60+ Healthy(ish) Thanksgiving Recipes- The Healthy Epicurean

Are you ready for 60+ healthy Thanksgiving recipes?!

I’ve rounded up the best recipes including appetizers, drinks, turkey, cranberries, stuffing, side dishes, soups, salads and desserts!

This will be your go-to list every Thanksgiving, I promise.

A collage of healthy thanksgiving recipes.

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Thanksgiving Appetizers

Charcuterie Board

When it comes to the life of the party, look no further than this simple charcuterie board that’s loaded with meats, cheeses, fruits, olives, pickles, nuts, and dips.

Your guests will be beguiled by the flavors, colors, and textures of this epic party board!

An overhead shot of a charcuterie board.

Whipped Ricotta Dip

This impressive and easy appetizer takes only 5 minutes to make. Topped with honey, thyme, and lemon zest for extra flavor.

Serve with bread, pita chips, or fresh veggies.

An overhead shot of a bowl of whipped ricotta dip and crostinis.

Try these other Thanksgiving appetizer recipes

Grown Up Deviled Eggs
Cocktail Meatballs with Cranberry BBQ Sauce
Spinach Artichoke Dip with Bacon
Cranberry Salsa
Pomegranate Salsa Cream Cheese Dip
Goat Cheese Crostinis
Pumpkin Pie Hummus with Cinnamon Chips

Thanksgiving Beverages

Non-Alcoholic Holiday Punch

This festive punch recipe is packed with spice and fruit flavors and is suitable for the whole family.

Best of all, it’s made with simple grocery store ingredients and can be made in advance.

A front shot of a glass of holiday punch.

Cranberry Spiced Cider

Deeply fragrant with citrus and sweet spices, this cranberry cider acts like a non-alcoholic version of mulled wine.

When you simmer it on the stove, it perfumes your home with the deep perfume of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.

An overhead shot of a pot of mulled cider.

Cranberry Orange Mocktails

This cranberry orange mocktail features the best holiday flavors: tart cranberries, fresh, juicy orange and sparkling soda for that bit of fizz.

It’s all garnished with fresh thyme or rosemary for a bit of herbiness.

Make a few batches for your next holiday gathering or make a single beverage to enjoy next to your holiday tree.

A front shot of a glass of cranberry orange mocktail.

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Thanksgiving Turkey and Cranberries

Dutch Oven Turkey Breast with Cranberry Orange Glaze

Making Thanksgiving dinner for just a few people? Make a turkey breast!

This is my recipe for a simple Thanksgiving-inspired Dutch oven turkey breast with easy cranberry orange glaze.

It has dynamite flavor, is super juicy and makes enough for 6 people.

An overhead shot of dutch oven turkey breast on a platter with herbs and cranberries.

Slow Roasted Turkey

Slow-roasted turkey is marvelously tender, with meat that literally falls off the bone and golden, rich, golden-brown skin.

It’s an easy, hands-off way to prepare turkey and yields consistently excellent results.

An overhead shot of a whole thanksgiving turkey.

Cranberry Sauce

I absolutely love a recipe that only requires a few ingredients that is totally dynamite. In this case, it’s fresh cranberries, fresh orange juice and zest and sugar.

Once you make a batch of this stuff, you’ll wonder why you ever bought the canned since homemade is so darn easy and way better.

A side shot of a bowl of cranberry sauce with a gold spoon.

Try these other Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry recipes

Thanksgiving Salad Recipes

The Ultimate Autumn Salad

This salad has fresh greens, honeycrisp apples, roasted butternut squash, toasted walnuts and juicy pomegranates with an apple cider olive oil dressing.

It’s the salad to beat all salads.

The Ultimate Autumn Salad on white plate.

Thanksgiving Salad

If you’re looking for a bright and fresh Thanksgiving salad, this is the one with the best seasonal ingredients that you can prep in advance!

Celery Salad with Apples

This simple celery salad recipe comes together in less than ten minutes.

You just need to toss sliced celery together with apples, nuts, and fresh herbs together in a large bowl for an easy, simple salad.

An overhaed shot of a bowl of celery apple salad.

