The side dishes are the best part of any Thanksgiving feast, am I right? Here are my favorite paleo Thanksgiving side dishes, from creamy mashes and crispy Brussels sprouts to make-ahead soups and salads. They’re all gluten-free and Whole30-friendly, so everyone at your table can pile their plate high.
Although I love a perfectly cooked Spatchcock Turkey smothered in Umami Gravy, I always end up piling my plate high with vegetable side dishes. My family’s Thanksgiving is usually a potluck hosted by someone on Henry’s side, and a side dish is what I almost always bring, so this list gets a workout at our house, too.
Short on oven space? I’ve noted which sides you can make ahead or cook in the Instant Pot, air fryer, or on the stovetop. Every recipe here is gluten-free, and they’re all Whole30-friendly as long as you use sugar-free bacon and prosciutto (and skip the optional honey in the cranberry sauce).
Cooking the whole feast? Grab my free Nomtastic Paleo Thanksgiving e-book, which comes with step-by-step recipes, a shopping list, and a countdown planner. It’s free when you sign up for my email newsletter, and you’ll find the rest of my turkey, gravy, and dessert recipes in my Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes roundup.
Table of Contents
- Cranberry Sauce
- Mashes and Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Garlic Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
- Cauliflower Colcannon
- Instant Pot Autumn Mash
- Roasted Garlic Autumn Root Vegetable Mash
- Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Crispy Swoodles with Bacon
- Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes
- Brussels Sprouts Side Dishes
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Roasted Asian Brussels Sprouts Salad
- More Vegetable Side Dishes
- Instant Pot Kale and Carrots
- Air Fryer Carrots
- Roasted Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic
- Chinese Garlic Green Beans
- Roasted Kabocha Squash
- World’s Best Braised Cabbage
- Swiss Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Crispy Prosciutto
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- King Oyster Mushrooms with Thai Chili Peppers and Lime
- Thanksgiving Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Carrot Ginger Soup with Cardamom
- Pea Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
- Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Cream of Tomato Soup
- Thanksgiving Salad Recipes
- Endive and Apple Salad
- Asian Chopped Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Kale and Persimmon Salad
- Red Cabbage Slaw with Tangy Carrot Ginger Dressing
- More Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes
Cranberry Sauce
Paleo Cranberry Sauce with Cherries
My go-to cranberry sauce is made with frozen cranberries and cherries, apple juice, and a little fresh ginger, and you only add honey if it needs it. (Leave out the honey to keep it Whole30.) Make it up to 5 days ahead so you have one less thing to do on Turkey Day.
Mashes and Potatoes
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Perked up with a dash of cayenne pepper, lime juice, and fresh cilantro, this vegan sweet potato mash is way tastier than the traditional sweet potato casserole. You can make it up to 4 days ahead, but hold off on adding the cayenne, lime, and cilantro until you reheat it.
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Vegan, Paleo, Whole30)
Garlic Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
Going low carb this Thanksgiving? This garlicky cauliflower mash is super easy to make in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, and it reheats well, so you can make it up to 4 days ahead. No one will suspect that you’re serving cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes!
Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (Whole30, Keto)
Cauliflower Colcannon
Want some greens with your mash? Tender kale and scallions get folded into creamy puréed cauliflower, and no one will notice the potatoes are missing. It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, so it’s a great make-ahead side.
Cauliflower Colcannon
Instant Pot Autumn Mash
This veggie-packed mash of parsnips, carrots, cauliflower, and roasted garlic is a family fave, and it only needs 5 minutes under pressure in the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Autumn Mash
Roasted Garlic Autumn Root Vegetable Mash
Don’t have an Instant Pot? This is the OG stovetop version of my Autumn Mash. I like mine silky-smooth, but Henry likes more texture in his, so blend it however your crew likes it. You can make it up to 4 days ahead and reheat it with a splash of bone broth.
Roasted Garlic Autumn Root Vegetable Mash
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sometimes the simplest side is the best one. My foolproof method gives you baked sweet potatoes (or yams) with creamy flesh and dry, crispy skin, and you can dress them up with ghee, toasted almonds, or a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.
Baked Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
Crispy Swoodles with Bacon
These spiralized sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions are roasted in bacon drippings until crispy, then finished with fresh herbs and lime juice. It isn’t a traditional Thanksgiving side dish, but it should be. Save the leftovers and throw an egg on top for breakfast the next day!
Crispy Swoodles with Bacon
Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes
Pressure-cook the potatoes up to 4 days ahead, then crisp them up in a skillet, air fryer, or oven on Turkey Day. You’ll get crispy outsides and fluffy insides with barely any effort.
Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes
Brussels Sprouts Side Dishes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
Brussels sprouts and bacon roast together on one pan until the sprouts are browned and the bacon bits are crispy, then get a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar. Oven full? Make them in the air fryer instead.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon (Whole30, Keto, Air Fryer)
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
This is one of the fastest ways to make a smoky, crowd-pleasing vegetable side, and it all happens in one skillet on the stovetop, so your oven stays free for the turkey. Browned shallots and a splash of apple cider vinegar make it sing.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
Roasted Asian Brussels Sprouts Salad
The umami-packed orange and ginger dressing on these roasted shredded Brussels sprouts will knock your socks off (in a good way). If your oven’s already at 450°F for the turkey, just leave it on for the sprouts, or make the whole dish up to 4 days ahead.
Roasted Asian Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus and Ginger Dressing
More Vegetable Side Dishes
Instant Pot Kale and Carrots
Tender kale and carrots cook in just 5 minutes under pressure in the Instant Pot, so this simple side won’t take up any room on your stove or in your oven.
Instant Pot Braised Kale and Carrots
Air Fryer Carrots
Oven tied up with the turkey? These carrots are ready in about 20 minutes in the air fryer, and you don’t even need to peel them. They taste great cold, too, so they’re perfect for bringing to a potluck.
Easy Air Fryer Carrots (Perfectly Roasted, No Peeling Needed)
Roasted Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic
Tired of soft, limp green bean casserole? Green beans tossed in a zesty lemon and garlic marinade and roasted until charred will be your new favorite way to cook them. They’re on the table in about 20 minutes, and there are air fryer instructions, too.
Roasted Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic
Chinese Garlic Green Beans
Want an Asian spin on green beans this Thanksgiving? These are blistered in a hot skillet and tossed with a garlicky sauce, and they’re done in about 10 minutes on the stovetop.
Chinese Garlic Green Beans
Roasted Kabocha Squash
When roasted, this Japanese pumpkin has the taste and texture of roasted chestnuts, and it only takes about 30 minutes in the oven. It pairs perfectly with turkey, too.
Roasted Kabocha Squash
World’s Best Braised Cabbage
Molly Stevens’ recipe transforms a humble cabbage into a tender, savory showstopper. Better yet, you can braise it up to 4 days ahead and pop it in a hot oven to brown right before dinner.
World’s Best Braised Cabbage
Swiss Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Crispy Prosciutto
The mere thought of tender chard cooked with sizzling garlic and tossed with pine nuts and golden raisins makes me weak in the knees, but crumble some crispy prosciutto on top and pretty much all my stresses disappear. Same? Make this dish.
Swiss Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Crispy Prosciutto
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Whole roasted cauliflower is a showstopping side dish that only needs 3 ingredients. Roast it with olive oil and it’s vegan, too, so it’s a great pick if you have plant-based guests at the table.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
King Oyster Mushrooms with Thai Chili Peppers and Lime
Want something with a little kick? Meaty king oyster mushrooms are seared until browned and tossed with shallots, garlic, ginger, Thai chili, fish sauce, and lime, then showered with fresh herbs. Swap the fish sauce for coconut aminos and your vegan friends can dig in, too.
King Oyster Mushrooms with Thai Chili Peppers and Lime
Thanksgiving Soup Recipes
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
This super bacon-y butternut squash soup cooks in just 7 minutes under pressure, and it keeps in the freezer for up to 4 months, so you can make it well before the big day.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Carrot Ginger Soup with Cardamom
Craving a creamy vegetable soup at the Thanksgiving table? This dairy-free carrot soup gets warmth from fresh ginger and cardamom, and you can make it ahead on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. It freezes great, too.
Easy Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup with Cardamom
Pea Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
Frozen peas make this creamy soup easy to whip up any time of year, and soaked cashews give it a decadent, dairy-free creaminess. It tastes great hot or cold, so there’s no need to reheat it if you’re running behind.
Creamy Pea Soup with Crispy Prosciutto (Dairy-free!)
Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup
If you’re an umami evangelist like me, you’ll love this dairy-free cream of mushroom soup. You can make it in the Instant Pot, on the stovetop, or in a slow cooker, and I highly recommend topping it with crispy mushroom chips.
Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup
Cream of Tomato Soup
This simple and economical crowd-pleaser is made with fire-roasted canned tomatoes and coconut milk, and it’s ready in about 20 minutes.
Cream of Tomato Soup (Paleo, Whole30, Dairy-Free)
Thanksgiving Salad Recipes
Endive and Apple Salad
Sometimes you want a salad with your turkey, and this one hits all the right notes. Bitter endive and radicchio get tossed with sweet Pink Lady apples and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette, then topped with toasted hazelnuts and crispy prosciutto.
Endive and Apple Salad
Asian Chopped Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
This crunchy chopped salad is big on flavor and low on effort. You can make the sesame ginger dressing and blanch the snap peas up to 4 days ahead, then toss everything together right before serving.
Asian Chopped Salad
Kale and Persimmon Salad
Sweet Fuyu persimmons and toasted almonds top kale massaged with a zippy lemon vinaigrette. The dressed kale holds up in the fridge for up to 4 days, so just add the persimmons and almonds when it’s time to eat.
Kale and Persimmon Salad
Red Cabbage Slaw with Tangy Carrot Ginger Dressing
This colorful red cabbage slaw is a refreshing spin on traditional coleslaw, and the tang of the carrot ginger dressing perfectly balances the hearty turkey and gravy.
Red Cabbage Slaw with Tangy Carrot and Ginger Dressing
More Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes
Planning the rest of the menu? My Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes roundup has my spatchcock turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, and plenty of desserts, plus the details on my free Thanksgiving e-book. And if you need even more sweet treats, check out my 20 Gluten-Free Fall Desserts Everyone Will Love.
Happy Thanksgiving, Nomsters!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes 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).
The swoodles and the gravy are so incredible and make for life-changing sides.