Your Complete Thanksgiving Menu — Cooked 100% in the Air Fryer

Game Changer Alert: This entire Thanksgiving feast fits in your air fryer and takes up zero oven space. Perfect for apartments, small kitchens, or anyone who wants crispy results without the stress!

Last year, my sister called me three days before Thanksgiving in a panic. Her oven died, and she was hosting dinner for eight people in her tiny studio apartment. I told her about air fryer Thanksgiving, and she thought I was crazy. Fast forward to this year—she’s never going back to traditional cooking, and her guests are still talking about how crispy everything was.

Your air fryer isn’t just for reheating leftovers anymore. It’s about to become your Thanksgiving hero, delivering a complete feast that’s crispy, juicy, and perfectly coordinated. The best part? Everything cooks faster, tastes better, and leaves your oven free for… well, anything else you want to use it for .

Why Air Fryer Thanksgiving Actually Makes Perfect Sense

Here’s what nobody tells you about traditional Thanksgiving cooking—it’s basically a logistical nightmare. You’re trying to coordinate five different dishes in one oven, everything takes forever, and half your sides end up lukewarm by the time you sit down to eat.

Air fryer Thanksgiving solves all of this:

• Everything cooks 30-50% faster than traditional methods
• Each dish gets perfectly crispy without drying out
• You can prep and cook throughout the day instead of rushing at the end
• Your kitchen stays cooler (huge win for apartment dwellers)
• Cleanup is way easier with removable baskets

Plus, lets be real—most of us are hosting smaller gatherings these days anyway. This menu serves 4-6 people perfectly, with enough leftovers to make everyone happy .

The Complete Air Fryer Thanksgiving Menu

Turkey Breast: The Star of the Show

Forget wrestling with a 20-pound bird. A 3-4 pound turkey breast gives you all the satisfaction with none of the stress .

What You’ll Need:

• 1 bone-in turkey breast (3-4 lbs)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp each: thyme, rosemary, sage
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

The Method:

1. Pat that turkey breast completely dry—this is crucial for crispy skin
2. Rub with olive oil, then season generously with your herb mix
3. Air fry at 350°F for 20 minutes skin-side down
4. Flip and continue cooking for 30-40 minutes until internal temp hits 165°F
5. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving

Pro tip: If your air fryer’s on the smaller side, a boneless turkey breast works just as well and cooks even faster—about 45-60 minutes total at 360°F .

Stuffing Bites: All the Flavor, Zero Sogginess

Traditional stuffing can be hit or miss, but these little bites are crispy outside and perfectly seasoned inside. They’re basically stuffing perfection in portable form.

What You’ll Need:

• 4 cups cubed stale bread
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup diced onion (sautéed)
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley)
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• Salt and pepper

The Method:

1. Mix everything together in a big bowl
2. Form into golf ball-sized portions
3. Air fry at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway through
4. They should be golden brown and crispy outside

Personal confession: I’ve been known to eat these as snacks while cooking the rest of dinner. They’re that good.

Sweet Potato Fries: Your New Favorite Side

These beat traditional sweet potato casserole every single time. They’re crispy, slightly sweet, and nobody fights over the marshmallows.

What You’ll Need:

• 2-3 large sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt to taste
• Optional: pinch of cinnamon for sweetness

The Method:

1. Cut sweet potatoes into fry-shaped pieces (about 1/2 inch thick)
2. Toss with oil and seasonings
3. Air fry at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through
4. They’re done when they’re crispy outside and tender inside

Game changer tip: Soak the cut fries in cold water for 30 minutes before cooking. It removes excess starch and makes them extra crispy.

Green Bean Bundles: Fancy But Easy

These look way more complicated than they actually are. Bacon-wrapped green beans that cook to perfection in your air fryer? Yes please.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 lb fresh green beans (trimmed)
• 8-10 strips bacon
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp butter (melted)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

The Method:

1. Bundle 8-10 green beans together
2. Wrap each bundle with a strip of bacon
3. Mix brown sugar, melted butter, and garlic powder
4. Brush bundles with the sweet mixture
5. Air fry at 380°F for 12-15 minutes until bacon is crispy

Timing hack: You can prep these in the morning and air fry them right before serving. They reheat beautifully too.

Pumpkin Pie Bites: The Perfect Finale

Individual pumpkin pie bites that cook in 12 minutes? This is why air fryers were invented.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 package mini pie crusts (or make your own)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch of salt

The Method:

1. Mix pumpkin puree, condensed milk, egg, spice, and salt
2. Fill mini pie crusts with the mixture
3. Air fry at 320°F for 10-12 minutes until centers are set
4. Let cool before serving

Make-ahead secret: These actually taste better the next day, so you can make them the night before and just chill them.

Your Air Fryer Thanksgiving Timeline

Here’s how to coordinate everything so you’re not stressed out on the big day:

Day Before:

• Make pumpkin pie bites
• Prep stuffing mixture (don’t form into balls yet)
• Cut sweet potatoes and soak in water
• Prep green bean bundles

Day Of (Working Backwards from 2:00 PM Dinner):

Reality check: Add 10-15 minutes buffer time to everything. Air fryers can vary, and it’s better to have food stay warm than to be rushing.

Space-Saving Tips for Small Kitchens

Prep Smart:

• Use one big mixing bowl for multiple tasks
• Prep ingredients in the order you’ll cook them
• Stack plates and serving dishes vertically to save counter space

Serving Solutions:

• Set up a buffet-style spread on your kitchen counter
• Use small plates and bowls to make portions look bigger
• Fold napkins ahead of time and store in a basket

Storage Hacks:

• Pack leftovers immediately after dinner to clear space
• Use the fridge door for condiments and sauces
• Store serving utensils in tall glasses to save drawer space

Troubleshooting Your Air Fryer Feast

Problem: Turkey breast is cooking too fast on outside Solution: Lower temperature to 325°F and extend cooking time

Problem: Stuffing bites are falling apart Solution: Add an extra beaten egg to help bind everything together

Problem: Sweet potato fries aren’t crispy Solution: Don’t overcrowd the basket, and make sure they’re completely dry before cooking

Problem: Green bean bundles are burning Solution: Cover with foil for the first 8 minutes, then uncover to crisp up

Problem: Everything’s done at different times Solution: Use the “keep warm” function if your air fryer has it, or tent finished dishes with foil

Your Printable Air Fryer Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet

Download the Air Fryer Thanksgiving Timeline

The Real Talk About Air Fryer Thanksgiving

I’m not gonna lie—the first time I tried cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner in my air fryer, I was nervous. It felt like I was breaking some kind of holiday rule. But after three years of doing it this way, I can honestly say it’s so much easier than traditional cooking.

The biggest advantage isn’t even the crispy food (though that’s amazing). It’s the fact that you can cook throughout the day instead of trying to coordinate everything in the last two hours. Your stress level drops dramatically when you’re not trying to fit five dishes in one oven.

My favorite part? The cleanup is so much easier. Instead of scrubbing multiple sheet pans and casserole dishes, you’re basically just washing your air fryer basket a few times.

Making It Your Own

This menu is totally customizable. Don’t like green beans? Try air fryer Brussels sprouts instead. Want more dessert options? These pumpkin pie bites work great with apple or pecan filling too.

The key is understanding your air fryer’s quirks and adjusting accordingly. Some run hot, some run cool. Some have better air circulation than others. After a few test runs, you’ll know exactly how to make everything perfect.

Final Pro Tip: Take photos of your perfectly cooked dishes and note the exact times and temperatures. Next year, you’ll have your own personalized cheat sheet that’s calibrated to your specific air fryer.

This air fryer Thanksgiving is gonna change everything. Your guests will be impressed, your kitchen will stay calm, and you’ll actually get to enjoy the meal instead of stressing about it. That’s what I call a holiday win.

Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome to the easiest holiday dinner you’ll ever make!

Follow us on Pinterest

Follow