Last Updated on November 15, 2020 by Chef Mireille
16 Healthy Side Dishes for Thanksgiving – This variety of chilled grain salads, bean salads and warm vegetable dishes with both global and continental inspiration are the perfect accompaniments to your Thanksgiving turkey or any meal!
Thanksgiving is coming up soon. Are you a planner? Already planning your Thanksgiving menu? Instead of the normal sides like candied yams, how about adding some healthy side dishes to the menu so you don’t have to be guilty after indulging in the Thanksgiving feast! Then you can save room for all the delicious Blueberry Pies, Pumpkin Pies and all the other decadent holiday treats!
These side dishes have inspiration from around the world so there is something for everyone on this list – Indian, Middle Eastern, Brazilian, Continental..and more…
There is something for everything in this collection:
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Gluten Free
- Carb Free
- High Protein
- Low Fat
Thanksgiving Healthy Side Dishes
16 Thanksgiving Healthy Side Dishes
From healthy grain salads to warm vegetable dishes, this list of healthy side dishes with global inspiration from around the world has something for everyone! Includes vegan and gluten free options!
An easy Bengali potato stir fry - ready in just 20 minutes!
Roasted beets are smothered in a freshly made balsamic glaze, which highlights the natural sweetness of beets.
This Moroccan spiced salad is packed with veggies for a hearty and healthy grain salad.
Brazilian style chayote cooked with dried shrimp and malaguete peppers.
This Goan style stir fry from Southern India is a quick and easy side dish with cabbage, green peas and coconut.
Another healthy grain salad with beets and packed with veggies and Moroccan spices. Full of flavor and healthy ingredients!
This classic Middle Eastern salad is made with bulgur wheat, cucumbers, tomatoes and oodles of parsley. Herbaceous and delicious!
Another delicious Bengali potato side dish - this one is simmered in a flavorful poppy seed curry!
This Black Eyed Pea Salad is flavored with the Senegalese Tankora Peanut Spice Mix. This is one protein packed salad!
These slow roasted tomatoes bring out the natural sweetness. They are delicious as a side dish on their own or as part of a salad!
Sri Lankan style Green Bean Curry, simmered in coconut milk and flavored with curry leaves and pandan leaves.
Ginger infused Chickpea Saute. This can be enjoyed warm or chilled.
African style polenta enriched with pumpkin and peanut butter. This makes a delicious gluten free side dish.
Gluten Free noodle salad with brussel sprouts will bring a little Asian flavor to your Thanksgiving table!
Kashmiri style cauliflower flavored with fresh ginger and fennel seed is an aromatic side dish to compliment any meal.
Indian spiced red cabbage and fennel makes a delicious side dish and can be enjoyed warm or room temperature.
Many great options to choose from thanks for sharing this just in time to start planning and find all the ingredients. The chayote dish looks fantastic, and that veggie is now in season.
with dried shrimp and malaguete peppers, that is such a quick and easy yet delicious way to prepare the vegetable – I’m sure you will like it!
Well I think you have something for everyone in this delicious collection of recipes. Thanksgiving is just a “filling” meal, it is nice to have some healthy choices in the mix of all the food.
exactly – I like to pair my turkey with healthy sides so I can enjoy as much dessert as I want 🙂
What a great collection of healthy side dishes. These are sure to please everyone this Thanksgiving.
yes – show them that healthy can be delicious too!
I’m hosting Thanksgiving this year for the first time and have been debating what to make. Thanks for putting together so many delicious-looking recipes! This is a huge help.
your welcome – you must let me know which ones you try and how everyone liked it 🙂
Fennel and ginger cauliflower sounds so yummy! We don’t have Thanksgiving here, but I might need to make my own kind of Thanksgiving anyway because everything looks so delicious.
Thanksgiving is more about family and good food than to celebrate any history especially if you understand what atrocities have been done to Native Americans you would prefer not to celebrate the history of the holiday. No matter what country you are in you can always celebrate family and food!
Great choice of sides! I love the sound of the cauliflower, fennel and ginger and the ginger chickpeas!As you can guess I love ginger!
then you will love these healthy options infused with ginger 🙂
Thank you for sharing this post, I am in the process of planning for Thanksgiving dinner and this list is very much helpful! Especially the balsamic glazed beets recipe.
that is such an easy recipe and full of so much flavor!
So helpful, now I don’t have to dig around for recipes for the holiday!
great – I’m glad I could help!
Superb collection of recipes from global cuisines. This post is a keeper and quick guide for any dinner or lunch party planning . Such a wide variety to choose from.
What a great selection of sides with so many vegetarian options too!! And everything explained so well. The Shri Lankan Green beans is the one I will try as soon as I get some green beans.
Lovely recipes for Thanksgiving from various regions . Will definitely try out a few.
Mireille a wonderful selection of vegetarian side dish options not only for Thanksgiving but any festival. Its sometimes frustrating to see that much thought is not given to prepare something different for vegetarians at a party.
Wow you have such a variety of side dishes. Loved the Kashmiri cauliflower with fennel n ginger. These can be used anytime not just thanksgiving…Will definitely try a few
wow … this is not just for thanks giving but for any party / potluck too ! Loved the cabbage foogath and the wheat berry salad (which I think barley can substitute)… great collection, Mir !
Mir! I was constantly thinking of just pumpkin and apple dishes this is a wonderful idea. I love the fact that you have added grain salads too the menu. This is yum and something I will definitely appreciate even in my everyday meal.
Like all countries, America is regional and so there are a great variety of recipes that are also considered traditional depending what part of the country you live in. Regardless, Thanksgiving is about much more than apples and pumpkin. Lots of vegetables dishes are also traditional for Thanksgiving like green beans, corn and brussel sprouts.