I have a confession: this Paleo Thanksgiving recipe roundup post is a selfish move on my part. I want you to have all the amazing recipes for Thanksgiving, I really do!
But I also want to have all of my favorite Paleo Thanksgiving recipes from around the web all in one spot for easy reference, so when I'm ready to shop and cook, I don't have to go hunting all over the internet for them.
Once I decided to make a list, I figured, why not share it with you?
I know having a Paleo Thanksgiving can seem somewhat intimidating. How can you have stuffing without bread? What about the dinner rolls? And the pie? OMGthepie. Let's be real - there is no Thanksgiving without pie.
I'vecome to your rescue. You certainly don't need allof these recipes, but I've compiled a well-rounded listso you have options, in the event that someone has a nut allergy, or you don't want to take the time to make deviled eggs, or you don't like brussel sprouts (in which case you're crazy, give them all to me!)
This list is also proof that you don't have to give up Paleo to enjoy Thanksgiving. You can still have your (paleo) pie and eat it too!
Salted Maple Bacon Pecansfrom Paleo Scaleo
These nuts are so tasty. If you're worried about them tasting like bacon, don't - because they don't. They taste like salty maple deliciousness.
Holiday Spiced Nutsfrom Mel Joulwan
Want to step up your spiced nut game a bit? Make these "dino chow" spiced nuts from Mel Joulwan. I made a double batch of these last year and our guests were eating them faster than I could refill the bowl!
Plus, they're way better for you than any "mixed nuts" you'd buy from the store.
Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates from Paleo Table
Don't let the tinyphoto deter you. (That was the biggestone in the post!) Dates stuffed with meat, then wrapped with meat? Yes please!
This meat version of Devils on Horseback (which is dates stuffed with cheese and wrapped with bacon) is an awesome Paleo alternative to the cheese.
Plus I bet if you used this spicy chorizo recipe, you'd get an amazing combo of spicy sausage and sweet dates. Mmmm.
Deviled Eggs from Paleo Cupboard
Deviled eggs are a no-brainer Paleo app, are they not? They're not even that hard to make, and they always look so fancy.
All you need is an icing bag and tip and you've got a restaurant-worthy appetizers for your guests.
This basic recipe from Paleo Cupboard will get you there, but don't be scared to add herbs or spices to your filling, or top those deviled eggs with some bacon, crispy shallots, pickled jalapeños, or whatever strikes your fancy.
Perfect Smoked Turkeyfrom The Domestic Man
My husband smokes a lot of meat on the grill, including our Thanksgiving turkey last year. It was seriously a game-changer for us. I didn't write down what he did, but I will this year!
In the meantime, check out this smoked turkey recipe from The Domestic Man. If that picture doesn't make your mouth water, then....I don't even know what. Just give me all your turkey. I'll eat it.
Perfectly Roasted Turkey from Paleo Scaleo
Don't have a grill? Live in the frozen tundra where it's too cold to go outside to cook your turkey?
No worries. Your oven will do the trick as well! (Confession: I'll roast a full turkey once or twice a year. It's way cheaper per pound that way, it will feed us for the whole week, and we can freeze some of it for later!)
Bacon Wrapped Turkey from Something New for Dinner
Yeah, you read that right. Bacon wrapped turkey. Because, why not? Everything is better with bacon.
Also, she references making a "bacon jacket," which made me laugh. Because every turkey needs a bacon jacket.
Green Bean Casserole from Fed & Fit
I am lamenting the loss of a beloved recipe. A few years ago, BuzzFeed did a Paleo Thanksgiving roundup post that included a green bean casserole with cashew cream sauce from The Urban Poser.
It was like your traditional green been casserole, but sooo much better. The cashew cream sauce was amazing, and it got topped with fried shallots. I'm not sure what happened, but when you click the link in the BuzzFeed article, the URL is correct for the green bean casserole, but it doesn't appear on Urban Poser's site.
And if you search 'green bean?' No results. Sad clown.
So, I'm moving on. This green bean casserole from Cassie Joy over at Fed & Fit looks like it's going to give my old favorite a run for it's money!
Paleo Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing from Deliciously Organic
As a general rule, my least favorite kind of recipes are the ones that require you to make another recipe before you can make that recipe. Like in The Joy of Cooking, where it's like, "turn to pages 47, 256. and 832, make all of those things, then come back here with them, get these other 15 ingredients, and ta-da, dinner is done! In just 20 minutes!"
Except they didn't calculate in the time the other 3 recipes take to make, so it's really like a 2 day process in the kitchen.
This cornbread and sausage stuffing does require that you hop over to a different recipe and make the cornbread, then use it in the stuffing.
BUT, the cornbread recipe looks fairly straightforward and simple, and you could make the cornbread ahead of time, so come Thanksgiving day, you would only need to make the one recipe.
