Thanksgiving, a time dedicated to cooking and eating with loved ones, is right around the corner. While hosting Thanksgiving can seem stressful, it doesn’t have to be. Even if you have a kitchen that’s tight on space, all you need are the right small kitchen appliances to make this year’s Thanksgiving dishes delicious.
Here are eight Thanksgiving side dishes you can make even if your kitchen space is limited.
1. Cook Green Bean Casserole in the Microwave
Green bean casserole is a top side dish for many Thanksgiving meals. But did you know you can use a microwave to effortlessly make green bean casserole?
If you follow this microwave green bean casserole recipe, all you have to do is combine the ingredients in a microwave-safe dish and press start.
The ingredients list is short, too. You’ll only need:
- Green beans
- Milk
- Black pepper
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Crispy fried onions
If you’re in the market for a microwave that won’t take up too much room, consider the Compact Wave Soft Close Microwave from Breville. Though it only takes up minimal space, it still has a 25L capacity.
Also, don’t be afraid to use the microwave when making or prepping other Thanksgiving dishes. You can prep sweet potatoes in the microwave and prepare your boxed stuffing in the microwave, too.
2. Use An Instant Pot & Electric Mixer Make Sweet Potatoes Easy
From one casserole to another, consider adding a no-bake sweet potato casserole to your Thanksgiving menu. All you need are two small kitchen appliances you may already own:
- An Instant pot to boil sweet potatoes
- An electric hand mixer to mash sweet potatoes
Instant pots are a great addition to any kitchen as they are versatile can easy to clean up. Instant Pot’s Duo 8-quart Multi-Use Pressure Cooker can cook your sweet potatoes in no time while still being power efficient and safe with a safe-locking lid.
And this MultiMix electric hand mixer by Braun makes mixing easy. So, if you want your no-bake casserole to have a silky smooth texture, a hand mixer is a small tool that’s more effective than mashing by hand.
3. Sauté Butternut Squash in an Electric Dutch Oven
Roasted butternut squash and roasted butternut squash soup are warm and hearty Thanksgiving dishes. So while technically it’s not roasting, you can sauté mouth-watering squash, in an electric Dutch oven to get the same flavor profile.
Instant’s Precision 6-quart Dutch Oven is small in size, making it ideal for a small kitchen. And all you have to do for your Thanksgiving squash is to peel it cut it into small pieces, then add your preferred oil and sauté.
4. Roast Brussels Sprouts With an Air Fryer
Including roasted Brussels sprouts to your spread of Thanksgiving dishes is a fantastic way to add extra flavor and texture to your Thanksgiving meal.
If you’re going for the classic roasted Brussel sprouts, you can use an air fryer to roast the Brussels sprouts like the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL. Due to the hot air circulating in the air fryer, your Brussel sprouts will be sweeter, more flavorful, and crunchier than oven roasting them.
Air fryers are quickly becoming kitchen favorites because:
- They cook food evenly
- You don’t need as much oil in air fryers compared to traditional deep fryers
- Air fryers are easy to clean because you can wash the lid and basket in the dishwasher
5. Prepare Garlic Mashed Potatoes in a Slow Cooker
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes transform a plain Thanksgiving side into a classic family favorite. The good news is you don’t need any large equipment to make them. This is because you can use a crock pot or a slow cooker to steam the potatoes.
All-Clad’s Stainless Steel Slow Cooker is a great option to make your Thanksgiving garlic mashed potatoes as it has a good capacity without taking up too much space. It also has a ceramic insert so you can mash your potatoes right in the slow cooker.
6. Roast Stuffed Acorn Squash In a Toaster Oven
Stuffed acorn squash is one of the more advanced Thanksgiving dishes you can make. You can stuff the acorn squash with traditional Thanksgiving stuffing or a combination of meat and rice, more like a stuffed pepper.
To create this tasty side dish, you can roast the acorn squash in a toaster oven, create your stuffing on the stovetop, then combine the two elements back together in the toaster oven.
One toaster oven option is the Breville Compact Smart Oven. It takes up little space on the counter but is big enough to roast several servings of stuffed acorn squash at once. Additionally, the inside of the toaster oven is coated with non-stick coating so clean up after Thanksgiving will be a breeze.
7. Create Cranberry Sauce Using an Immersion Blender
If you’ve always wanted to make your own cranberry sauce but thought it was too complicated to do so in your small kitchen, the truth is that you only need three ingredients and a hand-held immersion blender.
The ingredients you need are:
- Cranberries
- Sugar
- Orange juice
Once you cook and combine the ingredients according to the recipe, transfer the mixture to a safe bowl and use the immersion blender to combine for a smooth texture.
An immersion blender is a great tool that takes up very little space. It’s perfect for blending, mixing, and puréeing. So, if you want your cranberry sauce to have a smooth texture, the immersion blender step is a must.
Cuisinart has a fantastic option in their Evolution X Hand Blender. It’s cordless, charges via a USB port, and you can use it for up to 20 minutes without a break. This version even comes with a whisk attachment for further versatility.
Use Small Kitchen Appliances to Make Tasty Thanksgiving Dishes
You can make delicious Thanksgiving dishes with easy-to-use small kitchen appliances. These appliances make it easier for you to create delicious dishes for you and your family to enjoy this holiday.
