41 Healthy Christmas Recipes That Are Delicious and Light for the Holidays
From veggie-packed dishes to sweet treats for dessert!
We’re all about pleasure when it comes to food, and that’s especially true during the holiday months, when the festive parties, Christmas cookie exchanges and family dinners seem never-ending. And while we totally endorse indulging in all of your cravings during these festive months (what other time of year is all about the food and drinks?) we also understand that it’s easy to get a little carried away — particularly when it comes to sugar, salt and Christmas cocktails. To help you enjoy your favorite savory mains, buttery baked goods and soup recipes without eating yourself into a food coma, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite healthy Christmas recipes that emphasize both big flavors and nutrition.
Along with veggie-heavy sides and Christmas salads, this list boasts plenty of lean, flavorful proteins like turkey and steak, rib-sticking root vegetables and even a few pastas. Wintry, festive ingredients like pomegranate seeds and butternut squash abound, along with surprising add-ins like smoked almonds and grated ricotta salata are all perfect to have on your holiday table. Plus, we even have healthy Christmas treats for a little sweetness after dinner.
Each recipe we’ve included here emphasizes colorful produce, whole grains and legumes, while limiting the use of refined white flour, sugar and ingredients high in saturated fat like butter and heavy cream. Whichever recipes you choose, make sure to keep it fun and festive — after all, that’s what this season is all about!
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower
Mashed potatoes are a staple at the holiday table, and replacing them entirely with cauliflower isn't the same. Try the 50/50 approach instead: Use half white potatoes, half cauliflower. You'll keep the classic texture and taste while sneaking in extra veggies and more volume.
Get the Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower recipe.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Ganache Tart
This fudgy gluten-free tart looks extra festive (and gets a burst of antioxidants!) with a garnish of bright pomegranate seeds on top.
Get the Gluten-Free Chocolate Ganache Tart recipe.
RELATED: 10 Top Pomegranates Health Benefits, According to Registered Dietitians
Green Beans with Orange and Almond Gremolata
Most green bean casseroles call for heavily processed canned soup and fried onions, causing sodium and saturated fat counts to skyrocket. Instead, opt for this zesty green bean dish that's packed with healthy fats thanks to almonds and olive oil.
Get the Green Beans with Orange and Almond Gremolata recipe.
Vanilla Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet (it's in the name!), so there's no need for loads of marshmallows and brown sugar. Just cut your spuds into wedges, add a hint of maple syrup and some fragrant vanilla bean and roast to crisp, caramelized perfection.
Herb-Roasted Turkey
Not only is traditional glazed ham super high in sugar, but its sodium count can also be off the charts due to brining. This roasted turkey ditches the sugar and much of the salt, and it's even lower in fat. Tip: White meat is a bit lower in fat than dark meat, but we say choose what you like best.
Get the Herb-Roasted Turkey recipe.
Mushroom and Chile-Garlic Green Beans
This two-step side makes roasted wild fungi the star of the show. Skip the standard button mushrooms and pick up some shiitakes or maitakes for an extra-flavorful kick. No matter which one you try, you'll get a boost of vitamin D and selenium.
Get the Mushroom and Chile-Garlic Green Beans recipe.
RELATED: 7 Surprising Mushroom Health Benefits for Your Skin, Brain and Bones
Salad of the Seven Fishes
The Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional Italian-American celebration, typically calls for seven separate seafood dishes. This recipe combines all the best parts into one salad stuffed with scallops, mussels, shrimp and more good-for-you protein.
Get the Salad of the Seven Fishes recipe.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette
A bright, three-ingredient tahini dressing balances out sweet, caramelized butternut squash in this light dinner (or hearty side). When you inevitably want to make it again, feel free to sub in another variety — like acorn, delicata or pumpkin — to mix it up.
Get the Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette recipe.
Pork Tenderloin with Quinoa Pilaf
Fresh pomegranate arils make any dinner look festive, this one included. A scoop of nutty quinoa plus a citrus-glazed pork tenderloin pack a one-two punch of whole grain and lean protein that will keep you full all night long.
Get the Pork Tenderloin with Quinoa Pilaf recipe.
RELATED: 32 Quinoa Recipes That'll Help You Eat Healthier All Day Long
Balsamic Roasted Onions
These sweet-and-savory roasted onions are as simple to prepare as they are delicious. They're also a perfect make-ahead dish, so they're an ideal side for your holiday feast.
Get the Balsamic Roasted Onions recipe.
Winter Squash and Spinach Lasagna
This vegetarian main dish gets rich, creamy flavor from squash puree, low-sodium cottage cheese and part-skim mozzarella.
Escarole Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
Funky blue cheese and a bracing vinaigrette balance out hearty, bitter escarole in this perfect Christmas side salad.
Yellow Split Pea Dip
Eating more plant protein like legumes and split peas benefits both the environment and your health. But when you're dipping crudité into this gorgeously vibrant dip, the only thing you'll really be thinking about is going back for seconds.
Get the Yellow Split Pea Dip recipe.
Orange-Ginger Roast Chicken with Fennel and Radicchio Salad
Wintry flavors like citrus, ginger and fennel abound in this roast chicken-and-salad pairing. As an added bonus, a whole roasted bird gives you a choice of dark meat, light meat or a mix of both.
Get the Orange-Ginger Roast Chicken with Fennel and Radicchio Salad recipe.
Coriander-Maple Glazed Carrots
Give the cinnamon a break and bust out the coriander for this one-pan side. A final toss in lime zest and maple syrup will ensure these root veggies taste anything but bland.
Savory Pumpkin and Sage Soup
The surprising secret to this creamy-looking soup? It has no cream — just pumpkin, low-sodium broth, and a plethora of good-for-you seasonings like ginger, nutmeg, and garlic. Topped with browned sage and shiitakes, this soup is going to make you glad that you grabbed a bowl instead of a cup.
Get the Savory Pumpkin and Sage Soup recipe.
Brussels Sprouts with Pepitas and Figs
Roasted Brussels have never let us down, and this recipe is no exception. Add toasted, spiced pumpkin seeds and sweet Mission figs to your list of go-to mix-ins for this classic vegetable side.
Roasted Squash Panzanella
Roasted squash and baby kale make for a wintry take on this hearty summer favorite. Serve as a side to meatier dishes, or even as a vegetarian Christmas dinner.
Get the Roasted Squash Panzanella recipe.
Crispy Beet and Mozzarella Salad
Beets and cucumbers are great and all, but mozzarella is the real winner here. Roasting beets brings out their natural, earthy sweetness, while peppery radishes and arugula provide crunch and contrast. For a pretty plate like this one, try using a variety of different-colored beets.
Lentil Bolognese Spaghetti
Celebrate Christmas with an Italian flair. Lighten things up by making your own "bolognese" sauce with lentils, chopped onion and carrot, button mushrooms and tomatoes as well as lean ground beef. By bulking up the sauce with hearty lentils and flavorful veggies, you gain nutrition without sacrificing one iota of flavor. Toasted pine nuts add a fun crunch.
Get the Lentil Bolognese Spaghetti recipe.
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
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