5 Air Fryer Thanksgiving Recipes For Easy, Healthy Sides

If you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner in your own kitchen, it can feel like there’s not nearly enough time or oven space to get everything cooked on time. The biggest hurdle for me at holiday parties has always been keeping things warm until it’s time to serve. The air fryer has been a blessing in the kitchen for cooking simple side dishes while the main entree is roasting away in the oven. With a few air fryer Thanksgiving recipes, you can get the same oven-baked and roasted texture in less time without fighting for precious oven real estate on Thanksgiving day.

You can’t beat cutting into a hot roasted turkey and serving up some hot and healthy side dishes at the same time. Sure, you could use the stove, but I love that air-fried dishes don’t need as much oil as pan-frying since the circulating air can quickly crisp up any vegetable you add to it. Save splatter and calories on your thanksgiving vegetables and sides by using the air fryer instead.

If you want to take advantage of this all-powerful kitchen appliance, here are five air fryer Thanksgiving recipes for easy healthy sides you can make this year!

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1. Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

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If the mushy flavorless brussels sprouts of your childhood have you steering clear of this traditional Thanksgiving side dish, you need to try this recipe! These brussels sprouts are full of simple flavor with balsamic vinegar, honey, and a little salt and pepper. The best part is the absolute crispiness that they get in the air fyer. Perfectly charred and crispy, you’ll be grabbing second helpings of this easy side.

Try the recipe from Nourished by Nic.

2. Air Fryer Sweet Potato

Courtesy of Well Plated

Instead of sweet potato pie or casserole, serve up a helping of whole baked sweet potatoes, using the air fryer! They cook almost 20 minutes faster in the air fryer than the oven, and you won’t need to crowd your turkey to make them. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin A, adding some valuable nutrition to your Thanksgiving dinner. Serve some sweet with cinnamon and sugar and some savory with garlic and herbs for an easy variation.

Try the recipe from Well Plated.

3. Air Fryer Green Beans

Courtesy of Health Nibbles

Skip the creamy green bean casserole for these tender seasoned green beans. Lightly oiled and seasoned wth garlic, chili flakes and sesame seeds, these green beans are full of flavor and light on fat and calories. Blanching the green beans, then air frying them, helps them cook into the perfect, tender, slightly blistered green beans your Thanksgiving table deserves.

Try the recipe from Healthy Nibbles.

4. Air Fryer Cornbread Recipe

Courtesy of Summer Yule

If your air fryer is large enough, you need to try this perfectly light and crumbly jalapeno cornbread. Using a small pan that fits on the rack of the air fryer, you can make this small batch cornbread, perfect for a cozy Thanksgiving meal. This recipe for cornbread is unique in that it doesn’t include added sugars like most recipes do. The savory, slightly spicy flavor will pair perfectly with your Thanksgiving dinner.

Try the recipe from Summer Yule.

5. Air Fryer Potato Roses

Courtesy of Cookin Canuck

If you want to impress your guests with a beautiful side dish made right in the air fryer, you have to give these potato roses a try! Potato roses are often made in the oven using a muffin tin, which takes up valuable space you may not have on Thanksgiving day. Using the air fryer, you can turn little potatoes into a visual (and flavorful) treat!

Try the recipe from Cookin Canuck.

Read next: 6 Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Recipes When You Don’t Have Oven Space