Thanksgiving can be tough when you have food sensitivities. But it doesn’t have to mean that you cannot join in the fun. Here are my favorite AIP Thanksgiving recipes for the side of the plate: stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, roasted vegetables, and a festive salad. Every one of them is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo, and all but one are AIP or AIP with a simple swap, noted on each recipe.
Most of these recipes are sneak peeks of my AIP/Paleo holiday cookbook “ENJOY”, which has a full Thanksgiving spread, featuring AIP biscuits and AIP stuffing, collard greens, cauliflower mash, sweet potato parsnip purée, pumpkin pie, and more.
The classics: stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce
These three are what make a plate feel like Thanksgiving. All three are made from scratch with real ingredients, so nobody at the table has to ask what is in them.
Grain-free Stovetop Stuffing (Paleo)
This grain-free stuffing tastes just like the real deal. Bread cubes, onion, celery, garlic, and a generous handful of fresh parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme, simmered in chicken stock. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo. For a yeast-free and egg-free AIP version, grab a copy of my holiday cookbook.
Mom's Special Gravy (Paleo, AIP)
My mom’s special gravy is the most delicious sauce for the holiday season. Leek, celery, carrots, apple, onion, garlic, and fresh herbs cooked down in bone broth, then blended smooth. No flour, no dairy, and no thickener needed. Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and Paleo. Leave out the red wine and the pepper and it is AIP. You can find many variations of this recipe in my holiday cookbook “ENJOY”.
Cranberry Sauce (AIP, Paleo)
This homemade cranberry sauce is really simple and only has five ingredients: cranberries, orange, water, honey, and a cinnamon stick. Skip the store-bought version with lots of added sugar and make your home smell divine in the process. It is perfect next to turkey, stuffing, and gravy. Refined sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and AIP.
Roasted vegetables
Roasted sides are the easiest part of the meal to make AIP: vegetables, olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, and sea salt. Skip the black pepper during the elimination phase and every recipe in this group is compliant.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts (AIP, Paleo)
Roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are a simple, healthy, yet delicious side dish for any occasion. Sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil, roasted until the edges caramelize. Perfect for a Thanksgiving or holiday dinner and for anyone with food sensitivities. Gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and AIP (omit the pepper).
Rosemary Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash (AIP, Paleo)
This rosemary garlic roasted butternut squash is the perfect side dish for a fall or holiday meal. Butternut squash, olive oil, garlic, and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary are all it takes. Gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and AIP (omit the pepper).
Stuffed Acorn Squash (AIP, Paleo)
Acorn squash halves filled with grass-fed ground beef, leek, garlic, and mushrooms in a creamy coconut sauce. It is hearty enough to be a main course for anyone skipping the turkey, and a substantial side for everyone else. Gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and AIP (omit the pepper).
Something fresh: salad and a vegetable dip
A bright salad and a make-ahead dip balance out a table full of roasted and braised food, and both can be prepared the day before.
Holiday Salad (Paleo, AIP adaptable)
This marinated beet salad with figs and pecans tastes delicious, looks pretty, and is packed with nutrients. It features arugula, spinach, beets, fresh figs, pomegranate seeds, and pecans with a honey vinaigrette. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo. For AIP, leave out the pecans, the mustard, and the pepper.
Roasted Cauliflower Garlic Dip (AIP, Paleo)
A whole head of cauliflower and a whole head of garlic, roasted until sweet and blended with olive oil and lime juice. Serve it with vegetable sticks while the turkey rests, or spoon it onto the plate as a creamy side. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, Paleo, and AIP (omit the pepper).
What can you eat on Thanksgiving on the AIP diet?
More than you would think. Turkey is naturally compliant, and most of the traditional sides are only a swap or two away: stuffing made without grains or eggs, gravy thickened by blending vegetables instead of adding flour, cranberry sauce sweetened with honey, and roasted vegetables with olive oil and herbs instead of butter and pepper. The eight AIP Thanksgiving recipes above cover the whole side of the plate, and the ENJOY cookbook adds the biscuits, cauliflower mash, and pumpkin pie.
Which of these Thanksgiving side dishes are fully AIP?
Cranberry sauce is AIP exactly as written. The gravy, the three roasted vegetable dishes, and the cauliflower dip are AIP once you leave out the black pepper (and the red wine in the gravy). The holiday salad needs three swaps: skip the pecans, the mustard, and the pepper. The grain-free stuffing is Paleo but contains bread cubes made with eggs, so the elimination-phase version lives in the cookbook.
Wanna get more holiday and special occasion recipes? Get my AIP/Paleo holiday cookbook “ENJOY”, including a full Thanksgiving spread and a Christmas menu. Healthy festive meals for you and your loved ones.
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