Easy Air Fryer Delicata Squash Fries (10 Minutes)
These crispy air fryer delicata squash fries take less than 20 minutes to prep and cook, with no peeling required, and a rich flavor that even picky eaters will reach for more of!
Servings: 4
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 medium delicata squash ~1lb.
- ½ to 1 Tablespoon olive oil try using a sprayer
- 1 teaspoon za'atar optional
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Set your air fryer to preheat to 400°F (205°C) for 3-5 minutes, and while it's heating up, gather your oil, salt, and seasonings of choice (I like 1 teapsoon za'atar & ½ teaspoon garlic powder).
- Then wash and lightly scrub your delicata squash; since the skin is edible, delicata squash doesn't need to be peeled, so we want to make sure the outside is clean enough to eat. Once clean, cut off the top and bottom, then cut the squash in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and innards. Either set aside the seeds to clean and roast or discard everything (just like pumpkin seeds, delicata squash seeds are totally edible once cooked!).
- Next cut each half in half, and then slice the squash lengthwise into delicata steak fries, about ⅓" thick. You can also slice each half horizontally into half-moon shapes, but these will take longer to cook and aren't as French fry-like.
- Once cut, put your delicata squash pieces in a bowl and drizzle over or spray on your oil, and sprinkle on the salt, garlic powder, and za'atar (if using), then toss until well-coated.
- Pour the delicata squash fries in the air fryer and arrange them in as thin a layer as possible (a bit of overlap is okay), and cook them at 400°F (205°C) for 9-11 minutes, shaking the basket or turning the squash fries halfway through your cook time. If you cut them into thicker ½" cresents, you'll need to air fry delicata fries for an extra 1-2 minutes and check on them from there.
- Regardless of fry size, the best way to tell if delicata squash is cooked through is to make sure it's fork-tender. When the timer goes off, take out your crispy delicata fries and taste one, then add extra salt (if needed) & enjoy!
Notes
Squash Storage: You can store these striped winter squash on the counter or in the fridge, but mine ended up on our counter for about a month before we used them and they tasted great, so use your best judgement when storing delicatas before making this recipe.
Fry Size: when cooking delicata squash in the air fryer, it's most common to simply slice them into half moon shapes, but I most like the steak fries shape you get when you slice them lengthwise. But what's most important is to make sure the pieces are all the same size, to ensure even cooking.
What Sauce?: my picky grandmother-in-law enjoyed her delicata fries plain, while my fiance liked them with ketchup, and I liked mine with some homemade aioli (contains lemon juice). Other great sauces to try include pesto or chimichurri.
Batching: to make delicata fries with more than 1 pound of squash, simply multiply the amount of non-squash ingredients by the number of pounds of squash, and cook the fries in one layer in the air fryer in as many batches as needed.