12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (2024)

Give your guests the gift of healthy Thanksgiving food this year. Our Thanksgiving dinner menu is full of the classics—stuffing, green beans, and turkey—and it's also low in calories, sodium, and fat. While this healthy Thanksgiving dinner menu might be lighter than your usual fare, it's full of flavor and proves that a well-balanced holiday meal can still taste delicious.

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Spinach-Parmesan Dip

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12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (1)

Research proves that eating a snack before a big meal can help you eat smarter and feel more satisfied. With that in mind, why not start your holiday dinner with a heart-healthy Thanksgiving appetizer or two that will occupy your guests while you finish preparing the sides, entrée, and dessert?

This creamy spinach-Parmesan dip gets its subtle heat from cayenne pepper. Serve it with sliced veggies to keep the calorie count in check (and to save room for the deliciousness to come). The slow cooker dip recipe is so creamy and rich-tasting that your guests will never know it's actually a healthy Thanksgiving appetizer!

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Hazelnut-Crusted Turkey Breast

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12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (2)

Calories: 260, Fat: 8 g, Sodium: 58 mg

Want healthy Thanksgiving turkey recipes? Instead of roasting a whole bird, opt for just the breast instead. With a whopping 38 grams of protein per serving, this lean turkey breast is an absolute powerhouse. Its crunchy hazelnut crust and a hint of cinnamon, plus the juicy kumquats served alongside, will make this turkey recipe the talk of your Thanksgiving meal.

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Spinach-Stuffed Turkey Tenderloins

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12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (3)

Calories: 254, Fat: 10 g, Sodium: 478 mg

These turkey breasts prove that heart-healthy Thanksgiving turkey recipes can be far from boring. Your guests will ask for this recipe stuffed with spinach and melty cheese long before the last bite. Plus, the spinach filling is a healthy twist on classic Thanksgiving stuffing!

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Sweet Potato-Pomegranate Slaw

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Calories: 260, Fat: 17 g, Sodium: 154 mg

Give Thanksgiving sweet potatoes a healthy makeover with this quick and easy recipe. Serve this colorful spiralized recipe instead of the cream-heavy traditional coleslaw or sugar-laden candied sweet potatoes as one of your healthy Thanksgiving sides. Nutrient-dense sweet potatoes, pomegranate seeds, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil make this salad a tangy treat.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (5)

Calories: 267, Fat: 8 g, Sodium: 312 mg

What's one way to make heart-healthy Thanksgiving mashed potatoes? Make mashed sweet potatoes instead. Sweet hazelnuts add a hint of nutty flavor and crunch to a delicious mashed sweet potato recipe. You'll get all the taste of the traditional Thanksgiving side-dish recipe in a more vitamin-rich package.

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Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

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12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (6)

Calories: 82, Fat: 3 g, Sodium: 364 mg

Healthy butternut squash recipes are the way to go this year. This soup combines squash and carrots for a creamy dish that will make an eye-catching addition to your Thanksgiving table. Stir in crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin seeds to add extra pizzazz to this healthy Thanksgiving side-dish recipe.

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Savory Butternut Squash Dressing

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Calories: 149, Fat: 5 g, Sodium: 426 mg

Hosting a healthy Thanksgiving dinner doesn't have to mean skipping the stuffing. Rich butternut squash and ripe red cranberries shine through in this fall favorite. Mixing egg, light cream, and low-sodium chicken broth creates an extra-moist and healthy stuffing recipe without extra fat and calories.

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Herbed Cheese Whole Wheat Breadsticks

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Calories: 53, Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 91 mg

Serve a starchy side you can feel good about sharing with your friends and family. These flaky, tender whole wheat breadsticks have a slightly cheesy flavor. This healthy Thanksgiving side dish is low in calories and fat. So go ahead—grab a second one!

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Roasted Green Beans with Beets, Feta, and Walnuts

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Calories: 199, Fat: 14 g, Sodium: 303 mg

This version of a healthy green bean casserole subtracts the high-fat and high-calorie condensed soup and fried onions but keeps all the flavor (and cranks up the color). Walnuts, feta cheese, and beets bring plenty of good taste and fiber to the table. Switch it up with what you have available—almonds and goat cheese work well here, too. No matter what combination you use, everyone will definitely be going back for seconds for this healthy Thanksgiving side dish.

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Brined Skillet-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (10)

Calories: 126, Fat: 9 g, Sodium: 346 mg

You'll be surprised how much flavor you can coax out of Brussels sprouts with just a few pantry staples and a sizzling skillet. No butter, cream, or cheese required! A quick brine in a saltwater solution infuses the sprouts with seasoning (without being overly salty). Roasting in a cast-iron skillet caramelizes the natural sugars to tame any final hints of bitterness. This healthy Thanksgiving side dish is so affordable and easy that you'll want to make it all year long.

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Pumpkin-Pecan Tassies

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Calories: 113, Fat: 7 g, Sodium: 92 mg

Even if you're hosting a heart-healthy Thanksgiving dinner, you can still treat yourself to a "slice" of pie (or two). Dig into these low-carb Thanksgiving desserts this year. They're like eating mini pumpkin pies and pecan pies all in one!

