Thanksgiving is traditionally a day of carb-heavy feasting—and even dietitians wouldn’t dare recommend skipping the mashed potatoes, stuffing, or fluffy dinner rolls. Yet it’s possible, they say, to level up those favorites with a protein kick that will leave you feeling full for longer. You might even find that it’s fun to reimagine holiday staples.
“It’s not about making Thanksgiving less. It’s a day of abundance,” says Julia Long, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Houston. “It’s about, how can we get more out of this—and add benefits without changing the flavor?”
If you need some inspiration, we asked experts to share their favorite ways to add a protein blast to this year’s Thanksgiving menu.
Mashed potatoes
Replace some or all of the cream or butter in your spuds with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, suggests Sarah Bond, a food scientist, nutritionist, and recipe developer in Denver. You might be surprised by the pizzazz it adds. “Greek yogurt could give it a little bit of a tart flavor,” she says. “I personally really like sour cream and potatoes, and it can emulate that.” Plus, 1 cup of Greek yogurt has 25 grams of protein and is lower in fat than other ingredients commonly used to make mashed potatoes rich and creamy.
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If you’re worried that the yogurt won’t go over well with your guests, consider opting for low-fat cottage cheese—which has such a subtle taste, people might not even notice its presence. If you blend it well enough, “it becomes smooth and silky,” no curds visible, Bond says. It has a similar protein profile to Greek yogurt, with at least 25 grams of protein per cup, so it’ll do a nice job filling you up.
Gravy
Switch out the chicken or beef stock you use to make gravy for the equivalent in bone broth. It won’t change what the final product tastes like, but the protein will leap from around 4 grams per serving to 10 grams. “There’s no flavor difference, and no cooking difference,” Long says. One downside: Bone broth tends to cost a few dollars more than stock. But if you can swing it, she says, it’s an effective way to invite more protein to the table without offending anyone’s palate.
Mac and cheese
If your family is in the camp that believes macaroni and cheese is a holiday food, consider experimenting with more protein-friendly ways to prepare it. You could seize the opportunity to get acquainted with chickpea pasta, for example, which contains 11 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber per 2 oz. Those with finicky family members might, however, want to proceed cautiously, since it’s chewier, nuttier, and a little more “wholesome” tasting than typical pasta. “If you have guests and they’re expecting one thing, it could be a bit jarring,” Bond acknowledges.
In those cases, she likes to direct people to silken tofu, which hasn’t been pressed like the firm tofu you might use in other dishes—meaning it’s soft and pliable. “It’s a great choice for blending into things where you want a creamy, hidden protein,” Bond says. Silken tofu has a super mild taste, and 3 ounces pack about 5 grams of protein.
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Holiday Durham, a registered dietitian in Los Angeles, likes mixing pureed chickpeas or white beans in with the mac and cheese for added protein and a slightly different texture. Both types of beans offer about 10 grams of protein per half-cup serving. “Chickpeas add that nutty flavor, and white beans have such a bland taste that you can’t really tell they’re there,” she says. “It just makes everything creamier.”
Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts are a Thanksgiving standout—and there’s a lot you can do to breathe new life into the cruciferous veggies. You could, for example, sauté them with chopped turkey bacon for extra flavor and protein, Durham suggests. If you prefer meat-free ideas, toss in toasted almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds, or some crispy roasted chickpeas. Lots of people enjoy serving Brussels sprouts over a bed of quinoa, she adds, which makes for a protein-rich base—1 cup has 7.45 grams. “It adds to the crunchiness,” Durham says. “There’s so much versatility with Brussels sprouts.”
Rolls
Who knew? Doughy rolls don’t have to be so, well, carby. If you’re making your own bread, Durham recommends using whole wheat rather than white flour, which can boost protein and fiber content. You could also add a couple scoops of unflavored protein powder to the dough. One scoop has about 24 grams of protein—which will definitely delay how long it takes for you to return for a second or third plate. “Once it’s blended in and you’re cooking, it’s fabulous,” she says. “You don’t even know it’s there.” Another of Durham’s favorite tricks is incorporating chia seeds, flaxseeds, or hemp seeds into the dough—all are rich in protein and fiber. Three tablespoons of hemp seeds, for example, contain a satisfying 9 grams of protein, plus impressive amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
Stuffing
If you’re planning to stuff your face with stuffing—like any proper Thanksgiving celebrant—experiment with replacing the bread with quinoa, Durham suggests. “Quinoa absorbs the juices from the meat or mushroom soups,” she says. “It does a really nice job of absorbing the flavors while maintaining a nice texture.” Another idea, she points out, is adding diced turkey, chicken, or turkey bacon to the traditionally all-carb dish. Or you could mix in chopped nuts—Durham likes pecans and walnuts—for protein and healthy fats. “Bake them beforehand, and then put them on top,” she suggests. “There are so many ways to improvise and make it healthier.”
Green bean casserole
Green beans’ biggest day of the year is Thanksgiving, when they show up in a delicious casserole mixed with cream of mushroom soup and crunchy fried onions. Durham likes adding white beans or chickpeas for a protein boost—and notes that there are multiple ways to go about it. “You could add the whole beans themselves with the green beans,” she says. “Or you could blend them and replace part of the mushroom soup—which isn’t as viscous as something like white beans.” That will help make the dish even creamier, she adds. Before you serve it to your guests, top the casserole with toasted almonds or cashews for another burst of protein.
Soup
Instead of using roux (a combination of butter and flour) to thicken your soups, put the collagen powder you have in your pantry to use. One scoop typically has 10 grams of protein, compared to 2 grams in 2 oz of roux. “If there’s no flavor difference, I want something with more bang for my buck,” Long says. “You’re adding protein, and it’s good for your skin and your joints, so you’re getting health benefits.”
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That’s not the only spin you can put on soup. Durham likes to make a savory pumpkin soup on Thanksgiving, and she adds red or green lentils for protein, heartiness, and a pleasing texture. You could also blend in cashews or almonds. “You get creaminess, a little bit of fat, and some protein,” she says. “They add a nice flair with the sweetness of the pumpkins.”
Pie
Improving upon pie is a tall task—but dietitians are up to the challenge. Durham suggests making the crust out of chickpea or nut flour, both of which have more protein than your standard pastry flour. Then, add silken tofu or avocado in the filling to add creaminess and (even more) protein. “It’s so easy,” she says. If you blend silken tofu with, say, some cinnamon and canned pumpkin, “you can’t really tell it’s there, because the other flavors are so prominent.” She even adds it to the chocolate mousse she takes to holiday parties, and when she lets people in on the secret ingredient, her friends exclaim: “I would never eat tofu, but I like this.”
Bond, meanwhile, enjoys adding either unflavored or vanilla protein powder to pumpkin and pecan pies. It’s a terrific way to make high-protein desserts, she says—though you might want to do a test run before the big day to make sure your guests can’t detect a difference. (Plus, who’s going to complain about taste-testing pie?)
As a finishing touch, sprinkle some chopped nuts on top of your pie for extra protein and texture. A quarter-cup of chopped macadamia nuts supplies 3 grams of protein, and the same size serving of chopped walnuts offers 5 additional grams. “It’s like having a pie that has some benefits,” Durham says—which is one more thing to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.
