Thanksgiving is almost here and people are worried that they have to break their ketogenic diet to be able to enjoy the holidays. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to. There’s so many delicious keto-friendly foods and recipes out there, that both you and your family can enjoy during this holiday.
Below are some ideas that I have for Thanksgiving: personal favorites of mine that I’ll be serving myself, and some of my favorite recipes that would be a great treat for anyone to serve during a family get together.
Keto Breakfasts
Low Carb Pancake Sandwich
Make the morning special with one of my favorite breakfast recipes. This one is from my cookbook, Keto-fied!, and tastes just like a McGriddle©. If you, or something in your life, miss a little bit of drive-thru in the morning, this low carb treat will definitely satisfy the craving!
Pumpkin Spiced French Toast
Who doesn’t love french toast? With a crisped up outside and a decadently fluffy inside, I don’t think many people can say no to this. Add some pumpkin spice into the mix and you definitely can’t say no. This keto bread is one of my favorites, and it is so versatile in what you can do with it.
Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal
As a kid, I can’t say that oatmeal came to mind when someone asked “favorite breakfast”. As I grew older, oatmeal became a staple – and was really something that I started to miss after being on a keto diet for years. Now, you can have your oatmeal and eat it, too…cinnamon roll style!
Pumpkin Pie Spiced Waffles
As most of you know, waffles are one of my favorite things to make. On keto, they come out so perfectly and with the help of a keto maple syrup, they bring memories of my childhood back. Share the love by making your family waffles on Thanksgiving morning – they take only a few minutes and they taste fantastic!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
This recipe has been featured in almost every one of my “top” recipe posts. They are just so good! If you’re a fan of sweet muffins, make sure you don’t miss out on these. Combining the awesome flavors of cinnamon and “brown sugar”, you really can’t go wrong!
Keto Sides
Easy Creamy Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
You really have to have some sort of starch-feeling side at Thanksgiving. Though potatoes are not keto friendly, cauliflower definitely is. Since experimenting and eating so much mashed cauliflower, I can actually say that I enjoy it more than potatoes. With thick, creamy, and luscious consistency, these won’t let your family down.
Roasted Pecan Green Beans
Green beans are a staple at any family get together at my house. Revitalizing a somewhat boring staple, we make boiled green beans taste good again. Instead of boiling or blanching, we choose to roast our green beans and serve them with pecans. A real treat that has a great flavor bite after bite.
Easy Keto Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach is another usual dinner staple for me. Whenever I make big roasts or I want to serve something easy to make to a lot of people, creamed spinach is a go-to. It’s super simple to make, it doesn’t take long (so the stress of doing all the cooking is reduced), and people love it!
Keto Au Gratin Brussels Sprouts
Normally you’d see me linking to my classic Brussels Sprouts and Bacon recipe, but I thought this Thanksgiving a bit of change was needed. Instead of serving the same thing I usually do, I’m going to be making brussels sprouts au gratin – keto style. With an amazingly rich cheese sauce inside and an awesomely crunchy crust on top, everyone will be asking for the recipe.
Lemon Roasted Spicy Broccoli
Roasted vegetables are the perfect way to get kids to eat veggies on Thanksgiving. If they don’t like the typical steamed veggies, definitely give this one a try. Plus, making the recipe is super simple and you can include them in the process. Have them hold the bag, add oil, and let them shake.
Keto Main Courses
Keto Slow Cooker Braised Oxtails
Now, oxtails definitely aren’t a traditional Thanksgiving staple – but there’s not reason why you can’t serve it. It’s super tender, it’s delicious, and it’s roasted for hours to create the aroma that everyone in your house wants to smell. These oxtail really wow people, and they’re definitely on my to-make list!
Turkey Dinner with Homemade Gravy
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a from-scratch made turkey dinner. Add some gravy made from the innards and you have yourself an amazingly aromatic meal with a touch of love that everyone will be able to taste. If you want to stick to a traditional meal this Thanksgiving, make sure you give this recipe a try!
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
If you’re having a more low-key Thanksgiving dinner, this would be a perfect fit. I know not everyone invites their entire family over, or might just be celebrating with their significant other – so a smaller meal that still shows you put the work in is perfect. This simple skillet pot pie not only tastes great, but it has a crispy crust on top that is reminiscent of an old staple.