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

This deliciously satisfying salad fills that desire by featuring perfectly roasted acorn squash, wheat berries, feta cheese and spring greens!

It’s hearty, especially for a salad, and is packed with nutrition. It’ll keep you full and satisfied and has so much flavor, you will definitely fall in love with it!

Fall Harvest Salad

This fall harvest salad is filling, nutritious, and packed with seasonal flavors, including roasted butternut squash, sweet apples, and crunchy pecans.

It’s a perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey, adding a touch of vibrant color to your holiday table.

An overhead shot of quinoa kale fall salad.

Try these other Thanksgiving salad recipes

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Thanksgiving Soup Recipes

Maple Sweet Potato Soup

This easy pureed maple sweet potato soup is made with simple ingredients and filled with flavor from coconut milk, apple, pure maple syrup and balsamic vinegar.

If you’re one of those who think pureed soups are baby food – just set that thought aside and try this soup.

An overhead shot of bowls of maple sweet potato soup.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

The soup is on! This butternut squash and apple soup is silky, smooth and perfectly seasoned.

It has a little maple syrup, a little balsamic vinegar, a hint of heat from cayenne and is super creamy from full fat coconut milk.

Butternut squash apple soup in white bowls

Try these other Thanksgiving soup recipes

Thanksgiving Starchy Side Dishes

Maple Cinnamon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are LEGIT and one of the best sweet potato recipes, in my humble opinion.

They’re made with just a few simple ingredients – sweet potatoes, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and butter – but they’ll totally knock your socks off.

Maple mashed sweet potatoes in a white bowl

Melting Sweet Potatoes

Maple melting sweet potatoes are soft inside and slightly caramelized outside with a savory, sweet and subtly spiced flavor, and a rich sauce to drizzle on top.

It’s an easy side dish that’s perfect for fall or winter, and even special meals like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

An overhead shot of melting sweet potatoes in a bowl.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Walnut Crumble

If you’re going to make one squash recipe this year, I highly recommend this one. Delicata squash is fuss-free because you don’t have to peel it, so that’s one less thing for you to worry about the day-of.

Simply cut it, seed it, toss it in some oil and roast it until caramelized and nutty.

Then, you’ll top it with buttery, brown sugary cinnamon walnuts for the ultimate side dish.

Delicata squash with walnut crumble on a white plate

Butternut Squash Casserole

The ultimate savory butternut squash casserole with parmesan-creamed kale, nutty Gruyere cheese, and a toasted walnut-sourdough topping.

This stunning side dish will be the hit of your next holiday gathering.

An overhead shot of a pan of butternut squash casserole.

Hasselback Butternut Squash with Cinnamon Butter

Hasselback is a culinary technique where you thinly slice a piece of produce almost all of the way to the bottom, then brush it with butter or oil and roast it.

The result is that every little edge of the squash slits become caramelized, making each bite absolutely delicious. This version is made with cinnamon butter, so it really is over the top.

An overhead shot of a tray with hasselback butternut squash.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Candied Walnuts and Sage

Roasted butternut squash with orange-maple candied walnuts, cinnamon, and crispy sage.

This show-stopping side dish is holiday-worthy, yet easy enough for weeknight cooking.

An overhead shot of caramelized butternut squash.

Sourdough Corn Muffins

You can have soft sourdough corn muffins in less than 30 minutes with this easy sourdough discard recipe made with buttermilk and honey!

Try these other Thanksgiving starchy side recipes

Rustic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes (no milk)
The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Roasted Honeynut Squash
Apple Sausage Stuffing
Traditional Sage Stuffing
Holiday Stuffing Balls

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Thanksgiving Vegetable Dishes

Roasted Pumpkin Wedges with Goat Cheese and Thyme

Thick pumpkin wedges are baked with herbs and spices easily adapted to your palate.

It is an easy and delicious savory side dish. A simple dish for when pumpkin season starts.

A front shot of wedges of roasted pumpkin.

Balsamic Green Beans with Bacon

These balsamic green beans with bacon are an easy 4-ingredient side dish made of perfectly seasoned crisp green beans, crispy bacon and tangy balsamic vinegar.

They’re fabulous enough to serve as a holiday side dish, yet easy enough to make on a weeknight.