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It’s easy to whip up a healthy smoothie at breakfast time or a low-carb lunch in between meetings, but dinnertime is a whole beast of its own. You want something that will keep you satisfied, will help you achieve your wellness goals, and will get positive reviews from the entire family. It seems impossible, but we have the best healthy recipes for weight loss that are perfect for weeknight cooking and are so good that you can add them to your regular rotation.
When making a dinner plan with weight loss in mind, aim to eat a nutritious, balanced meal that includes one or two servings of veggies, a serving of protein, whole grains, and sources of healthy fats, says Andrea Mathis, M.A., R.D.N., L.D., an Alabama-based registered dietitian and author of The Complete Book of Smoothies: 115 Healthy Recipes to Nourish, Heal, and Energize. “This combination of nutrients should help to keep you satisfied between meals, which can help to prevent frequent snacking,” she adds.
Mathis notes that weight loss doesn’t mean you need to restrict foods that you love. “Mealtime should be an enjoyable experience and provide you with a sense of satisfaction. When preparing your meals, try to focus on selecting a variety of wholesome, nutritious foods that you enjoy,” she says.
That means you can say goodbye to boring salads, flavorless chicken breasts, and joyless plates of vegetables. These healthy dinner recipes not only support weight loss, but they bring big flavor to your dinner table. Bookmark these low-calorie, satisfying recipes so you can keep coming back to them again and again.
1
Skillet Salsa Shrimp With Spinach and Feta
A 15-minute seafood spread is in your future with this decadent recipe. Your favorite jar of salsa quickly turns into the base for a shrimp, spinach, and cheese-packed dinner. Just serve with a side of chips or flatbread for the ultimate meal.
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2
Orecchiette With White Beans and Spinach
You don’t need to give up pasta forever just to lose weight. White beans and spinach bring a ton of filling protein and fiber to the one-pan dish for a 20-minute meal that hits all the food groups and flavors you love.
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3
Chipotle Chicken Fajitas
A 30-minute dinner that is good for you, packs a ton of flavor, and includes soft tortillas and cheddar cheese is our kind of dinner. Plus–it’s kid-friendly.
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4
Roasted Chicken and Potato With Kale
The crowd-pleasing recipe packs in 38 grams of protein for a serving and is done in just 40 minutes. You’ll also get a flavor punch from green olives, herbs, and lemon for the ultimate sheet-pan weight-loss meal.
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5
Veggies on Sweet Potato Mash
Not only are sweet potatoes delicious, but they are high in fiber and low in fat, making them a great option for a healthy meal for weight loss. This vegetarian-friendly dinner is packed with protein from beans and Greek yogurt, and the sweet potatoes and kale provide vitamin B6 for an all-around nutritious dinner.
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6
Fish Chowder Sheet Pan Bake
This one-pan dinner is everything you love about the summer staple but in an easy weeknight package. Potatoes, bacon, onions, mustard, and delicate cod are roasted on a single sheet pan that comes together in 30 minutes flat.
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7
Seared Tilapia With Spiralized Zucchini
Amp up spiralized zucchini with briny capers, fresh parsley, and bright lemon in this delicious summertime meal. For under 300 calories a plate, it’s a family favorite you’ll make again and again.
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8
Easy Tempeh Lettuce Wraps
This 20-minute vegetarian recipe uses gut-boosting tempeh to create a delectable dinner. Plus, a final dollop of Greek yogurt at the end adds a lighter creaminess we can’t get enough of for meatless Monday.
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9
Striped Bass With Radish Salsa Verde
A piece of beautiful bass is already a showstopping dinner, but top it with a herby salsa verde that combines crisp radishes and salty anchovy paste for a true culinary delight.
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10
Spicy Tofu Tacos
Crumble up tofu with the heat of poblano peppers, chile, and garlic, and you get a healthy version of spicy tacos at only 230 calories per serving. Add with a delicious slaw or side salad for the perfect dinnertime plate.
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11
Smoky Peanut Butter Chicken Tacos
Peanut butter can taste delicious in more than just PB&Js. These chicken tacos are paired with a unique sauce that combines creamy peanut butter, tomatoes, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, and chocolate chips. It’s spicy, sweet, and only 308 calories per serving.
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12
Greek Salad Pasta
We love a classic Greek salad, but this twist on the healthy lunchtime staple makes it a family-friendly feast. After all, the best way to indulge in a plateful of pasta when you're trying to lose weight? Fill it up with lots of lean chicken breast, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zesty onions.
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13
Seared Salmon with Roasted Cauliflower
Simple ingredients roasted to lip-smacking perfection make this a healthy, easy dinner that tastes completely indulgent. Add a side of quinoa or bulgur, and you’ll still stay under 500 calories.
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14
Shrimp, Avocado, and Egg Chopped Salad
Salad is a deceptive name for this hearty dinner, which fills your belly with three of our favorite ingredients—shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, and creamy avocado, all topped with a tasty lime dressing.
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15
Spiced Grilled Eggplant With Fresh Tomato Salad
This tangy eggplant dish should be the star of your plate the next time you grill. Pair it with a wild rice salad and a lean protein for a complete—and completely filling—meal.
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16
Seared Tilapia With Spiralized Zucchini
Spiralized zucchini (a.k.a. zoodles) are a low-carb alternative to noodles, and they taste great too. Seared tilapia is lightly flavored with lemon, capers, and parsley for a delicious low-calorie meal.
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17
Pan-Roasted Bass With Papaya Relish
Switch up your usual seafood (we see you, salmon) by grilling up this delicious bass, which gets a surprising kick of tropical flavor from diced papaya. Serve with a side of coconut rice for a delicious plate that’s reminiscent of an island vacation.
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18
Roasted Sweet Potato and Chicken Salad
Each forkful gives you a bite of something deeply satisfying (think sweet potatoes, chicken breast, and avocado) in this colorful salad, which stays under the 500-calorie mark.
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19
Seared Coconut Lime Chicken With Snap Pea Slaw
Flavored with coconut and lime, this low-cal dinner will make you feel like you’re sitting on a beach in the sun. Plus, coconut cream steps in as a lighter, creamy alternative to a heavier dairy-based cream.
20
Fiery Black Bean Soup
When the weather is cold, there’s not much better than a comforting soup for dinner. This spicy, low-calorie soup is high in protein and packed with flavors from onions, cumin, jalapeños, coriander, lime, cilantro, and tomatoes. Plus, you can swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth if you’re looking to make this soup entirely vegan.
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Marisa Cohen
Deputy Editor
Marisa Cohen is an editor in the Hearst Lifestyle Group’s Health Newsroom, who has covered health, nutrition, parenting and culture for dozens of magazines and websites over the past two decades.
Arielle Weg
Arielle Weg is the associate editor at Prevention and loves to share her favorite wellness and nutrition obsessions. She previously managed content at The Vitamin Shoppe, and her work has also appeared in Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Cooking Light, MyRecipes, and more. You can usually find her taking an online workout class or making a mess in the kitchen, creating something delicious she found in her cookbook collection or saved on Instagram.
