25 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners That Are High in Fiber

Slow-Cooker Chicken White Bean Stew

Each of these simple meals requires less than 20 minutes of active prep time, so you can enjoy a delicious, high-fiber meal without spending all day in the kitchen. Whether you love a bowl of creamy, comforting chicken chili or prefer a plate of seared tuna, this mix of dinners has something for you. Recipes like our Salmon-Stuffed Avocados and Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew focus on complex carbs, like whole grains, and are lower in saturated fat and sodium, so you know they'll fit into a diabetes-friendly eating pattern.

01 of 25

Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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This rich, yet healthy, white chicken chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.

02 of 25

Turkish Seared Tuna with Bulgur & Chickpea Salad

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This healthy tuna recipe combines many of Turkey's most beloved foods and flavors--fresh fish, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs and chickpeas. Cooking for two? Flake the two leftover tuna steaks and mix them into the remaining bulgur salad, then serve over lettuce for lunch the next day.

03 of 25

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

04 of 25

Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

Slow-Cooker Chicken White Bean Stew

This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.

05 of 25

Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

Meal-prep a week's worth of delicious and satisfying high-fiber lunches with just 5 simple ingredients and 20 minutes. In this Southwestern-style pasta salad, we're using pasta made with black beans to bump up the fiber to an impressive 14 grams per serving. Paired with seasoned chicken strips and a flavorful corn salad--shortcut ingredients you can often find at your local specialty grocery store--this meal-prep lunch is one you'll get excited for.

06 of 25

Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Vegan Black Bean Burgers

These easy vegan black bean burgers have a healthy dose of fiber thanks to the combination of black beans and quinoa. Cumin and chipotle chile powder give these vegan burgers a Southwestern spin. Using your hands to combine the mixture creates a soft, uniform texture.

07 of 25

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.

08 of 25

Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado

Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado

Precooked quinoa helps keep this healthy salad recipe quick and simple. Loaded with black beans, kale, and avocado, this recipe is as filling as it is nutritious. You can also make the sweet potatoes and dressing ahead.

09 of 25

Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans

stuffed potatoes with salsa

Taco night meets baked potato night with this simple recipe for loaded baked potatoes with salsa, beans and avocado. This easy, healthy family dinner comes together with just 10 minutes of active time, so you can make it on even the busiest of weeknights. This recipe is just as delicious with sweet potatoes in place of russets.

10 of 25

Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps

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For these meal-prep-friendly lettuce wraps, we swap the traditional warm filling for a cold plant-based bean salad filling loaded with fresh herbs and lemon. Topping each lettuce leaf with a little quinoa before adding the filling helps to keep the lettuce from getting soggy.

11 of 25

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

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A light and creamy green-salsa dressing highlights this easy pasta salad with Southwestern flavors.

12 of 25

Roasted Veggies & Hummus Sandwich

Roasted Veggies & Hummus Sandwich

Spruce up your sandwich game with a medley of roasted veggies. For extra vegetables throughout the week, roast a whole sheet pan in Step 1, then add the cooked veggies to salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes, or serve them as a side dish.

13 of 25

Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad

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This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can't find it, you can use romaine instead.

14 of 25

Quinoa Deli Salad

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This healthy version of a deli salad combines hearty quinoa and chickpeas with small amounts of ham and mozzarella, so you get all of the flavor without overdoing it on the sodium. This healthy quinoa salad is great as dinner and doubles as a delicious lunch the next day.

15 of 25

Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu

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Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.

16 of 25

Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

containers with spicy slaw bowls with shrimp & edamame

The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.

17 of 25

Sausage, Tomato & White Bean Stew

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This white bean stew combines cannellini beans and sweet turkey sausage for a filling, flavorful meal. Serve this hearty bean stew for lunch or dinner.

18 of 25

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese

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This Bolognese sauce recipe is adapted from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. We swap out the beef and pork for button mushrooms to keep this traditional comfort food vegan yet weighty with umami flavor. And while some recipes call for red wine, this recipe sticks with Hazan's white wine selection.

19 of 25

Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas & Vegetables

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A tangy, balsamic dressing and nutty Parmesan cheese combine to coat tender roasted vegetables and chickpeas in this springy vegetarian dinner. To keep it vegetarian, serve it over quinoa or, for meat-eaters, serve with roasted chicken or pan-seared fish.

20 of 25

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

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.

21 of 25

Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls

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Brimming with colorful roasted vegetables, these plant-based meal-prep lunch bowls are high in fiber to keep you full through the afternoon. The easy roasted veggies are based on a popular recipe from our sister magazine (see Associated Recipes). Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus to cut down on prep time, or make a batch of your own (see Tip). You can also sub in an 8-ounce microwaveable quinoa pouch to minimize cooking.

22 of 25

Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup

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Jazz up a can of black bean soup with your favorite nacho toppings, such as cheese, avocado and fresh tomatoes. A bit of smoked paprika adds a bold flavor kick, but you can swap in any warm spices you prefer, such as cumin or chili powder. Look for a soup that contains no more than 450 mg sodium per serving.

23 of 25

Hearty Tomato Soup with Beans & Greens

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Garlicky kale and creamy white beans elevate simple canned tomato soup into a 10-minute lunch or dinner that really satisfies. Use a soup with tomato pieces for a heartier texture. Look for a brand that's low- or reduced-sodium, with no more than 450 mg sodium per serving.

24 of 25

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables depending on your mood.

25 of 25

Shrimp and Cauliflower Bake

Shrimp and Cauliflower Bake

This quick and easy seafood casserole gets bright flavor from fresh dill and feta cheese.

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