Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused Diets 21 Recipes to Boost Your Iron Intake By Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 27, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Iron is an extremely important nutrient, as it helps our red blood cells supply oxygen to the body and supports our metabolism. That said, many people do not get enough to meet their needs. This can increase risk for iron deficiency anemia and more. These recipes feature iron-rich ingredients like legumes, spinach, kale, tofu and beef to help you meet your needs deliciously. Recipes like our Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry and our Sheet-Pan Steak & Potatoes will help you feel fueled and energized. 01 of 21 Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry View Recipe 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. 02 of 21 Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed Spinach View Recipe 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. 03 of 21 Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce View Recipe 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. 04 of 21 Eggplant & Chickpea Baked Pasta View Recipe Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Ruth Blackburn / Audrey Davis 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. 05 of 21 Sheet-Pan Steak & Potatoes View Recipe 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. 06 of 21 Tofu, Mushroom & Bok Choy Soba Noodle Bowls View Recipe Greg DuPree 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. 07 of 21 Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing View Recipe Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee 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. Watch Video 08 of 21 Lentil & Goat Cheese Toast View Recipe Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh This simple goat cheese toast is topped with lentils and walnuts for a satisfying, savory bite. 09 of 21 Vegetarian Potato-Kale Soup View Recipe Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee 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. 10 of 21 Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole View Recipe 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. 11 of 21 Chickpea Tuna Salad View Recipe Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn 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). 12 of 21 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. 13 of 21 Gochujang Steak with Roasted Potatoes & Broccolini View Recipe Jacob Fox 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. 14 of 21 White Bean Soup with Pasta View Recipe Jacob Fox 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. 15 of 21 Vegan Lentil Stew View Recipe Fred Hardy 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. 16 of 21 Scallion-Ginger Beef & Broccoli View Recipe 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. 17 of 21 Chickpea Fritters View Recipe Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn 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. 18 of 21 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. 19 of 21 Mussels with White Beans & Tomatoes View Recipe 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. 20 of 21 Ravioli & Vegetable Soup View Recipe 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. Watch Video 21 of 21 White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi View Recipe Jacob Fox 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. Watch Video Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit