Healthy Recipes Healthy Seasonal Recipes Healthy Spring Recipes Healthy Spring Dinner Recipes 30 Healthy Dinners to Make in April By Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis Instagram Twitter Website Danielle DeAngelis is a rising journalist and current Fellow for EatingWell.com. Through her previous experiences as a news writer, she has focused on covering sustainability and human interest stories. Her passions of reading, writing and eating local all guide her in her position at EatingWell. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 1, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Andrea Mathis This April, enjoy these healthy and delicious dinners that are well-suited for the season. These evening meals are perfect for spring nights, from comforting chicken casseroles to fresh salads and grain bowls. Packed with seasonal produce, recipes like our Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta with Chicken and Egg Roll-Inspired Cabbage Rolls are delicious dishes you'll want to make all spring. 01 of 30 Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta with Chicken View Recipe Jamie Vespa If you love warm spinach and artichoke dip, then you'll love that we turned this classic dip into a creamy pasta dish with chicken. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare. 02 of 30 Black Bean & Mushroom Enchilada Casserole View Recipe Ali Redmond Mushrooms and creamy black beans spiced with cumin and oregano create the filling for this vegetarian enchilada casserole. Pepper Jack adds nice flavor, but you can substitute regular Monterey Jack cheese if you don't want the heat. 03 of 30 Escarole, Cannellini Bean & Sausage Soup View Recipe Dera Burreson This soup would be equally satisfying if you took it in a vegetarian direction and skipped the sausage and used no-chicken broth. 04 of 30 Lemon-Garlic Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs View Recipe Jason Donnelly This boneless, skinless chicken thigh recipe is lemony and bright with lots of savory garlic flavor. The chicken stays tender and juicy from the quick marinade. Serve this quick weeknight dinner with roasted vegetables and rice pilaf on the side. 05 of 30 Padma Lakshmi's Beef Shawarma with Beet Yogurt Sauce View Recipe Jacob Fox Beef shawarma is traditionally roasted on a spit and then sliced thin. This grilled version by Padma Lakshmi has similar vibes thanks to a highly seasoned marinade. This recipe makes extra beet yogurt sauce, so stick it in the fridge to have on hand for dolloping on grain bowls, salads and sandwiches. 06 of 30 Egg Roll-Inspired Cabbage Rolls View Recipe Skip takeout and try these egg roll-inspired cabbage rolls! Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with egg roll filling and baked in a flavorful soy-hoisin tomato sauce. 07 of 30 Creamy Spinach-&-Feta Chicken Casserole View Recipe Sara Haas Inspired by the flavors of spanakopita, here we put a spin on spinach pie and turn it into a casserole. Adding chicken provides protein, while plenty of garlic and onions add flavor. This recipe calls for 8 sheets of phyllo dough, so there's no need to cover them to keep them moist when assembling. If your sheets are larger than your dish, cut them or fold them in half so they fit. 08 of 30 Garlicky Pasta with Grilled Shrimp & Asparagus View Recipe Andrea Mathis This grilled garlic-shrimp pasta with asparagus is a great way to have a fancy dinner on the table in minutes, and it's perfect for any night of the week. 09 of 30 Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa View Recipe Photographer: Brie Goldman Food Stylist: Annie Probst Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco Crisping the quinoa in the oven adds delicious texture to this bright and filling kale salad. The lemon-honey-garlic dressing complements the sweetness from the roasted vegetables. Topping the salad with feta and pepitas gives it a savory note. 10 of 30 Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops View Recipe Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin These cream of mushroom pork chops are comforting and easy to make. Cream of mushroom soup is a great base for a quick and foolproof sauce; dry sherry adds depth of flavor. Shiitake mushrooms add more rich and earthy flavors to the dish, making this perfect for a weeknight or for company. 11 of 30 Slow-Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with Asparagus & Peas View Recipe Use your crock pot all year with this healthy slow-cooker chicken soup recipe with fresh spring ingredients. Adding the asparagus and peas to the slow cooker for the last 20 minutes of cooking and leaving the lid off ensures that the vegetables stay bright green and are perfectly done without getting mushy. 12 of 30 Air-Fryer Shrimp Po'Boys with Rémoulade Slaw View Recipe Photographer: Kelsey Hansen, Food Stylist: Kelsey Moylan A po'boy is a classic New Orleans sandwich, and we stuff this one with plenty of crispy shrimp. A crunchy broccoli slaw and a spicy mayo complete this sandwich for a satisfying medley of textures and flavors. Pickles add another element of crunchiness, but you can leave those on the side, if you prefer. 13 of 30 Green Goddess Farro Bowl View Recipe Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Farro and vegetables with a thick green goddess dressing pack this grain bowl with plenty of flavor. Finish it off with chicken, or use white beans as a plant-based protein alternative. (To make this bowl completely vegetarian, omit the anchovy paste from the dressing.) If you can't find fava beans, try thawed frozen lima beans or edamame in their place. 