This easy air fryer pumpkin deserves a seat at the table. Golden brown, crisp, and tender, the fall recipe is ready in just a fraction of the time you’d think it’d take. Roasting pumpkin in an air fryer caramelizes the natural sugar, making it sweeter, richer, and almost buttery!
Air fryer roasted pumpkin seems fancy, but the low-carb recipe and fall side is superbly easy and fast to make – the air fryer does most of the work. So, if you’re looking for a simple and delicious side for your Thanksgiving table, this vegetable dish is for you!
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Why We Love Air Fryer Pumpkin
Quick to prep and quick to make
It’s a hearty, filling, and nutritious side dish
Needs only 3 ingredients: pumpkin, olive oil, and spices
It’s a healthy pumpkin recipe that shines the light on seasonal produce
Recipe Ingredients
| Pumpkin | Olive oil | Roasted cumin powder | Paprika |
| Coriander powder | Turmeric powder | Sea salt | Black pepper |
How To Make
Step 1: Wash the pumpkin well, peel it, and cut it into thin slices.
Step 2: Toss the cut pumpkin with a generous drizzle of olive oil, paprika, roasted cumin powder, sea salt, coriander powder, turmeric, and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 3: Arrange the pumpkin in the basket in a single layer.
Step 4: Roast pumpkin in the air fryer for 10 minutes at 190°C until crisp and golden brown.
Step 5: Repeat for all pieces.
Final step: Serve!
Pro Tips
- Don’t crowd the air fryer. They’ll steam instead of roasting. So, for crisp air-fried pumpkin, bake it in batches.
- About 5 minutes in, flip the veggies so they brown evenly.
- I sliced my pumpkin. You can cube or cut it in any other shape, as long as they are of uniform size.
How To Prep/Cut Pumpkin
Wash and dry: Start washing the pumpkin thoroughly under running water to remove dirt or debris. Then, pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Peel or not to peel: Technically, pumpkin skin is edible, and it does taste amazing if it’s tender. I had a fresh pumpkin with a thin skin, so I didn’t need to peel it. If the skin in yours is tough, peel it away.
Chop the ends: Place the pumpkin on a stable cutting board. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut off the top and bottom to create flat surfaces to work with.
Slice in half: Stand the pumpkin upright on one of the flat ends. Hold it steady and carefully slice it in half vertically from top to bottom.
Scrape the pumpkin guts: Use a spoon or an ice cream scoop to remove the seeds and fibrous strands of pulp from each half. Save the seeds. Roasting them and using them in various recipes like this easy pumpkin bread, roasted pumpkin soup, or this easy almond granola.
Cut: Wedges, slices, or roasted pumpkin cubes. Pick what you prefer, roughly 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Wedges look rustic, while slices/cubes may cook more evenly.
How To Serve
Roast pumpkin is fantastic at room temperature and super delicious served warm. I can (and did) eat platefuls of this air fryer recipe as-is. I just topped it with some:
- Fried sage leaves, although fresh cilantro or coriander are excellent substitutes
- Pumpkin seeds
- Grated parmesan
I also like to top the warm roasted pumpkin with my favorite cinnamon honey butter!
The best part about air fryer pumpkin? It’s an easy side dish and vegan to boot. There are tons of ways to use it for meal prep:
- Alongside a scrumptious mushroom quiche
- In wraps and sandwiches
- Mix it in a hearty Italian tortellini salad
- Toss it with easy homemade vegan gnocchi
You can also pair it with these delicious dips:
Recipe FAQs
Any pumpkin variety you have locally available can be used for air frying or roasting. Just make sure it’s meant for cooking and baking, not carving.
Pumpkins like Jack-O-Lantern are meant for Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations. Don’t use them. Can’t get your hands on pumpkins? Use butternut squash.
It's a personal choice really. If your pumpkin has thin skin, you can leave it unpeeled. The peel is totally edible!
📖 Recipe
Easy Air Fryer Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 2.2 Ib Pumpkin
- 2-3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 1/4 tsp Sea salt
- 1.5 tsp Roasted cumin powder
- 1.5 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Black pepper, coarsely ground
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Garnish
- Fried sage leaves, Cilantro, Pumpkin seeds, Grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Wash the pumpkin well.
- Cut the bottom and top of the pumpkin to make it stable. Cut it in half. Spoon out the seeds. Slice it thinly.I used a pumpkin with thin skin, so didn't need to peel the skin. If you're using any other kind of pumpkin, please peel it.
- In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin slices with olive oil, salt, roasted cumin powder, coriander powder, paprika, black pepper, and turmeric.
- Arrange the pumpkin slices in your air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook at 190 C for 10 minutes. Flip the slices over once at the 5-minute mark for even browning and cooking.
- Carefully remove from the basket and repeat with the remaining pumpkin slices.
- Arrange the roasted pumpkin on a serving platter. Garnish with fried sage leaves, fresh cilantro/coriander, pumpkin seeds, and grated parmesan cheese.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
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