Air Fryer Pumpkin

Air fryer pumpkin is so quick and simple, and makes a lovely fall vegetable side dish! Air frying it couldn’t be easier – this is the easiest recipe you will find to roast pumpkin!

Why you’ll love this recipe

Air fried pumpkin is one of my favorite side dishes. It is quick and easy and truly versatile; it goes with many different flavors and types of main dish.

Since I discovered how quick and easy it is to roast pumpkin in an air fryer we often have it every week. My family haven’t complained about it yet, but it’s in season for a while so I guess we’ll see how that goes.

Air frying is a great way to cook vegetables. It is super quick, and air fried veggies are so tasty, just like roasted, but without all the extra oil. You might also like to try air fryer butternut squash, air fried cauliflower, air fryer roast potato.

Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer pumpkin recipe, or read on for all the details!

What do you need?

What type of pumpkin to choose

Most varieties of pumpkin and squash can be air fried. The different varieties may all look different from the outside, but they all have similar flesh and will all roast up well in an air fryer.

I tend to stick with smaller varieties of pumpkin as I find them easier to prepare (though see the tip below for the easy way to cut up pumpkin).

Seasoning

If I want spiced pumpkin I usually use mixed spice or nutmeg, but you could try:

• Paprika and/or chili
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Cajun spice
• Mexican spice
• Chermoula
• Cinnamon and nutmeg
• Grarlic powder

Oil

I normally use light olive oil for this pumpkin recipe, but you can substitute any type of cooking oil that you would normally use for frying.

Choose something with a high smoke point – vegetable oil, avocado oil, or canola oil are good options.

If you want to make a healthier version of this recipe, you can use an olive oil spray instead of liquid oil.

How to roast pumpkin in an air fryer

Prepare and season pumpkin

To prep, just cut the pumpkin into wedges, fries, chips, or cubes, half an inch thick.

Use a very sharp knife and cut very slowly and carefully. You can leave the skin on if you like (I often do if I am cooking wedges), but make sure you clean up the stringy bits from the inside.

Pumpkins can be difficult to cut up, so buy pre-cut pumpkin wedges to save yourself the hassle if you can.

Once it is cut up, all the pumpkin needs is a quick spritz of oil before air frying. You can also add seasoning or spices if you prefer a flavored roasted pumpkin, but this is optional.

To add the seasoning you can either just sprinkle it over the pumpkin once it is placed in the air fryer basket. Or you can mix the oil, seasoning, and pumpkin together in a bowl until well coated. This will give you more even coverage, but takes longer.

How long to air fry pumpkin

Air frying pumpkin doesn’t take long, only 10-15 minutes. The exact time will depend on how much pumpkin you have to roast, how it is arranged in the air fryer basket, and how efficient your air fryer is.

If you have cut the pumpkin into slices, and can fit them in the air fryer without touching then the cook time will be closer to 10 minutes.

If the pumpkin is cut into cubes, fries or wedges and piled up in the air fryer, then the cooking time will be closer to 15 minutes or more (and will also require a shake halfway through the cooking time).

Serving ideas

Pumpkin pairs well with other sweet flavors (maple syrup, cinnamon, honey), chili or other spicy heat, and rich flavors like nuts and dairy.

I often serve roast pumpkin fries or chips as a snack with a dipping sauce like ranch dressing or Greek yogurt. Though it also works well as a side dish for meals like air fryer roast beef and air fryer pork roast.

You can serve it as a side to meat dishes that you have also cooked in the air fryer. Because the cooking time is only around 10 minutes you can roast it after you have finished air frying a meat dish, while the meat is resting.

Just prepare it while the meat is cooking so it is ready to go as soon as the meat has finished, and drain any excess fat out of the air fryer before you cook the pumpkin.

Storing and reheating

Store any leftover pumpkin in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.

You can reheat the pumpkin in the air fryer, and air fry for 3-4 minutes until warmed through. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave, 1-2 minutes on high.

Pin this recipe

Don’t forget to save this recipe to Pinterest to save it for later.

Share this recipe