I don’t do a great job prioritizing holiday recipes on the blog. When Thanksgiving rolls around, people are going to make the good stuff. I know I am! But a LOT of the sides I make all year work perfectly on a Thanksgiving table, so I finally pulled them all into one spot.

My easy Thanksgiving recipes cover scalloped potatoes, a lighter sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes with cauliflower, roasted veggies, fall salads, real-deal desserts, and a whole section of leftover turkey wraps and sandwiches for the day after. Plus a bonus holiday breakfast! Every recipe has full macros, and most of the sides come in under 200 calories a serving.

You won’t find a turkey or rolls on this list, though. Those should both be totally normal, haha. Just need sides? My macro-friendly Thanksgiving sides post has even more.

Mashed, Scalloped and Smashed Potatoes

Let’s start with the potatoes, obviously. The scalloped potatoes get their creamy sauce from cottage cheese, so you get that cheesy, saucy layer at 186 calories a serving. The mashed potatoes and cauliflower use Yukon golds plus a big bag of cauliflower florets for a lighter mash at 178 calories a serving.

Want to go even lighter? The garlic cauliflower mash is only 85 calories a serving. And if your family is more of a crispy potato crowd, grab the loaded smashed potatoes or the roasted baby potatoes.

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Stack of healthy scalloped potatoes on cream plate with fork.

Healthy Scalloped Potatoes

Your cheesy potato casserole for the Thanksgiving table! The creamy sauce is made with cottage cheese, so a big scoop is just 186 calories.
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Mashed potatoes and cauliflower garnished with fresh chives in serving bowl.

Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower

The mashed potatoes to pile next to your turkey and gravy. Yukon golds plus cauliflower, still creamy, at 178 calories a serving.
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garlic cauliflower mash www.lillieeatsandtells.com

Macro-friendly Garlic Cauliflower Mash

Want a lighter scoop under the gravy? This garlic cauliflower mash is 85 calories a serving, so you can save room for pie.
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macro friendly loaded smashed potatoes by www.lillieeatsandtellscom.bigscoots-staging.com

Macro Friendly Loaded Smashed Potatoes

Smashed potatoes loaded with garlic, chives and onions for anyone at the table who wants their potatoes with a little extra.
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roasted baby potatoes www.lillieeatsandtells.com

Lightened-Up Roasted Baby Potatoes

One of our family favorites! An easy pan of roasted baby potatoes to serve right next to the turkey, at 109 calories a serving.
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Sweet Potato Sides

My lighter sweet potato casserole still has the brown sugar pecan topping (it’s Thanksgiving, come on), and it lands at 209 calories a serving. HA. If you’d rather skip the casserole, the roasted sweet potato rounds need 4 ingredients and one pan, and the roasted halves are about as low effort as a side dish gets.

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Healthier sweet potato casserole in baking dish with gold spoon.

Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole

All the nostalgic holiday flavor with a brown sugar pecan topping, lightened up to 209 calories a serving. The sweet potato casserole your Thanksgiving table needs!
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Close-up of roasted rosemary sweet potato rounds piled on a baking sheet, one round showing deep caramelized spots

Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potato Rounds

Already have a casserole on the menu? These rosemary sweet potato rounds are a simple savory option. One sheet pan, 35 minutes.
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Roasted sweet potato halves on a tinfoil lined pan.

Roasted Sweet Potato Halves

The easiest sweet potato side for a crowd. Set out a tray with the rest of dinner and let everyone top their own.
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perfect sweet potatoes every time www.lillieatsandtells.com

Super Simple Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Simple roasted sweet potatoes that go with everything on the Thanksgiving plate, at just 95 calories a serving.
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Roasted Veggies and Green Beans

Every plate needs something green! The air fryer green beans take 10 minutes and 4 ingredients, which is clutch when the oven is full of turkey. The bacon balsamic Brussels sprouts are 109 calories with REAL bacon, and the balsamic roasted fall veggies, maple cumin carrots and Parmesan smashed broccoli are all easy sheet pan sides to fill out the table.

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Close-up of crisp-tender air fryer green beans with salt and black pepper

Air Fryer Green Beans

Your oven is going to be full of turkey, so make the green beans in the air fryer! 10 minutes and 4 ingredients.
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Roasted brussels sprouts on pan drizzled with balsamic glaze.

Bacon Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Savory, salty, crispy and a little sweet. These Brussels sprouts with REAL bacon belong right next to the turkey.
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Roasted fall veggies on baking dish.

Balsamic Roasted Fall Veggies

A big sheet pan of fall veggies tossed in balsamic. An easy way to add color to the Thanksgiving table at 87 calories a serving.
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Maple Cumin Roasted Carrots on a white plate topped with fresh parsley and goat cheese.

Maple Cumin Roasted Carrots

Maple and cumin make these roasted carrots a sweet and savory side that fits right in with the holiday spread.
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Upclose of parmesan smashed broccoli floret on sheet pan.

