Recipe: Air Fryer Butternut Ricotta
Does the thought of Thanksgiving have you craving candied yams nestled under a sweet cloud of caramelized marshmallows? Yummy—but at around 300 calories a serving it doesn’t leave much room for the pumpkin pie. Why not choose elegance over super sweet? And you won’t be sacrificing any flavor with our Air Fryer Butternut Ricotta. Try it alongside our Juicy Roast Turkey, Garlic Mock Mashed Potatoes, Cashew Sauce Veggie Casserole, and finish with our Hooray for the Low-Cal Pumpkin Pie.
Why butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes? Or yams? While sweet potatoes are a smarter choice than white potatoes due to the fiber and nutrition packed into them, butternut squash actually has a lower sugar content. It delivers about half the calories and carbs compared to sweet potatoes. It also offers a great flavor which balances its sweetness with a nutty taste. Therefore the “nut” in butternut. We love butternut squash!
Feel free to skip to the recipe at the bottom of this page but, as always, we have some helpful tips we discovered while preparing this Air Fryer Butternut Squash. So keep reading!
First, the ingredients—which are the squash, pine nuts, olive oil, low-fat ricotta cheese, fresh sage, and the eternal salt and pepper.
These recipes always seem to start with preheating the oven or air fryer, but you may want to begin instead with the squash, since you’ll want to take your time with a sharp knife and a hard squash exterior. You may have already perfected your squash prepping method, but I start by grabbing a big knife, cutting off the ends of the squash, and then cutting the neck away from the roundish body so I have two very different shapes to deal with. Now the neck can be set upright on one flat end while you hold it at the top, making it easy to slice the rind in a safer downward motion. Cut the roundish part in half again and take a big spoon to the seeds. You’ll want them and any of the attached stringy stuff gone. Now you’re ready to cut the rind away from the roundish portions and then dice the remaining squash into 1 inch cubes. Some use a peeler to remove the rind but you may find it easier to use a paring knife for both removing rind and for dicing.
Okay, the hardest part is done! Now preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees, if you haven’t already. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Heat a skillet (preferably cast iron) to medium high on the stove and toast your pine nuts in the skillet for a few minutes. Stir often so the pine nuts don’t burn; you’ll want them to be lightly brown and fragrant. When toasted, set them aside in a small bowl.
Next add your cubed squash to a large bowl, toss it with your olive oil, salt and pepper, and place it in your preheated air fryer.
Pro Tip: Don’t have an air fryer? You can also roast butternut squash on a sheet pan in a 400 degree oven. For easier clean-up, prep your pan first with parchment paper.
While the squash is roasting, wash and mince your fresh sage but keep an eye on your squash as well.
Shake your air fryer tray or sheet pan at least once to prevent burning. Continue roasting until you see charred edges and the squash is fork tender, about 20 minutes. Then transfer to your serving dish. dab on spoonfuls of the low-fat ricotta, and sprinkle with the minced sage and pine nuts.
Pro Tip: Thanksgiving cooking is hectic, so if you’re still waiting on the turkey to finish then keep your squash warm but don’t add your ricotta, sage and pine nuts until just before it goes on the table.
