No Thanksgiving table is complete without potatoes. Whether your crowd is team mashed, team sweet potato, or team crispy-edges-and-cheese, these 10 recipes from Fork To Spoon have you covered. Many use the air fryer or Instant Pot, which frees up precious oven space on the big day.
1. Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
The classic, made easier. Potatoes pressure-cook with a cup of water or broth, then get mashed with butter and milk right in the pot — no babysitting a boiling pot on a crowded stovetop. The post also covers reheating and freezing, which is handy if you want to cook ahead.
Get the recipe: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
2. Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes
A no-boil approach: the potatoes are air-baked whole first, which dries out the flesh and gives you a fluffier mash with more body. Warm heavy cream keeps it silky, and there’s an option to stir in sharp cheddar for a loaded version.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes
3. Easy Sweet Potato Casserole With Canned Yams
The shortcut holiday side. Drained canned yams are mashed with brown sugar, butter, and warm spices, then finished with marshmallows, pecans, or both. It can be frozen without the topping, so it’s a great make-ahead dish.
Get the recipe: Easy Sweet Potato Casserole With Canned Yams
4. Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
Crispy skins, creamy filling, and a make-ahead friendly format. The post covers the best potatoes to use, topping ideas (including a drizzle of gravy — very Thanksgiving), and how to freeze them.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
5. Air Fryer Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes
These look impressive but are surprisingly simple. Thin-sliced potatoes are brushed with a garlic-herb butter and air-fried until golden and crisp on the outside, soft inside. Swap the butter for olive oil to make them vegan.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes
6. Easy Air Fryer Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes
For the cheese lovers at the table. Russets are sliced hasselback-style, tucked with cheese, and air-fried until the cheese is melted and gooey. A chopstick trick keeps you from slicing all the way through.
Get the recipe: Easy Air Fryer Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes
7. Air Fryer Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
A sweet-potato spin on the hasselback, filled with brown sugar and butter so the edges caramelize while the centers stay tender. A pretty alternative to the usual casserole.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
8. Outback Steakhouse Sweet Potato (Copycat Honey Butter)
A copycat of the steakhouse favorite: baked sweet potatoes split open and topped with honey cinnamon butter and brown sugar. It works in the oven or the air fryer, and makes an easy individual-portion side.
Get the recipe: Outback Steakhouse Sweet Potato (Copycat Honey Butter)
9. Air Fryer Green Beans and Potatoes
Two classic sides in one basket. Seasoned green beans and potatoes roast together until the potatoes are golden and the beans are crisp — fewer dishes and less oven time.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Green Beans and Potatoes
10. Air Fryer Canned Sweet Potatoes
The fastest side on this list. Canned sweet potatoes are drained, patted dry, tossed in butter or olive oil, and air-fried for 10–15 minutes until crisp at the edges. Perfect when you need one more dish at the last minute.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Canned Sweet Potatoes
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mix and match a creamy mash, a sweet potato dish, and something crispy, and you’ll have a potato lineup that pleases everyone at the table.
