Anyone who has hosted folks for Thanksgiving knows that preparing the meal is no joke. Prepping and cooking a turkey can take virtually all day, so when it comes to Thanksgiving sides, we want quick and easy without sacrificing delicious in order to spend more time with our loved ones. Enter the air fryer.
“I use my air fryer for everything!” mom-of-one Francine Moyer told Mom.com. “There are great Thanksgiving side dishes that can be easily made with an air fryer, like brussels sprouts and bacon.”
Read on to learn more about the best air fryer recipes for Thanksgiving sides.
How to use an air fryer
Air fryer Thanksgiving side dishes
Potatoes
Shake some baby potatoes up with a tablespoon of oil, some salt, garlic and dried parsley. Then toss them into the air fryer for about 20 minutes until golden brown for a savory side dish that everyone will enjoy. Crispy potatoes that are fluffy inside? Yes, please. For fans of baked sweet potatoes, sprinkle some oil and salt on whole sweet potatoes (don’t forget to fork some air holes) and cook until tender.
Veggies
Brussel sprouts tossed with chili garlic paste and honey and tossed in the air fryer are going to provide a flavorful and crunchy vegetable side to go along with mashed potatoes. Another option that’s so simple but oh-so delicious is green beans. Just spray some oil and salt onto some green beans and cook them in the air fryer for about six minutes until brown.
Breads
Cornbread straddles the line between savory and sweet, which we are all about. Cooking cornbread in an air fryer results in a crispy cornbread crust. Plus, it only takes 30 minutes to cook. For a more classic Thanksgiving side, opt for a dinner roll. These air fryer dinner rolls last for up to five days so you can make them ahead of time.
Desserts
Who says Thanksgiving desserts have to be made in the oven to be delicious? For fans of cheesecake and pumpkin, here’s a pumpkin cheesecake recipe that can be made in the air fryer. Cook the crust in the air fryer first, and then pour in the pumpkin cream cheese mixture.
A classic apple pie can also be made in the air fryer and takes mere minutes rather than hours.
