasonings.
Step 4: Place the olive oil mixture and the squash slices in a large bowl. Use a rubber scraper to mix the squash until it's coated in the dressing.
Step 5: If you are keeping your squash in 2 halves, use a fork to pierce and poke holes in the flesh of the squash.
Step 6: Then spoon the olive oil mixture on the cut side. Use the back of the spoon to spread it around.
Step 7: Place the squash in the air fryer basket either lined with parchment paper of coated with non-stick cooking spray. Try to keep the squash in a single layer for even cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to make these in 2 batches.
Step 8: Bake in the air fryer at 350° for 20 minutes or until they start to brown. You should easily be able to pierce it with a fork. If you are cooking it in halves, bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Do NOT try to peel the acorn squash. The peel is edible but if you don't want to eat it, it starts to separate from the rest of the squash once it's baked. You can just peel it away.
- Poke holes in the squash halves. Personally, I prefer this in slices. But if you want to do it in halves, make sure you poke a lot of holes in it. This way seasonings can get into the squash.
- If you want this simple side dish to look pretty, stick with the slices. The ridges in the squash make it look a bit fancy.
- I highly recommend putting parchment paper (made for an air fryer with holes) in the basket first to make cleanup easier.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
Yes, the green skin is edible and becomes tender when cooked. It's also where a lot of the nutrients and fiber are, so it's a good idea to keep it on for extra benefits.
Yes, but it will take more cooking time. Place the squash slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 40-45 minutes. It's done once it's fork tender. If you are making it in halves, it will probably take at least an hour.
I haven't tried that but it should work out. Let me know in the comments if you try it!
Keep leftover acorn squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can either reheat in the oven or air fryer for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees or microwave for about a minute.
More Veggie Side Dishes
If you tried this Savory Air Fryer Acorn Squash Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Air Fryer Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- First, wash and prep the acorn squash. Cut it in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Cut in ½" slices or keep it in halves if that's your preference.
- In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and seasonings.
- For slices, place the olive oil mixture and the squash slices in a large bowl. Use a rubber scraper to mix the squash until it's coated in the dressing. This can take a minute or two until it's all coated.
- For halves, use a fork to pierce the cut side of the squash many times. Then spoon the olive oil mixture on the cut side. Use the back of the spoon to spread it around.
- Place the squash in the basket of the air fryer. I highly recommend putting parchment paper (made for an air fryer with holes) in the basket first to make cleanup easier.
- Bake at 350° for 20 minutes for squash slices. You should easily be able to pierce it with a fork. If you are cooking it in halves, bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Equipment
- Air fryer
Notes
- Do NOT try to peel the acorn squash. The peel is edible but if you don't want to eat it, it starts to separate from the rest of the squash once it's baked. You can just peel it away.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the squash and make sure you stabilize it. Be careful!
- Poke holes in the squash halves. Personally, I prefer this in slices. But if you want to do it in halves, make sure you poke a lot of holes in it. This way seasonings can get into the squash.
- If you want this simple side dish to look pretty, stick with the slices. The ridges in the squash make it look a bit fancy.
Jen says
This is the only way I make acorn squash now. Trying to make it "sweet" never worked for me so I love this savory version.