Clean-Eating Thanksgiving Recipes

If you're looking for healthy Thanksgiving recipes, look no further than these clean-eating recipes! They're made with real, whole foods and limit processed foods and refined grains. Plus, they are lower in sodium, sugar and calories but still packed with a ton of flavor.

Staff Picks

Mashed Celeriac & Potato Casserole

Celeriac adds a bright celery-like flavor and lightens the texture in this healthy mashed potato casserole. The fried shallots are reminiscent of the crispy onions that top a green bean casserole.
By Mary-Frances Heck

Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole

Turn a classic holiday side dish gluten-free with a healthy version of cream of mushroom soup and a homemade crispy onion topping. No one will even know it's wheat-free!
By Devon O'Brien

Dukkah-Spiced Carrots

Rating: Unrated
1
Pan-roasted carrots become an exotic winter side when topped with dukkah, an Egyptian spice blend, in this healthy vegetable recipe. Dukkah plays nicely with other vegetables too. Try it on steamed asparagus in the spring, grilled eggplant in summer and broiled romanesco or cauliflower steaks in the fall.
By Raghavan Iyer

Herb-Roasted Turkey

Rating: Unrated
7
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

Broccoli Casserole

Rating: Unrated
11
The lightened-up luscious sauce elevates this easy casserole recipe over standard broccoli and cheese side dishes.
By Breana Killeen

Creamy Turnip Soup

Rating: Unrated
2
In this recipe, the humble turnip is transformed into a rich turnip soup made creamy with just 1 tablespoon of butter. Serve it as a starter or side soup. The mini salad on top is optional, but we love the bit of texture from the greens and pop of flavor from the vinaigrette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter

Rating: Unrated
3
In this easy vegetable side dish, broccoli and kale are drizzled with a butter, garlic and crushed red pepper sauce. Serve this healthy recipe alongside roasted chicken, turkey or ham--or on top of your favorite whole grain, such as quinoa or farro.
By Lia Huber

Sautéed Butternut Squash

Sautéeing butternut squash in olive oil quickly yields perfectly cooked results and slighly caramelizes the squash for extra flavor. This recipe makes a delicious vegetable side dish to pair with roasted meats.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Rating: Unrated
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

Blueberry-Cranberry Smoothie

Rating: Unrated
1
Ready to try kefir? We use it in place of yogurt in this healthy smoothie recipe packed with berries and banana.
By Devon O'Brien

Lemon-Herb Roasted Beets

Rating: Unrated
5
We love how roasting brings out the sweet flavor of beets. Golden beets look especially pretty when tossed with the fresh herb and lemon seasoning mix, but any type of beets will work in this recipe. If you're a lemon lover, be sure to add the squeeze of fresh lemon juice after the beets are roasted.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

No-Sugar-Added Mini Apple Pies

Rating: Unrated
1
These delectable single-serving tarts are gluten-free and sweetened with dates instead of refined added sugars. Top with a little unsweetened whipped cream to take this special--yet healthy--dessert to the next level.
By Carolyn Casner

Inspiration and Ideas

No-Sugar-Added Thanksgiving Menu

No-Sugar-Added Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving favorites, like sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce and apple pie skip the sugar in this healthy no-sugar-added holiday menu.
Polenta-Stuffed Kabocha Squash

Polenta-Stuffed Kabocha Squash

The cheesy polenta filling in this healthy stuffed squash recipe makes a great alternative to mashed potatoes, as well as a hearty vegetarian entree.
Green Beans with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

Green Beans with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

Orange & Avocado Salad

Orange & Avocado Salad

Rating: Unrated
5
Roasted Pumpkin-Apple Soup

Roasted Pumpkin-Apple Soup

Rating: Unrated
8
Cured or Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

Cured or Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

Rating: Unrated
2

Simple Roast Chicken

Rating: Unrated
2

There's no reason to get overly fussy with complicated techniques for a flavorful, rich and simple roast chicken, the ultimate comfort food.

All Clean-Eating Thanksgiving Recipes

Sautéed Leek Mashed Potatoes

In this healthy mashed potato recipe, we flavor the mashed potatoes with leeks lightly sautéed in butter and tangy buttermilk. These mashed potatoes are an amazing side to grilled steak or chicken.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Oven-Roasted Squash with Garlic & Parsley

Rating: Unrated
6
Winter squash becomes tender and sweeter when roasted--a delicious side for a holiday dinner. Look for interesting squash like kabocha or hubbard at your farmers' market and try them in this recipe. Recipe adapted from Alice Waters.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chile-Lime Peanuts

Rating: Unrated
3
These spicy nuts were inspired by ones sold by street vendors across Mexico. If you can only find salted peanuts, omit the added salt. Add the maximum amount of cayenne pepper if you want an extra hit of spice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon Poppy Seed Chiffon Cake

Beating the egg whites separately and then folding them into the batter gives this chiffon cake recipe great height, while the egg yolks make this healthy cake recipe rich and tender. Be sure to use a completely clean bowl and whisk when beating the whites-if the whites come in contact with any fat they won't whip up airy and light.
By Joanne Chang