Plus, it totally looks like it's worth it!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberry Brown Butter from Oh Lardy
Say whaaaaa? I mean, I roast brussel sprouts on a weekly basis. But cranberry and brown butter sauce sounds like a game-changer to me.
Make this with Kerrygold grass-fed butter, or, to keep it strictly Paleo, sub in ghee instead.
Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole from Cook Eat Paleo
When I was little (back when I didn't eat vegetables), the sweet potato casserole was my favorite Thanksgiving dish.
Except it really no longer resembled a vegetable - it was more sugarand butter than potato, and topped with extra marshmallows, just for some extra sugar with my sugar.
I'm still a fan of sweet potatoes, but this casserole is a bit more grown-up than it's marshmallow topped cousin,with a beautiful crumble that is Thanksgiving worthy!
Whipped Parsnips from Meatified
Depending on who you ask, some people will tell you that white potatoes are Paleo. I eat them on occasion, mostly in the form of hash.
And the common go-to for a mashed potato sub at Paleo Thanksgiving is mashed cauliflower.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan, and the cauliflower definitely subs well for the potatoes. But I love the idea here of subbing parsnips instead -a bit of a different flavor, and adding another veggie to the table!
Paleo Dinner Rollsfrom Roasted Root
These are so easy to make. Seriously. I usually save bread experiments for the weekends, because they're so time consuming and frustrating, but if I'm craving bread, I'll whip up a batch of these on a weeknight.
I've made them to go with soups and chilis, and they are perfect for dipping. Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. Paleo perfection.
Cranberry Orange Relish from Paleo Scaleo
I honestly don't know where the original recipe for this came from. My mom has been making it for years, and it is THE BEST.
It's tart and sweet, and most importantly, fresh. It doesn't come out of a can. The original recipe uses refined sugar, but I've made it with honey, or coconut sugar, or even maple syrup for a more "thanksgiving-y" flavor.
And one thing is for sure - they're all good! The best part? It takes 5 minutes and no cooking.
Easy Paleo Gravy from Cook Eat Paleo
I typically use arrowroot flour or tapioca starch to thicken my paleo gravy.
This recipe adds cauliflower, then purees it, which I find to be ingenious - adding veggies to your gravy?! Amazing.
PaleoPumpkin Pie from Against All Grain
No joke - I have served this to people and not told them it was Paleo, and they had no idea. It's that good, and that similar to conventional pumpkin pie.
Paleo Pumpkin Whoopie Pies from Healy Eats Real
Haha, ok, you caught me - this is actually my recipe as a guest post on anotherblog. They are seriously delicious though, and an easy switch up from the traditional pumpkin pie.
Your guests will thank you, I promise. Plus they are so much fun to eat!
Paleo PumpkinCheesecake from Unconventional Baker
For as long as I can remember, my dad has been making a sweet potato cheesecake for Thanksgiving. The recipe is from Galatoire's Restaurant in New Orleans, LA.
It's loaded with sugar, cream cheese, and variety of other not-Paleo, not-good-for-you ingredients - and I don't care. It's the one thing I throw my hands up at every year and say, "the hell with it." It's that good.
A couple of years ago, we were in New Orleans, and went to Galatoire's and ordered the cheesecake. I can honestly tell you that my dad's is better. It's probably all the love in his that they left out.
But this picture right here? This has me wondering. I tried to find a Paleo sweet potato cheesecake recipe, but this was as close as I got.
Challenge accepted. I think at some point, this recipe and the Galatoire's recipe will meet in my kitchen, and make a beautiful sweet potato cheesecake recipe.
Until then, I'll leave you with this. Or make the Galatoire's one. I won't tell.
Vanilla Caramel Apple Cider co*cktailfrom PaleOMG
These are on my "to-make" list for this year. The name alone just makes me feel all warm and fall-ish inside! And you know if it's a dessert or dessert-like recipe coming from PaleOMG, it's sure to be legit.
Double Cider Bourbon Punch from BuzzFeed
The first time I made this, I took it to a Friendsgiving party here in town. By the end of the night, the dispenser was empty and people were opening it up and eating the punch-soaked apples out of the bottom.
The second time I made this, we had random family members/strangers (yes, they were both) attending Thanksgiving, so I figured we needed to keep the booze flowing.
We did have a bitleftover from that event, but only because people switched to drinking straight Maker's Mark. So, I'm guessing they just needed something a bit stronger?
Either way - no, it's not Paleo, because alcohol isn't Paleo. But if you're Scaleo like me, and you need booze to get through the family holidays, I'm your girl, and this is delicious.
...aaaaand that's a wrap! Have a favorite Paleo Thanksgiving recipe that I missed? Post a link to the comments to share - I'd love to seewhat you're making this year. And if you're making one of my recipes, don't forget to post a picture and tag me - I want to see!
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I may earn a small commission off purchases made through affiliate links in this post from Amazon and other sellers. This helps me continue to run the blog and keep providing you fresh content. Thank you for your support!
