Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes (Including Desserts!)

Looking for fabulous and easy paleo Thanksgiving recipes? This roundup of grain-free, gluten-free, and Whole30-friendly Turkey day recipes are perfect for your holiday gatherings and everyone will feel great the next morning!

Okay, U.S.-based Paleo procrastinators: It’s that time of year again, when you’re tasked with either:

Preparing an entire Thanksgiving feast
Bringing something to a Turkey Day potluck
Or figuring out what you’re going to eat at someone else’s decidedly non-Paleo-friendly Thanksgiving gathering

Well, it’s not too late to pick yourself up off the couch and plan your menu—and to that end, I’ve compiled a ton of nomtastic Thanksgiving ideas to help inspire you!

Free Nomtastic Paleo Thanksgiving E-Book

Some of my festive favorites are featured in my tried and true (and 100% FREE) Nomtastic Thanksgiving e-book for subscribers to my weekly email newsletter. If you haven’t already subscribed, do it now, and you’ll get access to a complete Paleo Thanksgiving primer featuring step-by-step recipes, a shopping list, countdown planner, and more. It’ll take the guesswork out of Turkey Day meal prep to serve 10 to 12 hungry Nomsters! Subscribe by clicking here.

And if you’re already a subscriber, check your emails because I always add a downloadable link to the e-book in my November emails!

Recipes in this free Thanksgiving e-book

Don’t need the planning guide or shopping list, but still need the recipes? Here’s what’s on the menu!

Spatchcock Turkey

What’s Thanksgiving without a turkey? As you can see, I prefer to spatchcock (a.k.a. butterfly) my turkey to make sure the entire bird cooks evenly, resulting in tender, juicy meat rather than dry, overcooked white meat and raw, undercooked dark meat. I dry-brine my turkey with kosher salt, and flavor the meat with an herb-infused ghee mixture that melts under the crispy skin. Once you’ve cooked (and eaten) a Butterflied Big Bird, you’ll never go back.

Magic Crown Roast of Pork

Not a turkey fan? Make this meaty—and incredibly easy—Thanksgiving centerpiece. Combining my Magic Mushroom Powder seasoning and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s reverse-sear technique, this pork roast will have you seriously re-thinking whether Turkey Day should be renamed Porky Day.

Paleo Cranberry Sauce (a.k.a. Paleo Cran-Cherry Sauce)

This healthy spin on cranberry sauce is so dang addictive! You’ll want to spoon the leftovers on everything!

Umami Gravy

The best gravy, hands down. It’s packed with so much flavor and you can make it ahead! Even if you don’t like mushrooms, you will love this Whole30-compatible and gluten-free gravy.

Instant Pot Autumn Mash

One of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dishes is Roasted Garlic Autumn Root Vegetable Mash. Why? ’Cause it’s a feast for both the eyes and tastebuds. My original stovetop version is crazy delicious, but now that I’m a certified Instant Pothead, I was determined to create a shortcut to veggie mash nirvana using my Instant Pot.

Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn’t be complete without a generous serving of mashed root vegetables. You can make this Autumn Mash on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, but either way, this comforting, colorful alternative to boring old mashed potatoes will put a smile on your guests’ faces—guaranteed.

Asian Citrus Brussels sprouts Slaw

Best. Slaw. Ever. This Asian-inspired Brussels sprouts slaw isn’t exactly traditional, but its umami-packed punch will knock your socks off. In a good way.

Pumpkin and Carrot Muffins

My pal Chef Gregory Gourdet made these insanely delicious muffins for a Nom Nom Paleo brunch event at his restaurant a few years back, and they were an instant hit. If you make a batch for Thanksgiving, I bet you won’t have any left over. (This dessert recipe is not Whole30.)

Pumpkin, Coconut, and Maple Custard Cups

Pumpkin lovers have yet another dessert option on my Paleo Thankgiving menu: Pumpkin, Coconut + Maple Custard Cups. Like the other sides and sweets on this list, these sweet and creamy cups can be made ahead of time, freeing you up to watch football or just sleep in on Thanksgiving Day. (This dessert recipe is not Whole30.)

More Paleo and Whole30 Thanksgiving Side Dishes

The best part of a Thanksgiving feast is definitely the side dishes, am I right?

This epic roundup covers my favorite veggie sides! These paleo and Whole30-compatible Thanksgiving side dishes will satisfy everyone at your dinner table and no one will will notice that these healthy spins on the classics are naturally grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free!

Where’s the Paleo Stuffing Recipe?

I don’t have one yet! However, here are three fab ones from my blogger pals:

Zenbelly’s Best Ever Paleo Stuffing (Dressing)
Against All Grain’s Grain-free Thanksgiving Stuffing
PaleOMG’s Thanksgiving Caramelized Onion & Sausage Stuffing
Paleo Running Momma’s “Cornbread” Paleo Thanksgiving Stuffing

If you have a favorite stuffing recipe and just need paleo-friendly stuffing mix/croutons, Misfits Bakehouse sells some. Get some shipped to you by clicking here.

More Paleo Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

If you need more paleo, gluten-free, and grain-free autumn dessert recipes, I have you covered!

[Originally posted on November 17, 2017. Updated on November 14, 2021.]

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).