Two healthier Thanksgiving Menus, including main dishes, appetizers, side dishes and desserts! You can easily mix and match from each menu for a customized holiday feast to remember! There are plenty of gluten-free and dairy-free options here!
After sharing Two Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menus last year, Natalie (from Perry’s Plate) and I are back with two all-new menu options to simplify planning your holiday feast!
Most of everything on both menus is relatively healthy and made from scratch. There are plenty of gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb options here!
We have included everything you need for a delicious Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving.
From main courses, appetizers, classic Thanksgiving side dishes, and healthier desserts here to take the stress out of preparing for the feast.
You can easily customize your menu to your own liking.
Trust me, if you make one of these menus or mix and match from both, you’re guaranteed a praise-worthy holiday meal that will surely impress the whole family!
So if you have been on the prowl for Thanksgiving menu ideas, you’ve found them!
We each have our own unique spin on traditional Thanksgiving recipes so that your feast is full of familiar favorites that also happen to be fresh, simple, and minimally processed.
We’ll start with my menu, followed by Natalie’s
Julia’s Menu
Appetizer
Cream Cheese Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers – Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers with cream cheese are a quick, easy, and delicious appetizer! This low-carb, keto appetizer is perfect for sharing at any gathering!
Notes & Substitutions: If you prefer feta cheese over cream cheese, you can make my Feta Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers.
My Sweet Potato Rounds with Herbed Ricotta and Walnuts are also a popular appetizer recipe this time of year.
Main Dish
Garlic Butter Roast Turkey brings bold, classic flavor to a traditional Thanksgiving feast! This impressive centerpiece is sure to please all who try it, as it results in the most flavorful, tender turkey! I have included everything you need to know about making perfect turkey in this post, from thawing frozen turkey, to brining and flavoring the whole turkey.
Notes & Substitutions: If you aren’t feeling turkey this year, make my Garlic Butter Prime Rib, or my Grilled Tri Tip recipe!
Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole with gluten-free streusel topping for your Thanksgiving table. This dairy-free, refined sugar-free sweet potato casserole recipe tastes just like the classic version and is better for you too! Enjoy this delicious side dish with your loved ones!
Notes & Substitutions: Consider also making my Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes if your family loves white potatoes in addition to sweet potatoes.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole made dairy-free and gluten-free completely from scratch! A marvelously flavorful side dish perfect for any gathering! This clean green bean casserole recipe tastes even better than the traditional version.
Notes & Substitutions: For my friends who aren’t dairy-free, substitute 1 2/3 cups of heavy cream for the can of coconut milk. If you go this route, you won’t need to cook the sauce as long.
Garlic Herb Roasted Vegetables are that picture perfect side dish to go alongside any main entrée. Loaded with flavor, even those who swear they don’t like vegetables will love this delicious recipe!
Notes & Substitutions: Use any of your favorite vegetables for roasting. If you love produce-centric side dishes, also consider making my Pear Apple Avocado Spinach Salad with Candied Walnuts and Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce – Enhance your holiday feasts with homemade Maple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce! Sweetened with pure maple syrup and spiced up with cinnamon, orange zest and bourbon, this cranberry sauce recipe only takes about 10 minutes to make and is ultra flavorful!
Notes & Substitutions: Omit the bourbon for alcohol-free. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of brown sugar for a sweeter cranberry sauce.
Gluten-Free Cornbread – This easy GF cornbread recipe is moist, fluffy, and absolutely mouth-watering delicious. It goes great with just about any main entrée!
Notes & Substitutions: If you love dinner rolls, you can also make my Gluten-Free Hawaiian Rolls.
Desserts
Healthy Pumpkin Pie that you’d never in a million years guess is actually good for you! Low in added sweetener, nut-free, grain-free and dairy-free, this silky smooth pumpkin pie is spiced to perfection. This amazing pie is paleo friendly with a coconut flour crust, and I have included a keto option for my low-carb friends.
Notes & Substitutions: This easy pie can be made several days in advance! It tastes even better after it sits for 1-3 days so don’t be afraid to prepare it ahead of time.
Healthy Apple Crisp – A grain-free Healthy Apple Crisp recipe with almond flour topping is a comforting, delicious dessert healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast. Vegan, paleo friendly, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free! This simple apple crumble only requires 7 basic ingredients!
Notes & Substitutions: You can use any fruit for this recipe! Pears work marvelously too.
That’s it for my menu! Now let’s check out Natalie’s!
Natalie’s Menu:
Appetizer
Easy Cheese Fondue & Charcuterie Board – Assembling a healthy charcuterie for the holidays is so fun and easy. And so is this classic cheese fondue that’s non-alcoholic and kid-friendly.
Notes & Substitutions: This recipe is made alcohol-free, but you can replace the broth with the same amount of wine or beer if you like.
Main Entree
Smoked Turkey (or Chicken) – If you own a smoker, making smoked turkey or smoked chicken your main dish this year is a brilliant idea! The meat turns out positively loaded with flavor!
Notes & Substitutions: If you don’t have a smoker, you can try Natalie’s Dry Brine Turkey recipe instead!
Thanksgiving Sides
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are much easier than stovetop — no draining required! You don’t have to wait for a special occasion, and the recipe includes adaptations for just about any dietary style.
Notes & Substitutions: Check the notes in the post for many options to make these mashed potatoes as decadent or as simple as you like. For a low-carb option, make Natalie’s Instant Pot Rosemary Garlic Cauliflower Puree.
Maple Chai Butternut Squash – Step up your roasted veggie game with this amazing butternut squash recipe! Whipping up roasted butternut squash with maple and a homemade chai spice is quite possibly the best decision you’ll make this Thanksgiving!
Notes & Substitutions: This recipe uses Natalie’s Chai Spice Blend, but you could also use Pumpkin Pie Spice instead.
Cranberry Sauce with Cider and Vanilla – This healthy cranberry sauce recipe is quick, easy, and and so much more delicious than canned cranberry sauce! Apple cider, orange, cinnamon & vanilla bring delicious flavors!
Notes & Substitutions: This is Natalie’s favorite homemade cranberry sauce recipe! Make this up to a week ahead of time. It also freezes well.
Sourdough Stuffing – This sourdough stuffing recipe might just be the best stuffing you’ve ever had!. Bits of roasted garlic, caramelized mushrooms, crispy pancetta, and lots of fresh herbs make this stuffing recipe a perfect classic addition to any Thanksgiving table!
Notes & Substitutions: This recipe is made with a regular sourdough loaf, but you can use a gluten-free crusty bread loaf or gluten-free sourdough bread if you’d like. Just make sure it’s similar in size as what’s used in this recipe.
Sweet Kale Salad – This amazing kale salad is a copycat version of the Taylor Farms salad kit sold at Costco with an avocado-oil based dressing. And you can customize it how you want! Trust me, it’s a kale salad that’s worth eating!
Notes & Substitutions: This is the copycat version of the sweet kale salad kit sold at Costco. I always like to add fresh vegetables to Thanksgiving to lighten it up. If getting a salad kit gets the job done, then by all means, buy a kit. 🙂
Desserts
Decadent Chocolate Silk Pie – This is a rich and fluffy gluten-free, naturally-sweetened chocolate silk pie and the only dairy is grass-fed butter! If you love chocolate pie, this one is a must!
Notes & Substitutions: This is a marvelously rich and delicious pie!
Maple Chai Pumpkin Pie – This easy pie recipe is absolute perfection with all the warm and inviting spices! If you love putting a unique spin on traditional Thanksgiving recipes, this one is for you!
And that’s it, folks! I hope you enjoy a delicious, stress-free holiday season, full of delicious food and memories!
xo