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Pumpkin-Almond Macarons

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12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (12)

Calories: 65, Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 12 mg

Calling all PSL-lovers! These low-calorie and low-carb sandwich cookies are stuffed with a warmly-spiced pumpkin butter filling. Don't be confused by the "butter" in the name...pumpkin, apple, fig, and other fruit-based "butters" are almost always fat-free. They're the fruit simmered down with a bit of juice and/or sweetener, then blended into a butter-like, spreadable consistency. Slather it between a couple of pillowy almond cookies for a healthy Thanksgiving dessert that also makes for a delightful to-go treat if you're too full to nosh on them now.

12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest food to eat on Thanksgiving? ›

Choosing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, and other foods with lots of water and fiber add to the feeling of fullness. Don't forget those alcohol calories that can add up quickly.

What are the top 10 Thanksgiving dishes? ›

Top 10 Thanksgiving Dishes
  1. Turkey.
  2. Stuffing/Dressing.
  3. Pumpkin Pie.
  4. Sweet Potato Casserole.
  5. Mashed Potatoes.
  6. Ham.
  7. Green Bean Casserole.
  8. Cranberry Jelly.
Nov 22, 2023

What is healthier than turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

Try it out on Thanksgiving by substituting tofu for your turkey. Tofu can be cooked in a variety of flavorful ways and comes with a ton of nutritional benefits including a lot of calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B, and protein.

What is the number 1 rated side dish for Thanksgiving? ›

1. Holiday Stuffing. This easy recipe for Holiday Stuffing is our number one must-have Thanksgiving side dish!

What is the least favorite dish for Thanksgiving? ›

"For the third year in a row, cranberry sauce takes first place as the most disliked traditional Thanksgiving food. Over 31% of respondents, 82 million American adults, do not want cranberry sauce for their Thanksgiving dinner.

What is an ideal Thanksgiving dinner? ›

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better. Get the Classic Stuffing recipe.

What are 3 ways that you can save money on Thanksgiving dinner? ›

But there are several things you can do to save money and still create a traditional Thanksgiving dinner everyone will love.
  • Plan a Budget. ...
  • Scale Back the Menu. ...
  • Start Shopping Early. ...
  • Use Coupons & Savings Apps. ...
  • Buy In-Season Produce. ...
  • Don't Go Overboard on Appetizers. ...
  • Keep Beverages Simple. ...
  • Have a Plan for Leftovers.

How do you simplify Thanksgiving dinner? ›

These tips, tricks and timesavers can be a Thanksgiving host's saving grace.
  1. Pick the menu early. Don't leave menu planning and shopping to the last minute. ...
  2. Brine your bird. ...
  3. Start prep work a few days before Thanksgiving. ...
  4. Serve batched co*cktails. ...
  5. Create simple centerpieces.
Nov 1, 2023

How can I make Thanksgiving more special? ›

In keeping with the true meaning of the holiday, you could also try a tradition that incorporates the idea of gratitude: Write thank-you notes to loved ones near and far, start a gratitude jar, or give back to your community by volunteering at a soup kitchen.

What are 5 traditional Thanksgiving foods? ›

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer. The classic Thanksgiving dinner includes old-time favorites that never change: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie.

What is the most popular meat for Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey is a classic main course for Thanksgiving dinner, but that certainly doesn't mean you have to serve it every year.

What are 4 commonly consumed foods at Thanksgiving other than turkey? ›

Six turkey alternatives for Thanksgiving:
  • Beef. Instead of spending all the time it takes to prep and cook a turkey, use the time to make your favorite special-occasion beef dish instead. ...
  • Mac & Cheese. ...
  • Pot Pie or Shepherd's Pie. ...
  • Lasagna. ...
  • Pork Tenderloin. ...
  • Vegan Turkey Substitute.

How healthy is Thanksgiving dinner? ›

The traditional turkey-day feast, replete with fatty, high-cholesterol foods like drumsticks, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing, is generally anything but heart-healthy. Try a healthy roasted turkey and gravy recipe for your Thanksgiving meal.

Is turkey healthy on Thanksgiving? ›

“Turkey is a great source of protein, rich in many vitamins and minerals, and is low-fat — if you don't eat the skin,” Catherine M. Champagne, professor of nutritional epidemiology and dietary assessment and nutrition counseling at Louisiana State University, told the American Heart Association.

Is Thanksgiving turkey heart healthy? ›

If you're trying to keep your fat and cholesterol down this Thanksgiving, make sure to stick with the white meat. It's also key to go with skinless cuts, as turkey skin is generally the most unhealthy part of the entire bird.

How to make a low calorie Thanksgiving plate? ›

Start by filling half your plate with vegetables, then pile one-quarter up with turkey breast, and leave the remaining one-quarter for starchy sides. Here, some more expert-approved guidelines for keeping portions in check this Thanksgiving Day.

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