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Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Tips & Recipes
Celebrations Editor
While many of us look forward to the Thanksgiving feast with mouths watering and forks and knives in hand, the big holiday meal can actually give those following a gluten-free diet, nightmares. Butter and wheat flour dishes abound at the Thanksgiving meal, all of which can prove dangerous to a gluten-free guest. Luckily, because the holiday is about bringing the family together around the table, you’re more likely to know if someone around your table is following the gluten-free diet.
While the term gluten-free has popped up more and more in culinary conversations of late, it’s still a diet many do not understand confidently. For holiday hostesses looking to keep Thanksgiving gluten-free, or at least gluten-free friendly for certain guests, we’ve put together this short and sweet guide. Complete with a few essential tips and definitions, as well as some delicious recipes to fit the bill, with our guide you can pull off a gluten-free Thanksgiving feast without much more work than you typically expect from the big meal!
What does gluten-free mean?
Before we get into the recipes, you’ll want to understand what exactly a gluten-free diet is! Definition wise, when a dish is said to be “gluten-free” it means there’s no gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, triticale and malts. There’s still a lot of controversy over what a safe intake level of gluten is acceptable for those suffering from celiac disease who adhere to this diet, but if possible, we recommend nixing as much gluten from a dish as possible.
OK, but what ingredients are safe to use?
Gluten-free isn’t hard to understand, but how are you supposed to know if an ingredient is or is not gluten-free if you’re not following the diet strictly? There are a lot of sites like Celiac.com and MayoClinic.com with entire lists of approved ingredients. If you’re looking to adopt a gluten-free lifestyle, we recommend checking them out.
However, if you’re simply in search of recipes you can use for the Thanksgiving meal to keep it gluten-free, we’ve rounded up these recipes as substitutes to the most popular and traditional Thanksgiving dishes deemed a no-no for gluten-free diets.
Click through our slideshow for lots of delicious gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes.
First, the appetizers.
Before the big feast there's often a big spread of appetizers. Make sure you get a few gluten-free options in there starting with these stuffed mushrooms from Clean Green Simple.
Bacon is gluten-free, so use it!
There are a few foods that will make my family smile - bacon is at the top of the list. Gluten-free and always a crowd pleaser, these bacon potato bites from the Kitchn are really perfect for Thanksgiving!
Now, the Bird.
Don't assume your turkey is gluten-free! A lot of producers will add gluten for either preservative or flavor purposes, so make sure you get your hands on a Thanksgiving bird that's deemed safe. Usually, so long as you find a free-range never frozen turkey you're all set, and once you do, we found a recipe over at Gluten Free Girl that is perfect for your feast!
The all-important stuffing.
Perhaps the most daunting replacement for a gluten-free Thanksgiving is the stuffing. Most easily filled with non-friendly ingredients it proves the most intimidating one to reconstruct. Not to fret. Canyon Bakehouse has a delicious gluten-free stuffing recipe that uses their focaccia for a base. With a few easy additions, this stuffing is so flavorful, so delish and so perfectly paired, it'll become the family classic!
Mashed potatoes are OK!
One popular Thanksgiving recipe that's typically gluten-free is mashed potatoes. They pair perfectly with turkey, are safe for all and a classic side dish found at most Thanksgiving feasts. We like this baked recipe from Recipe Girl - creamy, warm and delish!
Don't be afraid to jazz up gluten-free Thanksgiving sides!
What's so great about adopting a gluten-free approach to Thanksgiving is that it forces you to abandon the old favorites. While there will still be a place in your heart for them, there's just as tasty sides out there, if not more delicious, to try - sort of like this bacon and goat cheese string bean recipe from Whole Foods.
Gluten-Free cranberry sauce is't hard to find.
Cranberries are naturally gluten-free, so a sauce version isn't usually hard to find. However, if you reach for a can, it could be another story. To keep it safe and extra delicious we like this old fashioned cranberry sauce recipe from My Recipes for our Thanksgiving feast.
Skip the pie.
Turning a pie into a gluten-free Thanksgiving dessert is a lot of work, but we promise - if you've got this pumpkin bread from Gluten-Free Goddess on the table, no one is going to miss the overly sugary treat.
Additional sweetness is OK, too, though!
If you do have a sweet-tooth on a gluten-free diet at the table, whip up these tasty pumpkin whoopie pies from Deliciously Organic. We've tried the recipe and really loved it - plus it really wasn't any more challenging than a typical whoopie we've made in the past!
Check out more gluten-free recipes for any celebration!
