Thanksgiving Sides You Can Make in the Air Fryer

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.

โ€œI use my air fryer for everything!โ€ mom-of-one Francine Moyer told Mom.com. โ€œThere are great Thanksgiving side dishes that can be easily made with an air fryer, like brussels sprouts and bacon.โ€

Read on to learn more about the best air fryer recipes for Thanksgiving sides.

How to use an air fryer

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Air fryers donโ€™t fry in the same way as something that is deep-fried in oil. Instead, food goes into a perforated basket and hot air circulates around it and crisps the food with a convection effect (in much less time than in your convectional oven). Not to mention that using an air fryer means youโ€™re using less oil to cook with, which is slightly healthier and a lot easier to clean up.

That being said, there are some drawbacks to using an air fryer. Since youโ€™re only using hot air as your means of cooking, you canโ€™t cook battered or doughy items. And since air fryers are on the smaller side of appliances, it can take some time to make a big batch.

What to cook in an air fryer for Thanksgiving?

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Tossing food into an air fryer, turning it on, and then pulling out a basket full of yummy grub sounds pretty perfect for a busy day like Thanksgiving. Just call it your secret weapon.

  • The types of food an air fryer can cook up is extremely versatile, from potatoes to brussel sprouts. For the most part, whatever you can cook in a regular convection oven or stovetop will transition nicely to the air fryer.
  • Itโ€™s a drop-and-go situation, so you can optimize your precious time โ€” like making sure the turkey doesnโ€™t burn.
  • Youโ€™re able to save highly coveted real estate in your oven so youโ€™re not juggling cooking times in order to keep things warm.

Air fryer cooking tips

  • Donโ€™t forget to shuffle the food in the basket every now and then so everything has a chance to crisp.
  • Use a small amount of oil to really crisp up your food. However, if using spray oil, be sure to not spray directly onto the appliance. "Always spray food with cooking spray outside the machine, as many cooking sprays can cause a sticky buildup on the inner surfaces of the air fryer," Fiona Kennedy, research and development chef for The Spice Lab, told Insider.
  • Place your air fryer under your stoveโ€™s hood so the steam or smoke doesnโ€™t infiltrate your kitchen. (Make sure your stovetop is cool and none of the burners are on!)
  • Donโ€™t overcrowd the basket; otherwise, items may not cook evenly.
  • A slice of bread at the bottom of your air fryer is a compostable way to soak up extra grease.

Air fryer Thanksgiving side dishes

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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 (donโ€™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 thatโ€™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, hereโ€™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.