Lunch Recipes for Weight-Loss

Find healthy, delicious low-calorie and high-fiber lunch recipes for weight loss, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

Rating: 4.92 stars
11
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

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Rating: 5 stars
4
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

Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

Rating: 4.9 stars
25
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

Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew

Rating: 4.08 stars
21
This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe gets great flavor from cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

Rating: 5 stars
2
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

White Bean & Avocado Toast

Rating: 4.6 stars
2
Mashed avocado and white beans make for a fiber-rich and creamy topping, the perfect partner for a crispy slice of toast. Try it for a quick breakfast or snack.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

Rating: 5 stars
1
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

Avocado Hummus

Rating: 5 stars
5
This vibrant green hummus recipe couldn't be easier--just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) and avocado make this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.
By Devon O'Brien

Baked Vegetable Soup

Rating: 3.73 stars
10
Originally prepared in the wood-burning hearths of Italian homes, this peasant-style healthy vegetable soup recipe is simple to make in a modern oven. Brimming with artichokes, mushrooms, zucchini and leeks, this easy soup heats up the house as it becomes the perfect warming meal.
By Jane Black

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Rating: 4.63 stars
23
Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
1
Homemade poppy seed dressing pairs beautifully with tender spinach, crunchy almonds and juicy berries for a fantastically refreshing and easy spring salad. To make ahead, whisk dressing, combine salad ingredients and store separately. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving. To make it a complete meal, top with grilled chicken or shrimp.
By Carolyn Casner
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Inspiration and Ideas

20 Spring Lunches for Weight Loss in 20 Minutes

20 Spring Lunches for Weight Loss in 20 Minutes
Looking for easy lunch ideas? These healthy recipes are packed with spring produce and only take 20 minutes to make.
19 Winter Lunch Recipes for Weight Loss

19 Winter Lunch Recipes for Weight Loss
These lunches are low in calories and high in fiber, which is an important nutrient that helps you feel fuller for longer periods of time.
Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps
Rating: Unrated
1
Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Rating: Unrated
3
Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Curry Soup

Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Curry Soup
Rating: Unrated
38
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
Rating: Unrated
64

Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

Rating: 4.67 stars
3

These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.

All Lunch Recipes for Weight-Loss

Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

Rating: 4.2 stars
10
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

Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap

Rating: 4.55 stars
34
White beans mashed with ripe avocado and blended with sharp Cheddar and onion makes an incredibly rich, flavorful filling for this wrap. The tangy, spicy slaw adds crunch. A pinch (or more) of ground chipotle pepper and an extra dash of cider vinegar can be used in place of the canned chipotles in adobo sauce. Wrap these up to take as a healthy and portable lunch for work.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tea-Leaf Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
Traditionally, the star of this famous Burmese salad, laphet, is made by fermenting just-picked tea leaves for several months underground. While laphet is starting to be imported, it is still hard to find. This version, using readily available green tea, offers a quick alternative. Mix the salad at the table so everyone can appreciate the diversity of ingredients--from crunchy to savory--that make it so special.
By Kate Leahy

Green Goddess Salad with Chicken

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss and chicken salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. Any extra dressing is delicious served over grilled chicken or flaky white fish, such as cod or flounder.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Avocado & Shrimp Chopped Salad

Rating: 4.07 stars
7
The smoky flavors of grilled shrimp and corn in this healthy chopped salad recipe are a tasty match for the creamy cilantro dressing.
By Romney Steele

Spinach & Dill Pasta Salad

Edamame gives this veggie-packed vegan pasta salad a bit of feel-full protein. Serve topped with extra freshly ground pepper, if desired.
By Breana Killeen

Japanese-Style Spinach (Gomae)

Rating: 5 stars
1
Typically you puree sesame seeds to make the dressing for this traditional spinach side dish recipe, but we use tahini to make it easier and quicker.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cheesy Chipotle-Cauliflower Mac

Rating: 5 stars
1
You'll barely notice the cauliflower in this comforting skillet pasta--it's pureed and mixed into the creamy cheese sauce.
By Lauren Grant

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes, Beans & Almond Pesto

Rating: 4.36 stars
9
Looking at a tangle of spaghetti squash tricks your brain into thinking you're about to eat a serving of eggy noodles, when in fact, you get a nice calorie and carb savings in this healthy recipe. Giving tomatoes a stint in a hot oven makes them candy-sweet.
By Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.N.

