Delicious Lower-Carb Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving dinner can be a challenge if you have diabetes or you're trying to limit carbs, but you'll never miss them with these Lower Carb Thanksgiving recipes. From appetizers to desserts, you'll find plenty of lower-carb Thanksgiving recipes that everyone will love.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish?  Are you team turkey or team stuffing? For me, it's all about the stuffing. And mashed potatoes. Maybe some sweet potatoes for color.

Give me a heaping plate of starch, cover it with gravy, and I'm in heaven for one day a year.

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. For most people, Thanksgiving isn't just about the turkey. It's about all of the side dishes.

Thanksgiving can be tough if you have diabetes or are trying to limit carbs — because most of the traditional side dishes are very high in carbohydrates. It's one of those days that it's just really hard to practice portion control when the table is heaped high with lots of delicious high-carb foods.

So, I think a good strategy for cutting back on carbs at the Thanksgiving table - or any day for that matter, is just to make lower-carbohydrate dishes. Luckily, there are some AH-Mazing lower-carb options for appetizers, sides, and desserts.

Yes, even mashed potatoes, stuffing, and desserts can be modified slightly to be more blood sugar friendly. So, in honor of National Diabetes Month (is it a coincidence that they have that in November?), I asked my dietitian and healthy food blogging friends to share some of their favorites, and here are.  

Lower carb and diabetes-friendly appetizer, sides, and dessert recipes for your Thanksgiving table.

Appetizers

For lower-carb appetizers, stick to vegetables with dip, nuts, and a little cheese. You'll never miss the carbs with these delicious options.

Lemon Herb Savory Cheesecake Appetizer|Craving Something Healthy
Lemon Herb Savory Cheesecake Appetizer|Craving Something Healthy
Lower Carb Thanksgiving Recipes|Craving Something Healthy
Turkey Veggie Platter|The Right Mom
Lower Carb Thanksgiving Recipes|Craving Something Healthy
Pomegranate Jeweled White Cheddar Almond and Crispy Sage Cheeseball|How Sweet Eats

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Nuts|Shaw's Simple Swaps

Whipped Lemon-Feta Labneh Dip | Craving Something Healthy

Hot Honey Roasted Nuts | Craving Something Healthy

Salads and Sides

If you're trying to limit carbs on Thanksgiving, make sure you load up on these vegetables and salads. They're naturally low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, and filling.

Homemade Cranberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing|Craving Something Healthy
Kale Apple Salad with Homemade Cranberry Vinaigrette

Roasted Carrot Apple Soup| Chelsey Amer Nutrition

Pomegranate Avocado Quinoa Salad|Sharon Palmer

Lower Carb Thanksgiving Recipes|Craving Something Healthy
Broccoli Salad with Pomegranate Arils and Maple Walnuts|Shaw's Simple Swaps
Lower Carb Thanksgiving Recipes|Craving Something Healthy
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Parmesan|The Nutrition Adventure

Lower Carb Thanksgiving Recipes|Craving Something Healthy
Green Bean Casserole|Nourished Simply

Slow Roasted Green Beans|Amee's Savory Dish

Bacon Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze|Amee's Savory Dish

Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples|Simple and Savory

Roasted Squash with Hazelnuts and Pomegranate|Making Healthy Choices

Lower Carb Thanksgiving Recipes|Craving Something Healthy
Better Than Potatoes Cheesy Cauliflower|I Breathe I'm Hungry

Stuffing

There's no getting around it. Stuffing is high in carbohydrates because it's mostly bread. But these healthier versions feature healthy carbs from whole grain bread, lots of vegetables, whole chunks of fruit, and even some wild rice.

A person holding a gold spoon scooping wild rice stuffing casserole from a white casserole dish
Wild Rice Stuffing Casserole | Craving Something Healthy
Whole Grain Classic Stuffing|A Couple Cooks
Whole Grain Classic Stuffing|A Couple Cooks
Cornbread Bacon Leek and Pecan Stuffing|Martha Stewart
Cornbread Bacon Leek and Pecan Stuffing|Martha Stewart
Butternut Squash Brussels Sprout and Bread Stuffing|Food52
Butternut Squash Brussels Sprout and Bread Stuffing|Food52

Desserts

Say "no thanks" to the pecan pie (which is nearly impossible to do well without lots of sugar), and yes, please, to these lower-carb Thanksgiving desserts.

Lower Carb Thanksgiving Recipes|Craving Something Healthy
Salted Pumpkin Creme Brulee|Jenny Shea Rawn

Low Sugar Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce|Craving Something Healthy
Low Sugar Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce|Craving Something Healthy
Keto Pumpkin Pie | Delish

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies|The Urban Life

Healthy Apple Cake with Cinnamon and Raisins | Maria Ushakova

Wow- That was a mouthful!  Try some new lower-carb recipes this year, and let me know what you think of them!

Eat well!

18 Comments

  1. This was such a great idea for a round-up! Tanks for including my low-carb Pumpkin Pie amongst this gorgeous array of low carb dishes.

  2. Oh my goodness, it isn't even 9 a.m. and all I'm craving is Thanksgiving food! So many incredible recipes - that butternut squash, brussels sprout and bread stuffing is DEFINITELY going on my Thanksgiving table! Thank you for rounding all of these delicious and low-carb food finds up! 🙂

    1. I'm so glad! Thanksgiving has too many high carb treats and there are so many lower carb options that are super yummy too!

    1. I know, right?! I would probably keep extras of everything just so I could replace it as it got eaten... 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Gigi!

    1. Ha ha - we're actually escaping to my parents house this year - TOO much dust from the construction! Hope you're well - need to get together soon! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

  3. Ohhhhh....that savory cheesecake is going to be my Thanksgiving Day appetizer! Wow, I can barely wait! Thanks, Ann, and I have to tell you that this is a really, really nice post. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.