Healthy Meat Main Dish Recipes

Corned beef is brisket that has been pickled in spices for days. You can buy it ready-to-cook or corn your own at home, but both are serious sodium bombs, packing more than 500 mg per 3-ounce serving--nearly 25% of the recommended daily limit. For this healthier pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage, we start with a plain brisket and add seasonings ourselves to control the salt level. We also opt for a flat-cut end of brisket, instead of the thicker point cut, as it has less fat, making it easier to slice when cooked. An electric pressure cooker, such as an Instant Pot, is absolutely key to this recipe, allowing you to cook the brisket in one hour--as opposed to three hours or more in the oven. It also lets you sear and roast in one device, saving cleanup time.

This hawawshi--a hot sandwich that's a favorite Cairo street food--is filled with ground beef, vegetables, herbs and spices and adapted to be made in a home panini press. If you don't have one, cook it in a skillet over medium heat with another skillet on top, weighted down with a few 15-ounce cans. (Recipe adapted from Zooba Restaurant.)

A long braise in the oven yields fork-tender results for a tough cut of lamb. Cinnamon, oregano, garlic and lemon infuse the lamb shoulder with Mediterranean aromas, while a final scattering of pomegranate arils provides a burst of color and crunch.

We've taken the key ingredients of a Philly cheesesteak--onions, peppers, thinly sliced beef and provolone cheese--and piled them into portobello mushroom caps to make a meaty and satisfying low-carb main dish.

Here rabbit (or chicken) is cooked in the style of sarde in saor, a classic dish where sardines are fried in olive oil, mixed with onions and raisins sautéed in the same flavorful oil and then finished with a jolt of vinegar. Juniper berries add a woodsy essence.

We opt for fresh spinach pasta here--it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor.

The Cajun pork chop rub adds a delicious smoky flavor to this easy skillet dish. This polenta has a nice sharp bite thanks to Cheddar cheese. Don't have any on hand? Try Parmesan or Gouda instead.

Using an oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) allows you to take this healthy homemade potpie from stovetop to oven without dirtying extra pans. A quick drop-biscuit topping made with white whole-wheat flour adds 2g fiber per serving and cuts the sodium in half compared to using refrigerated biscuit dough.

Turn to this beef stir-fry recipe for a quick and easy dinner. The tender, spicy steak is cooked in the same wok or skillet as the crisp, colorful vegetables and smells divine as the dish is cooking.

Pair juicy, tender pork with a rich, flavorful tomato confit that tastes like melted tomatoes and sweet shallot preserves. We think this sweet and savory pork recipe is just as suitable for company as it is for Wednesday night dinner at home.

These satisfying quesadillas get a smoky flavor from the cheese and pork, sweetness from the sauce, and a crisp crunch from the red onion. The pickled jalapeños offer a twist on a typical barbecue sandwich pickle and add a touch of heat.

You don't have to be on a low-carb or Keto diet to jump on the "chaffle" trend--chaffles are flourless waffles made from eggs and cheese. They may be gimmicky, but they're also delicious. For our chaffle sandwiches, we've added some crumbled bacon to the batter and used the chaffles to make sandwiches, filled with avocado and tomato. Enjoy a sandwich as a low-carb breakfast that also happens to be gluten-free.

This healthy version of the classic Filipino noodle dish pancit bihon has plenty of vegetables, along with chicken and pork. And since it comes together in about a half-hour, this traditional party food can do double duty as an easy weeknight dinner.

Think of these loaded portobello mushrooms as a low-carb version of a stuffed potato--Cheddar cheese, sour cream, scallions and bacon melted into portobello mushroom caps for a delicious and satisfying dinner. Serve them with a green salad to round out the meal.

Your Instant Pot is the perfect appliance to turn to if you want tender, juicy beef brisket done quickly. Here, we cut the brisket in half so it can fit inside the pot. After it's seared, it's cooked with plenty of onions that add body once blended into the flavorful, rich sauce. If you are making this brisket for Passover, look for products (like ketchup) that are labeled "Kosher for Passover."

In this easy shepherd's pie recipe, we keep the carbs in check by using creamy mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes. The ground beef filling is cooked in the same skillet used for baking the pie, making assembly (and cleanup) a breeze.

In the south of France, lamb is often grilled on a bed of fresh rosemary and anointed with citrus juice. This lamb chop recipe takes inspiration from that tradition with a wet rub made with lots of garlic plus rosemary and blood orange. Besides being a beautiful garnish, the charred blood oranges are served to squeeze over the lamb for a final flourish of citrus flavor.

These steamed dumplings are often served with a garlicky yogurt sauce, but chef Naseema Kashefi, of the L.A.-based New Arrivals Supper Club, adds a swirl of tomato sauce to the mantu for a colorful, flavorful counterpoint.

Typically deep-fried, these beef kebabs are browned in a skillet then baked: simpler and healthier, without sacrificing a crisp crust and tender interior. The mixture is pretty fragile; use a spatula or 2 spoons (not tongs) to gently turn the kebabs in the pan. Recipe adapted from New Arrival Supper Club chef Rabia Ahmadi.

This recipe proves roasting then saucing with vibrant flavors is the best way to cook beef tenderloin. Double pomegranate--juice and molasses--lends fruity tartness to the sauce.