Healthy Recipes Healthy Mealtime Recipes Healthy Dinner Recipes Low-Calorie Dinner Recipes 36 Sunday Dinners with 500 Calories or Less By EatingWell Editors EatingWell Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Articles by "EatingWell Editors" are a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, articles are updated by a number of writers and editors over time to keep the information as up-to-date and comprehensive as possible. The EatingWell team includes industry-leading food and nutrition editors, registered dietitians, expert Test Kitchen staffers and designers who produce award-winning journalism, delicious recipes and engaging content. Our work has earned more than 50 national and international awards for writing, editing, art direction, creative marketing and publishing excellence EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 28, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos For this week's Sunday dinner, try one of these low-calorie recipes. Each of these meals is full of bold flavor while having only 500 calories or less per serving. Whether you go vegetarian or opt for a protein like chicken or shrimp, you'll feel satisfied with any of these dishes. Recipes like Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Tempeh & Mushroom Tacos are flavorful, healthy and a delicious way to end your weekend. 01 of 36 Sweet & Sour Chicken with Broccoli View Recipe This easy chicken and broccoli recipe makes a delicious, healthier alternative to Chinese takeout--and it takes just 20 minutes to make, so it's ideal for an easy weeknight dinner. When toasted, ramen noodles make a tasty, crunchy topping for a stir-fry or salad. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2019 02 of 36 One-Pot Greek 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. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2018 03 of 36 Cauliflower Tikka Masala with Chickpeas View Recipe In this vegetarian riff on a popular Indian dish, we swap in cauliflower and chickpeas for the chicken in tikka masala. The cauliflower's nooks and crannies are particularly good at soaking up all the intense flavors of the sauce. Serve over rice for an easy healthy dinner that's ready in just 20 minutes. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019 04 of 36 Easy Salmon Cakes View Recipe If you are trying to boost your intake of omega-3s, try this simple favorite. It is a great way to use convenient canned (or leftover) salmon. The tangy dill sauce provides a tart balance. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Winter 2004 05 of 36 Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers View Recipe These vegan sweet potato-black bean burgers spiced with curry powder are easy to make. Blending the mixture with your hands gives you a soft, uniform texture then the outside gets crispy by cooking in a cast-iron pan. To make this recipe gluten-free too, use gluten-free oats and serve the patty in a lettuce wrap, omitting the bun. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020 06 of 36 Grilled Peach & Brie Smothered Chicken View Recipe This super-fast and healthy smothered chicken tastes best on the deck with a chilled glass of gewürztraminer. The fruity white pairs nicely with the peaches here. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July / August 2020 07 of 36 Instant-Pot Sausage & Peppers View Recipe Yellow and green peppers, tomatoes and sweet onion come together in the Instant Pot and make this classic sandwich pop with flavor. Cooking sausage and peppers in your Instant Pot makes this even easier for a busy weeknight. While green peppers are classic, any color bell peppers will work well. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2020 08 of 36 Tempeh & Mushroom Tacos View Recipe Tempeh is a vegetarian protein that crumbles easily; here it stands in for ground meat in this tempeh taco recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2020 09 of 36 Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole View Recipe Katie Webster Casseroles make perfect meal-prep dinners--this enchilada version is so easy to prep ahead. The whole casserole can be built and left to hang out in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then all you have to do is bake it off on a busy night and you have a healthy dinner on the table in a jiff. The quick homemade enchilada sauce in this recipe is great when you don't have any of the canned sauce on hand--just season crushed tomatoes with spices and salt for an instant enchilada sauce. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2018 10 of 36 Salmon with Chopped Tomatillo Salad View Recipe We made this chopped salad with pico de gallo in mind. Tangy tomatillos add fresh crunch to the classic mixture of tomatoes, cilantro and onion to brighten up this broiled salmon recipe. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July / August 2020 11 of 36 Easy Shrimp Tacos View Recipe These easy shrimp tacos are inspired by the seafood tacos in Baja California. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2020 12 of 36 Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Salad View Recipe Cutting the steak immediately after cooking breaks all the rules on meat cookery, but in this recipe we do it intentionally in order to capture the juices and incorporate them into the dressing. Serve this grilled flank steak recipe with crusty bread to soak up the deliciousness. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020 13 of 36 Mediterranean Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Arugula Salad View Recipe Roasted portobello mushrooms stand in for pizza crust in these comforting individual "pizzas." An easy arugula side salad makes a vibrant accompaniment. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2020 14 of 36 Zucchini Noodle Primavera View Recipe This primavera recipe cuts carbs by swapping out the pasta for zucchini "noodles." This quick vegetarian dinner is chock-full of colorful vegetables smothered in a light, creamy sauce. We like using prepackaged spiralized zucchini noodles to keep this recipe ultra-fast, but if you have a spiralizer and zucchini on hand, you can easily make your own. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020 15 of 36 Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Topping View Recipe In this easy shepherd's pie recipe, we keep the carbs in check by using creamy mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes. The ground beef filling is cooked in the same skillet used for baking the pie, making assembly (and cleanup) a breeze. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020 16 of 36 One-Pot Coconut Milk Curry with Chickpeas View Recipe The assortment of vegetables in this vegan one-pot dish add varying textures and flavors to make each forkful exciting. The sweet potato balances the savory spices nicely. Serve this bright and flavorful curry with rice or rice noodles. Source: EatingWell.com, April 2020 17 of 36 Sweet & Sour Pork with a Sesame Crust View Recipe You'll recognize the classic Chinese flavor pairing of sesame, soy and white pepper on these sweet and sour pork chops. White pepper is more mild and earthy than black pepper, but either will work here. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2020 18 of 36 Sloppy Joe Casserole View Recipe Like sloppy Joes? Then you'll love this sloppy Joe casserole recipe. This kid-friendly dinner has the classic sloppy Joe flavors kids love, while parents will like all the veggies that are packed in to make it a healthy meal. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019 19 of 36 Coconut-Curry Chicken Cutlets View Recipe This easy chicken cutlet recipe will help you get a healthy meal on the table in just 20 minutes. Coconut milk's creamy consistency is perfect for making quick pan sauces--no need to add a thickener. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2020 20 of 36 Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes View Recipe Yukon Golds are great here because they get crispy on the outside but completely creamy on the inside. A brush stroke or two of balsamic glaze provides a rich color and a sweet finish to the roasted salmon. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020 21 of 36 PLT Pizza View Recipe With pancetta, lettuce and tomato, this pie combines salad and pizza all in one, a pizz-alad if you will! It's a delicious mess--serve it with knives, forks and plenty of napkins. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020 22 of 36 Philly Cheesesteak-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms View Recipe We've taken the key ingredients of a Philly cheesesteak--onions, peppers, thinly sliced beef and provolone cheese--and piled them into portobello mushroom caps to make a meaty and satisfying low-carb main dish. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020 23 of 36 Cilantro-Lime Chicken Tacos View Recipe A quick lime marinade does double duty as a sauce in these tangy chicken tacos. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2020 24 of 36 Lentil Bowls with Fried Eggs & Greens View Recipe Lentils are a quick and easy protein. We like French green lentils, which hold their shape when cooked. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2020 25 of 36 Southwestern Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp & Avocado Crema View Recipe These healthy Southwestern cauliflower rice bowls, topped with black beans, corn and smoky chipotle shrimp, get a cool-down from homemade avocado crema and take just 30 minutes to make. Source: EatingWell.com, April 2020 26 of 36 Crispy Walleye with Pickled Fennel & Dill Tartar Sauce View Recipe One of chef Kippy Kuboy's most popular dishes at the Poplar Haus in Grand Marais, Minnesota, is his walleye po'boy. Here we serve the walleye recipe deconstructed, but go ahead and pile everything on a soft roll if you like. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020 27 of 36 Chicken & Zucchini Casserole View Recipe Photographer /Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies (concealed in a delicious cheese sauce!). Source: EatingWell.com, May 2020 28 of 36 Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce View Recipe These pan-seared scallops come together in just 20 minutes for a delicious, easy dinner. You'll want some whole-wheat angel hair pasta or polenta to sop up all the rich, briny sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2020 29 of 36 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 30 of 36 Quick Beef Pho View Recipe Traditional Vietnamese beef pho involves simmering whole herbs and aromatics for hours to achieve a rich, clear broth with a deep flavor; this shortcut version simmers ground spices for just 15 minutes, yet still achieves a savory, rich broth. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2020 31 of 36 Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Vegetables View Recipe This one-pan dinner gets a hit of flavorful heat from harissa, the popular North African chile-and-garlic paste. We use harissa paste from a tube for this recipe. It's got a concentrated chile flavor that makes an excellent spice rub for chicken and adds a subtle punch of heat to a refreshing herbed yogurt sauce. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2020 32 of 36 Grilled Pork Chops with Chile & Pineapple View Recipe Never grilled pineapple? Get ready to be wowed. It caramelizes beautifully for a deeper flavor. Plus it's a totally tasty match with a grilled pork chop, cilantro and a little heat from serranos. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2020 33 of 36 Herby Mediterranean Fish with Wilted Greens & Mushrooms View Recipe This Mediterranean fish recipe makes a tasty and healthful weeknight meal. Serve with wild rice or roasted potatoes. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2020 34 of 36 Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fried Rice View Recipe Classic shrimp fried rice gets amped-up flavor with sambal heat. The textures are pretty spot on with hits of crispy and tender rice and are the same as you'd get if you prepared it in a wok or skillet. This sheet-pan shrimp fried rice recipe is a great way to use leftover rice, but you could also use pre-cooked microwave rice so that it can be coming to room temperature while you chop the veggies. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes 35 of 36 Turkey Meatballs with Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes View Recipe The flavor of the turkey meatballs is enhanced by the Asiago and prosciutto. We love keeping this turkey meatball recipe on hand for meal prep, since meatballs can be used in sandwiches, salads, pasta and more. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes 36 of 36 Creamy Mushroom & Tomato Farro Risotto View Recipe Instead of arborio rice, this creamy grain dish features the bold nuttiness of farro, which pairs nicely with the black pepper and Parmesan. The cherry tomatoes add a nice touch of juicy sweetness, and the cremini mushrooms give a "meaty" feel to this vegetarian main dish. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit