Thanksgiving Low-Calorie Recipes

Find healthy, delicious low-calorie Thanksgiving recipes. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Most Popular

Roasted Honeynut Squash

Rating: 5 stars 6
Honeynut squash looks just like mini butternut squash, but on the inside you'll find an even sweeter, deeper orange flesh. This winter squash has only been available at farmers' markets and in select grocery stores for a few years. If you see it, grab a few to try! This simple roasting method enhances the natural flavor of the squash with butter and spices.
By Carolyn Casner

Beet Salad

Rating: 4 stars 9
This simple beet salad recipe uses just a handful of ingredients to create a delightful side dish. Roasted beets add a sweet, earthy and aromatic flavor that shines in this side salad.
By Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough

Fried Apple Pie Rolls

Rating: 4.5 stars 16
In this healthy take on apple pie, egg roll wrappers stand in for pie crust, saving you calories and the headache of rolling out dough. We like to use Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape and provide tart balance to the sweet filling. Try dipping these handheld crispy treats in whipped cream.
A portrait of Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Rating: 4.5 stars 4
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

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

Rating: 5 stars 11
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.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fall Chopped Salad with Spinach, Butternut Squash, Apples & Cheddar

Rating: 4.5 stars 14
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

Rating: 5 stars 5
Stuffing is not just for Thanksgiving, and this easy chicken and stuffing casserole is proof. It's packed with plenty of veggies, making this a healthy casserole you can feel good about serving year-round.
By Julia Levy

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 5 stars 15
In this healthy side dish, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and roasted until golden brown. The delicious glaze that forms transforms this simple dish into something sublime.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Fresh Apple Squares

Rating: 3.5 stars 5
One batch of dough does double duty as both the crust and streusel topping to make one of the easiest desserts around.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Balsamic Roasted Cabbage

Rating: 4 stars 3
These roasted cabbage wedges with honey and balsamic vinegar make an attractive and healthy side dish that's also very easy to prepare. You can use red or green cabbage--or make a double batch with one of each for a pretty presentation.
Marianne Williams
By Marianne Williams

Herb-Roasted Turkey

Rating: 5 stars 9
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 showstopping Thanksgiving turkey.
By Jessie Price

Cauliflower Casserole with Everything Bagel Seasoning

Rating: 4.5 stars 2
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
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Inspiration and Ideas

25 Low-Calorie Thanksgiving Casseroles
Try one of these low-calorie Thanksgiving casserole recipes for something healthy and delicious. Each serving has 375 calories or less and is perfect for the day of or the day after when you have leftovers to finish. Recipes like Meringue-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole and Loaded Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon, Cheddar & Chives are a fun twist on the classic side dishes you would normally find on the Thanksgiving table.
Cranberry Crumble Bars
Rating: Unrated 12
These cranberry-orange bars freeze well. Make a batch on a free afternoon and pop them in the freezer so you'll always have a healthy dessert on hand when company calls.
The Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Rating: 5 stars 1

This is our go-to recipe for homemade cranberry sauce. It's simple (just five ingredients!), is lightly sweet without being too sugary and has just the right amount of zesty flavor from orange peel. Plus, it's so easy--it goes from stove to table in just 20 minutes!