50 of Our Best Healthy Holiday Sides

The holidays are a time for family and food — but not every dish has to be packed with butter or sugar. (We love a good sweet potato pie as much as the next person, but we'll save the calories for dessert! ?)

If you're looking for a holiday side dish that's on the healthier side, you've come to the right place!

We've got delicious healthy, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options to keep all your guests happy.

Check out 50 of our favorite healthy holiday side dish recipes below!

1. Healthy Pimento Mac

This mac is super cheesy — and secretly healthy!

Watch Rach and her culinary team make it in the video above.

GET THE RECIPE: Healthy Pimento Mac

2. Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

No marshmallows, no problem. This vegan sweet potato casserole has a rich, creamy filling thanks to coconut oil + almond milk.

GET THE RECIPE: Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

3. Healthy Soul Food Greens

This recipe for soul food-inspired healthy collard greens from Kevin Curry of FitMenCook proves that you only need a little bacon for big flavor.

GET THE RECIPE: Healthy Soul Food Greens

4. Roasted Broccolini and Baby Carrots

This easy veggie side dish gets a little kick from red pepper flakes, plus a refreshing hit of thyme and bright lemon zest.

GET THE RECIPE: Roasted Broccolini and Baby Carrots

5. Easy Orange Shaved & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Shaved sprouts get a dose of bright citrus zest, then crisped in the oven.

GET THE RECIPE: Easy Orange Shaved & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

6. Cauliflower Salad

With olives and pickled cherry peppers, this veggie side dish takes on a giardiniera-like bite. 

GET THE RECIPE: Cauliflower Salad

7. Celery, Apple and Fennel Slaw

The crisp, clean flavors of Rach's slaw are balanced by rich, meaty walnuts and shavings of salty parmigiano-reggiano cheese.

GET THE RECIPE: Celery, Apple and Fennel Slaw

8. Healthied-Up Sweet Potato Casserole

This lower-fat version of classic sweet potato casserole is perfect for family and friends who enjoy some healthy options around the Thanksgiving table.

GET THE RECIPE: Healthied-Up Sweet Potato Casserole

9. Salad With Green Olive Dressing

This simple, super-tasty dressing is easy to make in a blender, and the perfect finish for good green-leaf lettuce such as gem.

GET THE RECIPE: Salad With Green Olive Dressing

10. Hot Broccoli Rabe

Anchovies and calabrian chili paste add a briny, smokiness to this easy side dish of broccoli rabe.

GET THE RECIPE: Hot Broccoli Rabe

11. Mashed Cauliflower with Cheddar and Chives

This versatile side dish is a healthy and delish swap for mashed potatoes.

GET THE RECIPE: Mashed Cauliflower with Cheddar and Chives

12. Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Add "Milk Street" author Christopher Kimball's slow-roasted tomatoes to sandwiches, soups or stews — or toss them with pasta.

GET THE RECIPE: Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

13. Healthy Mashed Potato Fake-out

Graham Elliot sautés onions and garlic in olive oil and saffron before mashing up cannellini beans for his guilt-free holiday side.

GET THE RECIPE: Healthy Mashed Potato Fake-out

14. Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing

"Wild rice has about as much protein as quinoa does," Chef Graham Elliot says about the key ingredient in his gluten-free, healthy stuffing.

GET THE RECIPE: Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing

15. Roast Cauliflower Bites with Kale Pesto

Cauliflower florets are caramelized in the oven, then topped with an easy homemade kale pesto for a healthy, satisfying bite.

GET THE RECIPE: Roast Cauliflower Bites with Kale Pesto

16. Fake-Out Mushroom & Kale Stuffing

This fake-out takes your ordinary, premade stuffing and adds a little something special to it.

GET THE RECIPE: Fake-Out Mushroom & Kale Stuffing

17. Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato with Arugula and Balsamic

The arugula wilts slightly and it's a healthy, nutty, tart and sweet alternative to sweet potato pie.

GET THE RECIPE: Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato with Arugula and Balsamic

18. Roasted Root Vegetables with Cider Vinaigrette

"You only need to worry about three things: your vegetables, some EVOO and salt and pepper — and anyone can handle that," Kelsey Nixon says of this easy sheet-pan side.

GET THE RECIPE: Roasted Root Vegetables with Cider Vinaigrette

19. Sugar Snap Peas with Pecorino Romano

The only thing more satisfying than crunchy sugar snap peas is the addition of Pecorino Romano, mint and basil.

GET THE RECIPE: Sugar Snap Peas with Pecorino Romano

20. Escarole Salad with Pears and Blue Cheese

Swing into fall with Rach's easy side salad of escarole, pears, and blue cheese.

GET THE RECIPE: Escarole Salad with Pears and Blue Cheese

21. Easy Homemade Applesauce

This 2-ingredient applesauce from the authors of the new cookbook "The Teen Kitchen" is almost too easy!

GET THE RECIPE: Easy Homemade Applesauce

22. Lightened-Up Cacio E Pepe with Spaghetti Squash

Daphne Oz, author of "The Happy Cook," pairs the Italian duo of "cheese and pepper" with spaghetti squash for a filling and deceptively indulgent dish.

GET THE RECIPE: Lightened-Up Cacio E Pepe with Spaghetti Squash

23. Fettuccine Cauli-fredo with Roasted Za'atar Florets

This creamy and delicious pasta gets topped with roasted cauliflower seasoned with za'atar, a Mediterranean spice blend beloved for its big, bold flavors.

