These crispy Frozen Air Fryer Butternut Squash Cubes are super simple and very customizable, no matter your tastes or tolerances. They go from freezer to table in just 20 minutes, with only four ingredients you probably already have at home.
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About this recipe
Simple Enough for Beginners: This is the same technique I use for other frozen air fryer frozen veggies, so I know this recipe is easy & detailed enough for beginners and home chefs alike. We like to mix up the seasonings, but if you find a blend you like, it’s always nice to have a comfort food dish to come back to!
Great Source of Vitamin A: Just like my air fryer sweet potatoes, butternut squash is high in fiber and nutrients like vitamins A and C, and make for a great addition to roasted potatoes with your next meat-focused meal.
Low Histamine Side Dish: butternut squash is one of the 15 foods I let myself eat during my first week of a low histamine diet, and all my squash dishes are quite popular on the site. This easy air fryer frozen butternut squash can be seasoned with whatever you tolerate, and can even be flavored specifically to complement the rest of your meal.
Ingredients
Frozen Butternut Squash: you can buy it in any form, but I like the cubed version and always try to buy organic, if not using vegetables I’ve cut & frozen myself.
Lard: this high-heat oil is an animal fat well-known for its fantastic frying ability, which stores beautifully in the freezer for longer periods of time. For a vegan version, use refined coconut oil.
Seasoning: while this is technically optional, I highly recommend using 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of your favorite tolerated seasoning. See the notes section for ideas, though I really like half each cumin and garlic powder.
How to make frozen butternut squash in air fryer: step-by-step instructions
Step 1. Pour your frozen butternut squash into your air fryer basket and set it to preheat at 400°F (205°C) for 4 minutes. This will get any frost off and break the pieces apart before seasoning, but let them go much longer than 4 minutes and the pieces will start cooking and stick to the basket.
Step 2. While your frozen squash is heating up, gather your oil, salt, and seasoning of choice (I like 1/2 cumin & 1/2 garlic powder). Once the preheating is complete, carefully scoop your warm butternut squash into a small bowl and pat them dry with a dishtowel or several paper towels (this took me about 2 minutes); this is integral to getting them crispy. This is also the best time to cut your pieces into smaller cubes for even cooking. Toss any water left in the bottom of the air fryer after preheating.
Step 3. Next drizzle the oil, salt, and seasoning over the squash and stir or toss them in the bowl until well-combined (about 30 seconds). If you want to use less oil, spray the inside of your air-fryer basket with a tolerated oil spray; otherwise just proceed to pouring in the pieces.
Step 4. Arrange the squash in as thin a layer as possible, though a bit of overlap is okay, and then put back the frozen butternut squash in air fryer for another 16 minutes at 400°F (205°C), shaking the basket halfway through (if you tend to forget such things, just set your timer for 8 minutes). Bigger pieces may need an extra 2-3 minutes cooking time. Take out your crispy bits and taste one, then add extra salt (if needed) & enjoy!
Recipe notes & tips
Defrosting: When making frozen butternut squash in the air fryer, the very first thing you need to do is bring them as much back to normal as possible. Much like patting dry brussels sprouts or regular potatoes before browning them at a high heat, it’s imperative to bring the pieces to room temp and thoroughly dry them; otherwise they won’t properly crisp up.
Seasonings: If you know you don’t tolerate garlic powder or one or more of the spices on this air fryer squash, you can swap it for a blend of other low histamine herbs and spices you think would go well. You can use any type of seasoning, but otherwise I’d recommend homemade garam masala, dried rosemary & garlic, or any premade steak seasoning (if tolerated).
Re-freezing: I wouldn’t recommend putting these back in the freezer once cooked, as it will negatively affect the texture quite a bit, making them mushy. This is why I purposefully used just a pound of squash for this recipe; it can easily be halved or doubled for varying crowd sizes.
What to serve with air fryer butternut squash
- Low Histamine Chicken Tenders
- A Simple Low Histamine Salad
- A slightly sweeter dish, like Hummus Chicken
- Your Favorite Low Histamine Soup
- Baked Honey Turmeric Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Frozen Butternut Squash Recipe Card
As always, if you like the recipe, I really appreciate a 5-star review or comment!
How Make Frozen Butternut Squash in Air Fryer
Flavorful, crispy butternut squash from frozen, cooked in the air fryer in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 20 oz. frozen butternut squash cubes
- 1 Tablespoon fat of choice (I like coconut oil or lard)
- 1 teaspoon seasoning (optional; see notes)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt (exclude if seasoning has salt)
Instructions
- Pour your frozen butternut squash into your air fryer basket and set it to preheat at 400°F (205°C) for 4 minutes. This will get any frost off and break the pieces apart before seasoning, but let them go much longer than 4 minutes and the pieces will start cooking and stick to the basket.
- While your frozen squash is heating up, gather your oil, salt, and seasoning of choice (I like 1/2 cumin & 1/2 garlic powder). Once the preheating is complete, carefully scoop your warm butternut squash into a small bowl and pat them dry with a dishtowel or several paper towels (this took me about 2 minutes); this is integral to getting them crispy. This is also the best time to cut your pieces into smaller cubes for even cooking. Toss any water left in the bottom of the air fryer after preheating.
- Next drizzle the oil, salt, and seasoning over the squash and stir or toss them in the bowl until well-combined (about 30 seconds). If you want to use less oil, spray the inside of your air-fryer basket with a tolerated oil spray; otherwise just proceed to pouring in the pieces.
- Arrange the squash in as thin a layer as possible, though a bit of overlap is okay, and then put back the frozen butternut squash in air fryer for another 16 minutes at 400°F (205°C), shaking the basket halfway through (if you tend to forget such things, just set your timer for 8 minutes). Bigger pieces may need an extra 2-3 minutes cooking time. Take out your crispy bits and taste one, then add extra salt (if needed) & enjoy!
Notes
Defrosting: When making frozen butternut squash in the air fryer, the very first thing you need to do is bring them as much back to normal as possible. Much like patting dry brussels sprouts or regular potatoes before browning them at a high heat, it's imperative to bring the pieces to room temp and thoroughly dry them; otherwise they won't properly crisp up.
Seasonings: If you know you don’t tolerate garlic powder or one or more of the spices on this air fryer squash, you can swap it for a blend of other low histamine herbs and spices you think would go well. You can use any type of seasoning, but otherwise I'd recommend homemade garam masala, dried rosemary & garlic, or any premade steak seasoning (if tolerated).
Re-freezing: I wouldn't recommend putting these back in the freezer once cooked, as it will negatively affect the texture quite a bit, making them mushy. This is why I purposefully used just a pound of squash for this recipe; it can easily be halved or doubled for varying crowd sizes.