Skip to content

Top Navigation

EatingWell EatingWell
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Special Diets
  • Diabetes
  • Healthy Meal Plans
  • Healthy Eating
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Healthy Cooking
  • Shop
  • News
  • Videos
Log In Account Details

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore EatingWell

EatingWell EatingWell
  • Explore

    Explore

    • What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Avocado Every Day

      What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Avocado Every Day

      Can an avocado a day keep your health at bay? What does the research have to say? Read More
    • 7-Day No-Sugar High-Protein Meal Plan

      7-Day No-Sugar High-Protein Meal Plan

      Skip the added sugar and bump up the protein to keep yourself full on this 7-day meal plan. Read More
    • 20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners Ready in 3 Steps or Less

       If you're looking for low-carb, high-protein dinners that don't require cooking for hours, these recipes got you covered. These dinner options are ready to serve in 3 steps or less so you can meet your nutrition goals easily. Each recipe l meets our nutrition parameters, with less than 14 grams of carbs and more than 15 grams of protein, without wasting on flavor. Recipes like 20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce and Cheesy Ground Beef Cauliflower Casserole are delicious options for you to get a healthy meal on your table in no time.  Read More
  • Healthy Recipes

    Healthy Recipes

    See All Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Healthy Lunch Recipes
    • Healthy Dinner Recipes
    • Healthy Snack Recipes
    • Healthy Dessert Recipes
    • Healthy Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Salad Recipes
    • Healthy Smoothie Recipes
    • Healthy Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Healthy Slow-Cooker & Crockpot Recipes
    • Healthy Kids Recipes
    • Healthy Holiday Recipes
    • Healthy Vegan Recipes
    • Healthy Vegetarian Recipes
    • Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes
    • Healthy Diabetes-Friendly Recipes
    • Healthy Low-Calorie Recipes
    • Healthy Weight Loss & Diet Recipes
    • More Lifestyle Diet Recipes
    • More Health Condition Recipes
    • More Dietary Restriction Recipes
    • More Nutrient Focused Recipes
  • Special Diets

    Special Diets

    See All Special Diets
    • Clean Eating Diet Center
    • Mediterranean Diet Center
    • Low-Carb Diet Center
    • Weight Loss Center
    • Dairy-Free Diet Center
    • Gluten-Free Diet Center
    • High-Fiber Diet Center
    • Vegan Diet Center
    • Vegetarian Diet Center
    • Heart-Healthy Diet Center
    • Cholesterol Diet Center
    • Diabetes Diet Center
    • High Blood Pressure Diet Center
    • Low Sodium Diet Center
    • Healthy Aging Diet Center
    • Pregnancy Diet Center
  • Diabetes

    Diabetes

    See All Diabetes
    • Meal Plans for Diabetes
    • Diabetes-Friendly Recipes
    • Diabetes Diet Center
  • Healthy Meal Plans

    Healthy Meal Plans

    See All Healthy Meal Plans
    • Meal Planning 101
    • Dinner Plans
    • Clean Eating Meal Plans
    • Mediterranean Diet Meal Plans
    • Low-Carb Meal Plans
    • Weight-Loss Meal Plans
    • Dairy-Free Meal Plans
    • Gluten-Free Meal Plans
    • High-Fiber Meal Plans
    • Vegan Meal Plans
    • Vegetarian Meal Plans
    • Heart-Healthy Meal Plans
    • Low Cholesterol Meal Plans
    • Meal Plans for Diabetes
    • Blood Pressure Meal Plans
    • Low Sodium Meal Plans
    • Anti-Aging Meal Plans
    • Pregnancy Meal Plans
    • Healthy Kids Meal Plans
    • ThePrep
  • Healthy Eating

    Healthy Eating

    See All Healthy Eating
    • Healthy Eating 101
    • Eat More Vegetables
    • 30-Day Challenges
    • Good Food Fast
    • Healthy Eating for Kids
    • Best Healthy Foods
    • Green and Sustainable Eating
    • The Beet
    • Transformed
  • Healthy Lifestyle

    Healthy Lifestyle

    See All Healthy Lifestyle
    • Wine, Beer & Spirits Guide
    • Entertaining
    • EatingWell in Real Life
    • Plant Your Plate
    • Healthy Pets
    • American Food Heroes
    • Future of Food
    • Food with Purpose
    • Obsessed
  • Healthy Cooking

    Healthy Cooking

    See All Healthy Cooking
    • Healthy Cooking How-To's
    • Ask the Test Kitchen
    • Budget Cooking Guide
    • Thrifty
    • Heritage Cooking
  • Shop

    Shop

    See All Shop
    • EatingWell Cookbooks & More
    • EatingWell Frozen Meals
  • News
  • Videos

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Healthy Recipes
  3. Recipes for Specific Health Condition
  4. Healthy Diabetic Recipes
  5. Diabetic Dinner Recipes
  6. 16 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners to Make This Spring

16 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners to Make This Spring

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD April 16, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Walnut-Rosemary Crusted Salmon

With just 20 minutes of active time in the kitchen, you can whip up any one of these deliciously seasonal dinners. Spring produce like mushrooms, cauliflower, rhubarb and lemon bring fresh flavor to every bite, whether you choose a simple pasta or a sheet-pan roast. Plus, each dish highlights complex carbs, like whole grains, and sticks to heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium for a meal that's perfect for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Recipes like our Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame and Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon are simple ways to bring spring into your kitchen. 

Start Slideshow

1 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

8110978.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

1 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Easy Chicken Cutlets with Rhubarb Sauce

7782097.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Sweet white balsamic vinegar balances tart rhubarb in a simple pan sauce for this quick chicken cutlets recipe.

2 of 16

3 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner recipe you'll be returning to again and again.

3 of 16

Advertisement

4 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry

7254998.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This tofu veggie stir-fry is quick and easy, making it a great go-to weeknight meal. Baked tofu has a firm, toothsome texture that crisps well in a hot pan. You can find it in flavors like teriyaki and sesame, both of which are delicious here. Or opt for a smoked version, which has the same texture with a more robust flavor. Serve over brown rice.

4 of 16

5 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

7124995.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water--its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.

5 of 16

6 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens

6859253.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe.

6 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas
Credit: Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Fajitas make an excellent weeknight meal. These come together faster than ever, using quick-cooking shrimp and veggies all on one sheet pan so you can focus on family rather than cleanup.

7 of 16

8 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
Credit: Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Shrimp cooks quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve over whole grains or rice.

8 of 16

9 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas

Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas
Credit: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

These sheet-pan poblano-and-corn chicken fajitas are seasoned with mild ancho chile powder, paprika and cumin. The chicken and vegetables cook on a sheet pan under the broiler so you can forget working over a hot stove or grill to get dinner on the table fast. Plus, with only one pan, cleanup is a breeze!

9 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios

8427587.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Precooked farro makes this dish come together in no time. And you can make it in the same bowl you serve it in, minimizing cleanup!

10 of 16

11 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese

8400902.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

11 of 16

12 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Vegetables

7806892.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

12 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas & Vegetables

7806836.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

13 of 16

14 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Lemon Chicken Pasta

6599307.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

In this easy lemon chicken pasta recipe, we love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken, quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby zucchini, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes.

14 of 16

15 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

15 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

6149755.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

16 of 16

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Leah Goggins

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 16 Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
    2 of 16 Easy Chicken Cutlets with Rhubarb Sauce
    3 of 16 One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake
    4 of 16 Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry
    5 of 16 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
    6 of 16 Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens
    7 of 16 Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas
    8 of 16 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
    9 of 16 Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas
    10 of 16 Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios
    11 of 16 Vegan Mushroom Bolognese
    12 of 16 Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Vegetables
    13 of 16 Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas & Vegetables
    14 of 16 Lemon Chicken Pasta
    15 of 16 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
    16 of 16 Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    EatingWell

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Recipe Index
    • Jobs
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    Sign Up
    Meredith© 2023 EatingWell.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. EatingWell may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. All Right Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright EatingWell. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com

    Sign in

    View image

    16 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners to Make This Spring
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.