Air Fryer Butternut Squash Fries are a fabulous low-carb alternative to potato or sweet potato French fries. They are crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and soft and creamy inside. They can be served on their own with my delicious garlic thyme aioli or as a tasty, no-fuss side that takes minutes to cook in the air fryer.
If you're struggling with eating more vegetables or want your family to like butternut squash more, this recipe is for you! It turns somewhat mushy butternut squash into crisped up fries that are savory and perfect as a fall snack.
And if you have leftover butternut squash, turn it into this Butternut Squash Chicken Soup.
Air fryer baked apples is another great recipe I recommend trying in the fall!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Butternut squash fries are lower in calories and carbs compared to both regular white potato AND sweet potato fries.
- It’s a fabulous way to eat vegetables – turn them into healthy fries!
- Much like my air fryer Carrot Fries, these fries are perfectly seasoned and crispy on the outside but soft and creamy inside.
- Air frying requires only a small amount of oil and it’s super quick – it only takes 15 minutes to cook the fries.
- Air fried butternut squash fries are perfect as a side with meat or fish, or a fabulous snack served with your favorite dip.
- This dish is a great and unique holiday side dish, particularly for Thanksgiving
- Check out this Crack Green Beans recipe, Sautéed Delicata Squash and this simple Air Fryer Eggplant for more awesome vegetable side dishes
Ingredient notes
- Butternut Squash: lower in carbs than regular or sweet potato, it turns out that it makes tasty low-carb fries!
- Olive Oil: to help the fries get crisp in the air fryer. You can use extra virgin or light olive oil. If you don’t want to use olive oil, avocado or vegetable oil will also work.
- Corn Starch: starch prevents the fries from getting soggy. For a paleo version use tapioca flour or arrowroot powder.
- Paprika, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper: for the right amount of seasoning.
How to make butternut squash fries in the air fryer
Step 1: Peel and slice butternut squash. You can use the whole squash but I prefer to only use the long part with no seeds. That way the fries all look like uniform sticks. Peel the squash using a potato peeler and slice into vertical, thin slices, about ¼-½ inch thick.
Step 2: Cut into fries. Stack a couple butternut squash slices and cut into ¼-½ inch thick fries. I ended up with 1.5 lbs raw fries.
Step 3: Dust the fries with corn starch, tapioca flour or arrowroot powder. I dust them in a bowl, toss a couple times, transfer to a colander and toss a couple more times over a sink. That way the fries will all be covered with a thin layer of starch.
Step 4: Add oil and seasonings. Transfer the fries back to a bowl, pour in the oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Stir to coat.
Step 5: Air fry until crisp. If needed, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple minutes. Then, add half of the fries and air fry for about 15-18 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. Then do the same with the other half.
Note: You could technically add all the fries at the same time but they won’t turn out as crispy. If you like them to be even crispier, cook them in batches so that the raw fries you add to the basket only for one flat layer. How many batches you will end up with depends on the size of your air fryer. I use a 7-quart air fryer from GoWise and cook my fries in 2 batches.
Step 6: Serve immediately. Serve them on their own or with your favorite dip. I like mine with garlic thyme aioli which is basically mayo, lemon juice, fresh garlic, thyme and spices mixed together (see recipe card below for amounts and instructions).
Can I make these in the oven?
Yes you can. Follow all the steps above to prep the raw fries, then place them on a parchment paper lined baking tray making sure they’re not touching each other much (to make them crispy!) and bake in the oven preheated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned on the outside.
Serving suggestions
My favorite pairing is with garlic thyme aioli (recipe below) but you can serve these air fryer butternut squash fries like you would regular fries, as a side or on their own with some something delicious to dip in. Some ideas include tomato ketchup, ranch, honey mustard, your favorite thick salad dressing or BBQ sauce.
Try this lemony Dill Aioli or sweet and spicy Korean-inspired Gochujang aioli for another great dip idea.
How do these fries compare to sweet potato fries?
Butternut Squash Fries are actually pretty similar to sweet potato fries though their texture is softer and the flavor is more savory. Unlike sweet potato (or white potato), butternut squash is much lower in carbs and starch which means that it won’t crisp up as much as potatoes would and the fries come out a little more “limp”, if you know what I mean. Dusting them with starch definitely helps to crisp them up and they come out delicious! Try giving them to someone who doesn’t normally like butternut squash and I bet they will like it as fries!
This dish is featured in the list of 25 Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Impress along with more delicious recipe ideas to try.
Other low-carb air fryer ideas
- Buffalo Chicken Thighs (Air Fryer or Oven)
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Stuffed Chicken (Air Fryer or Oven)
- Air Fryer Eggplant Parm
- Buffalo Chicken Tenders (No Breading)
- Brined Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Omelette
Recipe
Air Fryer Butternut Squash Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 3 tablespoons corn starch tapicoca flour or arrowroot powder
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Garlic Thyme Aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove crushed or minced
- ¼ teaspoon fresh or dried thyme leaves only
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel butternut squash and slice it into ¼ inch thick slices. Then cut into thin fries. Try to make them uniform so they cook at the same time. I used only the long part of the squash and ended up with 1.5 lbs of raw fries.
- Dust the fries with cornstarch or tapioca flour until evenly coated. See note below on using a colander.
- Now add olive oil and all the spices and toss to coat.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple minutes, then add the fries and air fry for 15 minutes shaking the basket every 5 minutes. For crispy fries, cook them in two or more batches.
Garlic Thyme Aioli
- Mix mayo, lemon juice, thyme and all the spices in a small bowl.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Bogusława says
Już jadłam te Twoje frytki, więc moja opinia to 5*
amanda says
I have never made butternut squash fries, but am currently obsessed with my air fryer. These turned out so good and crispy and a great way to get more veggies in!
Agnieszka says
Yay! So glad to hear that!
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings says
YUM! Can't wait to make this again and again; fabulous recipe. We loved these!
Ramona says
These butternut squash fries look absolutely incredible! Must make immediately!
Brianna says
Sweet and crispy, just the way I like them!
Leslie says
Butternut squash fries...genius!
Melinda says
A whole new spin on cooking with butternut squash! Thank you for sharing.
Jeri says
These butternut squash fries turned out great in the air fryer! Perfectly crispy!
Bethany says
Absolutely love this idea! Delicious!
nancy says
i never tried this until now! great idea on Butternut Squash Fries cuz i'm so sick of yam fries!
Lilly says
These came out perfect!! Thanks for the recipe
Alexandra says
These are so delicious, and perfect for snacking on!
Tim says
I've made this twice for my kids 6 and 4 and they devour them. I have never been able to get sweet potatoe fries right so I decided to use this recipe sub sweet potatoes. Just learned the cheat code! Thanks!
Agnieszka says
Aww, so awesome your kids like the squash fries. Always a parenting win!
Nora says
This is such a great idea! My family will love them!
Natalie says
Oh, I love the idea of using cornstarch to make it more crispy. I have to try this. Thanks!
amanda says
Love these fries. They are perfectly crispy and my new favorite snack!
Erin says
Will this recipe still work without the oil? Would I have to change anything?
Agnieszka says
Hi Erin. I don't think this recipe will work without oil.
Lewis Rich says
Wow so good. Added a few extra minutes for crispness. A huge hit with my 6 and 3 year old.
Agnieszka says
So glad to hear that!!
Bogusława says
Delicious 🌹