Our Best Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy
Our Best Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes – Everything you need for Thanksgiving besides a turkey! It’s always a good Thanksgiving with these yummy sides!
It’s almost Thanksgiving, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not the most excited about the sides and pies. I LIVE for the Thanksgiving sides and pies. It’s tough not to be excited when they’re THIS GOOD.
In case you’re in the same boat, or you’re simply looking for some last-minute Thanksgiving side dish ideas, here are some of our best Thanksgiving sides all in one place…
HEALTHY THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES SHORTCUT
In case you don’t have time to scroll down, here are the healthy (or healthier) Thanksgiving side dishes we’re highlighting below:
- Paleo or Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Mushroom Gravy
- Green Beans with Balsamic Pepper Relish
- Crispy Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Classic Gluten-Free Stuffing
- Orange Honey Cranberry Sauce (with Vegan Option!
- Thanksgiving Turkey Fruit Plate
- Glazed Roasted Carrots
- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Winter Fruit Salad
- Maple Cornbread
- Perfect Deviled Eggs (+12 Flavors To Try!)
- Healthy Homemade Jello
- Wild Rice Pilaf With Butternut Squash
- Cinnamon Rosemary Sweet Potatoes
And, if you’d like to see them a bit more in-depth, keep on scrolling to see our favorite healthy Thanksgiving side dishes…
PALEO OR VEGAN SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
This healthier sweet potato casserole is my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dish for sure, and it’s been a reader favorite for years! Fluffy mashed sweet potatoes finished with a sweet pecan topping.
Angelle says, “Wonderful recipe! Made this for Thanksgiving instead of the regular family recipe and everyone raved about how good it was. Only after I received multiple compliments, I revealed that is was healthy. Gasp! Even the non-paelo/vegans took seconds. This WILL be the new (holiday) staple recipe!
INSTANT POT MASHED POTATOES (VEGAN + DAIRY-FREE + WHOLE30 OPTIONS!)
These creamy, fluffy Instant Pot mashed potatoes are so easy, thanks to the pressure cooker! You’ll never go back to making them on the stovetop. (Plus: no oven or stove needed = more space for turkey + other sides!)
EASY MUSHROOM GRAVY (VEGAN + PALEO FRIENDLY)
This simple mushroom gravy recipe works for vegetarian, paleo, and gluten-free diets! It’s amazing on mashed potatoes or spooned over your main dish.
Diane says, “Perfection.
GREEN BEANS WITH BALSAMIC PEPPER RELISH
This colorful, flavorful green beans recipe is much less fuss than traditional green bean casserole and saves you oven space since it’s made on the stovetop. You can do some of the prep ahead of time, too!
ROASTED BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS.
If you’ve got the oven space, these roasted balsamic Brussels sprouts are a MUST on Thanksgiving. With gorgeous caramelized edges and a sticky balsamic glaze, they’ll convert just about anyone.
CLASSIC GLUTEN-FREE STUFFING
With cozy homestyle flavors and an amazing texture, this is THE gluten-free stuffing recipe you need for Thanksgiving! Don’t miss other variations to try in the post–feel free to add sausage, apple, dried cranberries, or nuts to fill it out even more!
ORANGE HONEY CRANBERRY SAUCE:
With bright citrus notes and a hint of cinnamon, this naturally sweetened cranberry sauce is the perfect addition to the holiday table. I use leftovers for toast, oatmeal, and more! (I’ve also got a vegan option if you’re avoiding honey!)
THANKSGIVING TURKEY FRUIT PLATE
If your kids aren’t into a lot of the traditional Thanksgiving foods, it can sometimes feel like you’ve spent hours in the kitchen for nothing. Keeping something kid-friendly (and adorable!) on our menu every year has saved me a lot of complaints over the years. My kids and my nieces and nephews are always glad to see a turkey-shaped fruit plate as part of the Thanksgiving spread! It’s ALWAYS a hit, whether it’s snacking adults or grateful kids doing the eating.
GLAZED ROASTED CARROTS
This glazed roasted carrots dish combines two of my favorites–roasted carrots and glazed carrots. It’s the best of both worlds! The simple glaze gets gorgeously caramelized as the carrots cook, and I have a hard time not polishing off the whole recipe by myself!
GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN CORNBREAD MUFFINS
If everyone else is having bread, the gluten-free crowd can sometimes feel left out. No worries! These gluten-free pumpkin cornbread muffins are here to save the day, Fluffy, moist, and amazing with a drizzle of butter + honey. Just sayin’.
Hannah says, “Brought these to Thanksgiving. Emily, I received compliments from gluten-free eaters and those without dietary restrictions alike! Thanks for the great recipe.”
CHIPOTLE MASHED SWEET POTATOES.
If you’re brave enough to go a bit untraditional, these chipotle mashed sweet potatoes will completely change your life. You’ll make them ALL the time after trying them. Smoky, savory, sweet…they’re PERFECTION.
WINTER FRUIT SALAD.
If a Thanksgiving turkey fruit plate seems a bit juvenile for your crowd, you might love having our winter fruit salad! It’s got a mix of seasonal fruit and a bright citrus dressing that ties it all together. So lovely!
MAPLE CORNBREAD
Another bread option that will please both the gluten-free folks and the non-gluten-free folks, this maple cornbread is light and fluffy, and satisfying. Everything we need!
12 FLAVORS OF PERFECT DEVILED EGGS
Full disclosure: I’ve never had these perfect deviled eggs on Thanksgiving, but every year, they’re one of the most searched and made recipes on my site on Thanksgiving. I get it! They make an easy, make-ahead appetizer that’s easy to keep on hand, and with TWELVE different flavors to choose from, there’s no reason to feel bored. Choose from our classic recipe or any of our 11 other flavors to wow your guests!
HEALTHY HOMEMADE JELLO
I know it’s maybe not the cool thing to say, but Jello was at a lot of the Thanksgiving and holiday meals I shared with my family and extended family growing up. We usually eat ours other times of the year these days, but many of you have mentioned that it’s a holiday tradition at your house, so I’m including this delicious homemade jello recipe that uses natural sweeteners and skips the dyes and additives. My kids LOVE this.
WILD RICE PILAF WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH
This wild rice pilaf with butternut squash is another great Thanksgiving side dish that doesn’t use the oven! I love the colors and flavors of this dish, from the tender butternut squash to the gem-like dried cranberries and the crunchy pecans. We love it so much we make it all season long!
CINNAMON ROSEMARY SWEET POTATOES
If you prefer your sweet potatoes roasted instead of mashed, these cinnamon rosemary sweet potatoes are the perfect Thanksgiving side dish for you! The texture is unbeatable and they’ll make your house smell INCREDIBLE. (If you don’t’ have the oven space, put these on the menu for sometime after Thanksgiving. They’re SO worth a try!
