21 Recipes to Boost Your Iron Intake

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.

Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed Spinach

Tender spinach with a hint of garlic, Parmesan cheese and sweet balsamic vinegar makes a quick and flavorful side dish. The sturdy leaves of mature spinach hold up best during cooking.

Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce

This steak, broccoli rabe and pea dinner is a one-skillet meal that will be on your table in just 25 minutes! The pan drippings combine with mushroom, broth and grainy mustard to make a thick and delicious sauce.

Eggplant & Chickpea Baked Pasta

Turn leftover Eggplant & Chickpea Stew into a comforting vegetarian baked-pasta dish. We love the taste of mint with the other Mediterranean-inspired flavors, but you can use parsley or basil if you prefer.

Sheet-Pan Steak & Potatoes

One pan = less cleanup. To make this sheet-pan dinner work, the potatoes are roasted for 15 minutes before the asparagus and skirt steak are added. Finished with rosemary and blue cheese, it's our easy--and healthy--take on steak frites.

Tofu, Mushroom & Bok Choy Soba Noodle Bowls

Soba noodles are made with whole-grain buckwheat, upping the fiber count in these brothy bowls and adding nutty flavor. Thick and chewy udon noodles make a good alternative.

Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing

This kale-quinoa salad pops with different flavors and textures. Massaging the kale helps break down its fibrous nature, while add-ins like toasted almonds, feta and cucumber add crunch and saltiness.

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Lentil & Goat Cheese Toast

This simple goat cheese toast is topped with lentils and walnuts for a satisfying, savory bite.

Vegetarian Potato-Kale Soup

This potato-kale soup has a rich, yet light and velvety texture. Opt for baby, two-bite red potatoes as they cook faster in the creamy, brothy soup. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine for a cozy meal.

Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole

This easy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare, meaning that seared steak can be a weeknight meal. Cooking herbs in the pan with the steak releases their aroma, infusing it into the meat while creating a crispy garnish. After the steaks and herbs are pan-seared, the escarole is cooked in the same skillet, so this healthy dinner requires minimal cleanup too.

Chickpea Tuna Salad

This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).

Skillet Moussaka

In Greece, moussaka is made with beef or lamb, layers of sliced eggplant and a creamy béchamel sauce all baked together in the oven. This variation takes plenty of liberties to make it easy, quick and healthful. Serve over whole-wheat pasta or with potatoes.

Gochujang Steak with Roasted Potatoes & Broccolini

The apple in this Korean bulgogi-inspired sauce provides body, sweetness and a bit of acid to tenderize the steak tips. We make enough of it to marinate the steak and serve as a dipping sauce.

White Bean Soup with Pasta

We use mirepoix—a combination of onion, celery and carrots—to flavor this soup. Keep a store-bought bag of the mixture in your freezer to ensure you always have some on hand without worrying about it going bad.

Vegan Lentil Stew

This comforting vegan lentil stew is incredibly satisfying thanks to hearty lentils and sweet potato. The leeks provide a savory allium note while the tomato paste, miso and cumin add bold flavor.

Scallion-Ginger Beef & Broccoli

Whip up a chef-quality stir-fry recipe at home. This beef and broccoli stir-fry packs in more vegetables and nearly halves the calories of what you would find in a restaurant. And this healthy dinner takes just 30 minutes to prep, so it's about as quick as takeout too. Ginger, which adds a lively kick to this stir-fry, has long been touted for its power to settle stomachs. But that's not its only superpower: preliminary research suggests it may improve blood sugar and inflammation too.

Chickpea Fritters

These vegetarian chickpea fritters have a crispy exterior with a light and fluffy center flavored with fresh chopped herbs. The feta-yogurt dip adds a cooling, creamy brightness. The easy-to-prepare fritter mixture and dip can be made a few hours ahead, leaving only the frying to the last minute if needed. The air-fryer alternative cuts back on oil while still delivering a crispy fritter.

Orange-Tomato Couscous with Chicken

This cinnamon- and cumin-spiked couscous with chicken takes its inspiration from Morocco. It's made mostly with pantry staples--all you have to pick up is some chicken thighs, a bunch of cilantro and an orange. The orange slices become tender after cooking--you can eat them skin and all. For a variation, substitute diced, boneless leg of lamb for the chicken. Serve with steamed green beans or a spinach salad.

Mussels with White Beans & Tomatoes

Cooking mussels may seem intimidating, but here we've made it quick and easy. We've added white beans to turn this classic mussels-in-white-wine-sauce dish into a heartier weeknight meal. Serve with whole-grain crusty bread to sop up the flavorful broth.

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Fresh or frozen ravioli cook in minutes and turn this light vegetable soup into a main course. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain ravioli in the refrigerated or frozen section of the supermarket. Tortellini can be used instead of ravioli as well. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi

Sun-dried tomatoes are the star of this recipe— providing texture and umami. Combined with the spinach, they make this dish a great source of vitamins C and K.

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