These healthy and flavorful dinners will help you juggle your carb intake and cholesterol levels like a pro. While it can be tough to get in the recommended amount of fiber while you’re eating low-carb (about 25-30 grams per day), these recipes include fiber-filled ingredients like avocados and sweet potatoes to get you the nutrients you need.
Foods like fish, dark leafy greens and whole grains can also help you lower your cholesterol, so you’ll see lots of tasty salmon, spinach and quinoa in these recipes. Plus, each meal sticks to lower levels of saturated fat, so you know you’re eating a heart-healthy dinner.
Recipes like our Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower “Rice” Tabbouleh and Salmon & Avocado Salad are so tasty that you’ll be making these dinners on repeat.
Salmon with Chopped Tomatillo Salad
We made this chopped salad with pico de gallo in mind. Tangy tomatillos add fresh crunch to the classic mixture of tomatoes, cilantro and onion to brighten up this broiled salmon recipe.
Easy Sesame Chicken with Green Beans
Sweet-salty hoisin sauce and nutty sesame team up in this easy meal that’s cooked on one baking sheet. Serve this sesame chicken with brown rice and sliced cucumbers, drizzled with sesame oil and rice vinegar.
Roasted Salmon & Tomatoes with Garlic & Olives
Keep the mess to minimum with this easy sheet-pan dinner. Cherry tomato halves roast alongside salmon fillets and make a delicious topping combined with olives, garlic and thyme in this easy fuss-free dinner.
Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower ‘Rice’ Tabbouleh
Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that’s enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart.
Salmon & Avocado Salad
Tender salmon tops a hearty salad of red cabbage, carrots and avocados tossed with a creamy dill vinaigrette in this quick, easy dinner.
Grilled Red Snapper & Okra with Spicy Tartar Sauce
Meaty snapper holds up well on the grill, but any firm white fish will work well in its place. Look for U.S. red snapper caught in the Gulf of Mexico for the most sustainable option according to Seafood Watch. Serve with a cold pale ale or lager.
Chopped Salad with Shrimp, Apples & Pecans
Sweet and crunchy apples and celery combine with savory shrimp and nutty pecans in this easy, colorful dinner salad.
Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry
This tofu veggie stir-fry is quick and easy, making it a great go-to weeknight meal. Baked tofu has a firm, toothsome texture that crisps well in a hot pan. You can find it in flavors like teriyaki and sesame, both of which are delicious here. Or opt for a smoked version, which has the same texture with a more robust flavor. Serve over brown rice.
One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach
Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.
Jamaican Escovitch Fish
This is a traditional way that fish is served in Jamaica that is similar to the escabeches of the Spanish-speaking islands. It is traditionally served with bammy (also spelled bammie), a cassava flatbread, but I like to eat it with rice to better soak up the marinade. This recipe makes four cups of pickled vegetables: You can use it all or reserve some and use the leftovers as a complement to other fish or meat dishes or in sandwiches. Read more about this recipe in the article This Tangy Escovitch Fish Connects Jamaica to Its Spanish Past.
Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls
This pesto chicken quinoa bowl is packed with herbs from the basil pesto and the Italian spice mix and gets a slight kick of heat from the red pepper. If you enjoy the flavor profile, this dish can also be made with orzo in place of quinoa.
Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad
Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can’t find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper (see Associated Recipes). This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that’s ready in 25 minutes.
Teriyaki-Glazed Cod with Cauliflower Rice
This healthy fish recipe comes together fast with just three ingredients you can always have on hand in your freezer and fridge. Store-bought teriyaki glaze makes a great marinade for cod that doubles as a sauce for the cauliflower rice.
Blackened Chicken with Chopped Salad
In this spin, we coat this blackened chicken with spices common to Cajun cooking, like dried thyme and cayenne pepper. Then, instead of using the traditional method of searing in a cast-iron pan, we hit the grill outside.
Mahi-Mahi with Spicy Tomato-Fennel Sauce
Check for sustainable mahi-mahi options at SeafoodWatch.org. And don’t chuck the greens that grace a fennel bulb! Those fronds brighten and carry the flavors of this ultra-quick dinner. If your bulb doesn’t have fronds, sub fresh dill in their place.
Herby Mediterranean Fish with Wilted Greens & Mushrooms
This Mediterranean fish recipe makes a tasty and healthful weeknight meal. Serve with wild rice or roasted potatoes.
Cauliflower Chicken Fried ‘Rice’
Get an extra serving of vegetables and cut back on carbs by replacing rice with riced cauliflower in this healthy chicken fried rice recipe.
Chipotle-Orange Broccoli & Tofu
Chipotle peppers add kick to this tofu and broccoli stir-fry recipe. If you’re shy about spice, cut back on the amount or leave them out completely. Serve over brown basmati rice.
Simple Grilled Salmon & Vegetables
Grilled salmon and veggies make for a colorful and balanced seafood dinner that’s ready in just minutes. The grill turns the salmon flaky and moist while tenderizing the crispy pepper and onion pieces. Round out the meal with brown rice or quinoa.
Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice
This vegetarian faux fried rice uses riced cauliflower in place of white or brown rice to pack in extra veggies and cut down on carbs. Chile-garlic sauce pumps up the heat, and fresh ginger adds a bright, warm bite. If you don’t like the heat of the chile-garlic sauce, leave it out and add a bit more tamari or soy sauce for a rich, fermented tang.
Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens
For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we’ve replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.
Salmon Caesar Salad
This easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too.
Grilled Salmon with Sweet Peppers
It may seem counterintuitive to start the fish skin-side up. But when you flip it, the fish skin captures the juices as it finishes cooking for extra-flavorful results. Serve with chimichurri sauce (see Associated Recipe).
Mushroom-Cauliflower Risotto
Easy homemade cauliflower rice stands in for regular rice in this healthy vegetable-based risotto, lowering both the calories and carbs in this traditionally starchy dish. To make this a vegetarian meal, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use par-cooked sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter—making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking.
Parchment Packet Baked Tuna Steaks & Vegetables with Creamy Dijon-Turmeric Sauce
How to bake fish perfectly? Wrapping the fish and vegetables in parchment packets creates steam that keeps the tuna moist while it cooks. Plus, it’s a fun presentation.
Marinated Tofu Salad
Tofu soaks up the flavors of lemon, cumin and coriander in this marinated tofu salad. The marinade does double duty, combining with tahini to transform into a dressing with a nutty taste and creamy texture.
Sheet-Pan Shrimp & Beets
For this easy sheet-pan dinner, beets get a head start in the oven while you prep the shrimp and kale. For a prettier presentation, leave the shrimp tails intact. Serve this one-pan recipe with a cool glass of rosé.
Honey-Chipotle Salmon with Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
This sweet and spicy glazed salmon is sure to satisfy anyone at your table. Swapping in cauliflower rice for traditional rice not only sneaks in a serving of vegetables, it also saves time, as it takes just minutes to cook.