Diabetes-Friendly Weight-Loss Recipes

Find healthy, delicious weight-loss recipes for diabetes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

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This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.
By Adam Dolge

Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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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.
By Patsy Jamieson

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

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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.
By Katie Webster

Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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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.
By Robin Bashinsky

Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups

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Muffins meet oatmeal in these moist and tasty grab-and-go oatmeal cups. Feel free to swap out the pecans for any other nut--walnuts would be great--or omit them altogether. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your fridge or freezer for quick and easy breakfasts all week. Reheat in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
By Carolyn Casner

Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges and Brussels Sprouts

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This easy sheet-pan recipe brings together many fall favorites into a hearty dinner.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls

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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.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.
By Shefaly Ravula & Amee Meghani

Cauliflower Soup

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A healthy take on a loaded baked potato, this creamy cauliflower soup recipe has all the fixings of a loaded potato (bacon included) but for way fewer calories and carbs. Ready in a quick 20 minutes, this easy soup is great for busy weeknights or can be meal prepped ahead of time to take for lunch or frozen for a ready-made meal down the road. This recipe was originally made for one serving but can be easily adapted to serve more.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

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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.
By Abbie Gellman, M.S., RD, CDN

Everything Bagel Avocado Toast

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Get all the flavor of an everything bagel married with the creaminess of avocado toast in one healthy breakfast. Just toast, top, sprinkle and go for this quick morning meal when you need to get out the door fast. Want to take it up a notch? Top with a poached or fried egg.
By Devon O'Brien

Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

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Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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Inspiration and Ideas

28 Diabetes-Friendly Dinners That Can Help You Lose Weight
These healthy dinners can do it all—they're high in fiber, but lower in calories, saturated fat and sodium, so you can hit your nutritional goals and stick to a diabetes-friendly eating pattern.
34 Diabetes-Friendly Sunday Dinners for Weight Loss
For Sunday's menu, make a diabetes-friendly dinner recipe. These recipes meet the requirements for low saturated fat, sodium and calories, so it's easy to eat nutritiously. Each of these dinners is also high in fiber, which is important if you're looking to slim down. Recipes like California Turkey Burgers & Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Instant Pot Goulash are satisfying, flavorful and can help you follow a diabetes-friendly diet with ease.
Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup
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Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup
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Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls
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Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin
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The addition of chia seeds in the quick “jam” topping adds heart-healthy omega-3s to this healthy breakfast recipe.

All Diabetes-Friendly Weight-Loss Recipes

Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils

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This earthy bowl of lentils bursting with Middle Eastern flavors is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Sheet-Pan Roasted Root Vegetables

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One pan is all you need for a heaping pile of nutritious, tender and colorful root vegetables. Whip up this large-batch recipe at the beginning of the week to use in easy, healthy dinners all week long.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Really Green Smoothie

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The combination of kale and avocado makes this healthy smoothie recipe extra green. Chia seeds lend this creamy smoothie a heart-healthy punch of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
By Gaby Dalkin

Tuscan White Bean Soup

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A pound of dried beans is the inexpensive foundation for this simple, hearty meal. Serve it with slices of whole-wheat bread or a side salad for a complete and satisfying lunch or dinner.
By Lauren Grant

Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

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This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.
By Breana Killeen

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

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This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender.
By Katie Webster

Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

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Though traditional stuffed cabbage recipes are made with meat, here Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with a combination of rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs for a healthy vegetarian stuffed cabbage recipe. The stuffed cabbage leaves gently bake in a simple tomato sauce. This easy stuffed cabbage recipe can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.
By Kathy Gunst

Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps

For these meal-prep-friendly lettuce wraps, we swap the traditional warm filling for a cold plant-based bean salad filling loaded with fresh herbs and lemon. Topping each lettuce leaf with a little quinoa before adding the filling helps to keep the lettuce from getting soggy.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls

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A bold, smoky marinade elevates roasted cauliflower in this meal-prep version of our popular Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos (see Associated Recipes). To cut down on prep time, look for precut cauliflower in the produce department. You can also save time by using microwaveable quinoa pouches (you'll need one 8-ounce pouch for this recipe) instead of cooking quinoa.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding

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Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. It's made just like overnight oats--combine chia and your milk of choice, let soak overnight, then top with juicy blueberries and crunchy almonds and dig in!
By Carolyn Casner

Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

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Homemade pesto may seem daunting, but in this quick pasta recipe you can make a simple sauce in minutes while the pasta water comes to a boil. You can substitute frozen green beans and cauliflower for fresh; in Step 4, cook the frozen vegetables according to package directions before tossing with the pasta and pesto.
By Patsy Jamieson

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

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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. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cocoa-Chia Pudding with Raspberries

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Have chocolate for breakfast with this unbelievably healthy chia pudding recipe. The deep chocolaty flavor pairs perfectly with juicy raspberries for a fun switch-up from oatmeal for your morning routine.
By Carolyn Casner

Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding

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Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. It's made just like overnight oats: combine chia and your milk of choice, let soak overnight, then top with the classic flavor combo of apples and cinnamon, with pecans for added crunch.
By Carolyn Casner

Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.
By Lori Zanini RD, CDE

Roasted Honeynut Squash

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Honeynut squash looks just like mini butternut squash, but on the inside you'll find an even sweeter, deeper orange flesh. This winter squash has only been available at farmers' markets and in select grocery stores for a few years. If you see it, grab a few to try! This simple roasting method enhances the natural flavor of the squash with butter and spices.
By Carolyn Casner

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos with Tomato & Avocado Salsa

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Lovers of fried fish get the taste without all the calories, and the salsa adds a fresh, clean note. To complete the Baja theme, serve with black beans, some diced mango and a bit of light sour cream.
By Stacy Fraser

Curried Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup

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In this flavorful soup recipe, sweet potatoes simmer in a quick coconut curry, resulting in a creamy, thick broth punctuated by notes of garlic and ginger. We love peanuts for their inexpensive price and versatile flavor. They're also a great source of protein--1 ounce has 7 grams.
By Lauren Grant

Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet

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We love this quick skillet meal for busy evenings. The sausage and orzo simmer together in chicken broth, resulting in a creamy, risotto-like dish in under 30 minutes.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Hearty Tomato Soup with Beans & Greens

Garlicky kale and creamy white beans elevate simple canned tomato soup into a 10-minute lunch or dinner that really satisfies. Use a soup with tomato pieces for a heartier texture. Look for a brand that's low- or reduced-sodium, with no more than 450 mg sodium per serving.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies

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These easy roasted vegetables will give your plate a pop of color. Give the cubes of butternut squash a head start for 10 minutes to soften in the oven before adding in the other veggies. The broccoli, peppers and onion are naturally more tender than the butternut squash and cook more quickly. That way everything ends up finishing at the same time.
By Katie Webster

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

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A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
By Hilary Meyer

Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

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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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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