Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Make this year your best Thanksgiving yet! Think roasted turkey, healthy green bean casserole and decadent pies that the holiday wouldn't be complete without. Following a special diet? We've got you covered with gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and diabetic-friendly recipes that will shine on your holiday table.

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23 Genius Recipe Ideas to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

Move over, boring day-after turkey meals -- new Thanksgiving leftover recipes are here. Try our Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup or the Ultimate Turkey Avocado Sandwich, or opt for a Leftover Turkey Salad if you're in the mood for something light. We have delicious ideas to use up all your leftovers: turkey, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, green beans and even the cranberry sauce!

16 Tasty Ways to Use Up Your Leftover Turkey

Consider this your one-stop stop for finishing up the rest of your turkey this year.

Cucumber Turkey Sub Sandwich

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When you're craving a sub but you don't want all the carbs, these turkey-and-cheese deli sandwiches on cucumber rolls are a healthy alternative. Hollow out a cucumber and fill it up with your favorite sandwich fillings for a crisp sub with less carbs and calories. Plus, you can easily pack these up for work, school or a picnic--no soggy bread!
By Katie Webster

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

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Typical green bean casseroles bathe ingredients in a heavy cream sauce and top them with buttered breadcrumbs or cheese. Our healthier version saves about 160 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat compared to a traditional recipe.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Fennel & Italian Sausage Stuffing

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This homemade stuffing recipe is special because it comes complete with a sausage-making lesson from the Sausage King himself, author and famed business owner Bruce Aidells.
By Bruce Aidells

No-Sugar-Added Cranberry Sauce

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Most cranberry sauce recipes add tons of sugar to mask the tart taste of the cranberries. In this simple cranberry sauce, we lighten things up by skipping the sugar and opting for a healthier combination of dates and apple cider which adds just enough sweetness without overpowering the cranberry flavor.
By Carolyn Casner

Brown Butter Apple Pie

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This homemade apple pie recipe has a simple and classic flavor, with fresh apples, spices and butter that's been sizzled until it's brown and nutty. The top crust is where you have the opportunity to add a touch of pizazz. Here we suggest cutting the dough into leaf shapes for an autumnal motif, but you could cut any shape you want.
By Hilary Meyer

Slow-Cooker Turkey Thighs with Herb Gravy

Those who love tender, moist dark meat will love these slow-cooker turkey thighs. If turkey thighs aren't available, ask your butcher to cut up a whole turkey and give you the bone-in thighs. Feel free to substitute an equal weight of chicken thighs for the turkey thighs, if desired. This pairs well with a simple side of steamed green beans.
By Cooking Light

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

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Garlic cloves, cooked along with the potatoes, give this puree extra body and lots of flavor.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Custard Pecan Pie

While every bit as delish as the classic pie, this one has less sugar. Cane syrup, a toasty alternative to corn syrup or molasses, sweetens the pie along with brown sugar. Because the filling for the pie is wet, we brush the crust with egg white and par-bake it to create a barrier to prevent sogginess.
By Virginia Willis
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Inspiration and Ideas

How to Make a Delicious Thanksgiving Meal for Two—Recipes Included!
With our recipes for turkey, stuffing, green beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkin cheesecake and more you can have a wonderful meal without tons of work or too many leftovers.
The Biggest Thanksgiving Mistakes Everyone Makes at Least Once—and How to Fix Them
Fix your Thanksgiving flubs and save your gravy, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and more.
Our 50 Best-Ever Thanksgiving Sides
26 One-Pot Thanksgiving Recipes That Won't Leave You with a Sink Full of Dishes
Fall Chopped Salad with Spinach, Butternut Squash, Apples & Cheddar
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Who says spinach salads are only for spring? Use autumn's tender crop of fresh spinach and other seasonal vegetables to make this fall salad with roasted butternut squash, apples, cheddar and pecans. This colorful and healthy salad would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving menu, but there's no reason to save it for holidays--serve it along with chicken or pork for a healthy weeknight dinner, or turn it into a main course by adding some chickpeas or chopped chicken or turkey.

All Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Herb-Roasted Turkey

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This easy method produces all the good looks and moist flavor you dream of in an oven-roasted turkey. Make sure you show this beauty off at the table before you carve it. Garnish your serving platter with fresh herb sprigs and citrus wedges for a show-stopping Thanksgiving turkey.
By Jessie Price

Fresh Apple Squares

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One batch of dough does double duty as both the crust and streusel topping to make one of the easiest desserts around.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

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The deep flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg make these wholesome pumpkin cookies delicious without the addition of butter--and they lend themselves beautifully to the inclusion of whole-wheat flour. They are also the perfect texture for a sandwich cookie--fill them with a slightly sweetened cream cheese frosting.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

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Skip the roasting in this butternut squash soup recipe and let your slow cooker do the work instead. Just load up all the ingredients into the crock pot, set it and forget it for an easy, healthy dinner or packable lunches.
By Carolyn Casner

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

These garlic mashed red potatoes use the cooking liquid to impart a rich garlic flavor. The starch from the potatoes helps make these mashed potatoes creamy without having to use milk or heavy cream.
By Liv Dansky

Hasselback Potatoes with Cheese

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Hasselback potatoes are the perfect side dish for people who love crispy potato-chip-like slices as well as the tender interior of a baked potato. Simple to prepare, these hasselback potatoes look impressive and decadent with melted Cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of paprika on top.
By Carolyn Casner

Broccoli, Cheese & Rice Casserole

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Ditch the baking dish and make this easy skillet broccoli, cheese and rice casserole. Cooking the casserole in a skillet keeps the flavors and textures fresh--no mushy, sad broccoli! Serve this easy side with baked chicken for a family-pleasing healthy dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes. It would also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving spread or a party buffet.
By Julia Levy

Broccoli Casserole

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The lightened-up luscious sauce elevates this easy casserole recipe over standard broccoli and cheese side dishes.
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie

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While pumpkin pie deserves respect as a Thanksgiving icon, it's fun to shake up tradition. Surprise your family and friends with a frozen pie this year--it just might become one of their holiday favorites. No need to let them know how easy it is.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Diabetic Carrot Cake

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With this luscious take on an all-time favorite, you can fit this low-sugar cake into a diabetic meal plan with style.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Cauliflower-Broccoli Gratin

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This creamy broccoli-and-cauliflower casserole is a hassle-free side dish that just about everyone loves. Our healthier version skips the heavy cream and butter found in most recipes--saving about 160 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat compared to a traditional version.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

This stunning winter salad gets its sweet, earthy flavor from roasted beets and balsamic vinegar. Creamy goat cheese and peppery arugula add color and balance, while toasted walnuts add crunch. A mandoline is the best way to get thin, even slices from the roasted beets.
By Karen Rankin

Oven-Roasted Squash with Garlic & Parsley

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Learn how to roast squash in this healthy recipe adapted from Alice Waters. Look for squash varieties, including buttercup, kabocha or hubbard, at your farmers' market and try them in this tasty side dish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

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Fresh herbs, onion and sautéed bacon flavor this easy Brussels sprouts recipe. This savory dish is delicious in the fall and winter months, when Brussels sprouts are in season. If you can find them still attached to the stalk, don't be intimidated--buy them, as they're likely more fresh. Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Balsamic-Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan

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Sweet balsamic vinegar and nutty Parmesan cheese complement roasted green beans and shallots in this easy and healthy side dish. Roasting the green beans gives them a sweet, caramelized flavor while they still retain some bite. Serve with chicken, fish, pork--you name it. These green beans are also a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving meal.
By Robin Bashinsky

Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

If green bean casserole is a must-have in your family at Thanksgiving but you're, well, ready for a change, give this cheesy version a whirl.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Cauliflower Casserole with Everything Bagel Seasoning

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The cheesy-seedy crust that tops this healthy cauliflower casserole recipe evokes everything bagels. Serve for the holidays or as a hearty side dish with roast chicken.
By Nora Singley

Persian-Style Butternut Squash Soup

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Stock up your Iranian-inspired spice cabinet to brighten up a simple butternut squash soup for your Thanksgiving feast.
By Naz Deravian

21 Casserole Side Dishes That Are Packed with Veggies

From cheesy broccoli casseroles to slow-cooker green bean casseroles, these nutritious sides are packed with veggies, from potassium-rich sweet potatoes to vitamin C-packed Brussels sprouts.
By Danielle DeAngelis

Dill Mustard Sauce

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This tangy mustard-dill sauce recipe is delicious served with smoked salmon, used as a vegetable dip or spread on a sandwich.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Steamed Butternut Squash

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Butternut squash steams quickly, making this a great cooking technique to enjoy this fall vegetable as a weeknight side dish. For extra flavor, toss the steamed butternut squash with salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil, butter or Parmesan cheese after cooking.
By Carolyn Casner

Basic Crustless Pumpkin Pie

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This low-fat crustless pumpkin pie is a perfect dessert for the dieters at your holiday meal or people who are watching their carbs.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

In this easy scalloped potatoes recipe, sliced potatoes are roasted in the oven before being mixed with a simple, creamy stovetop sauce and sprinkled with Cheddar cheese. A few minutes under the broiler turns the dish golden and crispy.
By Hilary Meyer

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup with Vegetables

Thanksgiving turkey leftovers have never been so delicious. Wild rice adds a nutty flavor--plus extra protein and fiber--to this creamy, hearty soup. Try this easy, healthy turkey recipe to help you use your holiday extras.
By Hilary Meyer
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