35 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes Made for Second Helpings
Updated: Mar. 14, 2018Say, “yes” to your favorite Thanksgiving foods without feeling guilty. These healthy Thanksgiving recipes are full of flavor and fresh fall produce.
1 / 35
Roasted Apple Salad with Spicy Maple-Cider Vinaigrette
We bought loads of apples and needed to use them. To help the flavors come alive, I roasted the apples and tossed them with a sweet dressing. —Janice Elder, Charlotte, North Carolina 2 / 35
Rosemary Turkey Breast
I season turkey with a blend of rosemary, garlic and paprika. Because I rub half of the mixture directly on the meat under the skin, I can remove the skin before serving and not lose any of the flavor. The result is an entree that’s lower in fat, yet delicious—the perfect centerpiece for holiday meals. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas
3 / 35
Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
I order cauliflower mash every time we're at our favorite restaurant. Lucky us; one night, I figured out how to make it at home. It was so easy! —Jean Keiser, West Chester, Pennsylvania 4 / 35
Green Beans with Shallots
A package of frozen green beans makes these “dill-icious” green beans a fast and tasty accompaniment to almost any main course. —Linda Rabbit, Charles City, Iowa 5 / 35
Honey-Oat Pan Rolls
These tender rolls are relatively quick to make. Whole wheat flour and oats make them nutritious, too.—Arlene Butler, Ogden, Utah 6 / 35
Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Make Brussels sprouts special with peas, celery and, of course, bacon. The recipe doubles easily if needed. —Jodie Beckman, Council Bluffs, Iowa 7 / 35
Honey-Thyme Butternut Squash
This golden, honey-sweetened squash is just as hearty and comforting as your favorite potato dish. With its bright color, it makes an attractive side for special autumn meals. —Bianca Noiseux, Bristol, Connecticut 8 / 35
Roasted Squash, Carrots & Walnuts
After the turkey’s done, I dial up the oven temp and roast carrots and squash for this yummy side. That frees me up to start the gravy. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia 9 / 35
Creamy Butternut Squash & Sage Soup
I recently started experimenting with new soup recipes, and finally created a rich squash version that omits heavy cream altogether, making it a healthier way to curb my creamy-tooth. —Nithya Kumar, Davis, California 10 / 35
Stuffing from the Slow Cooker
If you're hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner this year, add this simple slow-cooked stuffing to your menu to ease entertaining. The recipe comes in handy when you run out of oven space at large family gatherings. I use this Crock Pot dressing recipe often. —Donald Seiler, Macon, Mississippi 11 / 35
Beans 'n' Caramelized Onions
Brown sugar, bacon and cider vinegar season this simple side. I often make it for family and friends, and it never fails to please!—Jill Heatwole, Pittsville, Maryland 12 / 35
Spicy Applesauce
We have an apple-picking party every year. It's a bushel of fun, and I always look forward to cooking a batch of this easy applesauce seasoned with cinnamon, cloves and allspice. —Marian Platt, Sequim, Washington 13 / 35
Roasted Butternut Tossed Salad
This salad makes an easy and special side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, and it's packed with nutritious veggies, almonds, berries and squash. —Katie Wollgast, Florissant, Missouri 14 / 35
Turkey Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash
Finding healthy recipes the family will eat is a challenge. This elegant squash is one we love, and it works with pork, turkey and chicken sausage. —Melissa Pelkey Hass, Waleska, Georgia 15 / 35
Rice Pilaf with Apples & Raisins
I love making bulgar pilaf with apricots. So glad I tried it with dried apples and golden raisins! —Elizabeth Dumont, Madison, Mississippi 16 / 35
Golden Apricot-Glazed Turkey Breast
Basted with a simple glaze, this wonderfully moist and tender turkey bakes to a lovely golden brown. Make it the centerpiece of your holiday table; guests will be glad you did. —Greg Fontenot, The Woodlands, Texas 17 / 35
Roasted Herb & Lemon Cauliflower
A standout cauliflower side is easy to prepare with just a few ingredients. Crushed red pepper flakes add a touch of heat. —Susan Hein, Burlington, Wisconsin 18 / 35
Oven-Roasted Spiced Carrots
I started roasting veggies and serving them often with dinner. Now my children say, “Is it OK to finish the veggies?” Pinch me. —Joan Duckworth, Lee's Summit, Missouri
19 / 35
Honey-Squash Dinner Rolls
These puffy dinner rolls take on rich color when you add squash to the dough. Any squash variety works. I've even used cooked carrots. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Florida
20 / 35
Sweet Potato & Chickpea Salad
Take this colorful dish to the buffet at a family gathering, or enjoy it as a great meal all by itself. —Brenda Gleason, Hartland, Wisconsin
21 / 35
Garlic-Mashed Rutabagas & Potatoes
My family absolutely loves mashed potatoes. I created this recipe to lighten up the calories and sneak in a serving of rutabagas. If you have the time, boil the potatoes in chicken broth to add even more flavor. —Rosemary Tatum, Sterlington, Louisiana
22 / 35
Roasted Sweet Potato & Prosciutto Salad
I still think there's no better combo than sweet potatoes with pork, or prosciutto in this case. I'm a retired physician and am glad that sweet potatoes are being given their due as nutritional powerhouses. —Helen Conwell, Portland, Oregon 23 / 35
Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
These Brussels sprouts are special enough for company—I like to serve them for Thanksgiving dinner. If you can't find fresh sprouts, try using the frozen one. —Myra Innes, Auburn, Kansas 24 / 35
Cranberry-Walnut Sweet Potatoes
If you ask me, the best part of a holiday dinner is the sweet potatoes! You can make the sauce up to a day ahead—just leave out the walnuts until you're ready to serve. —Mary Wilhelm, Sparta, Wisconsin 25 / 35
Zippy Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup
The combination of butternut squash and apples in this soup reminds me of autumn, which is my favorite season. The spicy chipotle peppers add some zip. Leave them out if you prefer less heat. —Andrea Gilkenson, Wausau, Wisconsin 26 / 35
Roasted Green Beans with Lemon & Walnuts
I first tasted roasted green beans in a Chinese restaurant and fell in love with the texture and flavor. This is my Americanized version and it's always a big hit at our holiday table. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia 27 / 35
Parmesan Butternut Squash
Butternut squash sprinkled with Parmesan and bread crumbs makes a superb side dish we love to share. Using the microwave cuts down on long roasting time. —Jackie O'Callaghan, West Lafayette, Indiana 28 / 35
Honey-Butter Peas and Carrots
This classic combination of peas and carrots is enriched with a handful of flavor enhancers. Slow cooking allows the ingredients to meld for maximum richness. —Theresa Kreyche, Tustin, California 29 / 35
Favorite Mashed Sweet Potatoes
My family begs me to make mashed sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love this recipe because it can be made a day ahead and warmed up before the big meal. —Senja Merrill, Sandy, Utah 30 / 35
Makeover Stuffed Potato Appetizers
We barely noticed the difference in this lightened-up version of our favorite dish. We tried it with friends and loved it. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California 31 / 35
Roasted Italian Green Beans & Tomatoes
When you roast green beans and tomatoes, their flavors really shine through. The vibrant colors light up a table. What a perfect side dish for the holidays! —Brittany Allyn, Mesa, Arizona 32 / 35
Butternut Squash with Maple Syrup
I love this roasted butternut squash because it’s marvelous served hot or cold and it's loaded with flavor from garlic, ginger and leeks. —Marie Willette, Bellows Falls, Vermont 33 / 35
Roasted Vegetables with Sage
When I can't decide what vegetable to serve at dinner, I turn to this oven-roasted medley that features brussels sprouts, potatoes, carrots and butternut squash. It pleases everyone around the table.—Betty Fulks, Onia, Arkansas 34 / 35
Thyme-Roasted Carrots
Cutting the carrots lengthwise makes this dish look extra pretty. For a little more elegance and color, garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri 35 / 35
Roasted Garlic Green Beans with Cashews
My mom got a garlic roaster and soon my kitchen was overflowing with heads of sweet, gooey, roasted garlic. This recipe, one of my many experiments, was a favorite of my family. The roasted garlic is mild and adds a rich, buttery taste to the beans. —Virginia Sturm, San Francisco, California Originally Published: October 12, 2017
Popular Videos
Taste of Home is America's #1 cooking magazine.
