Learn how to make a variety of Easy Healthy Dinner Options in 5 minutes or less. This is a great collection of simple recipes that are healthy and quick to assemble.
When you’re short on time or money and don’t know what to make for dinner, these easy healthy dinner options are perfect. They are balanced so you’ll feel satisfied after eating and get all the nutrients your body needs.
Easy Dinner Ideas to Serve with Rice
Quick dinner tip: frozen rice is your friend! You can either cook your own rice and freeze it or buy pre-cooked frozen rice at the store. Once you have it on hand, you’ll be able to easily make a meal out of these dinner recipes:
Easy Coconut Curry
This recipe is everything I want in a weeknight dinner – it’s healthy, satisfying, flavorful, and easy to make. It’s also super flexible, so if you don’t have these exact veggies on hand, feel free to swap in what you do have. Sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, and broccoli would all be great here.
Crispy Sesame Tofu
These savory, sesame-crusted tofu steaks crisp up beautifully in the air fryer or oven. Serve them with steamed veggies and rice or cilantro lime rice, if you have the time to toss it together.
Easy Dinner Ideas for When You Have a Jar of Marinara
I love to make homemade marinara sauce when I have the time, but on busy weeknights, the jarred stuff can really come in handy. For instance, it gives you a head start on making these healthy dinner recipes:
Stuffed Shells
Filled with a bright, creamy mixture of ricotta, lemon zest, and fresh spinach, these stuffed shells are pure comfort.
Baked Feta
Cumin seeds add aromatic flavor to this simple chickpea, kale, and baked feta skillet. Serve it with pita or crusty bread for scooping up the saucy chickpeas and melty cheese.
Easy Baked Ziti
If you want to sneak some extra veggies onto your family’s plates, this recipe is a great way to do it. There’s an entire pound of spinach hiding among the pasta, sauce, and cheese!
Creamy Pasta Pomodoro
I blend marinara sauce with cashews to make the creamy sauce for this recipe. Then, I toss it with pasta and sautéed veggies to create a quick and healthy vegan dinner.
Quick Pasta Tosses
I always have an assortment of dried pasta in my pantry, so when I don’t know what to make for dinner, I often turn to these recipes. They’re quick and easy, and they come together with minimal ingredients. There’s a good chance you have everything you need to make one tonight!
Spaghetti Aglio E Olio
My fresh take on the simple Italian classic. I add a big bunch of kale and – of course – lots of lemon.
Easy Pesto Pasta
If you have a jar of store-bought pesto on hand, this recipe comes together in minutes. But if you take the time to make your own pesto, it’s still pretty quick. It’s my weeknight go-to when I have a bunch of herbs to use up in the fridge.
Roasted Vegetable Pasta
I toss a medley of roasted veggies with penne, feta cheese, fresh herbs, and a bright lemon dressing. The exact veggies aren’t important here. Roast up whatever you have in the fridge!
Artichoke Pasta
If you score some baby artichokes at the farmers market or grocery store, you HAVE to put this easy dinner recipe on your to-make list. You’ll roast the artichokes until tender and toss them with pasta, pine nuts, and a rich lemon butter sauce. Take it from me, the combination is absolutely delicious.
Garlic Herb Mushroom Pasta
Fresh tarragon and sautéed mushrooms add sophisticated flavor to this weeknight pasta dish.
Easy Creamy Pasta Recipes
Need a quick comfort food fix? These easy dinner ideas are the ones for you.
Fettuccine Alfredo
This pasta tastes rich and decadent, but it’s actually lighter than you might guess. I blend cooked cauliflower into the sauce to create a creamy, velvety texture without any cream. Trust me, you won’t taste it!
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
In this recipe, blended cashews and roasted butternut squash create the sauce’s luscious texture – no dairy required! Balsamic, nutritional yeast, and fresh sage round out its cozy, savory flavor.
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Comforting and quick, homemade mac and cheese is a tried-and-true easy dinner idea. Serve it with a side of peas or steamed or roasted broccoli.
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Kids and adults alike will fall for this plant-based riff on classic mac and cheese. It’s creamy, tangy, and unbelievably cheesy! Just 10 ingredients.
Creamy Vegan Pasta
Blended white beans add plant-based protein to this pasta’s creamy sauce.
Easy Dinner Ideas to Use Up That Carton of Eggs
We’ve all been there – you’re not sure what to make for dinner, you open the fridge, and the first thing you see is a carton of eggs. If you’re really short on time, simple scrambled eggs are always a solid dinner option, but eggs can also do a whole lot more (and do it quickly!). Try using them in one of these easy dinner recipes:
Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a traditional breakfast throughout North Africa and the Middle East, but it’s just as good for lunch and dinner. Serve it with pita or good crusty bread for scooping up the flavorful tomato and red pepper sauce.
Any-Veggie Frittata
Out of all the easy dinner ideas out there, a frittata might be the one I rely on most. It’s simple, fast, and amazingly flexible. Try one of the 5 variations in my recipe, or toss in whatever veggies you have on hand.
Austin-Style Migas
This classic Austin breakfast also makes a fast and tasty dinner. Serve it with tortillas, salsa, and avocado so that you can assemble little tacos as you eat.
Okonomiyaki
These savory Japanese pancakes come together with a few basic ingredients: eggs, cabbage, panko, and scallions. But they’re not complete without toppings. Load them up with vegan Worcestershire sauce, mayo, pickled ginger, sesame seeds, and sliced nori before serving.
Weeknight Noodles and Fried Rice
Start keeping dry soba and rice noodles in your pantry, and these easy recipes will quickly earn a spot in your weeknight dinner rotation.
