Skip to Content

Home / Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes – Since last Thanksgiving, we have been adding more delicious Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes to this list. Without a doubt that this is the best list of healthy and delicious side dishes you’re going to find. Whether you enjoy them for just Thanksgiving, save a few for Christmas or add them to your weekly menu.

We think that you’ll love them so much that you will definitely want to make them throughout the year too!

Thanksgiving Dinner Does Not Have to be About Excess

After all, isn’t Thanksgiving all about calories, excess and stuffing? The idea of serving up healthy Vegetarian Thanksgiving side dishes seems like a contradiction to the spirit of the holiday.

But before you give in to the marshmallow sweet potatoes and the creamed corn bread. Just consider how sluggish and exhausted you felt last year… and maybe the year before that.

Loading up your table with some delicious, savory and naturally sweetened vegetarian Thanksgiving side dishes is going to create a perfect menu.

But first… the main course:

First, Let’s Talk About A Healthy Roasted Turkey

If you’re looking for a tender and juicy clean eating turkey, then this homemade Roasted Turkey is a must.

Choose a Healthy Turkey: Ever wonder if a free turkey tastes better? Find out this holiday with a free, all-natural, zero antibiotic turkey with your first order from ButcherBox. We just got a large free turkey in our box and wow, I am impressed!

If you want a less traditional main dish, then check out some of these other favorite recipes that pair perfectly with our Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

  • Roasted Chicken – This Roasted Chicken Recipe made with lemon and herbs is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! Full of fresh flavors, and juicy all the way through, this Roasted Chicken is surprisingly easy to make!
  • Brown Sugar Ham Glaze – For just a few favorite holidays throughout the year, we make this brown sugar ham glaze. Of course, we choose the healthiest ham: pastured spiral ham. For the “brown sugar” part of our glaze – we use a delicious combination of coconut sugar and molasses. The depth of the the flavor is unbelievable delicious.

And don’t forget the Gravy! This Healthy and Easy Gravy Recipe is a very important element of any Thanksgiving dinner. So making sure you pour a delicious and healthy one should be a top priority. Our gravy recipe is not only easy to make, it has the most unusual combination of silkiness, richness, savoriness and…healthfulness.

how to make green bean casserole

A Big List of Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Eating clean and making vegetarian side dish recipes has been my focus for years. We believe in boosting as many fruits and vegetables into our body each day. So, working on this Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes list comes naturally. You’re definitely going to find some new favorites.

A quick note about our vegetarian thanksgiving side dishes – they are absolutely rich in flavor and quality. Just because they are lacking butter, dairy and refined sugar does not mean they are low on taste.

Expect the unexpected with this list!

  • 3 Potato-based recipes
  • 9 Savory Vegetable recipes
  • 3 Sweet Fruit-based recipes
  • 4 Gluten Free Pasta + Breads
  • 5 Savory make-ahead Soup recipes
recipe for hasselback potatoes

Choose a Potato Thanksgiving Side Dish

I love making these Hasselback Potatoes for a hosted dinner because they are so delicate and stunning. Our guests are honestly surprised at how delicious and easy they are to make.

  • Recipe for Hasselback Potatoes (shown)– Want a stunning potato dish for a holiday dinner? Then this hasselback potatoes recipe is it! Move over mashed potatoes, hasselback potatoes are here to shine. The best part, they are so EASY to make!
  • Sweet Mashed Potatoes – Almost exactly like white mashed potatoes upon first glance, these creamy Sweet Mashes Potatoes are the perfect healthy side for Thanksgiving. Made with Japanese sweet potatoes; a variation of sweet potatoes that are easy to digest!
  • Sweet Potato Casserole – This Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe is not only sweet and tasty, but it is also nutrient-dense, and healthy! What more could you ask for?
recipe for green peas

Delectable and Savory Vegetable Side Dishes

I always choose at least 4-6 vegetable Thanksgiving Side Dishes including 3 of these vegetable, nutrient-dense recipes. I will often turn on the second oven for roasted and can easily pop 1-2 of these in the oven while sauteing a third.

Our Classic Vegetable Thanksgiving Side Dish Choices:

  • Homemade Green Bean Casserole (shown above)– Have you ever wondered How to Make Green Bean Casserole into a healthy recipe? Now is the time to ditch Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole recipe made with canned mushroom soup, and move onto bigger and better things!
  • The Best Deviled Eggs – Creamy little morsels of perfection is the best deviled eggs recipe loaded with flavor. With each hard boiled egg, you can enjoy the delicious and savory flavors: dill, garlic, smoked paprika and sea salt.
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon (omit bacon for Vegetarian) – If you’re looking for a savory, crispy and delicious side dish, then this roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon is perfect. Plus, if you’re trying to convinced your loved ones just how delicious Brussels sprouts are, then this recipe will work.