Orange and Sage Glazed Duck Breast
Duck is definitely more of an elegant meal that you can serve to make your guests know you went the extra mile. With the seasonal flavored sauce to accompany it, people will definitely be impressed by the choice of meat to serve and I’m sure they’ll be thrilled that they get to eat it. If you’re looking to elevate your Thankgiving meal a bit, give this one a try!
Oven Roasted Turkey Legs
Another traditional recipe without having to buy the entire bird. These turkey legs are similar to the ones you can grab at theme parks and ren-fest stalls. They’re a great way to reduce cooking time and not have to roast an entire bird all day. They’re also delicious – the dark meat of the turkey is super tender, juicy, and full of flavor (similar to it’s cousin chicken).
Creamy Spinach Pork Tenderloin Roulade
I absolutely love serving tenderloin when people come over. Stuffed tenderloins makes it look like you put hours and hours of work into it, but in reality it just takes about 20 minutes to prep for. These flavors are great for Thanksgiving and all of your guests will definitely love it. Serve with a side of green beans and call it a day!
Crispy Skin Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder
A whole roasted pork shoulder will give you enough meat to feed a mini army. The succulent, tender meat can be used in any way you can imagine – to make pulled pork (add a little low carb sauce), appetizers, or even stuffed muffins. The crispy skin is perfect to serve on the side so you get the best of both worlds – tender meat and a crunchy bite to finish it off.
Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Another tenderloin recipe that never fails to impress. It’s wrapped in bacon and roasted until tender perfection. Stuffed full of onion and spinach, this will accompany any sauteed or roasted vegetables you have in mind. Go the extra mile and serve with brussels sprouts to make the seasonal meal complete.
Low Carb Pork Pies
Not always traditionally made in America, as a kid this was a staple in our English house. Pork pies were something that we’d eat at least twice a month, and is definitely a fun twist on the Thanksgiving staples. Miniature pies that you can serve to your guests won’t only impress with presentation, but with the guests knowing that you spend the extra time to make them each a meal on its own.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Pan Gravy
Not everyone loves to get turkey on Thanksgiving, so I thought that I’d add this recipe in as well. Chicken is a perfect substitute for turkey, and the fact that it’s wrapped in bacon just makes everything better. It’s super tender, full of juice, and the bacon fat helps marinade the chicken with delicious flavors as it roasts. Make some pan gravy with the extra drippings and everyone wins!
Keto Desserts
Keto Pumpkin Pie Blondies
If your family is the type to get up, walk around, and mingle with others once the eating is over – this will be perfect for you. These little blondies don’t have to be served on a plate – you can just cut them up and have people pick at them as they want. With the flavors of pumpkin coming through, they will definitely be a fan!
Brown Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Ice cream is always a favorite among pretty much any family that’s celebrating Thanksgiving. Though it might not be as traditional as pie or cake, I’m sure your family will love this one. With notes of flavor from the browned butter and pecans, I’m sure thing will be an instant hit.
Keto Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Cookies are an awesome way to finish up a heavy meal. You don’t have to gorge on a rich pie or cake, but you can just pick how much or how little you want to eat. These cookies are like a dense cake cut out in the shape of cookies – they’re a great texture and they’re full of the pumpkin pie flavor.
Caramel Pots de Creme
Pots de Creme are always seen as a “fancy” dessert. They’re elegant, they’re creamy, and they’re really tasty. To finish up an amazing Thanksgiving meal, you have to have an amazing Thanksgiving dessert. You can easily make the base in advance and bake them up as everyone’s eating their meal. They’re super simple!
Keto No Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake just screams Thanksgiving dessert. In our house, pumpkin pie was always a staple, and having a pecan cheesecake on the side was no shock when my mom pulled it out of the fridge. I wanted to combine the best of the two into a decadent, easy-to-make pie that’s stress free and won’t take hours to make.
I hope you were able to get some ideas from my list of favorites (and a few that I’m going to be making myself) to make this Thanksgiving as special and keto-friendly as I can. I hope everyone has a fantastic keto-friendly Thanksgiving and enjoys the time they have with their family, significant others, and friends!
