26 Easy Dinners for Weight Loss with 5 Steps or Less

November 04, 2020

You’re just five steps away from a healthy and delicious dinner. These dinner recipes are full of fiber and low in calories, which is a key combination if you’re looking to slim down. Recipes like Chicken Tacos with Brussels Sprouts and Pizza-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash are packed with nutritious vegetables and filling protein to create a balanced meal everyone will love.

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One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

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This one-pot pasta with tangy tomato-basil sauce is a simple, fast and easy weeknight dinner. All of your ingredients go into one pot, and with a bit of stirring and about 25 minutes of cook time, you'll have a healthy dinner the whole family will enjoy.

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Slab Chicken Potpie

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Slab fruit pies are all the rage for summer parties, so why not give classic chicken potpie the same treatment and create buzz at a cool-weather gathering as well. Premade pie crusts and frozen veggies make this chicken dinner easy to prepare without sacrificing flavor.

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Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes

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This healthy copycat recipe of the comfort food classic trades beans for some of the meat to bump up fiber by 7 grams. We also cut back on the sugar and ketchup in this Sloppy Joe recipe makeover to save you 12 grams of added sugar.

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Beefless Vegan Tacos

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Take taco night in a new direction with these healthy vegan tacos. We've swapped crumbled tofu for the ground beef, without sacrificing any of the savory seasonings you expect in a taco. You can also use the filling in burritos, bowls, taco salads and to top nachos.

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Long-Life Noodles with Beef & Chinese Broccoli

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Noodles are a key part of Chinese New Year celebrations because they symbolize long life. We love this recipe for the tradition because it's super-customizable based on your tastes. Try swapping in chicken for the steak. Can't find Chinese broccoli? Use broccolini instead. Or swap out the mushrooms and broccoli altogether for snow peas and carrots.

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Chicken Tacos with Brussels Sprouts

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To add a variety of textures to these chicken tacos, we poach the chicken to keep it super-tender and moist while broiling the Brussels for a crisp mix-in. The creamy sauce rounds out the combo.

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Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili

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Grab your crock pot for this delicious and easy slow-cooker vegetarian chili with beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet potatoes. The recipe requires just 20 minutes of active time: after a bit of chopping, you just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do the work. Adding a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro just before serving brightens up the flavors. Top it with some shredded cheese, if you'd like, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan. Either way, this healthy chili is sure to become a go-to when you want a satisfying and healthy dinner.

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Spinach-Artichoke-Sausage Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Hearty and piquant, this quick cauliflower gnocchi dinner incorporates several healthy convenience ingredients, including turkey sausage and tender artichoke hearts, so dinner is on your table fast.

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Tofu Shepherd's Pie

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This vegetarian makeover of Shepherd's Pie may be missing the meat, but it's not missing the protein, thanks to the sneaky but undetectable addition of tofu. Our version has an abundance of vegetables and the mashed potato topping blended with tofu is delicious and lighter-feeling than the original.

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Pizza-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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Skip the dough and stuff all of your favorite pizza toppings into spaghetti squash boats for a fun and healthy dinner that'll please the whole family. We love the combination of mushrooms, bell peppers, pepperoni and mozzarella, but feel free to mix it up with your favorite pizza ingredients. You could throw in a bit of chopped cooked broccoli, for example, or add some olives or chopped artichoke hearts. And of course feel free to omit the pepperoni to make the dish vegetarian. Round out the meal with a simple salad.

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Butternut Squash Alfredo with Chicken & Spinach

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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.

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Jackfruit Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

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Jackfruit, a tropical fruit with a dense, chewy texture, is a blank canvas that takes on flavors well. In these vegan burrito bowls, the jackfruit is simmered in a warm and spicy chile sauce that's so good you'll never know you're eating a plant-based protein instead of pork or beef.

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Green Lentil Curry Masabacha

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Masabacha is a thick stew that in this case serves as the backbone to a hearty and healthy breakfast bowl. But the real star here is the silky whipped tahini sauce, made by simply pureeing tahini and water with garlic and lemon juice until the mixture is transformed into a light, spreadable sauce. Serve with warm pita and some vegetables for dipping.

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Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

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We love the crunch from sliced cucumber and jicama in these savory chicken lettuce wraps. Serve with the simple peanut sauce for an easy dinner recipe that will impress kids and adults alike.

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Turkey Meatballs with Linguine & Fresh Tomato Sauce

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For this healthy turkey meatball recipe, lean ground turkey is mixed with fresh mushrooms, oats, garlic, spices and a little Parmesan cheese for a meatball that's moist, delicious and has more fiber and less saturated fat than a traditional beef and pork version. Serve these tasty meatballs over whole-grain pasta with fresh tomato sauce for a satisfying take on spaghetti and meatballs, and save the leftovers to stuff into sandwiches.

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Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

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Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.

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Chilean Lentil Stew with Salsa Verde

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This healthy vegetarian recipe is hearty and satisfying. Don't skip the parsley relish (salsa verde)--it's easy to make and lends a tangy accent that balances the flavors of the lentil stew. We prefer French green lentils for this stew, as they don't fall apart while cooking; however, regular brown lentils (found in most supermarkets) will also work.

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Lemon-Tahini Couscous with Chicken & Vegetables

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When you want pasta in no time, couscous is your best friend! The tiny pasta balls cook up in minutes, and absorb all the water so you don't have to fuss with draining. Tossed with sautéed vegetables plus leftover chicken, it's a fast and tasty meal in a bowl that's perfect as an easy dinner recipe.

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Slow-Cooker Squash, Millet & Lentil Dal with Herbed Yogurt

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This slow-cooker dal recipe has a range of pleasing textures: red lentils and millet break down as they cook, and the toor dal, which are split pigeon peas, stay toothsome. Look for all three ingredients at Indian markets or natural-foods stores. The crock pot does most of the work for this healthy vegetarian recipe, and a quick herbed yogurt added just before serving brightens up the flavors. Bonus: Both the dal and the yogurt can be made ahead and the leftovers are wonderful.

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Italian-Style Turkey & Penne Skillet

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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.

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Chicken Parmesan & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

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Chicken Parm gets a fun low-carb and gluten-free twist with these cheesy stuffed peppers with chicken and quinoa. Serve with a salad for a healthy dinner that's easy to prep too.

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Buffalo Chicken Chili

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Calling all Buffalo chicken lovers! This Buffalo chicken chili recipe features everything you love about Buffalo chicken wings: the veggies, the tangy, spicy kick and a topping of creamy blue cheese. Enjoy it with a small group or double the recipe to enjoy at your next Super Bowl party.

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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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Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Slaw

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A citrus-jalapeño slaw adds a zesty and delicious crunch to these fish tacos. Add some sweetness to each bite by serving with peach or mango fruit salsa.

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Lamb & Chickpea Stew

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Rosemary and oregano combine to create a delicious and warm flavor in this filling lamb and chickpea stew.

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Honey-Mustard Chicken Tenders with Couscous & Carrots

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Thanks to the quick-cooking power of chicken tenders, this honey-mustard chicken dinner comes together fast and easily for a family-friendly weeknight meal. The baby carrots are cooked in a simple orange juice and butter sauce which is lovely drizzled over the chicken and couscous.

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