Air Fryer Butternut Squash Fries

Butternut squash fries dipped into small bowl of rosemary dipping sauce.

4.41 from 5 votes

This Air Fryer Butternut Squash Fries recipe can be air fried or baked! It's served with a creamy lemon garlic rosemary dipping sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: squash fries, air fryer squash, rosemary dipping sauce

Servings:

Calories: 36kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

For The Fries:

1 Medium-Large butternut squash yields 6-8 cups fries
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. pepper
high-heat non-aerosol air fryer spray such as avocado oil

For The Dipping Sauce:

2 cloves garlic
⅓ cup mayo
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried rosemary
pinch kosher salt
pinch pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare The Butternut Squash Fries:

To peel the butternut squash simply remove the top and bottom of the squash with a sharp knife and discard in the trash or compost bin. This will give you a flat surface on both the top and bottom portion of the fruit and make it easier to peel and cut.
Once the top and bottom have been removed, cut the butternut squash in half. Place one of the flat surfaces of each half of squash on the cutting board. Carefully remove the skin with a knife or a good quality vegetable peeler and discard in the trash or compost bin.
Cut each half of the squash in half again. Scoop out the seeds and membranes from the bottom portion of the squash with a large spoon. Discard the seeds and membranes.
Cut the top portions of the squash (the portion without the seeds and membranes) into halves. This should give you 6 'half moon' shaped portions of butternut squash. Place the flat surface of a 'half moon' of squash on a cutting board and cut it lengthwise into slices.
Cut each of those slices into thick 'fries'. Make sure the fries are relatively the same thickness to ensure even cooking. (Some may be shorter than others). Repeat with the remainder of the butternut squash.
Place the fries into a large mixing bowl and drizzle them with 2 tablespoon olive oil.
Sprinkle 2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika over the fries. Add ½ teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper to the fries. Toss the fries in the olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper until completely coated.

Air Fryer Instuctions:

To make these fries using an Air Fryer, first spray the basket with a non-aerosol high-heat Air Fryer spray, such as avocado oil. This will help prevent the fries from sticking as they cook.
Place as many fries as will fit comfortably in the basket of the air fryer, being careful not to overcrowd them. Overcrowding the basket will result in mushy, unevenly cooked fries.
Heat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook the fries for 5 minutes, remove the basket, flip each of the fries, and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Remove the cooked fries and place on a clean baking sheet. Repeat with the remainder of the fries.

Oven Baked Instructions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet (or multiple baking sheets, depending on the amount of fries you have) with the freshly cut fries.
Place the baking sheet(s) in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet(s) and flip each of the fries over.
Return the baking sheet(s) to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Once finished, remove the baking sheet(s) from the oven.

For The Dipping Sauce:

Mince 2 cloves of garlic.
Mince 1 Tbsp. of fresh rosemary.
Add ⅓ cup mayo, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon freshly minced rosemary to a small bowl along with the minced garlic and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients together until completely combined using a fork or small whisk.
To Serve: Serve butternut squash fries on a platter with bowl of rosemary dipping sauce. Adjust salt and pepper levels if desired.

Notes

If you don't have fresh rosemary on hand, you can substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary for fresh.

Feel free to sub any fresh herb you like for rosemary. Basil, parsley, chives, tarragon, or thyme are all great options.

These butternut squash fries are not crispy like regular French fries. They are only slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside when finished.

Nutrition