Healthy Recipes Healthy Cooking Methods & Styles Quick & Easy Healthy Recipes Healthy, Quick & Easy Dinner Recipes 27 Healthy 500-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes 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 Updated on November 1, 2022 Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD Instagram Lisa Valente is a registered dietitian and nutrition editor. She studied at the University of Vermont, where she completed her undergraduate studies in nutrition, food science and dietetics, and attended the dietetic internship program at Massachusetts General Hospital to become a registered dietitian. She went on to earn a master's degree in nutrition communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. She was a nutrition editor at EatingWell for eight years. Prior to EatingWell, Lisa worked as a research dietitian at Griffin Hospital in Connecticut and also taught cooking and nutrition classes. She was a featured speaker at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) in 2017. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Eating a dinner that is around 500 calories can help promote weight loss. We took it a step further and gathered up some low-calorie dinners that are ready in 20 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights. The Linguine with Creamy White Clam Sauce and Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry are balanced recipes that still have lots of flavor. These delicious dinner recipes are packed with nutritious vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, and all clock in at 500 calories or less. 01 of 27 Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl View Recipe It seems Buddha bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies! 02 of 27 Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry View Recipe To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end. 03 of 27 One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta View Recipe A little bit of Sunday meal prep goes a long way in this one-dish Mediterranean pasta recipe. The pasta is cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge to use for meals all week, but any leftover cooked pasta you have on hand will do. Chicken sausage with feta is especially good in this recipe. 04 of 27 Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad View Recipe Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied. 05 of 27 Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas View Recipe We love sausage, but it can be high in sodium. In this fast, healthy dinner, we make our own turkey sausage with crushed red pepper, garlic, fennel seeds, paprika and just a touch of salt. 06 of 27 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl View Recipe Treat your Buddha bowl to a vacation south of the border! This black bean and quinoa Buddha bowl has the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the greasy fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. 07 of 27 Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta View Recipe 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. 08 of 27 Quinoa-Black Bean Salad View Recipe Enjoy this quinoa and black bean salad as a delicious and quick vegetarian main dish or as a side for grilled chicken or steak. And don't forget the leftovers! They make an easy lunch on the go. 09 of 27 Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad View Recipe This zesty quinoa salad is delicious all on its own, with inspiration from the Mediterranean. Make a double batch for lunches later in the week. 10 of 27 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon View Recipe Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water—its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth. 11 of 27 Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls View Recipe Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare--that's 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes. 12 of 27 Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives View Recipe Store-bought spinach ravioli and a handful of basic pantry items are all you need to get a healthy dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Ingredients like oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives and toasty pine nuts help to build big flavor fast. If you can't find frozen artichokes, swap in a 15-ounce can (just be sure to drain and rinse them well). 13 of 27 Skillet Ravioli Lasagna View Recipe Jasmine Comer This easy inside-out ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food--no layering or mixing bowls required. Feel free to swap in ground turkey for the beef. Look for fresh mozzarella balls (also called "pearls") in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. 14 of 27 Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs with No-Cook Tomato Sauce View Recipe This crowd-pleasing and easy dinner recipe takes just 20 minutes to make, start to finish, so it's perfect for weeknights! When tomatoes are at their in-season best, just a quick chop and a few ingredients are all you need to make a spaghetti sauce in minutes. Store-bought chicken meatballs keep the low-effort theme going all the way to the table. 15 of 27 Mediterranean Pasta Salad View Recipe You might not think to use hummus as a pasta sauce, but the creamy dip makes the perfect backdrop to the bold flavors of this healthy Mediterranean-inspired pasta salad. 16 of 27 Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes View Recipe Take taco night to a new level with sweet potato taco "shells." Tender sweet potatoes pair perfectly with spicy taco meat, creamy cheese and crisp lettuce. Let everyone customize their taco potato with their favorite toppings. 17 of 27 Salmon Couscous Salad View Recipe This healthy and easy salad is designed to be made with precooked or leftover salmon. To quickly cook salmon, lightly brush with olive oil, then roast in a 450 degrees F oven until the fish is opaque and firm, 8 to 12 minutes. 18 of 27 Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing View Recipe A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly. 19 of 27 Beef Pad Thai View Recipe We've bulked up the serving size of beef pad thai by adding in lots of healthy veggies like matchstick carrots, snap peas and scallions. Look for whole-grain brown-rice pad thai noodles to add an additional 3 grams fiber to each serving. 20 of 27 Chopped Cobb Salad View Recipe This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette. 21 of 27 Egyptian Tossed Salad View Recipe This crisp blend of vegetables is offered as a topping or side at Zooba, the Egyptian street food restaurant in New York City. We made it a stand-alone salad to stuff into pita with taameya (Egyptian falafel--see Associated Recipes) or serve with just about anything else. (Recipe adapted from Zooba Restaurant.) 22 of 27 Lemon Chicken Pasta View Recipe In this easy lemon chicken pasta recipe, we love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken, quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby zucchini, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes. 23 of 27 Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions View Recipe Whisking a beaten egg into simmering broth is a quick and easy way to add creaminess and protein to noodle soup mix. Add freshness with a handful of baby spinach at the end. This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 2 and use the whole package of noodles. To cut back on sodium, look for noodle varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet. 24 of 27 Shrimp & Broccoli Stir-Fry View Recipe Victor Protasio The broccoli in this simple shrimp-and-broccoli stir-fry absorbs the flavors of the sauce, which also coats the shrimp perfectly. The ingredients can be prepped ahead of time and whipped together in about 15 minutes, making this meal ideal for busy weeknights. 25 of 27 Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl View Recipe This high-fiber vegetarian grain bowl is packed with colorful veggies and plant-based protein to keep you feeling energized and satisfied. 26 of 27 BBQ Chicken Bowls View Recipe These BBQ chicken bowls are perfect for weeknight dinners. They come together in just 15 minutes and are chock-full of the classic barbecue flavors you love, including saucy beans, coleslaw and potatoes. 27 of 27 Linguine with Creamy White Clam Sauce View Recipe Ripe tomato and fresh basil give this quick recipe tons of flavor. Serve this healthy pasta dinner with crusty garlic bread and steamed green beans. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit