Low-Fat Dinner Recipes

Soup beans speak instant comfort to anyone who had familial connections from Appalachia, where every garden produced shelling beans that could be eaten fresh or grown to maturity for dry beans. Serve this thick, stew-like soup with cornbread, pickle relish and diced sweet onion.

Experiment with various flavored mustards to add a different spin to this simple marinade recipe. It's low in fat and carbs because it's oil- and sugar-free.

This simple technique of cooking onions and peppers is a useful way to get your veggie servings in. They're quite versatile--use these peppers and onions on a burger or sausage sandwich, stuff them into quesadillas or layer them into casseroles.

Cook your whole meal in a packet on the grill with this easy veggie-loaded recipe. The Mexican-inspired seasoning makes the chicken and veggies taste great served with warm tortillas and your favorite taco toppings for a healthy dinner.

Tender vegetables soak up this tangy marinade and turn delicately smoky and tender on a hot grill. These kebabs make a wonderful side dish with grilled meats or fish.

This easy, creamy sauce is bound to become a favorite. Roasting the garlic brings out its inherent sweetness for a rich, flavorful sauce that's healthy too. Toss with pasta or use as a pizza sauce.

This colorful soup is both simple and delicious. Use apples that cook up soft; McIntosh are great.

Modern cooking may champion barely cooked, tender-crisp veggies, but the soft and luscious ones you find in many Southern kitchens, like these super-soft green beans, make a mouthwatering healthy side dish to classic Southern barbecue.

Sure, it's convenient to purchase ready-made tomato sauce at the grocery store, but one look at the label will show you that many brands are high in sodium and added sugars. This easy made-from-scratch tomato sauce uses fresh ingredients and has no added sugar. Make a double batch and store portions for up to 3 months in your freezer. Talk about convenience!

This tomato soup recipe is full of flavor and perfect to warm you up on a cold day. Pair it with Grilled Cheese Croutons and be reminded of your childhood lunches!

Soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic and ginger combine in this teriyaki-inspired marinade for grilled chicken. Try it with pork chops if you prefer. Grill fresh pineapple slices and asparagus alongside for simple side dishes.

This low-carb potato salad recipe, ideal for potlucks, is perfect for diabetic meal plans. With just 3 grams of fat, this summer classic makes a great addition to burgers, chicken, and other grilled favorites.

Feel free to double this recipe to suit your needs. To add more flavor, swap reduced-sodium broth in for the water.

Shock everyone with this recipe for veggie dogs that actually taste like hot dogs. They're an amazing (and healthy!) vegan alternative to traditional meat hot dogs. Serve in whole-wheat hot dog buns and top with all your favorite toppings, such as sauerkraut, relish, ketchup and mustard, for the ultimate barbecue meal.

A dash of crushed red pepper adds the perfect amount of spice to this flavorful cilantro-lime corn on the cob.

Salty-tangy blue cheese pairs beautifully with sweet fig jam in these easy appetizers, which are perfect for a holiday party. The optional minced chives add a nice pop of color, but these are just as tasty without herbs. Keep the ingredients on hand and you can whip these up for impromptu holiday cocktail parties.

A quartet of ingredients—tomato paste, liquid aminos, dried mushrooms and nutritional yeast—makes this umami paste super-savory. Mix it into mayo for sandwiches, toss it with pasta, or try it in Umami Veggie Burgers (see Associated Recipes).

Garlic and thyme complement the quartet of vegetables in this creamy soup.

This quick and easy lemony and herb pasta dish makes a delicious side. Try adding chicken or shrimp for a more complete meal.

This simple poached chicken recipe has crazy-good flavor. The secret? Using bone-in breasts and adding white wine and herbs to the poaching liquid. Be sure that the liquid stays at a bare simmer or your meat will be tough. Strain the leftover poaching liquid and use it as you would low-sodium chicken broth in any recipe for an extra boost of flavor. Serve the poached chicken over a salad or use it to make chicken salad.

To infuse peas with flavor, simmer them with dried spices, which pack a more intense punch than fresh. Smoked paprika delivers the essence of ham hocks or bacon while keeping this classic side dish vegan.

This elegant and smooth squash soup recipe gives you more than your daily quota for vitamin A in just one bowl.

This hearty Southwestern-inspired stew may take a while in your slow cooker, but it's so worth it! Full of sweet potatoes, black beans, and hominy, it will satisfy your tastebuds and keep you full for hours.

In this genius carb swap recipe, shredded zucchini held together with a little cheese creates a delicious gluten-free tortilla. These low-carb tortillas are delicious on their own as a snack, but you can also wrap them around your favorite tortilla fillings. Be sure to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the zucchini in Step 2, as this will yield crispy tortillas.