17 Air Fryer Vegetable Sides That Make the Perfect Accompaniment to Any Main

The air fryer is a versatile tool that can be used for so many different foods, but one of our favorite ways to use it is for cooking vegetables to perfection. Air fryers work by circulating hot air at a rapid speed through a series of internal fans, which means that foods get cooked on all sides at the same time. As a result, they get crisped from top to bottom with very little oil, leaving you with a crunchy exterior and tender interior.

Another benefit of the air fryer is that it sits atop your counter, freeing up precious real estate in your oven for other entrees. That’s why we love to use the air fryer for vegetable side dishes. It’s an excellent tool for creating crunchy foods, eliminating the need to stand over a hot, sizzling deep fryer.

Cooked carrots are a versatile side dish, but they take way too long when cooked in the oven. That’s why we love these sweet and spicy air fryer carrots — just 10 minutes is all you need to yield tender, chewy carrots that are perfectly flavored throughout. Cayenne pepper, black pepper and a bit of chili add just the right amount of heat.

We love that these crispy, tender green beans hardly use any oil. The secret? Your air fryer! Green beans are notorious for getting too greasy, but an air fryer helps achieve the perfect texture without calling for too much oil. Sliced almonds add extra crunch to the light and healthy side dish.

We love that these easy baked potatoes can be made in about an hour with less than 10 ingredients, without even turning on your oven. The air fryer helps each potato get a super crispy skin with moist, tender inside, making it perfect for stuffing with your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream or chili. Perfect for a side dish or an easy weeknight entree, this is a simple and affordable meal you’ll want to make on repeat.

This quick, easy and cost-effective side dish is perfect for a weeknight. Cauliflower florets get dressed up with a simple pantry spice blend, then tossed and crisped to perfection in the air fryer. A quick and easy honey mustard sauce makes a tangy accompaniment that’s perfect for dipping or drizzling.

Ready in just 10 minutes, this simple and fresh side dish is perfect for a busy weeknight. The hot, circulating air of the air fryer ensures that each asparagus stalk is perfectly tender on the inside and pleasantly crispy on the outside. A squeeze of lemon helps brighten up this versatile spring vegetable with even more flavor.

The secret to making air fryer zucchini super crispy is a generous amount of olive oil in the breading. The oil helps to mimic the same crunchy crust you’d get from deep-frying, but without the mess. We like to serve fried zucchini with warm marinara sauce, but these bites would be equally delicious (and a bit more indulgent) dipped in creamy ranch dressing or your favorite aioli.

Whole potatoes take quite a long time to cook in the oven, but the air fryer is a totally different story. The swirling, circulating hot air of the air fryer moves quickly around each potato, leaving the skins crisped and crunchy while the insides are tender and chewy.

Brussels sprouts can get pretty soggy, so we love that this recipe requires only a touch of oil. The result is crispy, crunchy Brussels sprouts that are tender on the inside. Parmesan cheese adds nutty, salty flavor and just a bit of creaminess to the easy recipe.

If you love restaurant French fries, these are as close to making them at home as you can get. Be sure to cut them into uniform slices and blot away any excess moisture first, then coat them with oil and salt to make sure each piece gets totally crisped and seasoned.

Like most foods, the key to getting these artichokes extra crispy is to make sure they’re fully patted dry before cooking. Excess moisture creates steam that could make them mushy, so patting them dry helps prevent that. Once cooked, they’re dipped in a creamy, lemony garlic aioli that totally complements the flavors in the breading.

Acorn squash is one of those powerhouse ingredients that offers both bold flavor and tender texture. While the flesh is moist and buttery, the skin gets super crispy with hardly any oil thanks to your trusty air fryer. A sprinkle of parmesan and a drizzle of brown butter add a nutty, salty flavor to the sweet vegetable.

Rich, creamy and totally decadent, these scalloped sweet potatoes are sure to be a crowd favorite at your next holiday party. The best part? Cooking them in the air fryer leaves space in your oven for all the other dishes you’ll be whipping up. The trick to making them perfectly tender is a mandoline or vegetable slicer — uniform and consistently sliced vegetables mean they’ll all cook evenly at the same time.

Air-fried Brussels sprouts make for a quick and easy side that everyone will enjoy. Using the air fryer guarantees the crispiest sprouts possible — without using a lot of oil.

Okra is a tough vegetable to cook perfectly, because it can easily get gummy or mushy. But that’s not the case with this recipe; the air fryer helps the okra get extra crispy without any extra oil. Our homemade creole seasoning mix gives each bite some serious extra flavor, and a creamy-spicy sauce is great for dipping the crunchy snack.

These little fries might look like they’re made from potatoes, but they’re actually made from a much more flavorful ingredient: parsnips! Parsnips can make a fantastic swap for potatoes in many different recipes (like mashed potatoes!) because of their dense yet fluffy texture and earthy, complex flavor. A smoky barbecue dipping sauce is the perfect way to bring out their natural sweetness.

A little bit of patience is required when making these chips. You might be tempted to skip salting the zucchini, but since this process draws out excess moisture and helps to crisp up the chips — it’s vital. The second important step is to pat away all of that excess moisture and make sure the zucchini rounds are as dry as possible before air frying. Taking the time to do this will ensure the chips come out crispy and delicious — no breading needed.