50 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes is a collection of classic holiday dishes you know and love but help you stick to your healthy eating goals. Turkey, veggie side dishes, salads, desserts and make ahead breakfast ideas are easy to make while packing in tons of flavor!
What Are Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes?
Eating healthy on Thanksgiving day is possible. In fact, it is easier than you think. If you know me, you know I believe in eating real whole foods.
Healthy Thanksgiving recipes keep your table lighter and tastier!
I have compiled an array of favorite classics you grew up eating every Thanksgiving. Just made more healthy, you are welcome.
From turkey to mashed potatoes to even a pumpkin pie, you can truly enjoy a holiday without feeling guilty the next day.
All the recipes are broken down into sections for easy use. Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!
Top Tips for Easy Thanksgiving Dinner
- Prep in advance: Many healthy Thanksgiving recipes can be made ahead or are even freezer friendly like lighter mashed potatoes and healthy sweet potato casserole.
- Make a plan: Decide what can be made ahead, what needs to prepped the night before and what is essential to make on Thanksgiving day itself. Determine where each Thanksgiving side dish will be cooked (oven, stovetop etc).
- Utilize the Instant Pot: Or even slow cooker – both of these small kitchen appliances save you room in the oven.
- Avoid the grocery rush: (if possible) Buy your groceries the weekend before or even utilize a shopping service.
- Ask others to bring a dish: There is no shame in assigning a Thanksgiving side dish or dessert to guests!
- Too many leftovers: While we have included top picks for what do with Thanksgiving leftovers, if the thought of doing anything stresses you out, buy a few to-go containers and pack them up for guests!
- Have the big dinner- at dinner time: This gives you time to cook all day!
- Kitchen helpers (or not): Assign others easy tasks like healthy salad recipe duty, putting together the charcuterie or setting the table OR, let’s be honest, sometimes helpers require hand-holding, it’s okay to send everyone to another room to play games, watch football etc.!Â
- Get some fresh air: The kitchen can get hot, it’s okay to step outside, take a breather, have a glass of wine, do yoga etc. The holidays are supposed to be enjoyable!Â
Healthy Appetizers and Soups
This section of easy appetizers before a healthy Thanksgiving dinner is small because I want you to save room for the good stuff. 🙂
Spinach Dip
This Healthy Spinach Dip Recipe is made with yogurt, twice more spinach and four times less mayo. The result is the same creamy and flavorful spinach dip you know. It is a super easy Thanksgiving dinner appetizer that tastes incredible without the extra calories.
Parmesan Mushrooms Appetizer
2 Ingredients Parmesan Mushrooms are baby bella mushroom caps stuffed with Parmesan cheese. Healthy and easy mushroom appetizer in 15 minutes, this healthy Thanksgiving recipe is also meal prep friendly and travel well!
Charcuterie Board
My friend Dina from Simply Home Cooked has this amazing tutorial on How to Make a Charcuterie Board. You can make it as healthy as you want. Doesn’t this look amazing for an easy Thanksgiving appetizer?!
Healthy Butternut Squash Soup
Healthy Butternut Squash Soup with simple ingredients, in one pot and in 30 minutes. The creamy goodness and warm spices are so comforting on a chilly fall or winter day. This is also a great ‘hands off’ healthy Thanksgiving appetizer when made as Instant Pot butternut squash soup.
Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
This might seem like an untraditional Thanksgiving appetizer, but if your guests are watching football, there will be no complaints when you serve this buffalo chicken dip!
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Breakfast
Make ahead breakfast for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning is where it’s at! Spend time cozying up with your family while the “prepared the day before” breakfast is bubbling in the oven. Browse even more breakfast ideas to find a few you would like to make!
Air Fryer Breakfast Casserole
Air Fryer Breakfast Casserole is quick to prepare, versatile, healthy, and packed with veggies (and optional meat) for a fluffy and flavorful breakfast! Swap out the fillings based on season for a breakfast that will never become boring.
Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
These Healthy Cinnamon Rolls are fluffy wholesome buns with healthy frosting and 4 times less sugar than Cinnabon.
Quinoa Breakfast Bake
Make this Quinoa Breakfast Bake with berries for a week of healthy and easy breakfasts or for a holiday morning. Serve warm with creamy yogurt and come back to thank me after.
Healthy Breakfast Casserole
This Healthy Breakfast Casserole is delicious, easy and has no bread. Make ahead for a crowd, meal prep or clean out the fridge. This egg bake is veggie, protein and flavor packed.
Sweet Potato Egg Casserole
Sweet Potato Egg Casserole with shredded sweet potato, eggs and spinach. Make ahead healthy egg casserole perfect for meal prep breakfast, brunch and holidays. You could use this healthy Thanksgiving recipe as a vegetarian main as well!
Instant Pot Egg Bites
These Starbucks copycat Egg Bites are made quickly in the Instant Pot and stay well in the refrigerator for 5 days! They can even be frozen. Serve with one of my healthy muffin recipes (many freezer friendly!) and you have the perfect meal prepped, hands-off holiday breakfast.
Thanksgiving Turkey, Chicken and Meat
Turkey is not the only star of the show when thinking about healthy Thanksgiving recipes. We take more lean turkey and chicken breasts and make them juicy and flavorful. Don’t feel like poultry? Make an easy Thanksgiving dinner with lamb or salmon.
Boneless Skinless Turkey Breast Roast
Serve this juicy Boneless Turkey Breast Roast for Holidays instead of a turkey. Herb crusted and stuffed with garlic it is a winner every time! Or enjoy as a healthy sandwich meat year round.
Roasted Bone In Turkey Breast
Roasted Bone In Turkey Breast comes out incredibly juicy inside, with crispy skin and flavorful with simple ingredients like garlic and dried herbs – perfect for the Holidays. It is perfect for small gatherings when you need an easy Thanksgiving dinner.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Air Fryer Turkey Breast is an easy way to cook a small portion of a turkey, with perfectly juicy results, for a smaller holiday crowd. It’s seasoned with a herb infused butter that helps to add moisture, taste and that crispy outer skin!
Bacon Wrapped Turkey Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast will be the star of your Thanksgiving meal! Juicy and tender meat seasoned with brown sugar rub and wrapped in crispy bacon for the best turkey recipe ever!
Turkey Drumstick Recipe
This recipe for Baked Turkey Legs is an easy way to enjoy a taste of turkey without cooking an entire bird! Enjoy these turkey drumsticks with juicy and tender dark meat inside and crispy skin outside using our foolproof method.
Cranberry and Brie Stuffed Chicken
Chicken Stuffed with Brie, Spinach and Cranberries makes clean and easy Thanksgiving dinner or fancy healthier chicken recipe for any occasion. Moist, flavourful and juicy, no one will miss the turkey.
Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
How to cook perfect Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast every time. Basic EASY Thanksgiving dinner recipe anyone can make (and can we talk about how impressive it is, too?!)
Slow Cooker Rump Roast
Slow Cooker Rump Roast consists of tender pieces of meat cooked with veggies in delicious gravy. Made with simple ingredients and 5 minutes prep, this Crock Pot rump roast recipe is one of our favorite dinners on a cold winter night!
Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash
Nothing screams fall like Stuffed Acorn Squash with ground turkey, spinach and the perfect blend of spices. This recipe looks so fancy but is so easy to make. And tastes even better!
Healthy Cranberry Sauce
Healthy Cranberry Sauce with 3 simple ingredients and refined sugar is not one of them. Easy, healthy Thanksgiving recipe and tasty cranberry sauce from scratch.
Turkey Gravy
Turkey Gravy Recipe made easy and healthy with or without drippings. Silky smooth, and perfectly rich and the best gravy for your mashed potatoes and turkey!
Healthy Veggie Sides
When it comes to mashing, roasting and sauteing vegetables, mashed potatoes are just the beginning when it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes. I like my veggies not overcooked, with a lot of flavor and yet healthy. This is where we exercise moderation. Did I mention bacon can also be included in healthy Thanksgiving recipes? 🙂
Lighter Mashed Potatoes
The Best Healthy Mashed Potatoes my Ukrainian way. Creamy, fluffy and delicious without 2 sticks of butter.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes is easy Thanksgiving dinner side and a delicious low carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes, but just as smooth and creamy. You can also make these hands off slow cooker cauliflower mashed potatoes!
Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are unbelievably fluffy, creamy, healthy and so easy to make. These are so good!
Garlic Green Beans
Garlic Green Beans not only taste incredible, but are super easy to make. Fresh green beans, olive oil and garlic sautéed in a skillet make for the perfect healthy Thanksgiving side dish.
Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted Cauliflower is made with garlic and olive oil, then baked until nutty and caramelized. It is such a simple way to make flavorful cauliflower.
Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Super simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts are baked until they are crispy on the outside and buttery soft on the inside. This is a delicious and easy fall side that will help you eat more vegetables.
Cauliflower Risotto
Cauliflower Risotto with brown mushrooms and cauliflower rice sautéed in flavourful broth in 15 minutes. Hearty and healthy low carb Thanksgiving side dish with amazing reviews.
Healthy Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Healthy Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes with simple warm spices, soft inside and crispy outside are perfect as a side, in a wrap or salad. These sweet potatoes cubes melt in your mouth and satisfy a serious savory craving in a healthy way.
Roasted Asparagus
Perfect Roasted Asparagus every time plus tips on how to store, prep, roast and season this healthy side dish. You will never have to eat limpy and mushy asparagus again.
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pecans
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with bacon, pecans, garlic and maple syrup make healthy finger licking recipe. On Thanksgiving or a busy weeknight, brussels sprouts come to the rescue as they are easy and quick to cook.
Oven Roasted Butternut Squash
Tender, caramelized roasted squash is delicious simple side dish or toss them into a fall salad or bowl.
Healthy Casseroles
Delicious and healthy Thanksgiving casseroles can be made without canned soups, marshmallows and dehydrated packet mixes.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Healthy Green Bean Casserole made from scratch with Parmesan pecan onion topping. Low calorie, low sodium and light healthy alternative without mushroom soup or breadcrumbs.
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with crunchy pecan sugar topping is melt in your mouth, delicious and comforting casserole for your holiday table without the guilt. Bonus, it can be made ahead and frozen. You’re welcome!
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole is fluffy souffle topped with delicious and crunchy candied pecan topping. Made from start to finish in your electric pressure cooker.
Healthy Mac and Cheese
Healthy Mac and Cheese in one pot in 15 minutes. Creamy, cheesy and flavorful and as healthy as it gets. No weird ingredients because life is short, friends.
Salads
I love a good salad! However, the last thing you need is a complicated salad recipe on a busy Thanksgiving day. Most of these salads can be made ahead and do not contain many ingredients or have blender made salad dressings.
Mexican Kale Salad
Creamy Mexican Kale Salad with raw kale, black beans, corn, cilantro and creamy cumin flavoured avocado dressing. This might seem untraditional, but no one will complain when they gobble it up!
Spinach Salad Recipe
Spinach Salad with eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, sesame seeds and easy healthy salad dressing. Simple recipe for a weeknight or a celebration table. I promise it is one of the easiest salads you will ever make!
Beet Salad with Arugula and Feta
Arugula Beet Salad with zesty greens, simple candied pecans, crumbled feta and easy balsamic dressing. If you are looking for an easy way to eat more beets, this beet salad recipe is the one. It will win you over, even if you don’t love beets!
Kale and Quinoa Salad
Cozy Kale and Quinoa Salad with apples, walnuts and cinnamon dressing. Superfood fall in a bowl tasty any day!
Healthy Broccoli Salad
The Best Broccoli Salad combines fresh broccoli, crispy bacon, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, shredded cheese and creamy dressing. This easy salad is the best of both worlds – healthier and flavorful.
Cauliflower Potato Salad
This Cauliflower Potato Salad is low carb salad with a lot of flavor. It will blow your mind. It’s just brilliant!
Lemon Kale Salad with Garlic and Parmesan
Flavorful and easy (no massaging) Lemon Kale Salad with toasted nuts and fresh Parmesan cheese, tossed in lemon and garlic dressing. Hands down, one of my favorite leafy green salads ever!
Lettuce Salad
No matter the season, this fresh Lettuce Salad contains tomato, cucumber, dill, onion, olive oil, salt and pepper. It’s so simple and perfect for an easy Thanksgiving dinner.
Instant Pot Recipes
Are you a lucky Instant Pot owner? If yes, electric pressure cooker can save you precious stove and oven space on a busy Thanksgiving day. And food comes out just as delicious with minimal prep. Instant pot is way faster, but just as convenient as using a slow cooker.
Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
Instant Pot Baked Potatoes come out fork tender, perfectly fluffy in your pressure cooker in half the time. This is foolproof recipe for any size of potatoes.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are easy, creamy and fluffy in 30 minutes in one pot. No drain, no cutting potatoes into small chunks and no heating up milk separately. Simply the best way to make mashed potatoes!
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Instant Pot Turkey Breast is super juicy, ready in an hour and even gravy is made in same pot. Saves time, money and feeds a small gathering. It’s perfect!
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is creamy, mouthwatering and hands off family comfort food. Made healthy-ish with only 1 cup of cheese and any kind of noodles, this pasta dinner recipe is ready in 15 minutes.
Instant Pot Pork Chops
Savory and delicious, Instant Pot Pork Chops with gravy are a delicious alternative to turkey!
Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts
We are not huge on desserts, but what would a holiday be without a little treat?! Here are some of our healthier Thanksgiving favorites.
Healthy Pumpkin Cake
This Healthy Pumpkin Cake is the best version of a classic fall dessert. Topped with a luscious yogurt cream cheese frosting, it is moist, decadent, and packed with hidden nutrients!
Healthy Pumpkin Pie
Healthy Pumpkin Pie with easy whole wheat crust and silky smooth pumpkin pie filling. A delicious low sugar dessert!
Healthy Carrot Cake
Healthy Carrot Cake with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, toasted coconut and walnuts. This cake is moist, tall, has texture and thick creamy frosting. It is absolutely delicious!
No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
This No Bake Peanut Butter Pie is smooth, creamy and healthy. Made without cream cheese, cool whip or graham crust, watch it disappear at any gathering. It is that good!
Healthy Pumpkin Bars
Healthy Pumpkin Bars with oatmeal, almond flour and chocolate chips. A delicious guilt free treat on a chilly fall day that the entire family will love!
Healthy No Bake Cheesecake
This Healthy No Bake Cheesecake is fluffy, full of strawberry flavour and lighter. Easy to make with fresh or frozen strawberries and Nutella crust, this is the perfect cake for any celebration.
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
For those that just need a ‘bit’ of dessert, Healthy Pumpkin Cookies are the perfect solution! Soft and chewy with a crisp exterior, everyone will ‘gobble’ these up!
Instant Pot Peach Cobbler
Swap the peaches for apples in this Instant Pot Cobbler and serve warm or cold with a scoop of dairy free vegan vanilla ice cream! Everyone will rave about this healthy Thanksgiving dessert!
Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
Decadent and the perfect ending to your feast! Serve plain or with berry compote, so good! Bonus, it can be made a day before, too
Turkey Leftovers
Growing up in the Ukraine, I was taught not to waste food. That includes a turkey carcass or leftover turkey meat. So, here are a few ideas for your turkey carcass.
One Pot Turkey Tetrazzini
This Turkey Tetrazzini is an easy way to enjoy leftover turkey. To make this traditional casserole healthy, we load it up with veggies and lighten up the sauce. And everything cooks in one pot because last thing you want to do is dirty 3 more pots after the Holidays.
Instant Pot Bone Broth
My family’s Instant Pot Bone Broth Recipe we made for centuries in Ukraine. Full of collagen, budget friendly and ready in 2.5 hours instead of 24 hours.
Easy Turkey Noodle Soup
Turkey Noodle Soup is the answer to leftover roasted turkey. Its broth is so healing and delicious, once combined with simple veggies and pasta your family will devour it in minutes.
Best Ever Vegetable Soup
Add some protein to this Vegetable Soup with your leftover turkey! Made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot this soup is a great way to use up any leftover odds and ends from Thanksgiving!
More Healthy Recipes to Try
50 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes: Boneless Turkey Breast Roast
Ingredients
Boneless Turkey Roast
- 3 lbs fresh boneless turkey roast in casing
- 3 large garlic cloves cut into matchsticks
- 3 large rosemary sprigs leaves removed and minced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Easy Pan Gravy (Optional)
- 2 cups water or low sodium chicken stock
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Boneless Turkey Roast
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium roasting pan or Dutch oven, place turkey roast and make 10-15 inserts with a paring knife. Stick garlic slice into each one until you run out of garlic.
- Rub roast with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper all around. Taking small handfuls of rosemary pat it onto the roast, then sprinkle some. The goal is to coat the roast in herbs.
- Bake uncovered for 90 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Internal temperature will reach 170 degrees F and juices settle.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the casing and slice. Serve warm at a Holiday table, cold as an appy or use in sandwiches instead of deli meat.
Easy Pan Gravy (Optional)
- Place roasting pan with juices from cooking turkey roast on medium heat. Scrape and shake rosemary and burnt on pieces from removed casing into the pot. There is a lot of flavor. Discard the casing.
- Add water or broth and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes and whisk to scrape the walls. Again lots of flavor in there.
- Add white wine, butter, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low-medium and cook for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add a bit of gravy from the pot and cornstarch. Whisk well with a fork, pour back into the pot and whisk until gravy starts boiling.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened a bit. Serve with a turkey roast.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate roast whole or sliced in an airtight container for up to a week. It tastes so good cold. And warm with gravy. This recipe is so versatile!
- Boneless turkey roast: This recipe calls for fresh boneless skinless turkey roast. If you have a frozen one, thaw it first.
- Don’t remove the casing before cooking: Under any circumstances please don’t. Casing is holding pieces of meat together. If you remove it, meat will fall apart. Do not worry, we will season it inside. It will come out juicy and delicious.
- Bake roast uncovered: If you cover it, meat will steam instead of roasting.
- Extra large roast 5-10 lbs: Cook for 30 minutes per lb but check with thermometer 30 minutes before calculated total time. Just to avoid overcooking as oven gets hotter with time.
Hi Olena!
It appears the link to your “Healthy Pumpkin Cake” is broken¡ Can you fix it, please?
Thanks for all the great recipes!
It is working now!
In my very small family, we prefer Ham over Turkey since they are smaller. Disappointed that there was no Ham recipe.
Ham is processed and full of sodium and preservatives. We try to eat healthy and promote that on the blog. However, if it’s your family’s favourite no judgement and I’m sure you have a favourite way to cook it by now and don’t need my help. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Oleana,!
Thank you so much for the fun, easy, and tasty Thanksgiving recipes! I made your mashed potatoes and turkey breast (5 lb.) in the instant pot and they turned out delicious! So quick and easy too – my husband said this was the best thanksgiving meal I ever made! You are so sweet!
Hi Kelly. Awe, that is awesome! Made my day and so happy I could help with these fun new recipes. 🙂
I really wanted pie and mashed potatoes and gravy and turkey and chicken and macaroni and cabbage 🥬.