Healthy Recipes That Swap Carbs For Veggies

August 27, 2019
If you're looking to eat more veggies or just want to serve yourself a bigger portion at dinner without piling on the calories, look no further. These recipes use simple swaps, replacing heavy carbs with nutrient and fiber-rich vegetables like cauliflower, zucchini and sweet potato. No sacrificing flavor here!Watch Video
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Korean Steak, Kimchi & Cauliflower Rice Bowls

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Using riced cauliflower as the base of these "grain bowls" is an easy (and tasty!) way to up your vegetable servings. If you've ever wondered how to make those jammy eggs served with ramen, here you go! Let them simmer for 3 minutes more if you prefer a hard-set yolk.

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Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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This spaghetti-squash-for-pasta swap slashes both carbs and calories by 75 percent for a delicious, creamy casserole you can feel good about eating. It's worth roasting the squash versus cooking it in the microwave if you have the time: the flavor gets sweeter and more intense.

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Cucumber Turkey Sub Sandwich

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When you're craving a sub but you don't want all the carbs, these turkey-and-cheese deli sandwiches on cucumber "rolls" are a healthy alternative. Hollow out a cucumber and fill it up with your favorite sandwich fillings for a crisp sub with less carbs and calories. Plus, you can easily pack these up for work, school or a picnic--no soggy bread!

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Cauliflower English Muffins

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These savory, low-carb (and gluten-free) "English muffins" use riced cauliflower in place of flour, with a little cheese and egg as binder to make a grain-free breakfast bread. Try topping them with sweet jam, or use them to create a yummy breakfast sandwich.

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Cauliflower Rice

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When cauliflower is pulsed in a food processor, it magically turns into a vegetable that really resembles white rice. In this easy recipe, cauliflower rice is made into an herbed pilaf.

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Tomato Bun Tuna Melt

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Make a bun out of a tomato in this healthy low-carb tuna melt recipe that swaps bread for veggies. You save 23 grams of carbohydrate and get 1 veggie serving while you're at it!

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Tomato-Basil Zoodle Salad

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Spiralized zucchini noodles make the perfect base for this colorful and flavorful salad--think pasta salad without all the carbs! It comes together quickly for a light lunch or easy side. Add grilled chicken, shrimp or chickpeas to make a heartier meal.

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Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with Broccolini

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In this low-carb spaghetti squash lasagna recipe, garlicky broccolini, spaghetti squash and cheese are combined for a healthy take on a favorite casserole. This bakes right in the squash shells for a fun presentation. Serve with a big Caesar salad and some warm and crusty whole-grain bread.

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Mini Quiches with Sweet Potato Crust

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Shredded sweet potato "hash browns" make up the healthy crust of these gluten-free muffin-tin quiches. This grab-and-go breakfast is super-easy to prep ahead and keep stashed in the fridge or freezer. Serve them for brunch or eat them on busy weekdays.

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Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

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These decadent-tasting wraps are lightened up with fat-free Greek yogurt in place of mayo--and lettuce makes a crisp, fresh alternative to a flour wrap.

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Taco Lettuce Wraps

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Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe--any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.

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Edamame Slaw in Lettuce Cups

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This festive light vegetarian lunch features protein-rich quinoa and edamame tossed with veggies in an Asian-inspired dressing.

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Spiralized Mediterranean Cucumber Salad

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Save time and spiralize crisp cucumber instead of chopping it for this easy, healthy vegetable side. Want to make it a meal? Just add grilled chicken, shrimp or canned chickpeas.

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Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

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You'll slash 131 calories and 19 grams carbohydrate when you trade in your brown rice for finely chopped cauliflower in this healthy cauliflower "rice" recipe. For an even faster "rice" pilaf, use 4 cups of purchased cauliflower rice instead of making your own. Look for it near other fresh or frozen prepared vegetables.

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Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto & Shrimp

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Cut some carbs and use spiralized zucchini in place of noodles in this zesty pesto pasta dish recipe. Top with Cajun-seasoned shrimp to complete this quick and easy dinner.

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Butternut Squash Carbonara with Broccoli

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You've never had carbonara quite like this! Loaded with veggies, this spiralized veggie noodle recipe is a healthy copycat of a traditional carbonara recipe. Butternut squash gets spiralized into long, tender "noodles" for a lower-carb version of this creamy, cheesy pasta dish. Look for a squash with a large, straight neck to make the longest veggie noodles.

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Noodle-Less Lasagna

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The lasagna that cuts carbs, boosts your veggie servings and is gluten-free: this easy dinner recipe uses slices of roasted eggplant and zucchini as the "noodles" in this healthy lasagna.

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Cauliflower & Kale Frittata

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Inspired by traditional Spanish tortillas made with potatoes, this healthy frittata recipe swaps potatoes for low-carb cauliflower. Serve it along with kale (or your favorite greens) for brunch or an easy breakfast-for-dinner.

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Sautéed Shrimp with Mango Salsa & Coconut Cauliflower Rice

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Shrimp and rice get a tropical makeover in this healthy 400-calorie dinner. Instead of rice, we've combined riced cauliflower and coconut milk for light coconut "rice" topped with spicy shrimp and a juicy mango-avocado salsa to cool it all down. Squeeze on some fresh lime juice before digging in to take this easy meal to the next level.

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Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash

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Fall favorite acorn squash gets a Mexican twist with a spicy-as-you-like-it turkey and veggie stuffing.

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Garlic-Parmesan Hasselback Zucchini

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Using the hasselback technique--cutting partially into a whole fruit or vegetable every 1/2 inch or so--gives you an easy way to sneak lots of flavor into this healthy zucchini recipe. To bake the zucchini instead of grilling, place in a foil-lined 8-inch-square baking pan and bake at 425°F until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

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EatingWell Cauliflower Pizza Crust

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Lighten up pizza night with this low-carb alternative to traditional pizza dough. Riced cauliflower combines with egg and cheese to make a gluten-free pizza crust that's crisp on the outside but soft on the inside. Simply top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for a healthier pizza you'll love.

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Vietnamese Pork & Broccoli "Rice" Bowls

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Broccoli gets a whirl in your food processor, with rice-like results, in this healthy dinner recipe. Serve with hot sauce and limes for an extra kick.

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Sweet Potato Carbonara with Kale

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In this healthy carbonara recipe, “spiralized” sweet potato noodles take the place of traditional pasta. Kale is added for fiber, flavor and crunch, but any dark leafy green, such as spinach, chard or collards, would also be a nice addition.

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Cauliflower Chicken Fried "Rice"

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Get an extra serving of vegetables and cut back on carbs by replacing rice with riced cauliflower in this healthy chicken fried rice recipe.

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Ceviche-Stuffed Avocados

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Rather than serving this easy mock shrimp ceviche with chips or tortillas, cut some carbs and pile the citrusy seafood in fresh avocado "bowls" for a fun and healthy presentation.

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Summer Squash Pad Thai

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In this “spiralized” vegetable noodle recipe inspired by pad thai, zucchini and summer squash replace the rice noodles, pumping up the vegetables while reducing calories. Top with stir-fried chicken, shrimp or tofu for added protein if desired.

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Peanut-Tofu Cabbage Wraps

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Cabbage is a tasty low-calorie stand-in for buns or bread in this healthy, gluten-free lettuce wrap recipe. Don't limit yourself to cabbage for this recipe--any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.

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Chicken Curry Cup of Noodles

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Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this chicken curry zoodle (spiralized zucchini noodles) recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.

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Vietnamese Spiralized Sesame Noodles with Scallops

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Spiralized zucchini noodles are the base for this healthy sesame noodle recipe. Shrimp or baked tofu can be swapped for the scallops if you prefer.

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Cheese-&-Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

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Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling--ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese--and nestle them into roasted portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large portobello caps; if you can only find smaller ones, buy one or two extra and divide the filling among all the caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce.

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Hasselback Zucchini “Pizzas”

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Turn zucchini into a lower-carb version of pizza with this easy recipe. Using the hasselback technique creates a fun and unique way to stuff zucchini with all the goodness of classic pizza--pepperoni, sauce and melty cheese.

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Chicken Salad-Stuffed Avocados

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Looking for a clean, packable lunch for work? This healthy homemade chicken salad served inside an avocado instead of with bread is just the ticket. Plus, this recipe makes enough for ready-made lunches for the week! If you have leftover cooked chicken on hand, skip Step 1 and use about 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken in Step 2.

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Cuban Cauliflower Rice Bowl

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In this riff on a healthy grain bowl recipe we use cauliflower rice instead of another whole grain like brown rice to cut back on carbs and load up on veggie servings. A simple citrusy mojo sauce drizzled on top gives this easy lunch or dinner a Cuban flair.

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Chicken & Apple Kale Wraps