Thanksgiving is just around the corner, falling on Monday, October 14th this year, and if you’re looking for nutritious side dishes to pair perfectly with your turkey, you’ve come to the right place.
There are plenty of healthy ways to enjoy this special holiday without compromising on flavour or tradition. Whether it’s making ingredient swaps in your go-to recipes or starting new, wholesome traditions at the dinner table, these elevated sides will bring balance and nutrition to your Thanksgiving feast.
Mashed Cauliflower
Mashed potatoes are a must in any Thanksgiving spread. However, these starches can be high in carbs and calories. Luckily, cauliflower (when mashed) is almost indistinguishable from a classic mashed side. Not only will this save you a spike in blood sugar, but it will sneakily provide your daily serving of vegetables, all while disguised as your favourite potato. These can be dressed up to your liking, with butter and classic additions like green onions, gravy, garlic, and seasonings. This recipe takes a total of 20 minutes to make and serves about four people, though it is easily doubled.
Roasted Parmesan Zucchini
Although this summer squash may not be incredibly popular in your Thanksgiving lineup, it’s perfect for sharing, adding more vegetables into your holiday feast, and for keeping up the warm, roasted theme of other classic side dishes. This dish takes 30 minutes total for both preparation and cooking time. Additionally, the ingredients are most likely already in your pantry—so, if you need a healthy dish quickly, this is the side for you. These spear-like zucchini slices are just 77 calories with low sugar and carbs.
Keto Cranberry Sauce
For those who are keto-friendly, this cranberry sauce is the perfect quick dish to bring to your family’s holiday celebration. Not only is this dish finished in under 15 minutes, but it is virtually identical to the regular cranberry sauce. This dish can be as tart or mild as you prefer, depending on whether or not you add teaspoons of water (as many as you would like to reach your desired flavour). It’s a perfect low-calorie, low-carb side dish to pair with your favourite Thanksgiving foods.
Patty Pan Squash
Fall is the perfect time for squash-related dishes. This patty pan recipe has a mellow flavour but allows for infinite personalization with your favourite spices. Delish recommends garlic, thyme, and other common spices to add your own personal twist. This meal takes 30 minutes to cook and prepare and yields servings for about four people. It’s easily paired with your turkey entrée and any savoury side you have prepared. Plus, this dish adds valuable nutrition to your meal, all while making it look more appealing by adding more colour to your plate’s spread.
Grilled Leeks with Brown Butter and Spiced Hazelnuts
Although not well known, this side dish will leave you with more room to try everything on your Thanksgiving array guilt-free. With its sweet and savoury palette, you can pair it perfectly with your seasoned entrée. Featured on Healthy-ish, this recipe boasts a 4.5-star rating along with an abundance of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that will serve a total of 8-10 people.
Beet and Apple Salad
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To add a bit of sweet flavouring to your plate pile-up, try beet and apple salad. This recipe takes a total of 2 hours and 15 minutes and has a yield of eight servings. As a sweet yet low-calorie option, this will satisfy your sugar cravings, as well as add colour and variety to your plate.
Whether you’re looking for a healthy spin on a classic Thanksgiving side dish or want to try something new, one of these recipes is sure to fit the bill.
