From stuffing to mashed potatoes, holiday accompaniments are just as important as the main dish. Here are some healthy options to add to your Thanksgiving menu:
Farro Stuffing with Butternut Squash, Red Onion, and Almonds
View Recipe: Farro Stuffing with Butternut Squash, Red Onion, and Almonds
Side dishes shine during the holiday season, so don’t settle for sub-par accompaniments. From bright, flavorful veggies to creamy mashed potatoes, we’ve got everything you need to make a great plate.
First up is this nontraditional stuffing, in which earthy flavors and starchy comfort come from whole-grain farro, not bread. You can assemble up to 2 days ahead. Take out of the fridge, let stand at room temperature 45 minutes, then bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Sausage and Chestnut Dressing
View Recipe: Sausage and Chestnut Dressing
Chestnuts bring rich, nutty flavor without adding much fat or many calories, as would pecans or walnuts. You can find whole roasted chestnuts in the baking aisle.
Read more: 5 Things We Want to Eat This Month That Aren’t Turkey
Baked Mac and Cheese
View Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese
We added a surprise ingredient, canola mayonnaise, to make things extra creamy.
Cauliflower Salad
View Recipe: Cauliflower Salad
A fresh, crisp salad balances the lineup of heavier, rich side dishes. You can follow a recipe or just compose one with pretty cuts of your favorite vegetables and herbs tossed with a light vinaigrette. Make this salad a day ahead if you want the flavors to absorb into the cauliflower a little more. Just hold off on adding the cheese until right before serving.
Green Beans with Dried Cranberries and Hazelnuts
View Recipe: Green Beans with Dried Cranberries and Hazelnuts
Every plate needs a little green on it. Blanch the beans ahead, and store in the refrigerator to eliminate a task from the Thanksgiving Day prep list.
Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Gastrique
View Recipe: Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Gastrique
The gastrique, a tangy-sweet glaze, is Thanksgiving worthy but also simple enough to pull off on a weekday.
Read more: Fall Baking Favorites
Classic Corn Bread Dressing
View Recipe: Classic Corn Bread Dressing
This is the quintessential Thanksgiving side dish in the South. It is made from crumbled corn bread, with no added French or sourdough bread to cut it, so the texture is unique. Loads of aromatics give this dressing its flavor; don’t be tempted to use less.
Cheesy Potato Casserole
View Recipe: Cheesy Potato Casserole
Rather than using sodium-loaded canned soup, we made our own creamy sauce to update this dish.
Supersavory Wild Rice Pilaf
View Recipe: Supersavory Wild Rice Pilaf
The fluffy pilaf will soak in all the delicious juices from your plate making it the perfect side dish.
Read more: The Best Techniques for Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole
View Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole
No Thanksgiving table is complete without this sweetened vegetable. Our modern twist on the classic sweet potato casserole is a fragrant vanilla bean streusel.
Read about the rest of the healthy holiday side dishes at CookingLight.com
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