Gluten-free Friday: Move over turkey! 5 Gluten-free Thanksgiving sides

If you’re sensitive to gluten and follow a gluten-free diet, Thanksgiving can still be about all the delicious side dishes! There are so many tasty gluten-free recipes you can choose from, but start with the five below. These are sure to please everyone at the table this year!

Gluten can be found in many different foods and products, from ketchup to soy sauce to candy and seasonings. While SheKnows.com tries to ensure these recipes are gluten-free, carefully read the ingredient labels of all food and food products you use for these recipes to ensure they are also gluten-free.

What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner? If you’re like me, it’s hard to name just one thing, but side dishes hold a special place in my heart. They’re almost more important than the main dish! These gluten-free Thanksgiving side dish recipes are perfect for those who follow a gluten-free diet. This is your day to dig in!

Creamy butternut squash & pear soup recipe

This soup from Gluten Freely is a bit different from your typical butternut squash soups thanks to the added pears. Use your favorite brand of chicken broth, but ensure it’s gluten-free. This recipe uses Progresso brand.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1-3/4 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32 ounce carton)
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium pears, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
• 1 medium unpeeled pear, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion in butter, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in broth, squash, two sliced pears, thyme, salt, white pepper and coriander. Heat to boiling, and then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
2. Pour about half of the soup into a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth; pour into another container. Repeat with remaining soup. Return soup to Dutch oven.
3. Stir whipping cream into the soup. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it’s hot (but do not boil). Garnish with sliced unpeeled pear and pecans.

Hazelnut sage stuffing recipe

Thanks to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness and Renegade Kitchen, you can make this delightful stuffing to put on your Thanksgiving table for everyone to enjoy. Be careful, though. You might have to fight off the other guests to get (more than) your fair portion of this holiday goodness!

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Rudi’s Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 whole yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bulb fennel, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons sage, minced
• 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 cups gluten-free vegetable stock
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Cut the loaf of bread into rough cubes, anywhere from 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch pieces. Spread the bread cubes over a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they’re light brown and slightly crisp on the outside.
3. Set the bread aside and turn the oven temperature up to 350 degrees F.
4. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the onion, fennel and garlic until they’re slightly translucent, about five to seven minutes.
5. Add the sage and mushrooms and cook everything down for 10 minutes, or until the veggies are at about half of their original volume. Season with salt and pepper to taste as you go.
6. Add the bread cubes to a large bowl and mix in the cooked vegetable mixture, and mix together well.
7. Add the vegetable stock and two eggs over the bread mixture and stir everything one more time. You want it moist but not soggy. The eggs should coat everything.
8. Spread the stuffing into a 9 x 13-inch dish and sprinkle the hazelnuts over the entire casserole.
9. Bake the stuffing for 15-20 minutes, or until the bread is nicely toasted on top and moist in the middle.

Roasted artichokes and broccoli recipe

This delicious vegetable side dish has a bit of an exotic flair thanks to the artichokes, but it’s easy to make and serve as a wonderful side dish. Thanks to Jefferson Adams and Celiac.com for this tasty veggie treat!

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients:

• 9-10 baby artichokes (about 2 pounds)
• 1 broccoli head, cut into florets
• 1 lemon, cut in half, plus 1 teaspoon zest
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut off the top third of the artichokes and peel the outer layers away. Trim the stems and remove the outer layer with a vegetable peeler. Cut the artichokes down the middle and rub them with lemons to keep from browning.
3. Arrange the broccoli and artichokes, cut-side up, in a roasting pan.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Drizzle over vegetables and roast for 20 minutes, or until artichokes are tender.
5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a small pan. Add the pistachios and lemon zest and toast for about two minutes.
6. Top the vegetables with cheese and pistachios and serve.

Wild rice salad recipe with pecans and cranberries

Whole Foods Market presents this substantial side dish salad. With veggies, nuts and rice, you’ll love this dish with all its textures and flavors!

Serves 6 people

Ingredients:

• 8 cups water
• 12 ounces (dry) wild rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup pecans 6 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 cup diced yellow tomatoes
• 1 cup gluten-free raspberry vinaigrette dressing
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the wild rice and salt. Reduce the heat, and cover the saucepan.
2. Cook rice for 50 to 60 minutes, until the rice is completely tender. Drain excess water, and let rice cool.
3. When the rice is cool, transfer it to a large mixing bowl, and add cranberries, parsley, pecans, scallions, yellow tomatoes and gluten-free raspberry vinaigrette.
4. Add salt and pepper, and mix the rice salad thoroughly.

Cranberry relish recipe with dried cherries

Also from Whole Foods Market is this traditional Thanksgiving side dish recipe that just shouldn’t be served up from a can. It’s super easy to make and you can eat it by itself or served over your turkey.

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried cherries
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup golden brown sugar, packed

Directions:

1. Combine cherries, cranberries, cardamom and brown sugar in a bowl.
2. Process half of mixture in a food processor or blender until it’s coarsely chopped.
3. Transfer to bowl and repeat with rest of ingredients.
4. Refrigerate for one day before serving.

What’s Thanksgiving without the wonderful side dishes that are served? If you are sensitive to gluten and follow a gluten-free diet, you don’t have to let the side dishes sideline you!

More gluten-free recipes to try

Attack party season with crunches and dips
Parmesan-topped cornbread
Pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins
Seasonal veggie side dish