Whether you’re cooking up a fantabulous feast for Thanksgiving, looking for a new side dish or just browsing for recipe inspiration, this Paleo Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup is your one-stop shop.
This guide will make it super easy to peruse our favorite Paleo recipes and I’ve also included my Paleo Thanksgiving menu so you can see an example of what works well together. :)
If you’re not into turkey, no problem. I’ve included a few different main course options as alternatives. Although, if turkey is your crown jewel, my bacon-wrapped turkey will definitely shine with Paleo and non-Paleo eaters alike.
Thanksgiving is rarely about the turkey, it’s more about all the glorious sides (well actually it’s probably about joining together with close family and friends, but I’m talking food here, people!). :) Whether you’re looking for something simple or more elaborate the sides tend to come down to a vegetable matched with a preparation method.
My Paleo Thanksgiving Menu
In the past, I have only needed to prepare a side or two because in our family, since before I was born my mom has prepared the Thanksgiving feast.
When Jeff & I started dating, we started splitting the day in half. First we would enjoy an extravagant lunch that Jeff’s mom would slave over and prepare super early so that we could then head directly over to my parents house for (second) dinner, i.e. another fully prepared turkey dinner with all the fixins!
In the past, I decided it would be much easier if I prepared the Thanksgiving dinner and invited everyone over to our place. It saved both of our moms from having to prepare meals separately and we didn’t have to split our time…and save enough room to enjoy both meals!
This is my Paleo Thanksgiving menu, which I prepared for 15 people:
- Turkey with dried herbs, rubbed with duck fat (a 24lb local, pasture-raised turkey from Nature’s Choice Farm)
- Paleo Stuffing
- Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
- Maple Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower-Parsnip Mash
- Mini Paleo Biscuits
- Paleo Caesar Salad with Celery
- Lacinato Kale & Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberries
- Cranberry Sauce
- Orange-Grapefruit Sangria
- Paleo Pecan Pie
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies (made with cashew meal instead of almond flour)
Prepare A Simple Dish
Don’t let fancy side dishes scare you away, you can prepare something simple and it can absolutely taste delicious. For example you can choose carrots, celery, broccoli, brussels sprouts, parsnips, pumpkin, squash, asparagus, etc. and each one can be prepared in an assortment of ways: baked, mashed, boiled, pan-fried or any other way you see fit. It’s really as simple as combining a vegetable or two, choosing your cooking method and then adding in an herb, seasoning, and/or fat.
But Thanksgiving day is not the time to be experimenting, so leave that to me and feel free to peruse what I’ve already tested and shared below.
Enjoy your time with family and friends and if you give any of my recipes a try, let me know how they turn out for ya! :)
More Thanksgiving Menu Ideas
Unless you’re really hungry, this isn’t meant to be a single menu. But if you want a fan-freaking-tastic Thanksgiving or you’re feeling like superwoman (or -man), then have at it! ;)
Appetizers
Sides
Main Course
Desserts
Don’t let those pecans fool you, I only used them as a garnish and they’re completely optional.
Need More Inspiration
Remember that you can search for any specific ingredient on the Is It Paleo? app, you can also use the search feature on the Recipes page to view all recipes on Paleo Porn, you can also generate a random recipe by going to http://paleoporn.com/random and if you have any other questions about preparing your holiday menu or otherwise, let’s talk!
Feel free to setup a 1:1 cooking coaching session with me and we can talk through any questions you may have. While you’re preparing your holiday meal, don’t forget to smile and laugh a bit because stress is so not paleo. ;)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love, Jeff & Marla :)