A Few More Vegetarian Side Dish Favorites:

  • Garlicky Green Bean Recipe – Add a little savory to your Thanksgiving Dinner and make these nutrient-dense Garlicky Green Beans Recipe. In under 20 minutes, these beans are ready for dinner. Full of umami-flavor from the coconut aminos, rich in garlic and a dash of sea salt.
  • Honey Roasted Carrots – This is a super easy recipe for Honey Roasted Carrots. Made in little parchment envelopes, it’s a quick recipe to put together and roast while making another side dish or dessert.
  • Patty Pan Squash Recipe – Perfect for fall, this Patty Pan Squash Recipe is the new vegetable side dish that is begging to be on your menu.
  • Broccoli Side Dish Recipe – If you’re looking for a garlicky, buttery, and delicious Broccoli Side Dish Recipe, then this is the dish for you.
  • Pumpkin Hummus – This recipe for Pumpkin Hummus is the perfect healthy dip for Thanksgivings. Festive, and full of protein, this easy vegan recipe is sure to impress, while keeping you and your guests full and satisfied for hours.
homemade macaroni and cheese

Gluten Free Pasta and Breads Side Dishes

Toss in just 1 gluten free pasta side dish to balance out all of the vegetables… and choose wisely. This homemade mac and cheese is our family favorite!

  • Healthy Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (shown)– Made with butternut squash and nutritional yeast “cheese” sauce, this delicious Healthy Macaroni and Cheese recipe is perfect as a thanksgiving side dish. Loaded with flavor, you will not be disappointed.
  • Grain-Free Biscuit Recipe – All you need to make this grain-free biscuit recipe is 5 ingredients, a single bowl, and 25 minutes! They’re paleo, SCD, and vegan, and are delicious both savory, and sweet!
  • Gluten Free Dinner Biscuit – This deliciously moist gluten free dinner biscuit is a perfect addition to dinner and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Serve them warm with honey.
  • Cornbread Muffins – The secret to making this recipe for Cornbread Muffins both delicious and nutritious is from using plant-based milks. Our recipe also calls for whole grain gluten free flour.
cranberry sauce orange juice

Sweet Vegetable Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Sweetened naturally with honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar, these dishes at a little bit of sweet to your Thanksgiving dinner.

  • Cranberry Sauce Orange Juice – Tangy, sweet and bursting with antioxidants, this Cranberry Sauce Orange Juice Recipe is not only a festive holiday condiment, it’s also incredibly healthy!
  • Recipe for Applesauce – This delicious Recipe for Applesauce is the perfect sweetened addition to your Thanksgiving dinner table… plus, kids of all ages love it!
  • Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce – This clean cranberry apple sauce recipe (with no refined sugar!) will definitely be a new addition to our Thanksgiving side dishes table this year.
pureed vegetable soup recipe

Make Ahead Vegetable Soups

I always make a soup to pair with a big holiday dinner, especially with guests and family attending. It’s a super simple and healthy dish to make the day before and then just warm up while preparing the rest of the serving platters. These are my favorite go-to vegetable soup recipes.

  • Pureed Vegetable Soup Recipe (shown)– Our Pureed Vegetable Soup is easy to make ahead of time and enjoy throughout the week. Having ready-made soups on hand ensures you’re getting the vegetable nutrients your body needs.
  • Carrot Soup – Not only is it a great way to pack in nutrients, but it is such an easy meal to throw together at the beginning of the week, and enjoy for days!
  • Roasted Butternut Thai Squash Soup – This recipe has a touch of red curry seasoning for a thai-inspired soup. I also used coconut milk for that reach creamy flavor without using dairy.
  • Celery Root Soup – This hearty soup has all the creamy, starchy components of a comfort food, without all the bloating and digestive upset that often follows.
  • Pumpkin Chili – If you have a sensitive stomach (or someone attending your dinner does), this Gut-Friendly Pumpkin Chili is perfect for you! By removing the nightshades and beans, I’ve made this chili one you can indulge in without fear of an upset stomach later on.

Modern Chefs Embrace Vegetarian Focused Thanksgiving

An article in Vogue titled “Are Vegetables the New Meat?” align with our Clean Cuisine philosophy. And many modern chefs around the country, who embrace a new vegetarian-centric cuisine focuses on flavorful extravagance. Quite honestly, there’s no better time than now to showcase a lavishly flavorful vegetarian thanksgiving side dishes.

Whether they are into eating clean or not, these are side dishes everybody will want to eat simply because they taste amazing. Honestly, there’s no need to elaborate on how they are stuffed with vegetables. You don’t even have to tell them that they dairy free, have no refined sugar, no refined flour, no refined oil and not a single unhealthy ingredient.

Best of all, everyone will walk away from the bountiful table with plenty of room leftover for pumpkin pie!

Aimee Niedosik

Aimee loves to craft delicious, nutrient-dense recipes to share with her family and friends. While in remission from autoimmune diseases and underlying viruses, she still maintains an anti-inflammatory and anti-aging diet. Aimee is a Christian, website designer, autoimmune community leader and lives in North Carolina with her husband, 2 kids and 2 dogs.

turmeric smoothie
Previous Post
Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Depressant Turmeric Smoothie
leek potato soup recipe
Next Post
Food and Wine Pairing for Cozy Winter Meals

Get a 5 Day Natural Detox Plan
when you Subscribe!