14 of 30 Smash Burgers View Recipe Fred Hardy This garlicky smash burger recipe includes a hefty amount of portobello mushrooms, which adds a light texture and rich umami flavor. Using a hot skillet and flattening the burgers evenly forms the crispy golden brown crusts that smash burgers are known for. The sweet and smoky balsamic sauce pairs well with the meatiness of the burgers. 15 of 30 Spring Green Soup with Chicken View Recipe Sautéing chicken in a little oil first (rather than poaching in the broth) creates some browned bits in the pan (aka fond) that give this green soup a richer flavor. 16 of 30 Crispy Cod Sandwich View Recipe Skip frying but keep all the crunch with this healthy baked fish sandwich recipe. The wire rack ensures both sides of the baked cod get crispy. 17 of 30 Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions View Recipe 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. 18 of 30 Crustless Spinach & Asparagus Quiche with Gruyère View Recipe Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Styling / Emily Nabors Hall / ulia Bayless This light but filling crustless spinach-and-asparagus quiche features plenty of spring vegetables baked with richly flavored Gruyère cheese. Enjoy a slice for dinner with a salad on the side or as part of a simple spring brunch. 19 of 30 Creamy Broccoli-Cauliflower Chicken Casserole View Recipe Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly This creamy, veggie-packed casserole makes a delicious dinner any night of the week. Use leftover shredded chicken you have on hand, or swap in store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time. 20 of 30 Tuna Niçoise Salad View Recipe Jason Donnelly This salad features all the classic niçoise ingredients and flavors, with a bright and fresh lemony dressing, and uses fresh seared tuna in place of canned. The tuna will be rare in the center. Add an additional 2 to 3 minutes per side for more doneness. 21 of 30 Super Green Pasta View Recipe Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Pack in your veggies with this quick and easy green pasta. Plenty of kale and spinach transform into a vibrant green sauce once cooked and blended with basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese for a pesto-like flavor. Enjoy this easy vegetarian pasta as is, or add grilled chicken or white beans for a boost of protein. 22 of 30 Roasted Maple-Glazed Chicken & Carrots View Recipe Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat Olive oil and maple syrup transform into a sticky-sweet sauce in the hot oven. Drizzling the chicken drippings over the carrots amps up their flavor even more. 23 of 30 Spinach & Sausage Gnocchi View Recipe Some like it hot--but if you don't, sweet Italian turkey sausage is also delicious in this healthy gnocchi recipe. Serve with a mixed green salad with sherry vinaigrette. 24 of 30 Cheesy Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken Breasts View Recipe These tender and cheesy asparagus-stuffed chicken breasts are perfect for spring when asparagus is at its best. Tarragon blends well with the creamy filling of herby cheese spread and melted havarti. 25 of 30 Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto View Recipe This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients--boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. 26 of 30 Lemon Asparagus Pasta View Recipe Lemon zest ties all the flavors together in this light and creamy pasta. Make it a meal: Serve with a salad of sliced fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes tossed with a little fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. 27 of 30 Roasted Gnocchi & Brussels Sprouts with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette View Recipe In this quick vegetarian dinner recipe, you can skip boiling the gnocchi--they'll cook through while roasting on the sheet pan with the rest of the ingredients. If you can't find Meyer lemons, use 1 small regular lemon in Step 2 and use 4 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons orange juice in Step 4. 28 of 30 Spring Vegetable Lasagna View Recipe No-boil noodles help get this crowd-pleasing vegetarian lasagna in the oven fast. Using a mandoline isn't essential, but will make quick work of producing thin, uniform slices of roots that cook super-evenly and look stunning. Serve with a mixed green salad with red-wine vinaigrette and crusty bread. 29 of 30 Lemon-Caper Black Cod with Broccoli & Potatoes View Recipe In this healthy black cod recipe, cooking the fillets skin-side down makes it easy to keep them intact when you flip them. Be sure to pat the fish dry before cooking—it's the key to getting the skin crispy. The black cod is served alongside roasted broccoli and potatoes for a satisfying, 30-minute dinner. 30 of 30 Shrimp & Spinach Quiche View Recipe This healthy quiche recipe is perfect for entertaining--the quiche can be made ahead and is just as flavorful served warm or at room temperature. Filled with shrimp, spinach, oregano, caramelized onions and feta cheese, this healthy quiche with a whole-grain crust is perfect for breakfast or brunch, or served with a light salad for lunch or dinner. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit