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  6. 27 Healthy 500-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes

27 Healthy 500-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes

Jessica Ball
Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD Updated November 01, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD
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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.

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Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

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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! 

 

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Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

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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. 

 

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One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta

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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.

 

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Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad

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Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied. 

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Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas

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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. 

 

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
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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. 

 

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Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta

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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. 

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Quinoa-Black Bean Salad

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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.

 

 

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Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad

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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.

 

 

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Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

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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.

 

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Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls

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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. 

 

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Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives

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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). 

 

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Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
Credit: Jasmine Comer
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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. 

 

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Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

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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. 

 

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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

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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. 

 

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Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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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. 

 

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Salmon Couscous Salad

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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. 

 

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Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps
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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. 

 

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Beef Pad Thai

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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. 

 

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Chopped Cobb Salad

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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. 

 

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Egyptian Tossed Salad

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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.)

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Lemon Chicken Pasta

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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.

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Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions
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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.

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Shrimp & Broccoli Stir-Fry

Shrimp & Broccoli Stir-Fry
Credit: Victor Protasio
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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.

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Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl

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This high-fiber vegetarian grain bowl is packed with colorful veggies and plant-based protein to keep you feeling energized and satisfied.

 

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BBQ Chicken Bowls

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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.

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Linguine with Creamy White Clam Sauce

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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.

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By Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

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    1 of 27 Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl
    2 of 27 Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
    3 of 27 One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta
    4 of 27 Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad
    5 of 27 Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas
    6 of 27 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
    7 of 27 Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta
    8 of 27 Quinoa-Black Bean Salad
    9 of 27 Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad
    10 of 27 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
    11 of 27 Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls
    12 of 27 Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives
    13 of 27 Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
    14 of 27 Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs with No-Cook Tomato Sauce
    15 of 27 Mediterranean Pasta Salad
    16 of 27 Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    17 of 27 Salmon Couscous Salad
    18 of 27 Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing
    19 of 27 Beef Pad Thai
    20 of 27 Chopped Cobb Salad
    21 of 27 Egyptian Tossed Salad
    22 of 27 Lemon Chicken Pasta
    23 of 27 Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions
    24 of 27 Shrimp & Broccoli Stir-Fry
    25 of 27 Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl
    26 of 27 BBQ Chicken Bowls
    27 of 27 Linguine with Creamy White Clam Sauce

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    27 Healthy 500-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes
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