31 Healthy Dinners to Make in May

Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli
Photo: Jacob Fox

Embrace seasonal flavors with these dinner recipes for May. Featuring in-season veggies like broccoli, carrots, kale and spinach, these delicious dishes are fresh and nutritious options for any night. Recipes like our Green Goddess Ricotta Pasta and Mixed Green Salad with Chicken & Sour Cherry Vinaigrette are healthy spring dinners you'll start making on repeat.

01 of 31

Green Goddess Ricotta Pasta

a recipe photo of the Green Goddess Ricotta Pasta
Photographer: Sara Baurley, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

We take the flavors of green goddess dressing—lemon, anchovy and herbs—and use them as the base for a colorful, bright pasta sauce. We like a mix of basil, chives, parsley and tarragon, but you can mix herbs depending on what you have on hand. Adding ricotta to the sauce creates a luscious, velvety texture, while the acidity from the lemon juice balances out the creaminess. We use shells, which hold the pools of sauce well, but you could easily swap in another noodle if you prefer. To amp up the veggies even more, try adding asparagus or peas to the dish.

02 of 31

One-Pan Spicy Okra & Shrimp

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Serve spicy blackened shrimp and tender vegetables over aromatic basmati rice for an easy skillet supper. Use precooked microwave rice so you don't have to mess up another pan. This one-pan dinner is perfect for company, but easy enough to make on a weeknight.

03 of 31

Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli

Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli
Jacob Fox

This healthy salmon dish is as balanced as it is delicious. You add broccoli right into the pot along with the pasta during its last minute of cooking to save time here. One less thing to wash too!

04 of 31

Chicago-Style Carrot Dogs

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Whether you're vegan, vegetarian or none of the above, these plant-based "dogs" are magically delicious--period. This recipe makes these vegan hot dogs Chicago-style, but feel free to doctor them up any way you like. Break with convention and add shredded cabbage, sprouts and cilantro, for example.

05 of 31

Mixed Green Salad with Chicken & Sour Cherry Vinaigrette

Mixed green salad with chicken and sour cherry vinaigrette
Jacob Fox

This salad celebrates the fleeting season of sour cherries—it's short and they're extremely perishable, so scoop them up when you see them and enjoy them within a couple of days. Here we feature them along with dried sour cherries, chicken, toasted walnuts and blue cheese in a flavor-packed salad. When sour cherries are out of season, you can swap in frozen sour cherries; just be sure to thaw them before using.

06 of 31

Spicy Orange Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

Spicy Orange Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

With fresh broccoli, ginger, red bell peppers and plenty of fresh citrus, this healthy beef stir-fry is sure to become a favorite. And it's ready in 30 minutes, making it the perfect healthy weeknight dinner. Serve with brown rice.

07 of 31

Sheet-Pan Teriyaki Tofu with Carrots & Broccoli

Sheet-Pan Teriyaki Tofu with Carrots & Broccoli
Photographer: Will Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf

With just one sheet pan and 35 minutes, you can get a flavorful vegetarian dinner on the table. The carrots get a head start in the oven to ensure they are cooked through, while a drizzle of teriyaki sauce at the end ties everything together. Serve with brown rice, if desired.

08 of 31

Baked Flounder with Fresh Lemon Pepper

Baked Flounder with Fresh Lemon Pepper
Oxmoor House

For this baked flounder recipe, use fresh lemon, good olive oil, freshly ground peppercorns and garlic, and you'll never look at lemon pepper the same again. Serve with steamed asparagus.

09 of 31

Slow-Cooker Chile-Orange Chicken Tacos

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A taco night favorite! Boneless chicken breasts cook low and slow in a chipotle-orange sauce until they're pull-apart tender, then are paired with a fresh avocado-orange salsa.

10 of 31

Grilled Fennel-Rubbed Pork Chops & Apricots

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Toasting and grinding your own spices for a flavorful rub is the quickest, easiest way to build surefire flavor in this easy pork chop recipe. Serve with a simple tossed salad and some roasted sweet potatoes to round out the meal.

11 of 31

Lemony Shrimp, Kale & Potato Salad

Lemony Shrimp, Kale & Potato Salad
Leigh Beisch

Hearty kale and potatoes put a seasonal spin on a Greek-style salad featuring feta, olives and cherry tomatoes. Russet potatoes absorb flavor like a sponge, making them a great choice for salads with flavorful vinaigrettes like this one.

12 of 31

One-Pot Pasta with Peas & Parmesan

One-Pot Pasta with Peas & Parmesan
Victor Protasio

A bowl of creamy pea pasta is colorful—and bright in flavor as well, thanks to the addition of lemon zest and juice. Made in just one pot, this easy pasta recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.

13 of 31

Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce
Raymond Hom; Styling: Pamela Duncan Silver

Panko is the secret ingredient that makes these crispy, oven-fried fish fillets a family favorite. The lemon-dill sauce is the perfect compliment and great for dipping. For sustainability reasons, be sure to choose Alaskan cod, or substitute halibut or even tilapia.

14 of 31

Carrot, Snow Pea & Chicken Stir-Fry

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This healthy snow pea and chicken stir-fry recipe has a citrusy mojo sauce. Because stir-fries cook up quickly, have all the ingredients prepped and next to the stove before you turn on the heat. Serve over brown rice or soba noodles.

15 of 31

Air-Fryer Broccoli-Cheddar Quesadillas

a recipe photo of the Air-Fryer Broccoli-Cheddar Quesadillas
Photographer: Brie Passano Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly Art Director: Stephanie Hunter Editor: Caitlyn Diimig

Lightly charred garlicky broccoli and Cheddar make a delicious filling for these air-fryer quesadillas that both kids and adults will love. If you like, include cubes of ham in the quesadillas. A quick honey-mustard dipping sauce provides a hint of sweetness.

16 of 31

Citrus Poached Salmon with Asparagus

a recipe photo of the Citrus Poached Salmon with Asparagus
Diana Chistruga

This quick and healthy fish-and-veggies dinner is highlighted by an easy fresh citrus sauce.

17 of 31

Quinoa Avocado Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

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Persimmons add sweetness to this healthy avocado salad. Crispy fried quinoa adds unexpected crunch, putting the salad over the top in the best way.

18 of 31

Orange-Ginger Chicken Bowls

Orange-Ginger Chicken Bowls
Jacob Fox

The orange-ginger chicken gets a cornstarch coating for a few reasons: It locks moisture into the meat, creates a crispy coating and gives something for the sauce to cling to. We like the hint of flavor peanut oil adds to this stir-fry. But if you need to omit it due to a food allergy, any high-heat oil will do, like canola or grapeseed.

19 of 31

Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

These copycat Taco Bell Mexican pizzas feature all the flavors and textures of the original, with melted cheese, spiced beef and creamy beans between layers of crispy tortillas. Plus, we added an extra layer of crunchy veggies on top. (Editor's note: The title of this recipe does not align with EatingWell's practices for naming and attributing recipes but gives proper credit to Taco Bell's menu, which calls this dish "Mexican Pizza." We acknowledge that this recipe is inspired by Mexican American cuisine and does not have roots in authentic Mexican cuisine.)

20 of 31

Creamy Spinach Pasta with White Beans

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Here, we whir up fresh spinach and kale with cream cheese and Gruyère for the luscious sauce that highlights this rich pasta dish. Paired with beans, it makes a filling vegetarian meal.

21 of 31

Grilled Red Snapper & Okra with Spicy Tartar Sauce

Grilled Snapper & Okra with Spicy Tartar Sauce
Jason Donnelly

Meaty snapper holds up well on the grill, but any firm white fish will work well in its place. Look for U.S. red snapper caught in the Gulf of Mexico for the most sustainable option according to Seafood Watch. Serve with a cold pale ale or lager.

22 of 31

Turkey Meatballs with Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

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The flavor of the turkey meatballs is enhanced by the Asiago and prosciutto. We love keeping this turkey meatball recipe on hand for meal prep, since meatballs can be used in sandwiches, salads, pasta and more.

23 of 31

Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema

Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema
Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat

Crumbled tofu spiced up with Cajun seasoning is layered onto these tostadas with a juicy mango slaw. A dollop of sour cream zhuzhed up with beet and lime adds even more flavor. Look for precooked beets in the produce department of your grocery store.

24 of 31

Garlic-Anchovy Pasta with Broccolini

Garlic-Anchovy Pasta with Broccolini
Jacob Fox

Here, we sprinkle the final pasta dish with crumbled goat cheese for nice tangy bites throughout. But if you prefer a creamy sauce, stir the cheese into the pasta in Step 3 along with the reserved cooking water.

25 of 31

Sheet-Pan Lemon-Garlic Salmon with Delicata & Kale

Sheet-Pan Lemon-Garlic Salmon with Delicata & Kale
Photographer: Will Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf

In this easy sheet-pan dinner, salmon is roasted alongside vegetables for a filling, flavorful meal. The sweetness of the squash balances the bitter kale, while a squeeze of lemon juice brightens the dish. Be sure to spread the kale out on the baking sheet to encourage even browning.

26 of 31

Spinach-Mushroom Frittata with Avocado Salad

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Frittatas are like omelets, only easier--and they taste great hot, warm or cold. This vegetable-packed version is spiked with flavor and paired with a cool salad of lemony cucumbers and tomatoes with creamy avocado. This easy recipe is perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner!

27 of 31

Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Kale & Rice

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You can vary the filling by substituting robust mustard greens or collards, or milder greens, such as spinach, escarole or Swiss chard. (Cook the greens until just tender in Step 2.)

28 of 31

Southwestern Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp & Avocado Crema

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These healthy Southwestern cauliflower rice bowls, topped with black beans, corn and smoky chipotle shrimp, get a cool-down from homemade avocado crema and take just 30 minutes to make.

29 of 31

Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes & Lemon-Dill Sauce

Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes & Lemon-Dill Sauce

You won't want to let a drop of this creamy lemon sauce go to waste. Serve with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes to soak it all up.

30 of 31

Tofu & Snow Pea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

Tofu & Snow Pea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

A fast dinner recipe perfect for busy weeknights, this easy stir-fry recipe will quickly become a favorite. To save time, use precooked rice or cook rice a day ahead.

31 of 31

Herb & Lemon Roasted Striped Bass

Herb and Lemon Roasted Striped Bass
John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro

Fresh herbs give mild-tasting bass vibrant flavor. Pair this easy recipe with a green salad and a side of rice.

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