We love tasty, easy meals like this acorn squash in the air fryer. Try these Bean Tostadas and use store bought tortilla shells for an even quicker dinner idea or pop these Almond Flour Chicken Tenders in your oven for a delicious 30 minute meal.
Acorn Squash Air Fryer
It’s officially fall! Time to pull out your cute boots and plaid scarves. Well, maybe not quite yet, it’s still a little warm outside for all that. But, I know those chilly days are right around the corner. I personally will be clinging to every warm day I have left until they run out and the cold winter weather is back again. That’s just me though, I happen to love the heat.
What’s more fall than acorn squash?? Well, actually there are probably a few things that are more fall, like apple crisp or apple cider slushies, but acorn squash is right up there!
I love, love, love my air fryer and I am always excited to try new recipes in it. I have cooked acorn squash for years now and it always takes around 45 minutes just to cook them and that is not including pre-heating time for the oven.
Now, I can quickly prep the squash, throw them into the air fryer and dinner is done in a fraction of the time. And it’s even pretty easy to cut these in half with the ease of a sharp knife. Then you just scoop out the seeds, spread on a tiny bit of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and these are ready to go. I am definitely going to be cooking a lot of acorn squash in the air fryer this fall.
It’s a healthy and uber easy dinner, what’s not to love?
I decided to keep this recipe super simple and basic. This makes it super versatile to be used in a lot of other recipes that call for acorn squash.
What is Acorn Squash?
Acorn squash is a beautiful (and I think cutest) little winter squash that has a deep orange flesh and green or orange outer skin. It’s filled with seeds that look a lot like pumpkin seeds and are also edible after being baked.
And if you are wondering is acorn squash skin edible, the answer is yes. You can actually eat the outside of the acorn squash as well. After baking (or air frying) the skin on an acorn squash becomes very soft, so it is up to you whether you want to eat it or not.
Is Acorn Squash Good for You?
Acorn squash is a healthy (but starchy) vegetable that is rich in antioxidants that can be helpful against certain diseases and help with blood pressure. It’s also full of vitamin A, betacarotene, folate, and magnesium.
When is Acorn Squash Ripe?
Acorn squash doesn’t get harvested until it is ripe on the vine, if it is harvested before that it will never fully ripen. A ripe acorn squash will be a deep emerald green with a couple orangish spots or completely orange. If the stem is still attached it will be brown and withered.
It can last uncooked in the pantry up to 3 months if its kept between 50°-60°F. If it’s cooked it obviously needs to be refrigerated.
How to Eat Acorn Squash
For this recipe you can just grab a fork and dig right in. The flesh of the squash is sweet, but I will forever have a love of eating them with brown sugar sprinkled inside, that’s how my mom always made it.
I also enjoy using this acorn squash in a bunch of different recipes. It’s great to use as an ingredient in soups or just puree it. Eating it stuffed is definitely one of my favorite ways to eat it. Use it in casseroles, macaroni and cheese, add it to salad, or make it into pancakes. It’s very versatile. What’s your favorite way to eat acorn squash?
What is the Easiest Way to Cut an Acorn Squash
Cutting an acorn squash can be a little tricky because their exterior is a bit harder. There are other ways to cut the squash but this is how I like to cut it.
Step 1: After washing the acorn squash set it on a cutting board.
Step 2: Place the squash upside down on its top, we are cutting it in half lengthwise, stem side to bottom. If you have a stem you will need to cut along one of the lines on the side of the squash.
Step 3: Hold the acorn squash firmly with one hand, making sure to keep your fingers curled under so you don’t cut them.
Step 4: With a sharp knife, press the blade into the bottom of the squash. Once it breaks through, rock the knife back and forth until you cut all the way through. If you have a stem, just cut to to it but not through it. Pull the knife out and pull the rest of the squash apart with your hands. To get a pretty flower shape, the squash can also be cut in half across widthwise. Just make sure to hold it tight, curl your fingers, and cut across the lines.
Recipe Ingredients
- Acorn Squash: The size of squash you need will depend on the size of your air fryer. I can fit two small acorn squash cut in half in my air fryer.
- Oil: I use a little olive oil on my squash.
- Salt: A light sprinkling of fine sea or kosher salt.
- Pepper: I love to use freshly ground pepper in this squash recipe.
How to Cook Acorn Squash in Air Fryer
- Prep air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
- Cut squash. Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out all of the seeds and pulp.
- Add oil. Brush on a little oil to the inside and cut part of the squash.
- Add spices. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper.
- Squash into air fryer. Add the acorn squash cut side up into the air fryer being careful since it will be hot.
- Cook it. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Enjoy. Eat as is or use in another recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Use sharp knife. Make sure to use a really sharp knife when cutting the acorn squash in half, it makes it so much easier.
- Don’t oil air fryer. You don’t need to add any oil to the air fryer.
- Small amount of oil. Only a little oil needs to be spread on the squash.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is acorn squash sweet? If you get a nice, ripe acorn squash then it will have a rich buttery flavor that is sweet (but not too sweet) and a little bit of a nutty flavor.
- Is acorn squash keto? No, unfortunately acorn squash is too high in carbohydrates to work well on the keto diet (a low carbohydrate diet). For one cup of acorn squash there are 12.5 grams of net carbs, which is just too high.
- Is acorn squash low fodmap? Yes, acorn squash is technically considered low fodmap food by some. FODMAP is a diet for individuals who experience digestive distress after eating short-chain carbohydrates or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP).
- Can you freeze acorn squash? Yes, acorn squash can be frozen. Follow the freeze directions below for further guidance.
- Is squash good in an air fryer? Yes, making squash in the air fryer is my favorite way of cooking it. It is so much faster than cooking it in the oven.
Storage Instructions
- How to Refrigerate: Let the squash cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. It should last about 4 days in the fridge.
- How to Freeze: Let the squash cool off completely. Remove squash from the skin and cut into cubes or puree it before putting into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The should last about 3 months in the freezer.
- How to Thaw: Thaw the frozen squash in the refrigerator until completely thawed.
- How to Reheat: Reheat cold squash in the microwave for a few minutes at a time until desired warmth is reached.
Try these other air fryer recipes!
- Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
- Air Fried Squash and Zucchini
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Frozen Breaded Shrimp
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Air Fryer Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 small acorn squash
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt, pinch
- pepper, pinch
Instructions
-
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
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Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out all of the seeds and pulp.
-
Brush on a little oil to the inside and cut part of the squash.
-
Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper.
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Add the acorn squash cut side up into the air fryer being careful since it will be hot.
-
Cook for 15-20 minutes. Eat as is or use in another recipe.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure to use a really sharp knife when cutting the acorn squash in half, it makes it so much easier.
- There is no need to add any oil to the inside of the air fryer.
- Acorn squash will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Nutrition Information
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