Skip to content

Top Navigation

EatingWell EatingWell
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Special Diets
  • Diabetes
  • Healthy Meal Plans
  • Healthy Eating
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Healthy Cooking
  • News
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 Take Protein Powder Every Day

      What Happens to Your Body When You Take Protein Powder Every Day

      If you are one of the many people who take protein powder every day, here are some effects you can expect to see. Read More
    • 19 One-Pot Vegetarian Mediterranean Diet Dinners

      19 One-Pot Vegetarian Mediterranean Diet Dinners

      These recipes are simple, delicious and healthy dinners that you'll want to make on repeat. Not only do these one-pot meals make cooking and clean-up easier, each of these recipes are vegetarian and follow the Mediterranean diet so you can have a flavorful meal that aligns with your health goals. The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest eating patterns thanks to its inclusion of ample fresh vegetables, whole grains and, in this case, plant-based proteins. Recipes like our Lemony Linguine With Spring Vegetables and Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry are nutritious, tasty and perfect for any night of the week.  Read More
    • ThePrep: Restaurant Copycat Dinners That Are High in Protein

      ThePrep: Restaurant Copycat Dinners That Are High in Protein

      Flavors from your favorite restaurants with the benefits of home cooking! 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
  • News

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. 20 Diabetes-Friendly Dinners in 30 Minutes

20 Diabetes-Friendly Dinners in 30 Minutes

portrait of Dani
Danielle DeAngelis Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD June 21, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD
Skip gallery slides
Pin
teriyaki chicken rice bowl
Credit: Fred Hardy

From customizable grain bowls to one-pot pastas, you'll want to make these delicious meals again and again. These dinners feature high-fiber complex carbs like quinoa and brown rice, and are low in saturated fat and sodium, so they fit easily into a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Recipes like our Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls and Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes are ready in just 30 minutes or less so you can get in and out of the kitchen in record time.

Start Slideshow

1 of 20

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.

1 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

6351608.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

2 of 20

3 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes

6176575.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

3 of 20

Advertisement

4 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

25-Minute Sweet Potato & Bean Enchiladas

25-Minute Sweet Potato & Bean Enchiladas
Credit: Antonis Achilleos
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

These quick sweet potato and bean enchiladas are diabetes-friendly thanks to egg wraps that are lower in carbs than traditional tortillas. The vegetarian filling is both sweet and savory, while the topping adds texture and freshness.

4 of 20

5 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Instead of opening a jar of sauce, try this easy spaghetti with meat sauce on a weeknight. Serve with steamed broccoli and garlic bread. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings. If you're serving only four for dinner, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti and freeze the leftover sauce.

5 of 20

6 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls

Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

These shrimp, pesto and quinoa bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame.

6 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl

cilantro and lime shrimp bowl
Credit: Jen Causey
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This cilantro-lime shrimp bowl has tons of flavor and texture. The cilantro-lime shrimp is tangy and fresh, with brown rice and creamy avocado to balance the flavor. The two-chile cream sauce is easy to make and brings all the flavors of this bowl dinner together.

7 of 20

8 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

creamy white chili in a bowl
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

8 of 20

9 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor.

9 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo

Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

In this healthy BBQ shrimp recipe, shrimp are seasoned with a peppery spice blend and served with zucchini, peppers and whole-grain orzo for a delicious and easy dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes. The shrimp and veggies are cooked in the same skillet, so cleanup is a snap too.

10 of 20

11 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

teriyaki chicken rice bowl
Credit: Fred Hardy
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This sweet-and-salty teriyaki chicken rice bowl is flavored with fresh grated ginger and scallions and packed with colorful veggies and everything else you need for a balanced dinner in one dish.

11 of 20

12 of 20

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.

12 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Chipotle-Orange Broccoli & Tofu

3758070.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Chipotle peppers add kick to this tofu and broccoli stir-fry recipe. If you're shy about spice, cut back on the amount or leave them out completely. Serve over brown basmati rice.

13 of 20

14 of 20

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.

14 of 20

15 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Warm Barley Salad

4293505.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Barley and pistachios give this healthy chicken recipe a double dose of nutty flavor. For an easy change-up, swap in your favorite whole grain, such as brown rice, farro or quinoa.

15 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

7222786.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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

16 of 20

17 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls

Vegan Superfood Buddha Bowls
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.

17 of 20

18 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Shrimp scampi is a favorite dish at many Italian restaurants but our version takes just 20 minutes to prepare, so it's perfect for a weeknight dinner at home. Large shrimp are cooked with garlic and then served over linguine pasta with a buttery-wine sauce.

18 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

19 of 20

20 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This vegan burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve them on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce--it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.

20 of 20

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Danielle DeAngelis

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 20 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
    2 of 20 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
    3 of 20 Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes
    4 of 20 25-Minute Sweet Potato & Bean Enchiladas
    5 of 20 Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce
    6 of 20 Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls
    7 of 20 Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl
    8 of 20 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese
    9 of 20 Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon
    10 of 20 Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo
    11 of 20 Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl
    12 of 20 Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
    13 of 20 Chipotle-Orange Broccoli & Tofu
    14 of 20 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
    15 of 20 Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Warm Barley Salad
    16 of 20 Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
    17 of 20 Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls
    18 of 20 Shrimp Scampi
    19 of 20 Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
    20 of 20 Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    EatingWell

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Recipe Index
    • Jobs

    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

    20 Diabetes-Friendly Dinners in 30 Minutes
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.