5 Ways To Cook Air Fryer Pumpkin

Make the perfect pumpkin dish with our guide to air frying this Halloween favourite.

 As well as being a favourite Halloween decoration when carved out and used as a lantern, pumpkins also taste great. There are many ways to cook great pumpkin dishes, but using your air fryer to cook pumpkin means you can create tasty pumpkin sides and snacks while using less oil and staying healthy.

“Thanks to only needing a tiny bit of oil, Air fryer pumpkin is very low in calories compared to other cooking methods with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil it goes wonderfully crispy,” says cooking blogger and air fryer lover, Sam Milner.

“Pumpkin holds a lot of water and as you air fry it, the water goes to the bottom of the air fryer basket, helping crisp up the pumpkin even more.”

If you don’t already have an air fryer, there are some things to consider when buying one, but once you have your air fryer you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without it. Invest in some air fryer accessories and you’ll be making your cooking life a whole lot easier.

Air fryer pumpkin chunks

Back to basics

The simplest way to cook your pumpkin in the air fryer is to cut into chunks. Wash your pumpkin, as always, cut it in half and spoon out the seeds – you can keep the seeds and air fry them separately – and cut the pumpkin into bite sized chunks. Add a little seasoning to your taste and pop them in the air fryer for about 20 minutes. The sweetness from the pumpkin shines through and the edges of your chunks will be caramalised for delicious chunky pumpkin roasties. Air fryer Pumpkin chunks make a great side dish to any dinner.

Air fryer pumpkin fries

Switch your chips

You’ll need a small pumpkin for this one, known as a sugar pumpkin. You can cut your large pumpkin down into curls to make fries, but the smaller pumpkins are easier to do this with. Once you’ve prepared your pumpkin and you have your curls of pumpkin, coat them in a little oil and season them. The oil helps the seasoning to stick to the pumpkin. Lay the fries in the air fryer in a single layer so they cook well. This might mean cooking the fries in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

Air fryer pumpkin seeds

Nothing goes to waste

The seeds from inside the pumpkin make a tasty little snack, or a garnish for pasta dishes, when toasted in an air fryer.

1.     Rinse the seeds thoroughly once you’ve removed them from your pumpkin.

2.      Dry the seeds between two pieces of kitchen towel for about 15 minutes to get rid of any excess moisture.

3.      Place the seeds in a mixing bowl and coat them in olive oil. Add salt, paprika, or any seasoning of your choice.

4.     Line the air fryer basket with foil or parchment paper and snip a few slips in it here and there to allow the air to circulate. The paper or foil stops the pumpkin seeds from slipping through the basket.

5.     Place the pumpkin seeds in the air fryer and cook for around 20 minutes, stopping once mid way through to give them a shake.

Air fryer whole pumpkin

The whole story

Air frying a whole pumpkin gives you so many options when it comes to what kind of dish to make from your pumpkin. You can use your roasted whole pumpkin to make pumpkin mash, pumpkin puree, or just serve it as it is as a side dish to any dinner. Wash the pumpkin and prepare it by cutting into quarters and removing the seeds. Cut of the stem, or leave it on if you prefer. If your pumpkin is small enough and your air fryer big enough you can wash the pumpkin and cook it in the air fryer whole. If it doesn’t fit, simply cut into quarters and roast it. Cook the pumpkin for 20 – 30 minutes, depending on how small you’ve cut it up. You can test if it’s cooked with a skewer or knife and keep cooking until it’s done.

Air fryer pumpkin fritters

The sweetest feeling

Air Fryer pumpkin fritters are a sweet treat for Halloween, or any winter time snack, when coated in sugar. Begin by preparing your pumpkin and roasting it in quarters. You can do this as per the instructions for roasting a whole pumpkin above. When it’s roasted and soft cut it up and puree it in a food processor. To make pumpkin fritters –

1.     Mix 156gms of flour, 2tsp of baking powder, 3tsp of brown sugar, one large egg, and the pumpkin puree, in a bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

2.     Scoop out abut 2 tablespoons per fritter, of the batter, roll each into a ball, and place in the air fryer.

3.     Cook for about eight minutes,

4.     Toss the fritters in sugar and cinnamon.