100 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

100 healthy Thanksgiving recipes gives you ideas for starters, sides, breads, turkey, dessert and more to make your healthy Thanksgiving delicious!

I’m not sure there can be any holiday more amazing than Thanksgiving.

We sit around a table, stuff our faces full of delicious food and acknowledge things we’re grateful for with friends and family without any pressure of gift giving.

The holiday feels a bit odd for my family this year as we’re in this weird feeling of upheaval.

We’re literally waiting for my grandmother to pass away in her home under hospice care and the contract we had on selling our house just fell through at the 11th hour.

Two things I could go on and on about in either a very sad (the former) or a very angry/frustrated (the latter) manner, but I won’t (at least not today) because there are still plenty of things to be happy about and grateful for in life.

Like food.

100 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Healthy is relative when it comes to Thanksgiving and let’s use some leniency in the dessert category specifically when referring to the word but all in all, these are some tasty, flavorful Thanksgiving ideas that aren’t too bad for you.

Have fun choosing!

Healthy Thanksgiving Starter Recipes

Cranberry cheddar sausage bites
Rosemary pumpkin hummus
Pumpkin goat cheese dip with caramelized onions
Goat cheese and prosciutto stuffed mushrooms
Crispy carrot chips: 2 ways
Apples on a horseback with jalapeno cream cheese – Climbing Grier Mountain

Healthy Thanksgiving Soup Recipes

Cinnamon ginger kabocha squash soup
Sweet and spicy butternut squash soup
Pumpkin potato soup
Creamy potato leek soup – Tasty Yummies
Parsnip and apple soup – Healthy Green Kitchen
Golden beet soup with roasted garlic cashew cream – With Food + Love
Roasted maple butternut squash soup – Real Food Whole Health
Creamy pumpkin soup – The Comfort of Cooking

Healthy Thanksgiving Rolls, Biscuits and Bread Recipes

Sweet potato bacon biscuits
Rustic rosemary cheddar bacon biscuits
Pumpkin corn muffins with honey sage butter
Cranberry corn muffins
Whole wheat sweet potato banana muffins
Honey wheat clover rolls – Simply Scratch
Cheddar and green onion cornbread – Tasty Yummies
Sweet potato buttermilk biscuits – Love and Olive Oil
The very best buttery dinner rolls – Dine & Dish
Amish potato rolls – Baked by Rachel
Soft and fluffy dinner rolls (100% whole wheat) – Texanerin

100 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes (4)

Healthy Thanksgiving Vegetable/Greens Side Recipes

Green beans with cranberries, bacon and goat cheese
Lemon roasted asparagus
Shaved Brussels sprouts fruit salad
Coconut creamed spinach – Love & Lemons
Roasted broccoli with beer cheese sauce – The Beeroness
Roasted winter squash salad with goat cheese and pine nuts – Gourmande in the Kitchen
Vegan green bean casserole – Eat the Love
Massaged kale + blood orange winter salad – With Food + Love

Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Creamy cauliflower pumpkin mash
Butternut squash and cranberry gratin
Roasted broccoli and cauliflower parmesan gratin
Roasted garlic and greek yogurt smashed potatoes
Twice baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon cashew cream
Creamy butternut squash puree
Maple and roasted garlic squash puree
Goat cheese and spinach mashed sweet potatoes
Sweet potato goat cheese puffs
Glazed sweet potatoes with whiskey pecans – Well Plated
Butternut squash crumble – Chocolate Moosey
Apple bacon stuffed sweet potatoes – How Sweet It Is
Twice baked sweet potatoes with chipotle pecan streusel – Cookin’ Canuck
Sweet potato and kale gratin – Oh My Veggies
Roast pumpkin with feta and honey – Not Quite Nigella
Farro and spiced honey salad with sweet potatoes, apples and chestnuts – A Farmgirl’s Dabbles


(photo courtesy of Texanerin)

Healthy Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Recipes

5-Ingredient slow cooker cranberry sauce
Quick and simple apple, pear and cranberry sauce
Cranberry pomegranate compote – Healthy Green Kitchen
Honey sweetened orange cranberry sauce – Texanerin
Cranberry raspberry relish – Fork & Beans
Cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon – Real Housemoms
Bourbon vanilla cranberry sauce – Eat Live Run


(photo courtesy of Wanna Be a Country Cleaver)

Healthy Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes

Sausage cranberry apple stuffing muffins
Chestnut stuffing
Paleo cranberry flax stuffing – Healthful Pursuit
Chorizo and cornbread stuffing – Wanna Be a Country Cleaver
Gluten free cornbread stuffing with chestnuts, leeks and chanterelles – The Bojon Gourmet
Quinoa sage stuffing – Tasty Yummies
Cornbread and sausage stuffing – Baked by Rachel
Bacon leek stuffing with sage and pecans – Simply Scratch
Gluten free stuffing with kale, caramelized onions and mushrooms – Oh My Veggies


(photo courtesy ofWanna Be a Country Cleaver)

Healthy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

Tart cherry cranberry glazed turkey
Tart cherry chestnut stuffed turkey roulade
Organic roast turkey with sage butter – Healthy Green Kitchen
Roasted turkey with herb butter & roasted shallots – Cookin’ Canuck
Roasted turkey breast with bacon and herbs – Jelly Toast
Roasted chicken with garlic sage butter and pomegranate glaze – Alaska from Scratch
Red wine lacquered turkey with spiced butter – Heather Christo

Healthy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

Paleo chocolate pecan tart
Paleo pumpkin pie fudge
Cranberry banana bread with orange glaze
Cinnamon apple sugar cake
Pumpkin streusel bread
No bake chocolate coco pumpkin bars
Raw walnut and pecan tartlets: 2 ways
Apple streusel bread
Apple slab pie – Baked by Rachel
Grain free apple and pear crisp– So, Let’s Hang Out
Cranberry curd tart
Apple cinnamon pull apart bread – Bakers Royale
Apple chai pie – Box of Spice
Sweet potato marshmallow cinnamon rolls – Girl Versus Dough
Apple cranberry crumb pie – Baked by Rachel
Paleo apple galette – A Girl Worth Saving
Perfect soft batch pumpkin chocolate chip cookies – Baked by Rachel

Bonus: Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes

Don’t forget about the leftovers! This might be my favorite part about Thanksgiving. In addition to 100 healthy Thanksgiving recipes, here are some ideas to get you started on how to use up all those Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge:

Turkey avgolemono soup
Thanksgiving breakfast frittata
Turkey cranberry enchilada melt
Thanksgiving leftover waffle breakfast sandwiches

Gina Matsoukas

Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

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100 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest food to eat on Thanksgiving? ›

Go for small amounts of cooked squash, sweet potato, white potato, beans and carrots. Try to use whole-grain breads and cereals whenever possible; they are rich in fiber and the B vitamins that are not so abundant in simple carbohydrates (white and refined grains, cereals, flours and starches).

How can I make Thanksgiving more healthy? ›

Boiled shrimp with lemon or cocktail sauce is a healthier pick than fried hors d'oeuvres. Try having a pot of a roasted vegetable soup, such as carrot or butternut squash, on offer for guests to enjoy. Other healthful starters include stuffed mushrooms, raw veggies with hummus, and seasonal fruit.

What is better to eat than turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals.

Is a Thanksgiving dinner healthy? ›

The traditional turkey-day feast, replete with fatty, high-cholesterol foods like drumsticks, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing, is generally anything but heart-healthy. Try a healthy roasted turkey and gravy recipe for your Thanksgiving meal.

What should I eat on Thanksgiving to lose weight? ›

Help yourself to high-fiber foods like fruits and veggies, whole grains and bean dishes. Just don't fall for dishes drenched in butter or creamy sauces, which can be loaded with calories and fat. For many, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the taste of turkey.

What should I eat on Thanksgiving to not gain weight? ›

5 Healthy Food Swaps to Avoid Weight Gain This Thanksgiving
  • Eat Pumpkin Pie Instead of Pecan Pie. ...
  • Grill Instead of Frying. ...
  • Swap Mashed Potatoes for Mashed Cauliflower. ...
  • Serve Brussels Sprouts Instead of Green Bean Casserole. ...
  • Use Wild Rice Instead of Pilaf.

What is the healthiest way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey? ›

Rustveld suggests air frying your turkey as a healthier alternative to deep frying. It takes less time at 400 degrees, and the end product contains less fat since you do not need to add oil. “Deep frying is not as healthy as air frying, roasting or grilling,” he said.

How do you not eat too much on Thanksgiving? ›

5 Tips on How to Not Overeat During Holiday Dinner
  1. Plan and prepare for the occasion. Some people expect to overeat, so they skip meals beforehand, “saving” their calories. ...
  2. Opt for healthful and nutritious foods. ...
  3. Be more mindful. ...
  4. Adopt healthy habits. ...
  5. Remember why you're celebrating the holiday.
Nov 15, 2022

What meat is good for Thanksgiving? ›

Here are some big, impressive, delicious pieces of meat you should definitely make for Thanksgiving, instead of turkey:
  • Roast Duck with Plums. ...
  • Garlic Rosemary Prime Rib Roast with Horseradish Cream. ...
  • Roasted Capon with Sage Stuffing. ...
  • Jamie Oliver's Best Roast Leg Of Lamb.
Nov 17, 2016

What is the healthiest turkey to cook? ›

Roasting. Roasting a turkey in its own juices is the healthiest method of cooking a turkey, if you don't add butter under the skin. You're even better off if you don't eat the skin because that's where the saturated fat is hidden, as mentioned before.

What meat is healthier than turkey? ›

Beef has more iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, which are nutrients that promote healthy blood, immunity, and nervous system health, than turkey.

What does a healthy Thanksgiving plate look like? ›

Half of your plate should be covered in vegetables (carrots, green beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, salad), a quarter of it should be carbohydrates and starches (potatoes, stuffing and a bread roll), and a quarter should be protein (turkey).

Why is Thanksgiving dinner at 3? ›

There are many reasons, but primarily: Historically, dinner became before supper; it makes for a more relaxed day; it's simply tradition; it's more convenient for traveling guests; and, of course, to watch football.

What is the unhealthiest food on Thanksgiving? ›

14 Unhealthiest Thanksgiving Sides To Avoid This Year
  • Sweet potato casserole. Foodio/Shutterstock. ...
  • Green bean casserole. from my point of view/Shutterstock. ...
  • Ambrosia salad. Alleko/Getty Images. ...
  • Jell-O salad. Islandleigh/Getty Images. ...
  • Dinner rolls. Say-cheese/Getty Images. ...
  • Mashed potatoes. ...
  • Potatoes au gratin. ...
  • Macaroni and cheese.
Nov 6, 2023

What is the best meal for Thanksgiving? ›

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better. Get the Classic Stuffing recipe.

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