Crisp-tender baked butternut squash fries are a wonderful low-carb side dish alternative to sweet potato fries with the same great taste!
These vegan, paleo-friendly Baked Butternut Squash Fries are the real deal! It’s an easy recipe you’ll instantly want to make and instantly love. They are perfectly baked and you need just a handful of ingredients to make this yummy vegetable side dish.
It’s time to upgrade your fries! These make a great healthy side dish for burgers or grilled chicken and they’re super easy to make. You can eat these alone, dip them in ketchup, garlic aioli, or whatever you’d like! I had some rosemary garlic vegan mayo that I paired with it.
Ingredients to make these paleo friendly fries
- Butternut Squash: Packed with fiber, this low calorie vegetables is a great source of vitamins A an C as well as magnesium. They taste like cross between zucchini and sweet potatoes.
- Corn Starch: A little cornstarch helps to get the fries nice and crispy.
- Oil: I like to use olive oil, but canola or vegetable will work well too. You just need a little to help them crisp.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper.
How to make baked butternut squash fries
First, cut the butternut squash into sticks. This thinner you make them, the more crisp they’ll be.
Place the butternut squash sticks into a large bowl, add the corn starch and coat well. Then dust off the corn starch – it helps to do it with a colander so you don’t have excess amounts.
Evenly coat the butternut squash with the olive oil and seasoning after coating with the corn starch. It’s easiest to use your hands to well coat them.
Place the fries evenly in a single layer on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Tips to make baked butternut squash fries
- Remove any excess moisture from the butternut squash fries before coating them with cornstarch. This will help them to get more crisp in the oven.
- Don’t over-crowd your pan with the cut fries. That’s the biggest reason fries come out soggy when you bake them, as they steam rather than roast. So, spread out the fries and allow them to get nice and crispy.
- Give the fries several good tosses in the oil and seasonings so that they are evenly coated. This will help them to get crisp all over. I find it easiest to use my hands to make sure they’re well coated.
- Cut the fries as evenly and thinly as you can. This will help them get more crisp in the oven and ensure that they cook through evenly.
- Mix up your seasonings. The herbs and spices I used work together so well, but feel free to add your favorite combination. Red chili flakes are a great option to give your fries a kick of spice.
Frequently asked questions
These fries are best served straight out of the oven so that they don’t lose their crispiness. You can prep the butternut squash a few hours before you need to bake them though, just keep them covered in the fridge.
Butternut contains less calories, carbs and sugar compared to sweet potatoes and it is also rich in calcium, magnesium and vitamins E and B6. Swapping sweet potato for butternut squash is a great move!
Butternut squash tastes a little like it’s fall cousin the pumpkin, but a little sweeter. It has a slight nutty flavor and is comparable to sweet potatoes.
I like to serve these with some mayo, with some fresh herbs mixed into it, thyme works really well with these fries. You can use ketchup, ranch or any other dip you fancy. These are great to serve as an appetizer, but you can also serve them as a side with fish, chicken or meats.
More low-carb fries recipes
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Baked Butternut Squash Fries
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled and cut into sticks (use only long neck part)
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- Mayo & herbs for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper
- Place the butternut squash sticks into a large bowl and pat them dry with a paper towel. Add the corn starch on top and use your hands to coat the butternut squash completely. Transfer the butternut squash to a colander and shake to remove excess cornstarch.
- Return the butternut squash fries to the bowl, add olive oil, garlic powder, paprika and thyme. Toss to combine evenly.
- Transfer the fries in a single layer to the prepared baking sheets, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender and crisp. Allow 5-10 minutes to cool. Then serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
