Healthy Recipes Healthy Ingredient Recipes Healthy Vegetable Recipes 25 Dinners That Start with a Bag of Fresh Spinach By Alex Loh Alex Loh Alex Loh is EatingWell's associate food editor. As part of the food team, she creates healthy, delicious recipes for the EatingWell audience. Alex also writes informative food and cooking articles that range from how to store ground beef to the best picks from Trader Joe's. Alex conducts product and taste tests to find the best options, from salad spinners to salsas. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 21, 2020 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian 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 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Add a nutritious leafy green to your dinner with these spinach recipes. While the nutritional value differs slightly between raw and cooked spinach, either way you eat it, you'll be getting lots of vitamins and nutrients. Spinach is full of vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C and has been known to help maintain a healthy blood pressure. Recipes like Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta and Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil are healthy, delicious and a great source of veggies. 01 of 25 Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce View Recipe Serve these saucy, ultra-quick chicken cutlets over your favorite pasta. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020 02 of 25 Best Caesar Salad with Crispy Parmesan View Recipe For a nutrient-packed twist, this healthy Caesar salad features spinach and kale in addition to romaine. But it's the Parmesan crisps that make this salad holiday-worthy. Serve it for Thanksgiving or any other special meal. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November 2019 03 of 25 Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta View Recipe If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019 04 of 25 Spinach & Artichoke-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms View Recipe Stuffed mushrooms and spinach-artichoke dip come together in this quick vegetarian recipe. Serve these cheesy stuffed mushrooms with a big salad for a satisfying and healthy dinner. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020 05 of 25 Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil View Recipe Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with spinach, cabbage and white beans and tossed together with a bright basil dressing in this healthy main dish salad. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019 06 of 25 Spinach & Mushroom Tortellini Bake View Recipe This cheesy tortellini bake is a dish the whole family will love--it's filled with sweet-tasting marinara, mushrooms and spinach and topped with melted cheese. Complete the meal, plus get in another vegetable serving, by adding a side of broccoli or a small green salad. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019 07 of 25 Spring Green Soup with Chicken View Recipe Sautéing chicken in a little oil first (rather than poaching in the broth) creates some browned bits in the pan (aka fond) that give this green soup a richer flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2020 08 of 25 Creamed Spinach-Stuffed Salmon View Recipe For this easy baked salmon recipe, we've stuffed salmon fillets with a luscious creamed spinach mixture for a main and side in one dish. It all adds up to a healthy dinner that's elegant, simple and delicious--and ready in 30 minutes. Wider fillets work best for this salmon recipe because they're easier to stuff than the skinny ones. You could also serve the creamed spinach on the side if you don't feel like stuffing the salmon. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2019 09 of 25 Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Feta Penne Pasta View Recipe In this quick 20-minute dinner recipe, tender penne pasta is combined with garlic, roasted red peppers and spinach and topped with crumbled feta cheese for a fast and easy Mediterranean-inspired meal. This recipe was graciously shared by EatingWell reader Dottie Carpenter, who states, "Recipes are no good if they're not shared!" Source: EatingWell.com, March 2020 10 of 25 Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry with Spinach View Recipe This stir-fry recipe calls for buying shrimp that's already peeled and deveined, which saves you about 10 minutes of prep time. Want this on the milder side? Swap ketchup for the chili-garlic sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2020 11 of 25 Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach View Recipe Diana Chistruga This simple, ultra-quick chicken dinner--packed with spinach and peppers--is delicious on its own or served over brown rice or your favorite pasta. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020 12 of 25 Creamy Spinach Pasta View Recipe This might be one of the creamiest light pasta dishes you've ever had! The mascarpone cheese adds a richness to the spinach pasta that's unexpected--especially in a healthy pasta recipe. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes 13 of 25 Fall Chopped Salad with Spinach, Butternut Squash, Apples & Cheddar View Recipe Who says spinach salads are only for spring? Use autumn's tender crop of fresh spinach and other seasonal vegetables to make this fall salad with roasted butternut squash, apples, cheddar and pecans. This colorful and healthy salad would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving menu, but there's no reason to save it for holidays--serve it along with chicken or pork for a healthy weeknight dinner, or turn it into a main course by adding some chickpeas or chopped chicken or turkey. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019 14 of 25 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. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2020 15 of 25 Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon View Recipe This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019 16 of 25 Vegetarian Spring Egg Casserole View Recipe This easy egg casserole is filled with spring green vegetables and rustic whole-grain bread. It's perfect for a healthy vegetarian dinner or a springtime brunch. You can assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning when you're ready. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020 17 of 25 Slow-Cooker Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna View Recipe Cooking lasagna in your slow cooker rather than in the oven keeps it super moist and cheesy--just like lasagna should be. You can easily assemble this dish in the slow cooker ahead of time and refrigerate it. Just be sure to let the slow cooker come to room temperature before starting it so that the cook time is accurate. Serve with a green salad, if desired. Source: Everyday Slow Cooker 18 of 25 Green Shakshuka with Spinach, Chard & Feta View Recipe The inspiration for this green shakshuka recipe comes from HaBasta, a popular restaurant on the edge of Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, where the shakshuka is packed with green chard and spinach and a little hot pepper provides just a touch of spice. Serve with pita or crusty bread to sop up the sauce for a quick dinner or for brunch. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2019 19 of 25 Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash View Recipe 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. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019 20 of 25 Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara View Recipe Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019 21 of 25 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach View Recipe Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018 22 of 25 Butternut Squash Alfredo with Chicken & Spinach View Recipe If you're not feeling like regular pasta tonight, turn to butternut squash noodles. These delicate veggie strands are a great base for any number of sauces and toppings, like this creamy and decadent Alfredo sauce with chicken, garlic and silky spinach. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018 23 of 25 Italian-Style Turkey & Penne Skillet View Recipe This delicious one-skillet pasta meal-for-two is ready in just 35 minutes! Turkey--seasoned with a spicy Italian-seasoning blend--is served with tomato sauce and wilted spinach over multi-grain pasta. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine 24 of 25 Chicken Stew with Green Herbs & Citrus (Morgh-e Torsh) View Recipe Eric Wolfinger This delicious chicken stew is traditionally made with sour oranges, which are prolific in Iran--if you find them, use the juice of two in place of the citrus called for here. Serve with rice to pair with the flavorful spinach sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2018 25 of 25 Grilled Corn Salad with Chili-Miso Dressing View Recipe Serve this Asian salad with grilled steak, chicken or firm white fish like halibut. You can also double the recipe and bring it to your next potluck. If you can find tatsoi, a peppery Asian leafy green, use it instead of mild-mannered spinach. Store-bought Thai sweet chili sauce and umami-packed white miso build fast flavor in this easy summer salad. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2018 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit