8 Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Won't Make You Feel Guilty (2024)

Thanksgiving is usually the one holiday where Americans embrace the “anything goes” attitude when it comes to food and drink. After all, we’re celebrating all that we’re thankful for, right? But special diets and a commitment to healthy eating and lifestyle means that healthy recipes are still in high demand, even for Thanksgiving. If you want to incorporate more veggies, less fats and even embrace a few vegan and paleo recipes this year, keep reading! We’ve found some great healthy Thanksgiving side dishes that won’t make you feel guilty.

Source: HummusApien.com

1. Vegan And Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole

Everyone’s favorite side dish at Thanksgiving usually involves the famous Green Bean Casserole. It’s easy to make, and no one can resist the creamy sauce and crispy fried onions. While this healthier option does involve quite a few more ingredients that the traditional casserole, you can rest assured there’s no frying involved in the delicious oven baked onions, and the mushroom soup is swapped out for some delicious alternatives, like raw cashews and fresh mushrooms.

Grab this recipe and more healthy alternatives from dietician Alyssa atHummusApien.com.

Source: JessicaInTheKitchen.com

2. Skinny Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole is a favorite in our house, but I cringe whenever I think about all the butter that goes into making it so delicious! This simple skinny vegan version will stop you in your tracks as you dig into the sweet and fluffy dish. Made simply with sweet potato, vegan butter and almond milk, then topped with a crumbly homemade pecan topping, this dish is both gluten free and vegan. Win win!

You can find the entire recipe atJessicaInTheKitchen.com, along with 600 more whole food recipes!

Source: JuliasAlbum.com

3. Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Pecans and Cranberries

Well theres’a little something in this dish for everyone, isn’t there!? This is a vegetarian and gluten free dish that is made in just under 40 minutes. Maple syrup, cinnamon and olive oil are all you need to bring out the natural flavors in this festive and delicious side dish.

VisitJuliasAlbum.comfor the entire recipe and other easy and quick weeknight dinner ideas.

Source: CookingClassy.com

4. Honey Roasted Carrots

You need all the easy side dishes you can get your hands on when it comes to Thanksgiving, to make life just a little bit easier in the kitchen. These honey roasted carrots are a super healthy option, with minimal ingredients. Tons of carrots, apple cider vinegar, honey and fresh herbs are simply combined and then roasted to your liking. It’s never been easy to incorporate something healthy into your Thanksgiving spread!

Check out this simple recipe atCookingClassy.com.

Source: Detoxinista.com

5. Mashed Cauliflower “Potatoes”

We’ve all seen those amazing videos where cauliflower magically becomes delicious looking pizza crust, and it’s uses are pretty much endless. To lighten up your Thanksgiving meal, you can make mashed “potatoes” using cauliflower instead! They look nearly identical, so not only will it give you the feeling of indulging in the traditional side dish, but it just may fool your kids into eating more veggies too.

Find the easy recipe atDetoxinista.com.

Source: TheHealthyMaven.com

6. Cauliflower Rice Stuffing

Tell me this is not real stuffing! It looks exactly like it, and that’s why people love cauliflower so much. This is made with all the same love as regular stuffing, with the onion, celery and nuts, but without the bread. It’s not stuffed inside the turkey, making it a quick side dish that is great for vegetarian family members who don’t enjoy poultry-laden stuffing.

Check out 5 more delicious and healthy side dishes atTheHealthyMaven.com.

Source: WholesomeYum.com

7. Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

It only takes 5 ingredients and 10 minutes to get this sugar free, paleo and delicious cranberry sauce. Natural sweetener is used, along with fresh cranberries to give you the most flavorful and health conscious cranberry sauce ever. So long, canned sauce!

VisitWholesomeYum.comfor more delicious and healthy recipes.

Source: TheSeasonedMom.com

8. Fall Harvest Salad

When I think of Thanksgiving dinner, a salad is usually the last thing on my mind. But this Fall Harvest salad looks seriously DIVINE! Mixed greens, acorn squash, apples, pecans, cranberries and homemade Pumpkin Goddess Dressing make this a must for your Thanksgiving table. You’ll wonder why you’ve waited this long to eat a salad on Thanksgiving!

You need this recipe, especially the salad dressing! Grab it fromTheSeasonedMom.com.

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Karly Wood

I'm a born and bred Southern California native and currently the managing editor at Red Tri. I get to share my life with my husband of 13 years and our beautiful, 5-year old daughter. In my free time you'll catch me cheering for the Dodgers, cooking, baking, reading, crafting and probably watching a little HGTV!