The main dish gets all the attention, but the vegetable side is what makes dinner feel finished. The trouble is that most of us fall back on the same steamed broccoli or bagged salad because we’re out of ideas, out of time, or out of oven space. These 32 vegetable side dishes fix all three problems.
Every recipe here comes from Fork To Spoon, and most are made in the air fryer or on the Blackstone griddle, so they cook in minutes and stay out of the oven’s way. You’ll find crispy Brussels sprouts and ranch broccoli for weeknights, honey glazed carrots and roasted squash for fall, corn on the cob and griddled zucchini for summer, and creamy casseroles and gratins that belong on a holiday table. There are also a few pantry and freezer shortcuts for the nights you have nothing fresh in the house.
Pick one green vegetable and one something-else, and you’ve got a plate that looks like you planned it. Save this list; you’ll come back to it every week.
Crispy Air Fryer Vegetable Classics
These are the sides you’ll make on repeat. Each one takes a single bowl, a few pantry seasonings, and about 15 minutes in the basket.
1. Air Fryer Broccoli With Ranch Seasoning
Fresh florets get tossed in olive oil and dry ranch seasoning, then air fried until the edges crisp and the stems turn tender. It takes about 15 minutes from cutting board to table, and the ranch flavor wins over kids who claim they don’t like broccoli. Keep the florets in a single layer so they roast instead of steam.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Broccoli With Ranch Seasoning
2. 15-Minute Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower
Cauliflower might be the most underrated air fryer vegetable. With just olive oil, salt, and pepper, the florets turn golden and nutty at the edges while staying tender inside. It works as a side, a snack, or an appetizer, and leftovers crisp right back up at 375°F for a few minutes.
Get the recipe: 15-Minute Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower
3. Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower
Can’t decide between the two? Cook them together. The broccoli chars at the tips and the cauliflower goes nutty and roasted, so every bite has a little of each. The recipe includes directions for starting from frozen, which makes this a true back-pocket side.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower
4. Crispy Air Fryer Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Halved sprouts go into the basket cut side down, come out with charred, shattering edges, and get tossed in a sweet-tart honey balsamic glaze. It’s the recipe that converts Brussels sprouts skeptics, and it’s on the table in 20 minutes. Use fresh sprouts for the crispiest result; the recipe notes how to adapt for frozen.
Get the recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
5. Air Fryer Shredded Brussels Sprouts
Shaving the sprouts thin gives you more surface area, which means more crunch. The ribbons cook down into delicate, golden, tender-crisp strands in minutes. Buy them pre-shaved to skip the knife work, or use a food processor with the slicing blade.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Shredded Brussels Sprouts
6. Olive Garden Parmesan Roasted Asparagus (Air Fryer Copycat)
Asparagus spears are tossed with olive oil, salt, and Parmesan, then air fried at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes until tender with lightly crisp tips. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens it up. This is the side that makes a Tuesday chicken breast feel like a restaurant meal.
Get the recipe: Olive Garden Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
7. Air Fryer Green Beans Almondine
A French steakhouse classic in about 20 minutes. Fresh green beans blister in the air fryer, then get finished with buttery toasted almonds, shallot, garlic, and fresh lemon. It’s elegant enough for company and easy enough for a weeknight.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Green Beans Almondine
8. Air Fryer Green Beans With Garlic Butter Sauce
This Bojangles-inspired recipe air fries the beans until crisp-tender, then drowns them in a garlic butter sauce right before serving so the garlic never burns. Finish with parsley or a sprinkle of Parmesan. Pair it with fried chicken, pork chops, or anything off the grill.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Green Beans With Garlic Butter Sauce
Carrots, Squash and Root Vegetable Sides
Sweet, sturdy vegetables love high heat. These caramelize at the edges and stay creamy in the middle, and most of them are naturally gluten-free.