Sesame Soba Noodles
You can have these bright, nutty noodles on the table in under 30 minutes.
Bok Choy Stir Fry
It’s impossible to talk about easy dinner ideas without mentioning stir fry! This one is heavy on the veggies, made with a colorful medley of broccoli, bok choy, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms.
Cucumber Mango Miso Noodle Bowl
The only thing you have to cook in this recipe is the noodles. Once that’s done, stir together the sauce, dice the mango and veggies, toss it all together, and eat!
Cashew Broccoli Soba Noodles
The sauce is the star of this recipe. It has a creamy cashew butter base and a bright, citrusy flavor from fresh orange and lime juice.
Sesame Noodle Bowl
Fresh orange segments add a welcome sweetness to this hearty noodle bowl. They contrast perfectly with the umami sautéed mushrooms and savory miso dressing.
Turmeric Cauliflower Fried Rice
Blitz together your own cauliflower rice if you have the time, but if not, the store-bought kind will work here too.
Stuffed Veggies and Potatoes
These healthy dinner recipes put veggies at the center of the plate!
Stuffed Peppers
You have two options for serving these zesty stuffed peppers: melt cheese on top (Jack’s favorite version), or drizzle them with chipotle sauce (my favorite). Either way, garnish them with avocado slices and a squeeze of lime juice before digging in.
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
In my opinion, stuffed sweet potatoes are one of the BEST healthy dinner ideas! They’re cozy, customizable, and easy to make. To streamline the process, prep the filling while the sweet potatoes bake.
Perfect Baked Potato
Load yours up with cashew sour cream and plant-based bacon, or experiment with other fixings. A little cheddar cheese, roasted broccoli, a scoop of guac… So many different toppings can turn a baked potato into a satisfying, healthy meal.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
While the squash is in the oven, cook the filling on the stove. It’s a hearty, flavorful blend of sautéed mushrooms, tempeh, walnuts, and fresh herbs that tastes fantastic with the sweet, creamy squash.
Super-Fast Veggie Burgers
Making homemade veggie burgers can be a time-consuming process, but it doesn’t have to be. These two recipes come together in under 30 minutes:
Easy Black Bean Burger
Serve these smoky, spicy patties with a slather of chipotle sauce and your favorite burger fixings.
Portobello Mushroom Burger
Tamari and balsamic vinegar add rich, tangy flavor to these meaty grilled mushroom caps.
Healthy dinner recipes
Spinach, sweet potato & lentil dhal
A comforting vegan one-pot recipe that counts for 3 of your 5-a-day! You can’t go wrong with this iron-rich, low-fat, low-calorie supper.
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Healthy lasagne
Enjoy our lighter version of the family classic – lasagne. It has bags of flavour, but comes in at under 500 calories a portion, as well as packing in four of your five-a-day
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Air fryer baked potatoes
Try baking potatoes in an air fryer to achieve a crisp skin with a fluffy centre. The process is quicker and more energy-efficient than using the oven
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Roast chicken thighs with brown rice & salsa verde
How about a healthy, low-calorie roast chicken dinner? Enjoy this tasty meal with benefits like vitamin C from the salsa verde which helps iron absorbtion
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Chicken & lemon skewers
These chicken skewers in flatbreads taste great as well as being healthy and an easy-to-make dinner for hectic weeknights
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Balsamic beef stew with veggie mash
Get all five of your five-a-day in this tasty balsamic beef stew accompanied by the ideal comfort food – a veggie mash – perfect for chilly weather
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Superhealthy salmon burgers
If you’re after something a bit lighter than potato-packed fishcakes, try these simple salmon burgers with ginger, soy sauce and coriander
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Healthy chicken pasta bake
Try this healthy chicken pasta bake with peppers, courgette and ricotta for a nutritious midweek dinner. It’s sure to be a hit with everyone
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Healthy roast dinner
Cook a healthy, low-fat version of roast beef for two, made with lean, juicy steak and roasted veg, plus gravy on the side
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Spiced carrot & lentil soup
A delicious, spicy blend packed full of iron and low in fat to boot. It’s ready in under half an hour, or can be made in a slow cooker
Easy Dinner Ideas for Taco Night
It doesn’t matter if it’s Tuesday, Friday, Thursday, or Monday. Any night can be taco night, especially if you keep a stash of tortillas in your freezer!
DIY Taco Bar
If you’re serving picky eaters, a taco bar is one of the BEST weeknight dinners. Set out a stack of tortillas with toppings like refried beans, fajita veggies, cilantro lime rice, salsa, and guac, and let everyone customize their meal.
Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
These simple veggie tacos are such a fun, healthy dinner! They’re stuffed with spiced roasted cauliflower and cabbage and a creamy avocado sauce.
Vegan Tacos
Love all things sweet and spicy? These tacos are the easy dinner for you! A refreshing mango and cucumber salsa accents the meaty, jerk-spiced jackfruit filling.
Avocado Sweet Potato Tacos
Toasty roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and a zesty yogurt sauce fill these weeknight-friendly tacos. Add a flourish of pickled onions to take them over the top!
Spicy Mango, Black Bean, and Avocado Tacos
No cooking required! These energizing tacos are stuffed with shredded cabbage, diced mango, avocado, and black beans. Serve them with lime wedges and a generous drizzle of sriracha mayo.
Grilled Corn Tacos
Use store-bought tomatillo salsa to make this recipe extra-quick and easy.
Vegan Sweet Potato & Poblano Quesadilla
Ok, it’s not a taco, but it’s still an easy dinner that’ll take advantage of the tortillas in your freezer. This recipe calls for vegan cheese, but if you’re not vegan, feel free to swap in regular cheddar or Jack cheese.