9 Air Fryer Thanksgiving Sides That Free Up Your Oven

These 9 Thanksgiving sides all fit a 5–6 quart air fryer and cook in 20 minutes or less, so the oven can handle the turkey and pies. The timeline at the bottom shows what to start when, so everything hits the table hot.

One oven, five dishes, all needing different temperatures at the same time: your air fryer is the second oven, a fast one. A 1,500–1,800 W basket reaches 400°F in about 3 minutes, against 15–20 minutes for a full-size oven, which is why it’s ideal for the last-minute crispy sides.

1. Green bean casserole

The classic, made in a small baking dish right in the basket. It bubbles in about 12 minutes, and the fried onions go on for the last few minutes so they get crunchy instead of burned.

Get the recipe: Air Fryer Green Bean Casserole

2. Maple bacon Brussels sprouts

Even people who “don’t like Brussels sprouts” go back for seconds. The air fryer gets the outer leaves crispy like chips, the bacon renders right alongside, and a splash of maple syrup goes on at the end.

Get the recipe: Air Fryer Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts

3. Candied sweet potatoes

Cubes of sweet potato with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon caramelize at the edges in about 18 minutes. Top with mini marshmallows for the last minute if that’s your family’s tradition.

Get the recipe: Air Fryer Candied Sweet Potatoes

4. Crispy roast potatoes

A quick parboil and a hot basket give you shatter-crisp edges and fluffy middles — the potatoes everyone fights over.

Get the recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Roast Potatoes

5. Stuffing (the crispy-top kind)

Already have your stuffing mixed? Spread about 4 cups (roughly 400 g) in a greased 7-inch (18 cm) baking dish, cover with foil and air fry at 325°F (160°C) for 15 minutes, then uncover and cook 5 more minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Stuffing cooked on its own, especially with egg, sausage or turkey drippings, is done when the center reads 165°F (74°C); if it’s lower, cover it again and add 5 minutes. For bite-size portions that crisp all over, see the air fryer stuffing balls.

6. Dinner rolls (reheated or from frozen)

Store-bought rolls come back to life in 3–4 minutes at 300°F (150°C). Frozen par-baked rolls take about 8–10 minutes at 330°F (165°C). Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out.

7. Roasted carrots with honey

Cut 1 lb (450 g) carrots into sticks, toss with 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt, and air fry at 380°F (195°C) for 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway. Toss with 1 tbsp honey and a little thyme right at the end.

8. Mac and cheese reheat

Make your mac and cheese the day before. On the day, reheat it in a small dish covered with foil at 320°F (160°C) for 10 minutes, then uncover, add extra cheese and breadcrumbs, and cook 3–4 minutes until golden.

9. Turkey breast (yes, the main can go here too)

If you’re cooking for six or fewer, put the turkey in the air fryer and the whole oven is free for sides.

Get the recipe: Air Fryer Turkey Breast

The Thanksgiving air fryer timeline

Here’s how to run the air fryer and oven together so nothing sits around getting cold. Times count backward from when you want to eat.

Time before dinner	Air fryer	Oven
90 min	—	Casseroles that need the oven (or turkey, if roasting a big bird)
75 min	Turkey breast (if using)	—
20 min	Turkey rests · roast potatoes go in	Stuffing / mac and cheese warming
12 min	Green bean casserole	—
0 min	Brussels sprouts while everyone sits down	Rolls warming

Tip: Cook the sides that taste good warm (sweet potatoes, casserole) first, and the ones that need to be crispy (potatoes, sprouts) last.

How much fits in one batch

This is where most Thanksgiving air fryer plans fall apart: a 5.8-quart basket holds less than people expect once food has to sit in a single layer. Approximate side-dish servings per batch:

Side	5.8-qt basket	Dual basket (both sides)	8-qt basket	Time per batch
Brussels sprouts, halved	1 lb (450 g) · 4 servings	2 lb · 8 servings	1.5 lb · 6 servings	14–16 min
Roast potatoes, parboiled	1.5 lb (680 g) · 4 servings	3 lb · 8 servings	2 lb · 6 servings	22–25 min
Candied sweet potatoes	2 lb (900 g) cubes · 6 servings	4 lb · 12 servings	3 lb · 8 servings	16–18 min
Green bean casserole (7-in dish)	1 dish · 6 servings	2 small dishes · 10–12	1 dish · 6 servings	13–14 min
Carrots, sticks	1 lb (450 g) · 4 servings	2 lb · 8 servings	1.5 lb · 6 servings	12–15 min
Dinner rolls, reheat	6–8 rolls	12–16 rolls	10–12 rolls	3–4 min

A side serving here is about 1/2 cup, which is what people actually take when there are five dishes on the table. For a dual basket, the sides cook in parallel, not one after the other, which roughly halves your air fryer time.

Game plans for 8 and 12 guests

8 guests, one 5.8-qt air fryer, turkey in the oven. Pick three air fryer sides and leave the rest to the oven or stovetop. Mashed potatoes stay on the stove, stuffing and pies go in the oven around the turkey.

Time before dinner	Air fryer
45 min	Candied sweet potatoes, 1 batch (holds warm under foil)
27 min	Green bean casserole, 1 dish, onions on for the last 3 min
15 min	Brussels sprouts batch 1
While carving	Brussels sprouts batch 2, rolls for the last 3 minutes in the same basket

12 guests, dual basket, small turkey breast in the oven or a second air fryer. Double each side and run both baskets at once. Sweet potatoes on one side and green bean casserole on the other, then two baskets of sprouts at the end. Total air fryer time stays under an hour.

If you’d need more than four batches of anything, that dish belongs in the oven in a 9x13 pan.

Which sides should stay out of the air fryer

• Anything in a 9x13 (23 × 33 cm) pan. It won’t fit a basket. Split it into two 7-inch dishes or leave it in the oven.
• Mashed potatoes. Nothing to crisp. Keep them on the stove or in a slow cooker on warm.
• Pies. A 9-inch pie doesn’t fit most baskets, and pie crust needs the even, gentle heat of an oven.
• Gravy and cranberry sauce. Stovetop. Liquids don’t belong in a basket.
• A full pan of stuffing for 12. Make the crispy-top version for 4–6 in the air fryer and bake the rest.

Make-ahead schedule

Day	Prep
Monday	Shop; check that your 7-inch dish fits the basket
Tuesday	Trim and halve Brussels sprouts; cut carrots; store in zip bags with a paper towel
Wednesday	Assemble green bean casserole (no onions) and stuffing; peel, cube and parboil potatoes; cube sweet potatoes and store covered in water
Thursday	Everything above only needs its air fryer time

Cooked dishes you make ahead should go into the fridge within 2 hours and be eaten within 3–4 days, the same rule the USDA gives for Thanksgiving leftovers. Reheated casseroles and stuffing should reach 165°F (74°C) in the center (USDA safe temperature chart), and anything that sits on the table should be back in the fridge within 2 hours.

Air fryer side dish tips

• Use the right dish. A 7-inch (18 cm) round metal or glass dish fits most 5.8-qt baskets. Check yours before the big day.
• Don’t overcrowd. Crispy food needs space. Two smaller batches beat one crowded one.
• Shake halfway. For anything loose — potatoes, sprouts, carrots — shake the basket at the halfway mark.
• Foil is fine, parchment needs weight. Never preheat with loose parchment in the basket; it can fly into the heating element. Here’s what else to keep out of your air fryer.

Thanksgiving-day mistakes to avoid

• Plugging everything into one outlet. A typical kitchen circuit in the US is 15 or 20 amps at 120 volts, so 1,800 or 2,400 watts in total. A 1,700 W air fryer plus a 1,500 W electric kettle or roaster on the same circuit will trip the breaker mid-cook. Spread appliances across different counters, and skip extension cords and power strips for the air fryer.
• Testing a new dish for the first time on Thursday. Run any side you’ve never made in your machine once the weekend before. Times shift with wattage and basket shape.
• Crowding the basket to save a batch. Two pounds of sprouts in a 5.8-qt basket steam instead of crisp. Two batches of 15 minutes beat one soggy batch of 25.
• Forgetting the drawer between batches. Bacon fat from the sprouts will smoke under the next batch. Pour it off and wipe the drawer with a paper towel; it takes 30 seconds.
• Using a glass dish straight from the fridge. A cold glass casserole dish into a hot air fryer risks cracking. Let it sit out 20–30 minutes, or use a metal pan.
• Leaving food out all afternoon. The 2-hour limit for perishable food at room temperature still applies on holidays; the USDA danger zone page explains why.

Not sure about times? Keep our air fryer cooking times chart open on your phone.