9. Air Fryer Glazed Carrots
Baby carrots are tossed with olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper and air fried at 390°F until the edges caramelize and the centers turn soft. Shake the basket a few times so every carrot gets glossy. Finish with fresh rosemary or an extra drizzle of honey for the holiday table.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Glazed Carrots
10. Crispy Air Fryer Ranch Carrots
Three ingredients and about 20 minutes. The air fryer drives off surface moisture fast, so you get browned, crisp edges without a mushy center. The recipe includes exact cook times for baby carrots, coins, and sticks, and a sprinkle of fresh dill on top makes them look as good as they taste.
Get the recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Ranch Carrots
11. Air Fryer Peas and Carrots
The classic freezer-aisle duo, done better. A quick toss with oil and seasoning and a few minutes at 400°F concentrates the natural sweetness of both vegetables instead of boiling it away. It’s the fastest side on this list and a reliable one for picky eaters.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Peas and Carrots
12. Air Fryer Acorn Squash With Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
One medium acorn squash, halved or cut into wedges, brushed with brown sugar cinnamon butter and air fried until fork-tender and caramelized. It’s the shortcut version of a classic fall side, and the wedges fit neatly in a standard basket. Serve it alongside pork chops, roast chicken, or the Thanksgiving turkey.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Acorn Squash With Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
13. Air Fryer Butternut Squash Halves
Cut a butternut squash lengthwise, brush the cut side with olive oil and spices, and air fry it cut side up for 20 to 30 minutes. The outside caramelizes while the inside turns soft and sweet enough to scoop straight from the skin. No peeling, no cubing, no oven.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Butternut Squash Halves
14. Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
Olive oil, salt, pepper, and about 30 minutes in the basket turn a whole spaghetti squash into fluffy, fork-tender strands. Serve it as a low-carb side with a little butter and Parmesan, or use it as a pasta stand-in under your favorite sauce. The recipe works in both basket and oven-style air fryers.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
15. Air Fryer Beets
Beets cut into 1-inch pieces and tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper roast at 400°F in a fraction of the time the oven takes, with far less mess. They come out sweet, earthy, and lightly crisp at the edges. Serve them warm as a side or chill them for salads; the recipe also covers canned beets.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Beets
16. Air Fryer Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Thin accordion slices let the heat reach every layer, so you get crispy ridges on top and a tender, fluffy middle. A whipped maple butter melts down into the cuts right before serving. They look like you worked for hours and take almost no effort.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Summer Vegetables, Corn and Griddle Sides
When it’s too hot to turn on the oven, these cook fast in the air fryer or outside on the Blackstone. Most are ready in 10 minutes or less.
17. Air Fryer Squash and Zucchini
Zucchini and yellow squash are about 95% water, which is why they usually turn soggy. This recipe fixes that with a hot 400°F basket, no breading, and a few tricks for driving off moisture, so the rounds come out golden at the edges and tender in the middle in about 20 minutes. Use one or both squashes; they’re interchangeable here.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Squash and Zucchini
18. Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables
A colorful mix of carrots, parsnips, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes gets tossed with olive oil and garlic powder and roasted at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Crisp edges, tender centers, and endlessly customizable. Use whatever is in the crisper drawer and cut everything about the same size.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables
19. Outback Steakhouse Sautéed Mushrooms (Air Fryer Copycat)
Button mushrooms, garlic, onion, and butter go into the basket at 375°F and come out browned and tender, then get finished with beef broth and a splash of Burgundy for that steakhouse flavor. Pile them next to a seared steak or spoon them over chicken. Preheat the air fryer so the mushrooms roast instead of steam.
Get the recipe: Outback Steakhouse Sautéed Mushrooms
20. Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
Season the corn, set the air fryer to 375°F, and in under 20 minutes you have crisp, lightly charred kernels that are juicy inside. Cut the ears in half if your basket is small, and butter them the second they come out. The recipe works with frozen corn, too.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
21. Air Fryer Corn on the Cob in Husk
No shucking required. Whole ears go into the basket husks and all, and the husk steams the corn from the inside at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes. The silk slips right off when you peel it back, and the kernels stay sweet and tender. It’s the easiest way to cook in-season corn.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Corn on the Cob in Husk
22. Blackstone Griddle Balsamic Vegetables
Zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms are tossed in a balsamic, olive oil, garlic, and Italian herb marinade, then seared on a hot griddle until caramelized. It makes eight servings in about 22 minutes, so it’s a natural for cookouts. Cook it on the other side of the griddle while the steaks finish.
Get the recipe: Blackstone Griddle Balsamic Vegetables
23. Blackstone Broccoli
Broccoli chars on a 400°F griddle until the edges are crisp and smoky while the florets stay tender. The recipe walks you through the right oil (not olive oil, which smokes at griddle temps) and the dome-lid trick that steams the stems through without burning the tops. Ready in about 10 minutes.
Get the recipe: Blackstone Broccoli
24. Blackstone Griddle Zucchini
Sliced zucchini hits a preheated 375°F to 400°F griddle and comes off charred and golden in about 8 minutes. Season simply with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or lemon juice. It holds up at room temperature, which makes it a good potluck side.
Get the recipe: Blackstone Griddle Zucchini
Holiday-Worthy and Crowd-Pleasing Vegetable Sides
These are the ones for Thanksgiving, Sunday dinner, and any night you need a vegetable that feels like a treat. Several bake in an air-fryer-safe pan, which keeps the oven free for the main event.
25. Air Fryer Creamed Spinach
Thawed frozen spinach, sour cream, heavy cream, and Parmesan bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes into a rich, velvety steakhouse side. Stir it halfway so it heats evenly. It doubles as a warm spinach dip if you set it out with crackers.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Creamed Spinach
26. Air Fryer Cauliflower Gratin
Lightly steamed cauliflower florets get covered in a cheese sauce and baked in the air fryer until golden and bubbly. It’s the classic cauliflower cheese without heating up the oven, and it’s substantial enough to stand in as a vegetarian main. Pre-cooking the cauliflower keeps it tender while the top browns.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Cauliflower Gratin
27. Air Fryer Zucchini Casserole
Tender zucchini and onions are mixed with cheese and seasonings, spooned into a greased air-fryer-safe pan, and baked at 320°F until golden with crispy edges. It’s a great way to use up a summer glut of zucchini, and it reheats well for lunch the next day.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Zucchini Casserole
28. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed sweet potatoes with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, topped with pecans and mini marshmallows and toasted at 320°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The air fryer gives the topping a crispier, more caramelized finish than the oven does. Make it in a pan that fits your basket and it’s one less dish competing for oven space on Thanksgiving.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Sweet Potato Casserole
29. Air Fryer Trader Joe’s Holiday Vegetable Hash
Trader Joe’s seasonal mix of butternut squash, sweet potato, red onion, celery, and holiday herbs goes straight into the basket with a tablespoon of olive oil. Twenty-five minutes later you have a festive, crispy-edged side that serves eight. Zero prep, and it tastes homemade.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Trader Joe’s Holiday Vegetable Hash
30. Seasons 52 Caramelized Brussels Sprouts (Copycat)
Halved sprouts roast at 375°F until deeply golden, then get topped with crispy chopped bacon and a drizzle of aged balsamic or balsamic glaze. It’s the restaurant version of Brussels sprouts, and it’s the one to bring when you want people asking for the recipe. Dry the sprouts well and don’t crowd the basket for the best caramelization.
Get the recipe: Seasons 52 Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
31. Crispy Air Fryer Red Cabbage
A head of red cabbage, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, air fried at 350°F with one flip partway through. The edges go crisp and golden while the inside stays tender, and the whole thing takes about 12 minutes. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and gorgeous next to pork, sausage, or corned beef.
Get the recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Red Cabbage
32. Cracker Barrel Fried Okra (Air Fryer Copycat)
Fresh okra is sliced, dredged in flour or cornmeal, egg, and breadcrumbs, and air fried until crunchy and golden with none of the grease of deep frying. It’s the Southern classic that disappears first at a potluck. The recipe includes a keto version with almond flour or crushed pork rinds, and a whole-okra variation.
Get the recipe: Cracker Barrel Fried Okra
Tips for the Best Vegetable Side Dishes
- Dry the vegetables first. Water is the enemy of crisp edges. Pat zucchini, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower dry with a towel before they go in the basket.
- Preheat the air fryer. Three minutes of preheating means the vegetables start roasting the second they hit the basket instead of steaming while it warms up.
- Don’t crowd the basket. A single layer with a little space lets hot air reach every side. Cook in two batches if you have to; it’s still faster than the oven.
- Cut everything the same size. Uniform pieces finish at the same time. For mixed vegetables, cut dense ones like carrots smaller than quick-cooking ones like zucchini.
- Use garlic powder, not fresh garlic, in the basket. Fresh garlic burns at air fryer temperatures. Add fresh garlic in a butter sauce after cooking instead.
- Shake halfway through. A quick toss keeps the edges from scorching and browns the pieces that were hiding on the bottom.
- Add glazes and cheese at the end. Honey, balsamic, Parmesan, and ranch seasoning brown fast. Toss them in during the last few minutes or right after cooking.
- Season after air frying for salt-sensitive vegetables. Salting eggplant, mushrooms, or zucchini too early pulls out moisture. A pinch of flaky salt at the table does the job.
- On the Blackstone, use a high-smoke-point oil. Avocado or vegetable oil handles 400°F; olive oil smokes and turns bitter.
- Reheat in the air fryer, not the microwave. Three to five minutes at 350°F brings leftover roasted vegetables back to crisp.
Vegetable Side Dish FAQ
What are the easiest vegetable side dishes? Anything that roasts in the air fryer with just oil, salt, and pepper: broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and zucchini all take 10 to 15 minutes and one bowl. Frozen vegetables like peas and carrots or green beans go straight into the basket with no thawing.
What vegetables are best in the air fryer? Sturdy vegetables crisp up best: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, asparagus, and zucchini. If a vegetable tastes good oven-roasted, it will usually be even better in the air fryer.
What vegetable side dishes go with steak? Creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, honey balsamic Brussels sprouts, and Parmesan asparagus are classic steakhouse pairings. Griddled balsamic vegetables or Blackstone broccoli can cook right next to the steak.
What are good vegetable sides for Thanksgiving? Sweet potato casserole, acorn or butternut squash, glazed carrots, creamed spinach, cauliflower gratin, and caramelized Brussels sprouts with bacon all hold up on a holiday table. Several of them bake in the air fryer, which frees up the oven for the turkey.
Can I make vegetable side dishes ahead of time? Casseroles and gratins can be assembled a day ahead and baked when you need them. Roasted vegetables are best fresh but reheat well in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes, which restores the crisp edges the microwave takes away.
How do I keep air fryer vegetables from getting soggy? Dry them well, preheat the air fryer, use a single layer, and shake the basket halfway through. High-water vegetables like zucchini and squash benefit from a hotter temperature (400°F) and a shorter cook time.
Can I make these recipes without an air fryer? Yes. Most of the roasted vegetables can be cooked on a sheet pan in a 400°F to 425°F oven; expect them to take roughly twice as long. The casseroles bake in a conventional oven at the same temperature with a slightly longer bake time.
More Easy Side Dishes to Try
A good vegetable side dish does two things: it tastes like something you’d order out, and it doesn’t make dinner harder. Every one of these 32 vegetable side dishes checks both boxes. Keep a crispy air fryer vegetable in rotation for weeknights, a griddled one for cookouts, and a casserole or gratin for the holidays, and the “what goes with this?” question answers itself.
Looking for more? Browse the full collection of air fryer, Blackstone, Instant Pot, and slow cooker recipes on Fork To Spoon for thousands more sides, mains, and desserts.
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