13 Holiday Appetizers, Sides and Desserts That Are Super Easy To Make In Your Air Fryer, Slow Cooker or Instant Pot

I know what it’s like to try and get multiple dishes on the holiday table, all at the same time. It feels like a Food Network competition in the kitchen, running from the oven to the stove and back again. However, once I learned how helpful it can be to break out the air fryer, slow cooker and Instant Pot to make part of the holiday meal, everything got so much easier. Here are 13 holiday appetizers, sides and desserts to consider making this way this year.

Savor a bowl of creamy slow cooker spinach and artichoke dip, perfectly paired with round crackers on a pristine white plate. — Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Air Fryer Mushrooms with Garlic

Air fried mushrooms on a plate. — Air Fryer Mushrooms with Garlic. Photo credit: On and Off Keto.

Holiday tables often feature sauteed mushrooms with roasted meat dishes. But as much as you may love them cooked that way, this recipe for air fryer mushrooms may convince you to change your cooking ways.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Mushrooms with Garlic

Air Fryer Asparagus

Asparagus spears arranged in an air fryer basket with a striped cloth, sliced lemons, and salt and pepper shakers nearby on a white surface. — Air Fryer Asparagus. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Asparagus is a gorgeous side but it can be a finicky vegetable to cook. Overcook it and you’ve got a limp, tasteless spear. Under cook it and it is bitter. But when you put it in the air fryer, I’ve found that it always comes out perfectly done.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Asparagus

Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

Diced and whole carrots in an air fryer basket on a wooden surface. — Air Fryer Glazed Carrots. Photo credit: On and Off Keto.

These air fryer carrots have just the right amount of brown sugar, butter and honey to turn this simple vegetable into a gourmet dish worthy of a holiday dinner party.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

A crockpot filled with creamy spinach artichoke dip, placed on a marble countertop next to a white towel. — Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This slow cooker spinach artichoke dip is the perfect appetizer to put out before a holiday dinner or when everyone’s over to watch their favorite team play. Best of all, it’s mayo-free and tastes just what you order at Applebee’s.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder

A spoon scoops creamy corn chowder with chicken, potatoes, bacon, and herbs. — Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Maybe you want to serve a meat-based chowder this holiday season and not have it be turkey-based. Well, you’re going to love this slow cooker chicken corn chowder.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder

Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup

A bowl of tomato soup garnished with a basil leaf, with fresh tomatoes nearby. — Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Hosting vegans or vegetarians at your holiday table? This Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup is the perfect soup course to offer them. Made without any dairy or animal products, it is also low carb and delicious.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup

Instant Pot Rice

Instant Pot Duo Nova with display screen showing the rice cooking option highlighted with a red arrow. — Instant Pot Rice. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Did you know that the most electric pressure cookers have a rice setting? This means that your Instant Pot can replace your rice cooker and help you get rice on the holiday table more easily than you realized.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Rice

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

Four ears of corn are cooked in an air fryer basket. — Air Fryer Corn on the Cob. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

When it comes to cooking corn on the cob, I never considered making it in the air fryer. On the grill? Sure. In the microwave? You bet. Stovetop? Of course. But now that I’ve tried this method, I may never cook corn another way.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

Air Fryer Baked Potato

Once you learn how to make a baked potato in the air fryer, you’ll never go back to cooking them in a microwave oven or, gasp, a regular oven. You won’t believe how great they taste and how easy they are to make.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Baked Potato

Air Fryer Broccoli

Once you start cooking vegetables in the air fryer, you’ll never cook them another way again. This includes broccoli in the air fryer, which comes out tender crisp and delicious.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Broccoli

Easy Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer Recipe

Close-up of a pile of seasoned sweet potato fries garnished with small green herbs, served on a white plate—perfect for celebrating National French Fry Day. — Easy Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer Recipe. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

The beauty of this recipe for sweet potato fries in the air fryer is the fact that it has but four ingredients. So, it’s simple to shop for and even easier to make for a twist on traditional sweet potatoes at your holiday dinner.
Get the Recipe: Easy Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer Recipe

Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake

Close-up of a dessert topped with sliced apples, pecans, and a drizzle of caramel sauce. — Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This recipe for Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake is the perfect fall dessert to take center stage on your holiday dessert menu. It’s spiced perfectly to evoke warm, comforting fall flavors and is absolutely gorgeous.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake

Crock Pot Chocolate Nut Clusters

These Crock Pot chocolate nut clusters are the perfect treat to make when you want something sweet but don’t want a baked cookie or anything with gluten. Put them out with your traditional holiday desserts. People will love them.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Chocolate Nut Clusters