To roast pumpkin in an air fryer, cut a small sugar pie pumpkin (about 2 lb) in half, scoop out the seeds, slice it into 1-inch wedges with the skin on, and toss the wedges with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Air fry in a single layer at 400°F for 14 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway, until the edges are caramelized and a fork slides easily into the flesh. Finish with chopped parsley and a few toasted walnuts. It makes 4 servings at roughly 90 calories each.
1 small sugar pie pumpkin or kabocha squash (about 2 lb / 900 g)
1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to serve
2 tbsp toasted walnuts, chopped (optional, to serve)
1 tsp maple syrup (optional, to drizzle)
How Do You Make Roasted Pumpkin in an Air Fryer?
Prep the pumpkin: Wash and dry the pumpkin. Cut off the stem, halve it from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon (save the seeds to roast later).
Slice: Lay each half cut side down and slice it into wedges about 1 inch thick at the widest point. Leave the skin on; it softens and is edible once roasted.
Season: Toss the wedges in a large bowl with the olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, thyme, salt and pepper until every piece is evenly coated.
Preheat: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
Air fry: Arrange the wedges in a single layer, skin side down, splitting them between both baskets or zones on a dual air fryer. Air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes, flip, then cook 6 to 10 minutes more until the edges are deep golden and a fork slides easily into the thickest part.
Finish and serve: Transfer to a plate, scatter over the parsley and toasted walnuts, add a light drizzle of maple syrup if you like, and serve warm.
Dual basket tip: Pumpkin wedges and a protein finish together beautifully in a dual air fryer. Put chicken thighs or pork chops in one zone and the pumpkin in the other, then use SyncCook (on the GaPaLiLo 11QT) or Smart Finish so both are ready at the same moment. Cooking for a crowd? Pull the divider out of a divider-style air fryer and roast all the wedges in one big single layer.
New pick: GaPaLiLo 11QT Dual-Zone Air FryerTwo 5-quart zones with SyncCook, or pull the divider for one big basket of pumpkin wedges.
How Many Calories Are in Air Fryer Roasted Pumpkin? (Estimated)
Per serving (1/4 of the recipe, about 6 oz pumpkin): about 90 calories, 5.3 g fat (0.8 g saturated), 11 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 4.5 g sugar, 1.8 g protein, 0 mg cholesterol and about 250 mg sodium. These are estimates calculated from standard USDA values for raw pumpkin, olive oil and kosher salt, and they do not include the optional walnuts (about 25 calories per serving) or maple syrup (about 13 calories per serving). Pumpkin is naturally vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Air fry 1-inch pumpkin wedges at 400°F for 14 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway. Thinner 1/2-inch slices take 10 to 12 minutes and 1-inch cubes take 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. The pumpkin is done when the edges are caramelized and a fork slides in easily.
Do you have to peel pumpkin before air frying?
No. The skin of small sugar pie pumpkins and kabocha squash softens as it roasts and is safe to eat, and it helps the wedges hold their shape. Large carving pumpkins have tough skin and watery, stringy flesh, so they are not a good choice for this recipe.
What kind of pumpkin is best for roasting in the air fryer?
Use a small sugar pie (pie) pumpkin or a kabocha squash, about 2 lb. Both have sweet, dense flesh that caramelizes well. Butternut, delicata and acorn squash also work with the same seasoning; delicata cooks a few minutes faster.
Is air fryer roasted pumpkin healthy?
Yes. Pumpkin is low in calories and rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C and potassium. This recipe uses only 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil for 2 lb of pumpkin, so we estimate about 90 calories, 11 g carbohydrate and 5 g fat per serving before the optional walnuts and maple syrup. These are estimates.
Can you make air fryer pumpkin sweet instead of savory?
Yes. Swap the garlic powder, paprika and thyme for 1 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg, then drizzle 1 tbsp maple syrup over the wedges for the last 3 minutes so it caramelizes without burning.
Why is my air fryer pumpkin soggy?
Soggy pumpkin usually means the basket was overcrowded or the wedges were cut too thick, so they steamed instead of roasting. Cook in a single layer with a little space between pieces, use both baskets if needed, and keep the wedges about 1 inch thick.
