How to Cook Squash in Air Fryer

Squash is often considered as a superfood because of its immense health benefits. It is high in vitamin A, Vitamin C, B6, magnesium, folate, fiber, potassium, phosphorous, and others. Now you can cook them easily in an air fryer. The air fryer allows you to prepare the squash with the least effort while assuring perfect cook every time. Below, we will let you know how to cook squash in air fryer.

There are several ways to cook the squash and the most common ways are the stovetop and the oven. However, an air fryer is comparatively easier, faster, and assure better cooking. That is why you should consider cooking the squash in an air fryer.

A Bit More About the Squash

Squash is something delicious, healthy, and comforting that is now available in different parts of the world. Squash can be eaten in various ways including steaming or roasting as well as raw. There are two types of squash out there which are summer squash and the winter squash. The summer squash is typically harvested immature while the winter squash is more mature and rigid.

Some popular variation of squash include spaghetti, butternut, kabocha, acorn, etc. The size, shape, color, and flavor of the verities varies significantly. One of the interesting facts about the squash is although they are eaten as vegetable, they are actually a fruit that derives from flower and include seeds. Everything including the flesh, seeds, and even the skin of the squash can be eaten.

How to Cook Squash in Air Fryer

Cooking things in the air fryer don’t take much of the time and it is something you will enjoy. Check out the detailed guide on how to cook the squash in your air fryer.

Step 1: Preheat the Machine

The first thing you need to do is to preheat the air fryer. Begin with putting it in a flat surface away from the wall or anything that can block the air circulation. Now connect it to the electric outlet. Then press the power button to turn on the device. After that, you can just press the preheat option from the pre-set, if there is any.

If there are no preset in the air fryer, you can simply set the cooking time and temperature manually. The preheating temperature should be 450 F or the highest temp offered by the device. Besides, the preheating time should be anything around 2 to 5 minutes.

Step 2: Preparing the Squashes

Wash and rinse the squash and let them dry for a while. Now chop off each end and then cut them into smaller circular pieces. Make sure to cut them a bit thicker to assure better shape. After that, put them in a mixing bowl and add favorite seasoning. You can also spray some oils for better crispiness. After that, use tongs or spoons to properly coat the squashes with the seasoning and oil.

Step 3: Add Them in the Air Fryer

Now put the pieces of squash in the air fryer in a single layer. This will assure an even and perfect cooking. Don’t add a lot of the ingredients at once as this can block the air circulation and you will end up with uneven cooking. You can cook them in smaller batches to assure proper cooking.

Step 3: Set the Time and Temp

The next thing you need to do is to select the time and temperature of the device. The temperature should be the highest of your air fryer and the cooking time should be around 20 minutes. Note that the cooking time will be vary a bit depending on your device. Set the preferred time and temp by utilizing the buttons of your machine.

Step 4: Cook

Now set the food for cooking by pressing the start button. After cooking for around 10 minutes, pause the operation. Now open the air fryer basket and flip or shake the basket to redistribute the ingredients. This will help to assure better cooking. Once you are close to the cooking duration, begin checking the ingredients frequently.

If you find them done, you can take them off. Else, re-adjust the time by guessing. Stop the operation and take them off once they have perfectly cooked.

Step 5: Take them Off

Hold the air fryer basket from the handle to take it out carefully. Put the basket in a heat-resistant surface. Don’t touch the food or the basket immediately as they will be very hot and you can end up burning the fingers. Wait a while to let them cool down and then you can move them to the serving plate.

Note that you may require adjusting the recipe a bit based on the air fryer machine you are using. Some machines may arrive with different features and functions. You will need to adjust the settings accordingly.

Why You Should Eat the Squash More Often?

As we said earlier, there are many vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals in the squash. The antioxidant in the vegetable is known for its role in reducing oxidative stress. Moreover, they can help to prevent serious diseases like cancer. Another impressive fact about the squash is the vitamin C and beta-carotene in the squash can helps to slow down the vision related issues along with macular degeneration.

Besides, some varieties of squash have vitamin B6 that can help to fifth depression and other mental health concerns. The beta-carotene in the squash may also help to protect the skin from sun exposure and bad UV rays. They are also rich in vitamin C that can assist in regeneration and growing of the cell.

Conclusion

Air fryer is something that allows you to cook everything easily. The prevent the mess while assuring you the perfect and consistent cooking every time. Moreover, they allows you to cook things faster compared to the other ways. If you didn’t yet tried the squash in the air fryer, you should try them soon. This healthy vegetable is impressively tasty and it can be a great addition to your diet.