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Rating: Unrated
20
This creamy cauliflower mash makes a perfect low-carb stand-in for mashed potatoes. Here we take simple mashed cauliflower and mix in garlic, buttermilk and a touch of butter to create a flavorful side dish that has about one-quarter of the calories of typical mashed potatoes. If you like, vary it by adding shredded low-fat cheese or chopped fresh herbs.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato Hash Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Rating: Unrated
1
Diced sweet potato, bell peppers and apples make a vegan stuffing inspired by the flavors of sausage. To add that savory flavor, we use poultry seasoning (don't worry, there's no actual poultry in it!). Piled into portobello mushroom caps, it creates a beautiful and filling plant-based main dish--perfect for the holidays.
By Carolyn Casner

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Aioli

The delicious dipping sauce makes this easy Brussels sprouts recipe an irresistible appetizer or side dish. If you want to double the recipe, use two large rimmed baking sheets and swap their spots in the oven halfway through cooking.
By Carolyn Casner

Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

Rating: Unrated
2
Thai spices and creamy coconut milk distinguish this version from traditional butternut squash soup. Curry paste is a convenient way to add complex flavor, but if you want to make sure this soup is vegan or if you are allergic to shellfish, check the ingredient list carefully--some brands contain shellfish.
By Carolyn Casner

No-Sugar-Added Sweet Potato Casserole

Instead of loading up this comfort food side with tons of brown sugar and marshmallows, we have turned to sweet spices, vanilla and inherently sweet dried fruit to enhance the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. A topping of pecans and pepitas replaces traditional marshmallow topping to keep it healthy and add texture and color for a beautiful casserole.
By Carolyn Casner

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

Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble

Rating: Unrated
6
Use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have on hand to make this old-fashioned crumble. Typical crumble topping has as much as a half cup of butter--ours has just a bit of canola oil and, for richness, chopped almonds, which are full of healthy monounsaturated fats.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Rating: Unrated
2
Speed up roasting vegetables, like these lemon-and-thyme-infused Brussels sprouts, by cooking them on two large baking sheets instead of just one. This basic roasting technique also works for other root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and potatoes.
By Hilary Meyer

Sweet Potato Pommes Anna (Layered Potato Casserole)

This multicolored galette is a fun twist on the classic dish made with white potatoes. Don't worry if you only have one type of sweet potato, the result will still be beautiful. The bottom bakes to a potato-chip crisp with a caramelly sweetness, while the interior becomes melt-in-your-mouth rich.
By Cheryl Slocum

Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade

Rating: Unrated
2
Crispy pieces of polenta topped with a tangy sun-dried tomato tapenade makes a pretty and tasty appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Dried-Fruit Bars

Rating: Unrated
1
Make a batch of these easy homemade dried-fruit bars to tuck into your kid's lunchbox all week.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato & Turnip Mash with Sage Butter

Rating: Unrated
1
This sweet potato and turnip mash is fragrant with fresh sage.
By Raghavan Iyer

Overnight Oatmeal

Rating: Unrated
19
Here is an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast before facing the elements for a day of winter sports. You can assemble it in the slow cooker in the evening and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions

Rating: Unrated
15
This recipe is reminiscent of a pot roast made with onion-soup mix, but the flavors are true and pure--and nobody misses the excess sodium. (For a slow-cooker variation, see below.)
By Patsy Jamieson

Moroccan Chickpea-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Rating: Unrated
3
Think of this healthy vegetarian side dish recipe as a meatless tagine served in a squash bowl. Kabocha, sweet dumpling or carnival squash make good alternatives to acorn squash. To make this side a hearty vegetarian meal, serve 2 halves each.
By Raghavan Iyer

Roasted Pear-Butternut Soup with Crumbled Stilton

Rating: Unrated
16
Here pears are roasted to sweet perfection with butternut squash and pureed to create a creamy soup that gets a luxurious garnish of Stilton cheese. You can serve this as a first course or with a salad and crusty bread for a light autumn supper.
By Marie Simmons

Savory Chestnut Puree

Rating: Unrated
2
Try this easy, elegant chestnut puree with roasted quail, turkey or chicken.
By Virginia Willis

Cranberry White Chocolate Popcorn

Popcorn and chopped sweetened dried cranberries are tossed together and drizzled with white chocolate.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Scandinavian Pickled Herring Bites

Rating: Unrated
1
This Scandinavian-style appetizer is a good way to try pickled herring if you've never had it. The potent flavor of the herring is balanced by a dollop of sour cream and the potato slice it's served on.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chard & White Beans

Rating: Unrated
11
Acorn squash's natural shape makes it just right for stuffing. This filling has Mediterranean flair: olives, tomato paste, white beans and Parmesan cheese. Serve with: Mixed green salad with radicchio and red onion and crisp white wine, such as Pinot Grigio.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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