Parmesan Smashed Broccoli

Feels fun and fancy but takes barely any effort, which is exactly what you want on Thanksgiving Day.
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Delicata and Butternut Squash

Delicata squash is the easiest fall squash to cook. The skin is thin enough to eat, so there’s no peeling, and the simple roasted version needs just olive oil, salt and pepper. Want it a little fancier for the holiday? Go for the Parmesan crusted delicata. The roasted butternut squash is great on the side and doubles as a topping for the harvest kale salad below.

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Delicata squash baked on baking sheet garnished with fresh basil.

Simple Roasted Delicata Squash

No peeling! Just slice, roast and serve. Hands-off enough to make while you finish everything else.
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Roasted delicata squash on baking sheet with cup on marinara in center for dipping.

Parmesan Crusted Delicata Squash

One of my go-to fall sides! Parmesan, lemon and herbs with crispy shallots on top, fancy enough for the holiday table.
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Butternut squash roasted on pan with spatula.

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash

Naturally sweet and nutty butternut squash to serve on the side, or toss it into the harvest kale salad.
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Fall Salads for the Table

A big fall salad makes the whole spread feel a little lighter. The harvest kale salad has roasted butternut squash, apple, red onion and dried cranberries, so it pretty much looks like Thanksgiving in a bowl. The day after, swap the chicken for leftover turkey and you’ve got lunch.

The autumn delicata salad and the kale Caesar are great sides, and the wild rice and kale salad (my Cubby’s copycat) has 46 grams of protein, so it can totally be a meal on its own.

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Harvest Chopped Kale Salad recipe by www.lillieeatsandtellscom.bigscoots-staging.com

Harvest Kale Salad with Butternut Squash and Chicken

Roasted butternut squash, apple and dried cranberries make this salad look like Thanksgiving. Skip the chicken for the big meal, then add leftover turkey for lunch the next day.
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Delicata salad in serving bowl.

Autumn Delicata Salad

Cozy, colorful and full of texture. Bring it as your salad for Thanksgiving dinner or Friendsgiving.
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Wild Rice and Kale Salad in a large bowl with a white napkin.

Wild Rice and Kale Salad (Cubby’s Copycat)

My Cubby’s copycat! Hearty wild rice and kale on the side for the big meal, or a full lunch the next day with 46 grams of protein.
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Kale caesar salad prepared and tossed in wooden salad bowl.

Kale Caesar Salad

A lighter Caesar for the Thanksgiving table at 104 calories a serving. Kale holds up better than romaine, so it won’t wilt while dinner sits out.
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Thanksgiving Desserts

There’s going to be pie, and you should have a slice! But if you’re bringing dessert, these are the real deal. The best brownies are 224 calories a square, the ginger molasses cookies are 122 calories a cookie, and my favorite chocolate chip cookies are, well, my FAVORITE. HA.

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Stack of brownies

The Best Brownies

The only brownie recipe I’ve needed for 16 years of marriage! A pan of these next to the pie is always a good idea.
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My favorite molasses cookie

My Favorite Ginger-Molasses Cookies

A perfect holiday cookie. Set out a plate with coffee after dinner.
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Stack of chocolate chip cookies on wood board with hand holding one cookie broken in half.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pools of melted chocolate with perfectly crisp edges. For everyone at Thanksgiving who isn’t a pie person.
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Leftover Turkey Wraps and Sandwiches

Now for the day after. Each of these uses sliced turkey, so just swap in your leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The spicy turkey and arugula crunch wrap has 31 grams of protein, the turkey pepper jack panini has 44, and the smokey chipotle turkey sub has 40. Got leftover cranberry sauce? Spread a little on any of them.

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Turkey crunch wrap stacked

Spicy turkey and arugula crunch wrap with honey mustard

Swap the deli turkey for your leftover Thanksgiving turkey and you’ve got a spicy, crunchy lunch with 31 grams of protein.
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Low Carb Turkey Pepperjack Panini with Chipotle Cream www.lillieeatsandtells.com

Lower Carb Turkey, Pepper Jack Panini with Chipotle Cream

Leftover turkey and pepper jack, toasted panini style with chipotle cream. Add a little leftover cranberry sauce if you’re feeling it!
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Every Day Macro-Friendly Giant Turkey Sub lillieeatsandtells.com

Smokey Chipotle Turkey Sub

A big, fresh sub piled high with sliced leftover turkey. An easy Black Friday lunch with 40 grams of protein.
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Bonus Holiday Breakfast: Giant Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls on a holiday morning are a MUST. My giant cinnamon rolls take about an hour start to finish, and at 501 calories each they’re a full-on treat. No macro math required!

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Fork digging into one of my favorite giant cinnamon rolls on a plate.

My Favorite Giant Cinnamon Rolls

Nothing in my house says special breakfast like these giant cinnamon rolls! Make them Thanksgiving morning and let everyone dig in before the big meal.
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Need dinner figured out for the rest of Thanksgiving week? My weekly meal plans come with a new plan every Thursday, a categorized grocery list and full macros on every recipe, and you can try it free.

Bringing one of these to Thanksgiving dinner? Tag me or send me a DM on Instagram so I can see it!

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About the Author

Hello. My name is Lillie. I’m not a registered dietitian, or a macro coach, or a public figure or culinary genius. I’m a mommy of four who FOUND macro-counting and fell in love with this balanced approach to food.

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