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  6. 23 Easy Low-Calorie Dinners You'll Want to Make This Winter

23 Easy Low-Calorie Dinners You'll Want to Make This Winter

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Updated September 11, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Sheet pan of the Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes recipe

These low-calorie meals are a great fit for any weeknight. Each recipe requires just 20 minutes of active time in the kitchen, so you can whip up a healthy, tasty meal without breaking a sweat. Plus, each simple dish has fewer than 575 calories per serving and includes lots of delicious wintry produce like sweet potatoes, kale and cauliflower. Recipes like our Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese and Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes make it easy to shake up your winter dinner menu.

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Salmon with Smoky Mayo & Quinoa Pilaf

Salmon with Smoky Mayo & Quinoa Pilaf
Credit: Jacob Fox
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We love the ease of cooking salmon straight from the freezer—not only does it save you a step, this method also gently steams the fish for super-moist results. The salmon gets served with a quinoa pilaf for a healthy and filling meal.

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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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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

creamy white chili in a bowl
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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.

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Taco Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

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Revamp traditional shepherd's pie with this Tex-Mex take on the classic comfort food with taco seasoning, black beans and a little jalapeƱo. The flavor- and veggie-packed filling gets topped with cilantro-lime sweet potatoes for a satisfying and healthy dinner recipe.

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Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes

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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.

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Gochujang-Glazed Tempeh & Brown Rice Bowls

Korean BBQ Tempeh Grain Bowl
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If you're a tempeh skeptic, you've probably never had the firm soy-based slabs slathered with a sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce. We give this easy BBQ tempeh combo a punch of umami with tamari and add a little heat courtesy of gochujang. It's easy to put your own spin on this recipe; see Variations for some riffs.

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Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado

Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado
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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.

Ā 

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Cauliflower Tikka Masala with Chickpeas

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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.

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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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Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
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Enjoy the classic flavors of Buffalo chicken wings in a healthier way. Spooned into spaghetti squash boats and topped with blue cheese, this lighter version is just as tasty as the real deal but it will actually make you crave your veggies.

Ā 

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Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Salad

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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.

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Udon Noodle Bowl

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This Asian-inspired Udon Noodle Bowl can be ready in just 30 minutes. It's a perfect weeknight meal, quick and incredibly satisfying.

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Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas & Spinach

Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas & Spinach
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Simmer eggs in a rich tomatoey cream sauce studded with chickpeas and silky spinach for a super-fast vegetarian dinner. Serve with a piece of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Be sure to use heavy cream; a lower-fat option might curdle when mixed with acidic tomatoes.

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Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
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Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use parcooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter—making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking.

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Sheet-Pan Steak & Potatoes

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One pan = less cleanup. To make this sheet-pan dinner work, the potatoes are roasted for 15 minutes before the asparagus and skirt steak are added. Finished with rosemary and blue cheese, it's our easy—and healthy—take on steak frites.

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Quinoa Power Salad

Quinoa Power Salad
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Make this satisfying salad in the evening and enjoy one portion for dinner, then pack the remaining portion for lunch the next day. Loaded with protein- and fiber-rich ingredients like chicken, sweet potato and quinoa plus power greens, this meal is nutrition-packed!

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Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

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Crispy Smoked Tofu & Coleslaw Wraps

Crispy Smoked Tofu & Coleslaw Wraps
Credit: Johnny & Charlotte Autry
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Tossing the smoked tofu in cornstarch then pan-frying makes it super-crispy. Drizzle with hot honey or your favorite hot sauce to spice it up a little.

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Old Bay Salmon with Lemony Mashed Peas

salmon on a plate with lemon wedges
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Cooking butter until it browns adds a toasty, nutty flavor to this easy skillet salmon recipe. Here it gives Old Bay-rubbed salmon a chef-worthy finish—not bad for 20 minutes!

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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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Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions

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Balsamic onions and raisins add a burst of sweet and savory flavor to pan-seared pork chops. Round out this healthy dinner recipe with sweet potatoes and green beans.

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Blackened Fish Tacos

Blackened Fish Tacos
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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These blackened fish tacos pack a punch. The blackened fish gets plenty of flavor from herbs and spices, the salsa adds some zing and the cabbage provides a nice raw crunch.

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BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous

BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous
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In the U.S., dry whole-wheat couscous has been partially cooked, making it a quick-cooking (5 minutes!) whole-grain weeknight dinner champ. And when you buy peeled shrimp, plus a bag of prechopped kale and bottled barbecue sauce, the savings in prep time helps to get this healthy dinner done in a jiff.

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    1 of 23 Salmon with Smoky Mayo & Quinoa Pilaf
    2 of 23 Beefless Vegan Tacos
    3 of 23 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese
    4 of 23 Taco Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
    5 of 23 Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes
    6 of 23 Gochujang-Glazed Tempeh & Brown Rice Bowls
    7 of 23 Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado
    8 of 23 Cauliflower Tikka Masala with Chickpeas
    9 of 23 Jackfruit Barbacoa Burrito Bowls
    10 of 23 Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
    11 of 23 Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Salad
    12 of 23 Udon Noodle Bowl
    13 of 23 Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas & Spinach
    14 of 23 Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
    15 of 23 Sheet-Pan Steak & Potatoes
    16 of 23 Quinoa Power Salad
    17 of 23 Chhole (Chickpea Curry)
    18 of 23 Crispy Smoked Tofu & Coleslaw Wraps
    19 of 23 Old Bay Salmon with Lemony Mashed Peas
    20 of 23 Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
    21 of 23 Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions
    22 of 23 Blackened Fish Tacos
    23 of 23 BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous

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    23 Easy Low-Calorie Dinners You'll Want to Make This Winter
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