Hokkaido pumpkin fries in the Air Fryer
Crispy Hokkaido pumpkin sticks with golden edges and a mild, sweet centre. A quick side dish from the air fryer, finished with a last drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Pumpkin sticks
- 900 g Hokkaido pumpkin About 1 small pumpkin, unpeeled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper Freshly ground
Topping
2 tbsp honey- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
1 pinch chilli flakes Optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash 900 g Hokkaido pumpkin thoroughly under cold water and pat it dry. The skin should not be peeled — it turns tender in the air fryer and holds the sticks together.
- Halve the pumpkin, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and cut each half into wedges about 1.5 cm thick. An even thickness is the key to all the sticks finishing at the same time.
- Toss the sticks in a mixing bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil so they are coated in a thin layer. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp cornflour and toss again — the starch gives you that crisp crust.
- Add 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, and mix until all the sticks are evenly seasoned.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C fan.
- Arrange the sticks in the basket in a single layer with a little space between them. Overlapping sticks steam instead of crisping up, so cook the dish in two batches rather than crowding it.
- Bake the sticks for 18 minutes at 190 °C. Shake the basket after 9 minutes so they brown evenly on all sides.
- Check the sticks over the last few minutes: they should be golden at the edges and tender all the way through when you prod them with a fork. Give them another 2-3 minutes at 190 °C if your wedges were cut a little thicker.
Serving
- Transfer the hot sticks to a serving dish and sprinkle with 1 tsp flaky sea salt and 1 pinch chilli flakes.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp honey over just before serving so it melts against the hot surface. Serve straight away, while the sticks are still crisp.
Notes
Tips for the perfect result:
Cut the sticks to an even thickness, about 1.5 cm, so they finish at the same time. The cornflour is the shortcut to a crust that holds, and the Hokkaido skin stays on: it turns tender as it cooks and stops the sticks from falling apart. Variation:
Swap the honey for maple syrup for a vegan version, or skip the sweet finish and scatter over grated Parmesan and fresh thyme instead, as soon as the sticks come out of the basket. Serving:
Serve as a side dish with roast chicken or a good steak, or as a snack with a dip of yoghurt, lemon juice and garlic. Portion size:
If your air fryer is on the small side, you can cook the dish in two batches.
Cut the sticks to an even thickness, about 1.5 cm, so they finish at the same time. The cornflour is the shortcut to a crust that holds, and the Hokkaido skin stays on: it turns tender as it cooks and stops the sticks from falling apart. Variation:
Swap the honey for maple syrup for a vegan version, or skip the sweet finish and scatter over grated Parmesan and fresh thyme instead, as soon as the sticks come out of the basket. Serving:
Serve as a side dish with roast chicken or a good steak, or as a snack with a dip of yoghurt, lemon juice and garlic. Portion size:
If your air fryer is on the small side, you can cook the dish in two batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 240kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated fat: 1gPolyunsaturated fat: 1gMonounsaturated fat: 5gSodium: 980mgPotassium: 790mgFiber: 6gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 9800IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mgNet carbohydrates: 34g
