40+ Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

October 31, 2019 27 Comments »

The best Thanksgiving side dishes for your holiday meal, all in one place! Recipes include casseroles, sweet potato recipes, green beans, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, salads and more.

Collage of photos of healthy Thanksgiving side dishes.

Out of all of the Thanksgiving dishes, the side dishes often make the meal. Whether you are looking for more traditional side dish recipes or want to try something new, you’ll find plenty of easy options below.

Thanksgiving sides are often loaded with unhealthy ingredients, but it doesn’t have to be that way.  Even during the holiday season, you can prepare healthy yet delicious foods for your family. I guarantee that no one at your holiday dinner will miss the extra butter or cream in these delicious recipes.

I’ve done the work for you to round up this list of healthier holiday side dish ideas, so now all you have to do is choose which ones to try first!  I hope this list will be a resource for you as you plan your Thanksgiving meal and Christmas menu.

Many of these Thanksgiving side dishes can be made ahead to save you time on the big day, and all are perfect for serving with your turkey dinner.

Best Thanksgiving Sides

Sweet Potato Casserole

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted brussels sprouts with cranberries and pecans on a baking sheet.

Broccoli Casserole from Scratch

Broccoli casserole from scratch in a white casserole dish.

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole from scratch in a white serving dish with a wooden spoon.

Roasted Green Beans

Oven roasted green beans in a serving bowl with two forks.

Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Kale Salad

Kale salad with butternut squash, candied walnuts and goat cheese in a white bowl.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Perfect creamy mashed potatoes in an Instant Pot.

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

Creamy slow cooker mashed potatoes in a bowl with butter and chives.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Oven roasted sweet potatoes in a bowl.

Spinach Salad with Bacon

Spinach salad with bacon and eggs in a bowl.

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Cinnamon roasted butternut squash in a white serving bowl.

Butternut Squash Wild Rice Salad

Wild rice salad with butternut squash, apple and pecans.

Quinoa with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Leeks

quinoa with roasted brussels sprouts

Whole-Wheat Biscuits

Homemade whole wheat biscuits in a bowl and on a baking sheet.

Mashed Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Mashed butternut squash.

Sweet Cornbread

Sweet honey cornbread on a plate, with melted butter and honey drizzle.

Pomegranate Fennel Quinoa Salad

Pomegrante fennel quinoa salad.

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

roasted rosemary potatoes

Roasted Delicata Squash with Fresh Cranberries

Roasted delicata squash with cranberries

Broccoli Kale Salad

Broccoli kale salad with chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, apple, pecans and feta cheese.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup in a ladle spoon over an Instant Pot full of soup.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

Healthy sweet potato casserole in a slow cooker with pecans.

Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

Honey balsamic roasted carrots

Kale and Wild Rice Casserole

Kale and wild rice casserole

Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Apple

Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Apple and Pecans.

Garlic & Parmesan Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”

Mashed cauliflower in a blue bowl.

Cranberry Pear Salad with Fresh Pear Vinaigrette

Cranberry pear salad

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Twice baked potato casserole with cheese in a white serving dish with a wooden spoon.

Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta

Honey roasted butternut squash with cranberries and feta

Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce

Low sugar cranberry sauce.

Sweet Potato Apple Casserole

sweet potato and apple casserole

Cranberry Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf

Apple cranberry wild rice pilaf

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Creamy Instant Pot mac and cheese in a serving bowl.

Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Rice

broccoli rice

Winter Kale Salad with Apples and Pecans

winter kale salad with apple and pecans

Simple Roasted Carrots

Easy roasted carrots served on a sheet pan.

Loaded Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Loaded twice baked sweet potatoes

Wilted Kale and Couscous Salad with Carrots and Cranberries

Couscous carrot kale salad

Caramelized Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad with butternut squash and grapes.

Vanilla Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

Vanilla pecan sweet potato casserole topped with cranberries and pecans.

Honey Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Honey pumpkin cornbread muffins.

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Sides & Salads

posted by Kristine on October 31, 2019