Our 20 Most Popular Diabetes-Friendly Recipes Right Now

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
Photo: Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna

Healthy and tasty, these recipes are some of our most clicked-on by EatingWell readers right now. From overnight oats to chicken skillets, these meals, sides and snacks feature complex carbs, low counts of saturated fats and sodium-conscious ingredients, making them well-suited for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Recipes like our Tiramisu-Inspired Overnight Oats and Mom's Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Casserole are delicious dishes you'll keep coming back to again and again.

01 of 20

Tiramisu-Inspired Overnight Oats

a recipe photo of the Tiramisu Overnight Oats
Photographer: Sara Baurley, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Tiramisu, a classic Italian dessert, serves as flavor inspiration for these overnight oats. Instant espresso powder adds a touch of bitterness to the dish, which gets balanced by the sweetness of the maple syrup. We top each serving with yogurt for some tanginess, but you could also try swapping in ricotta. A dusting of cocoa powder on top serves as a nod to the dessert's iconic look. These oats are meal-prep-friendly, but if you find your oats becoming too dry as they sit in the fridge, add more almond milk until they're loosened to your desired consistency.

02 of 20

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's 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.

03 of 20

The Last Avocado Toast Recipe You'll Ever Need

Avocado Toast Recipe on a white plate
Jamie Vespa MS, RD

This is the easiest—and the last—avocado toast recipe you'll ever need to know. Memorize the recipe, then use it as a jumping off point for your favorite avocado toast riffs. Put an egg on it, top it with tuna salad or crown it with fluffy alfalfa sprouts for a healthy and satisfying meal. You can mix up the toppings too—we love Japanese furikake or everything bagel seasoning.

04 of 20

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables depending on your mood.

05 of 20

Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats

cinnamon roll overnight oats shot overhead in mason jars with raspberries and pecans on top

It takes just minutes to assemble this healthy no-cook breakfast, and you'll have meal-prepped grab-and-go breakfasts on hand for the rest of the week. Top these delicious vegan oats—inspired by classic cinnamon bun flavors—with fresh or frozen fruit and your favorite nuts and seeds.

06 of 20

Mom's Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr

This lightened-up creamy chicken casserole is packed with veggies. The sauce at the heart of this family-friendly casserole uses fat-free milk with a combination of fat-free Greek-style yogurt and a little mayonnaise to give it body.

07 of 20

Quick & Easy Green Beans

Quick and Easy Green Beans
Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Here's a fast, efficient way to cook green beans (and other vegetables), eliminating the fuss of bringing a large pot of water to a boil or draining the veggies.

08 of 20

Creamy Chicken, Mushroom & Spinach Skillet Casserole

a recipe photo of the Creamy Chicken, Mushroom & Spinach Skillet Casserole served in a dish
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Annie Probst

This spinach-packed casserole cooks on the stovetop and bakes in the same skillet for a family-friendly dinner with an easy cleanup. You can use leftover chicken and cook the pasta ahead of time to speed up the prep.

09 of 20

Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cabbage

roasted garlic parmesan cabbage
Ali Redmond

Cabbage gets transformed in the oven with garlic, Parmesan and olive oil in this simple vegetable side. This irresistible side dish would make a welcome addition to any meal—try serving it alongside chicken or steak.

10 of 20

Cinnamon-Sugar Roasted Chickpeas

Cinnamon-Sugar Roasted Chickpeas

Roasting canned chickpeas until crispy makes a simple and healthy snack. In this riff on candied nuts, chickpeas are coated with cinnamon sugar to make them irresistible! This snack is best enjoyed the day it is made.

11 of 20

Peanut Butter Energy Balls

peanut butter energy balls

These healthy peanut butter and chocolate energy balls deliver a mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates to help fuel you up whenever you need a little boost.

12 of 20

Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner

Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner in a skillet for serving
Justin Walker

This one-pan chicken dinner doesn't get much easier, or more satisfying. In just half an hour, you can have a complete meal on the table that doesn't require loads of dishes afterwards. We call for tender haricots verts because they're quick cooking; traditional green beans likely won't be tender enough after the brief cooking time at the end. If that's all you have on hand, steam them first, and then add them to the pan for the final step. Serve this hearty chicken and potatoes dinner with a simple side salad to sneak in another serving of veggies.

13 of 20

Air-Fryer Zucchini

air fryer zucchini
Jacob Fox

Zucchini crisps up nicely in this simple air-fryer zucchini recipe. The interior is creamy and soft without feeling mushy, with the outside remaining crispy. A squeeze of lemon after cooking adds brightness and tang.

14 of 20

How to Make the Ultimate Healthy Breakfast Smoothie

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie in a clear glass with a green straw
Rachel Johnson

This healthy breakfast smoothie recipe is packed with protein, fiber, unsaturated fats and essential vitamins and minerals. Follow our simple formula, memorize the ingredient amounts, then customize to your liking. Even better, our supercharged breakfast smoothie tastes great and keeps you full until lunchtime. We keep a running stock of frozen bananas to give our smoothies a thicker consistency, but a handful of ice achieves a similar effect.

15 of 20

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna

Shrimp and broccoli cook quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve this healthy shrimp recipe over whole grains or rice.

16 of 20

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
Diana Chistruga

Try this satisfying snack instead of nuts. The tasty legumes are lower in calories and packed with fiber.

17 of 20

Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups

a wire rack with Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups

Muffins meet oatmeal in these moist and tasty grab-and-go oatmeal cups.

18 of 20

Salmon Rice Bowl

Salmon Rice Bowl
Ali Redmond

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this salmon rice bowl makes for a tasty lunch or dinner. With healthy ingredients like instant brown rice, salmon and veggies, you'll have a flavorful meal in just 25 minutes.

19 of 20

Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Vegetables

a recipe photo of the Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies on a cooking sheet
Sonia Bozzo

Give your plate a pop of color with these healthy sheet-pan veggies.

20 of 20

Cucumber Vinegar Salad

Cucumber Vinegar Salad
Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Ruth Blackburn

This cucumber vinegar salad has the perfect balance between sweet and sour flavors, plus a hint of fresh dill. The red onion adds nice crunch. Enjoy this salad right after you're done making it or store it away to snack on for later.

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