Air Fryer Butternut Squash with Cinnamon

Name: Air Fryer Butternut Squash with Cinnamon
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 cups (about 500g) butternut squash, cubed; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; as needed olive oil spray

A sweet and aromatic side dish, perfect for autumn meals.

Time: 35 min4 servingsDifficulty: Easy200°CVegetables

Steps

1
Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray (or line with aluminum foil and spray).
2
Place the cubed butternut squash in the basket.
3
Sprinkle cinnamon on top and spray again with olive oil.
4
Cook at 200°C (390°F) for 20 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, check, shake the basket, add more oil if needed, then continue cooking.
5
Serve warm as a side dish or appetizer.

Shopping list

4 cups cubed butternut squash, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, olive oil spray

Recipe story

Butternut squash, native to North America, was cultivated by Native Americans for centuries. Its sweet flavor and creamy texture made it popular in cuisines worldwide, often associated with autumn dishes. Cinnamon, brought from Asia, perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the squash.

Ingredient Secrets

Cinnamon

In ancient Rome, cinnamon was more precious than gold, used in sacred rituals and royal perfumes. Legends told of fabulous birds called cinnamologus that built their nests from cinnamon sticks on inaccessible cliff tops. The cinnamon trade was long shrouded in mystery, with Arab merchants inventing fantastic stories to protect their sources.

Olive oil

Originating in the Mediterranean basin, olive oil was already produced in ancient Crete 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, it was considered a gift from Athena and used in lamps, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The Romans spread it throughout the empire, and in the Middle Ages, monasteries preserved the tradition of its production.