Citrus-Arugula Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
This easy salad recipe makes a stunning side dish for anything you've got cooking for dinner. The bright flavor of the citrus pairs perfectly with peppery arugula and avocado, plus a bit of jalapeño for a slight kick.
By Liz Mervosh

Broccoli, Chickpea & Pomegranate Salad

Rating: 5 stars
2
Simple steps give this broccoli salad recipe a more nuanced flavor: soaking the onion tempers its bite and toasting the cumin enhances its aroma. Serve alongside grilled chicken, pork or fish.
By Christine Burns Rudalevige

Creamy Asparagus-Potato Soup

Rating: 4.29 stars
7
In this fast asparagus soup recipe, potato adds creaminess without adding cream. Double or triple this soup and freeze the leftovers for a quick lunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Greek Salad with Sardines

Rating: 4.11 stars
5
The fresh, tangy elements of a Greek salad--tomato, cucumber, feta, olives and lemony vinaigrette--pair well with rich-tasting sardines. Look for sardines with skin and bones (which are edible) as they have more than four times the amount of calcium as skinless, boneless sardines. If you're lucky enough to have fresh sardines available in your supermarket, try them in place of the canned sardines. Lightly dredge them in salt-and-pepper-seasoned flour and sauté them in a little olive oil.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup

Rating: 4 stars
1
Jazz up a can of black bean soup with your favorite nacho toppings, such as cheese, avocado and fresh tomatoes. A bit of smoked paprika adds a bold flavor kick, but you can swap in any warm spices you prefer, such as cumin or chili powder. Look for a soup that contains no more than 450 mg sodium per serving.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Salad of Avocado & Romaine with Black Olive Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
1
John Willoughby helped to launch Cooks Illustrated, was executive editor at Gourmet and has authored several cookbooks, including Big Flavors of the Hot Sun, from which this salad was adapted for a March/April 1995 EatingWell story about olives. It's one of the favorites--chosen from more than 1,000 salad recipes--that we revisited in our 30th anniversary issue.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken Club Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
1
Whole-wheat tortillas provide a tasty twist in this quick grilled chicken breast recipe that combines all the elements of a classic club sandwich into a wrap. Serve with extra napkins.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Curried Chickpea Stew

Rating: 4 stars
1
Who says a meatless meal isn't filling? Packed with fiber-rich vegetables and chickpeas, this fragrant stew satisfies.
By Joyce Hendley

Eggplant Gyros

Eggplant's meaty texture is a delicious vegetarian stand-in for the lamb that typically fills a gyro sandwich. The vegetable absorbs the lemony-herby-spicy marinade like a sponge, so if you have time, let it marinate for the full day.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Spaghetti Frittata

Rating: 3.89 stars
6
Here's a creative way to use leftover cooked spaghetti: try mixing it with eggs for a filling Italian omelet. If you don't want to buy separate bunches of fresh herbs, look for an Italian blend package that may contain some of each or use one-third the amount of dried.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Veggistrone

Rating: 4.49 stars
20
This vegetable-packed minestrone soup recipe is inspired by a popular Weight Watchers vegetable soup recipe. It makes a big pot of soup, so keep some in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze the rest in single-serve portions. That way you always have an easy, delicious vegetable soup to start your meal or to eat for lunch. Think of this vegetable minestrone recipe as a starting point for other healthy soup variations, too: toss in leftover chopped cooked chicken or whole-wheat pasta or brown rice to make it more satisfying.
By Joyce Hendley

Edamame Hummus Wrap

Rating: 5 stars
2
Made with protein-rich edamame instead of chickpeas, this easy hummus recipe is the perfect vegetarian filling for a grab-and-go wrap. Or double the recipe and use the hummus for a healthy snack with cut-up vegetables.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
This vibrant and healthy summer salad is perfect for BBQs and backyard parties. The dressing is whisked together right in the salad bowl before you add the vegetables, so it's also incredibly easy to make. Choose a fairly firm avocado so it holds its shape in the salad.
By Julia Levy

Bacon, Tomato & Farro Salad

Rating: 4.67 stars
2
We love farro, a high-fiber whole grain, because it cooks in about 15 minutes and has an amazing toothsome texture perfect for grain salads. In this healthy farro salad recipe we combine it with smoky bacon, sweet cherry tomatoes and fresh basil for an easy side dish or light lunch. Look for farro at natural-foods stores and gourmet food markets
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tropical Cucumber Salad

Rating: 4.91 stars
6
Combine cucumber, avocado and mango with a salty-sweet dressing for a taste of the tropics.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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