GET THE RECIPE: Fettuccine Cauli-fredo with Roasted Za'atar Florets

24. Better-For-You Baked Parm-Onion Tortilla Chips

These homemade corn chips are guilt-free and easy enough for little ones to make with you.

GET THE RECIPE: Better-For-You Baked Parm-Onion Tortilla Chips

25. Warm Winter Greens Salad

A warm vinaigrette of dijon mustard and honey coats winter greens and softens them for a wintry take on a salad.

GET THE RECIPE: Warm Winter Greens Salad

26. Tre Colore Salad

Three kinds of lettuces come together in this salad with a honey-mustard dressing that makes for the perfect, crisp bite.

GET THE RECIPE: Tre Colore Salad

27. Cauliflower Alfredo Mac 'N' Cheese

Cauliflower gives this healthy spin on the comfort food classic a rich and creamy texture expected from the sinful version.

GET THE RECIPE: Cauliflower Alfredo Mac 'N' Cheese

28. Truffled Potato Chips

These yummy chips from Oprah Winfrey only need 3 ingredients.

GET THE RECIPE: Oprah Winfrey's Truffled Potato Chips

29. Air-Fried French Fries

An air fryer is the key to extra-crispy fries with WAY less fat.

GET THE RECIPE: Air-Fried French Fries

30. Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Coriander + Lemon

This make-ahead soup from Melissa Clark's "Dinner In An Instant" is a LIFE-SAVER.

GET THE RECIPE: Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Coriander + Lemon

31. Overloaded Baked Potato

A satisfying one-dish meal from blogger Audrey Johns' detox cookbook.

GET THE RECIPE: Overloaded Baked Potato

32. Detox Kale Salad

A satisfying antidote to overindulgence.

GET THE RECIPE: Detox Kale Salad

33. Oven-Fried Asparagus

Two types of breadcrumbs are the secret to these crunchy, oven-baked asparagus spears.

GET THE RECIPE: Oven-Fried Asparagus

34. Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Graham Elliot uses roasted oyster mushrooms in place of cream of mushroom soup, packing in lots of flavor and zero guilt.

GET THE RECIPE: Healthy Green Bean Casserole

35. 2-Ingredient Zucchini

You only need 2 ingredients for Sunny Anderson's zucchini topped with store-bought pesto.

GET THE RECIPE: 2-Ingredient Zucchini

36. Greek Salad Boats

The bright, clean flavors of Greek salad get transformed into a fresh and flavorful finger food.

GET THE RECIPE: Greek Salad Boats

37. Gluten-Free Rosemary and Thyme Oat Flour Pizza with Sautéed Onions and Wild Mushrooms

This oat flour pizza is gluten-free and vegetarian. 

GET THE RECIPE: Gluten-Free Rosemary and Thyme Oat Flour Pizza with Sautéed Onions and Wild Mushrooms

38. Grilled Veggie Rainbows on a Stick

A tried-and-true way to get kids to eat their veggies, courtesy of Sarah Michelle Gellar.

GET THE RECIPE: Grilled Veggie Rainbows on a Stick

39. Basic Tomato Soup

This flavorful homemade tomato soup from Oprah Winfrey is anything but 'basic.'

GET THE RECIPE: Basic Tomato Soup

40. Lightened-Up Caesar Salad

0% fat Greek yogurt is the key to keeping the dressing thick and creamy in this lightened-up Caesar salad recipe.

GET THE RECIPE: Lightened-Up Caesar Salad

41. Garlic Naan Flat Bread Pizza with Mushrooms

This side pairs perfectly with Rach's Spinoccoli Soup.

GET THE RECIPE: Garlic Naan Flat Bread Pizza with Mushrooms

42. Pear and Roquefort Salad with Spicy Pecan Praline, Arugula and Pear Vinaigrette

Chef Sara Moulton adds elegance to a simple arugula salad by topping it with spicy pecan praline and pear vinaigrette.

GET THE RECIPE: Pear and Roquefort Salad with Spicy Pecan Praline, Arugula and Pear Vinaigrette

43. Breadless Butternut Stuffing

Using butternut squash is a yummy way to stay on the lighter side when making stuffing.

​​​​​​​GET THE RECIPE: Breadless Butternut Stuffing

44. Farro with Roasted Root Vegetables, Spiced Almond and Pomegranate

This will be your new go-to fall salad.

GET THE RECIPE: Farro with Roasted Root Vegetables, Spiced Almond and Pomegranate

45. Broccolini-Mushroom Casserole

Chef Curtis Stone says the panko mixture for his casserole can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.

​​​​​​​GET THE RECIPE: Broccolini-Mushroom Casserole

46. Herbed Mashed Cauliflower

A food processor makes quick work of Valerie Bertinelli's healthy mashed cauliflower dish.

​​​​​​​GET THE RECIPE: Herbed Mashed Cauliflower

47. Kale Chips

Massage kale in olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake until crisp to make these deliciously crunchy kale chips.

​​​​​​​GET THE RECIPE: Kale Chips

48. No-Cream Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup

You'll never guess what makes this dish creamy. (It's not cream!)

GET THE RECIPE: No-Cream Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup

49. ​​​​​Grilled Vegetable Antipasto with Balsamic Dressing

Antipasto is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal.

GET THE RECIPE: Grilled Vegetable Antipasto with Balsamic Dressing

50. Linguine with Rabe and Parsley Pesto

This pasta dish is packed with good-for-you greens.

GET THE RECIPE: Linguine with Rabe and Parsley Pesto