What are the highest-protein Thanksgiving sides?

The highest-protein Thanksgiving sides per calorie are shrimp cocktail (12g of protein in 6 shrimp for 89 calories), edamame (9g per half cup for 112 calories), lentils (8g for 104 calories), plain Brussels sprouts (3g for just 35 calories) and white beans (9g for 124 calories), based on USDA FoodData Central. Deviled eggs give 7g of protein in two pieces. The classic sides sit at the bottom of the protein list: a half cup of stuffing has 3g of protein in 177 calories, and mashed potatoes have 3g in 143. The best per-serving classic is mac and cheese at 10g per half cup. One easy upgrade is stirring a quarter cup of nonfat Greek yogurt into mashed potatoes, which takes them from 3g to 9g of protein.

Thanksgiving sides ranked by protein per 100 calories

Side Serving Calories Protein Carbs Fat Protein per 100 cal FDC ID
Shrimp cocktail 6 shrimp with sauce (90g) 89 12g 7g 1g 13.3g 2706449
Collard greens, plain 1/2 cup (65g) 22 2g 4g 0g 9.5g 2709577
Edamame 1/2 cup (80g) 112 9g 7g 6g 8.2g 2707436
Brussels sprouts, plain 1/2 cup (78g) 35 3g 7g 0g 7.8g 2709881
Lentils 1/2 cup (90g) 104 8g 18g 0g 7.8g 2707425
White beans 1/2 cup (90g) 124 9g 22g 0g 7.0g 2707355
Green peas 1/2 cup (80g) 62 4g 11g 0g 6.6g 2709960
Deviled eggs 2 pieces (60g) 119 7g 1g 10g 5.8g 2707181
Brussels sprouts, roasted with fat 1/2 cup (80g) 54 3g 7g 2g 5.1g 2709884
Mushrooms, sauteed 1/2 cup (80g) 56 3g 4g 3g 5.0g 2709941
Mashed potatoes + Greek yogurt stirred in 1/2 cup mashed (125g) + 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (60g) 178 9g 24g 5g 5.0g 2709496,2705424
Winter squash souffle 1/2 cup (79g) 62 3g 10g 2g 4.4g 2709696
Wild rice 1/2 cup (82g) 82 3g 17g 0g 4.0g 2708424
Mac and cheese 1/2 cup (115g) 256 10g 27g 12g 3.9g 2708811
Cauliflower, roasted with oil 1/2 cup (80g) 42 2g 4g 3g 3.7g 2709902
Quinoa 1/2 cup (85g) 102 4g 18g 2g 3.7g 2708400
Green bean casserole 1/2 cup (115g) 64 2g 8g 3g 3.5g 2710040
Dinner roll (white, soft) 1 medium roll (43g) 120 4g 22g 2g 3.5g 2707654
Green beans with butter or oil 1/2 cup (73g) 47 1g 5g 2g 3.1g 2709856
Mashed potatoes with cheese 1/2 cup (125g) 181 6g 20g 9g 3.0g 2709497
Sweet potato casserole 1/2 cup (125g) 124 2g 22g 3g 1.9g 2709708
Mashed potatoes (with milk) 1/2 cup (125g) 143 3g 22g 5g 1.9g 2709496
Stuffing (bread) 1/2 cup (100g) 177 3g 22g 9g 1.8g 2707687
Cranberry sauce 1/4 cup (70g) 111 1g 28g 0g 0.6g 2709280
Candied sweet potatoes 1/2 cup (125g) 234 1g 47g 4g 0.6g 2709704

Source: USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS 2021-2023 survey foods (release 2024-10-31), retrieved 2026-11-04. Each row is USDA's per-100g value times the serving weight shown; FDC IDs let you look up any row yourself. The Greek-yogurt mashed potatoes row adds two USDA rows together (FDC 2709496 + 2705424).

Most protein per serving (not per calorie)

Per-calorie rankings favor tiny-calorie vegetables. Collard greens score high but only bring 2g of protein. If you want the sides that move your protein total the most, rank by grams per serving instead:

  • Shrimp cocktail: 12g protein, 89 calories, per 6 shrimp with sauce (90g)
  • Mac and cheese: 10g protein, 256 calories, per 1/2 cup (115g)
  • Edamame: 9g protein, 112 calories, per 1/2 cup (80g)
  • White beans: 9g protein, 124 calories, per 1/2 cup (90g)
  • Mashed potatoes + Greek yogurt stirred in: 9g protein, 178 calories, per 1/2 cup mashed (125g) + 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (60g)
  • Lentils: 8g protein, 104 calories, per 1/2 cup (90g)

High-protein sides under 100 calories

  • Shrimp cocktail: 89 calories, 12g protein
  • Brussels sprouts, plain: 35 calories, 3g protein
  • Green peas: 62 calories, 4g protein
  • Brussels sprouts, roasted with fat: 54 calories, 3g protein
  • Mushrooms, sauteed: 56 calories, 3g protein
  • Winter squash souffle: 62 calories, 3g protein
  • Wild rice: 82 calories, 3g protein

These are good add-ons rather than replacements. Keep the stuffing, and put a scoop of Brussels sprouts or a few shrimp next to it.

Easy swaps that add protein

Each of these keeps the dish recognizable:

  • Greek yogurt in the mashed potatoes. Using a quarter cup of nonfat Greek yogurt per half cup of potatoes gives 178 calories and 9g of protein, versus 143 calories and 3g plain.
  • Cheese in the mashed potatoes. USDA's cheesy mashed potatoes run 181 calories and 6g of protein per half cup.
  • A bean or lentil side next to the stuffing. Half a cup of white beans adds 9g of protein. A lentil salad adds 8g.
  • Shrimp cocktail or deviled eggs as the appetizer. Six shrimp with sauce have 12g of protein before dinner even starts.

Want more ideas like these year-round? See our high-protein grocery list.

Quick answers

What is the highest-protein Thanksgiving side dish? Per calorie, shrimp cocktail: 12g of protein for 89 calories in six shrimp. Per serving, shrimp cocktail and mac and cheese lead at 12g and 10g.

How much protein is in stuffing? About 3g per half cup of bread stuffing, with 177 calories, per USDA.

Does green bean casserole have protein? A little: 2g per half cup, with 64 calories.

How do I add protein to mashed potatoes? Stir in nonfat Greek yogurt. A quarter cup per half cup of potatoes brings it to 9g of protein.

Is cranberry sauce high in sugar? Yes, relative to its size: a quarter cup has 22g of sugar and 111 calories. It's also delicious, so put it on the plate.

Logging it without the homework

In TrakMac you just say what you had out loud, like "a scoop of Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes with Greek yogurt and six shrimp cocktail," and it logs the calories, protein, carbs and fat for you. No searching a database, no guessing at portions. You can also ask the TrakMac Coach whether it fits the rest of your day, and it answers using your own logs.

These are close-enough numbers for everyday tracking, not medical or dietary advice. Homemade recipes vary a lot, so treat these as close-enough averages from USDA data.