Healthy Thanksgiving Menu

Between turkey, vegetable sides and hearty autumn flavors — there’s no reason your Thanksgiving feast needs to be a diet disaster to be delicious and satisfying. We’ve created a Thanksgiving menu of Williams-Sonoma recipes that are low in fat, high in nutrients and still deliver the foods you love.

 

Start with a creamy butternut squash soup, flavored with lively, aromatic curry instead of heavy cream and butter. Nutrient-packed beets deliver earthy sweetness in our beet and walnut salad, seasoned with a tangy vinaigrette and fresh dill. Our roasted turkey proves spices can be even more powerful than fat, and simple vegetable side dishes of baby broccoli and bold fingerling potatoes are both low in calories and top-rated by customers. Seasonal fruit shines in our dessert of baked apples and dried fruit — rich in crisp apple flavor, without a pat of butter in sight.

 

Enjoy these dishes with loved ones on Thanksgiving, when you can toast to your good health.

 

Curried Butternut Squash Soup Curry brings an aromatic spice to this creamy soup, which only tastes rich. Reduced-sodium chicken broth keeps the salt level in check (substitute vegetable stock to make this dish vegetarian). Top with naturally light plain yogurt for a tangy contrast to the soup, and garnish with nutritious almonds.

Roasted Red and Yellow Beets with Balsamic Glaze Beets are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, low in calories and surprisingly sweet and tender. Bonus: The beets are ideal for cooking ahead, so all you have to do is reheat them in the glaze before serving.

Roasted Turkey Breast Turkey breast meat is high in protein but low in fat and saturated fat, making it a very nutritious option. Additionally, roasting the breasts is much simpler than cooking the whole bird; you don’t have to worry about the white meat drying out as the dark meat continues to cook. Leftovers are perfect for sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving.

Herb-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Whole Grain Mustard Traditional mashed potatoes are packed with cream and butter, but bolder flavors will pack a stronger punch without the fat. Roasting naturally sweet and creamy fingerling potatoes with herbs and whole-grain Dijon mustard creates a savory side dish.

Baby Broccoli with Garlic Baby broccoli is sweeter and more delicate than regular broccoli, so it’s a perfect ingredient to add an elegant touch to your menu. Thin slices of browned garlic elevate shocked and sauteed broccolini in this recipe, which feeds a crowd with just a small amount of oil.

Baked Apples Filled with Apricots and Figs Hollowed-out baked apples make lovely bowls for warm, plump dried fruits in this recipe, which is topped with an apple cider-honey glaze. These individual-sized desserts may be served warm or at room temperature, allowing for more flexibility in your Thanksgiving kitchen.