Dinner Recipes for Weight Loss

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

Staff Picks

Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew

Rating: Unrated
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

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Soup

Rating: Unrated
13
This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta

Rating: Unrated
19
You'll only have to dirty one pot in this easy pasta recipe that cooks chicken and vegetables right along with the noodles. Plus, by using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results.
By Breana Killeen

Cornbread-Topped Chili Casserole

Rating: Unrated
4
In this healthy casserole recipe--sometimes called tamale pie--the cornbread gets crusty at the edges, thanks to a cast-iron skillet. For the best texture, use yellow cornmeal with a medium grind. Serve with lime wedges for a little extra tang.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

Rating: Unrated
10
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

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Rating: Unrated
64
Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Rating: Unrated
4
Layering apple slices into grilled cheese sandwiches adds a little crunch to a favorite soup dipper. And creamy butternut squash soup with ginger, cumin and turmeric is a nice change of pace from grilled cheese's usual tomato soup partner. Serve the duo for a comforting and easy weeknight dinner for the family. The soup keeps well in the fridge, so save leftovers for lunch or dinner later in the week.
By Breana Killeen

Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

Rating: Unrated
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

EatingWell's Eggplant Parmesan

Rating: Unrated
21
Here we bake breaded eggplant for crispy results with fewer calories to boot. This makeover of the classic recipe was originally developed by our Test Kitchen in 1995 and got an update in 2020 for our 30th anniversary issue.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Rating: Unrated
16
This spaghetti-squash-for-pasta swap slashes both carbs and calories by 75 percent for a delicious, creamy casserole you can feel good about eating. It's worth roasting the squash versus cooking it in the microwave if you have the time: the flavor gets sweeter and more intense.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Curry Soup

Rating: Unrated
38
In this healthy cauliflower soup recipe, roasting the cauliflower first adds depth and prevents the florets from turning to mush. A little tomato sauce and coconut milk give the broth a rich, silky texture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, if desired.
By Danielle Centoni

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Rating: Unrated
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

Inspiration and Ideas

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Barley

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Barley

Barley and pistachios give this low-calorie chicken recipe a double dose of nutty flavor.
Ceviche-Stuffed Avocados

Ceviche-Stuffed Avocados

Cut some carbs and add nutrition to your dinner by serving this easy shrimp ceviche in avocado bowls.
Easy Vegetarian Chili

Easy Vegetarian Chili

17 Winter Dinner Recipes for Weight Loss

17 Winter Dinner Recipes for Weight Loss

32 High-Protein Dinners for Weight Loss

32 High-Protein Dinners for Weight Loss

28 Pasta Recipes for Weight Loss

28 Pasta Recipes for Weight Loss

Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

Rating: Unrated
5

Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.

All Dinner Recipes for Weight Loss

Chickpea & Potato Curry

Rating: Unrated
3
This fast Indian-style curry comes together with ingredients you most likely have on hand, like frozen peas and canned tomatoes and chickpeas. Plus, using these spices shows how simple it is to make a curry sauce for an easy vegetarian recipe. Serve with whole-wheat naan to sop it all up.
By Breana Killeen

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

Rating: Unrated
1
A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly.
By Robin Bashinsky

Curried Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup

Rating: Unrated
4
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

Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

Rating: Unrated
2
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

30 Days of Easy 500-Calorie Dinners

Kickstart healthy eating habits with this month of delicious 500-calorie dinners. These balanced meals are a great choice for anyone looking for healthy dinner options, and can be especially helpful for those trying to lose weight. With the meals already planned for you and the calories tallied up, all that's left to do it cook and enjoy. These 500-calorie meals will keep you satisfied all month long.

Skillet Chili Mac

Rating: Unrated
2
Poblanos add a kick of heat to this chili mac recipe. If that's not your thing, swap in green bell peppers to tone down the heat in this easy pasta dish, which mashes up mac and cheese and chili into a seriously satisfying skillet dinner.
By Stacy Fraser

Veggistrone

Rating: Unrated
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

Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

Rating: Unrated
9
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

16 Budget-Friendly Dinners to Help You Lose Weight

Get a healthy and affordable meal on the table with these dinner recipes.

Baked Vegetable Soup

Rating: Unrated
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

Slow-Cooker Spanish Chickpea Soup

Rating: Unrated
2
This easy soup recipe is inspired by cocido, the hearty stew of assorted meats, chickpeas and vegetables considered a national dish of Spain. Each region, family and restaurant has its own variation, but this slow-cooker soup has enough meat to satisfy the carnivores and enough vegetables to make it healthy. Ask for a 4-ounce slab of Serrano ham or prosciutto at your deli counter instead of buying slices. If you don't have a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker, opt for the stovetop variation instead.
By Bruce Aidells

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes, Beans & Almond Pesto

Rating: Unrated
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.

Slow-Cooker Cassoulet

Rating: Unrated
1
This classic French stew recipe is typically made with a variety of meats and simmered over the course of multiple days. In this easy, streamlined cassoulet, the slow cooker makes it a breeze to have a healthy dinner on the table when you get home.
By Stacy Fraser

Squash & Red Lentil Curry

Rating: Unrated
18
This healthy red lentil curry recipe has a rich flavor and complexity that tastes like it takes hours to prepare. Butternut squash and coconut milk combine with the lentils to make a hearty vegetarian dish. Serve with brown rice or naan bread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

30-Day Vegan Weight-Loss Dinner Plan

Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup

Rating: Unrated
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.

Smoky Shrimp, Corn & Pea One-Pot Pasta

Rating: Unrated
3
Make your sauce and pasta all at once with this fast weeknight pasta dinner recipe. By using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta--no colanders here--the starch that cooks off into your pasta water, which you usually drain away, stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results.
By Breana Killeen

White Turkey Chili

Rating: Unrated
5
This healthy white turkey chili recipe is gorgeous, with flecks of green from zucchini, oregano and green chiles. To keep the saturated fat low, we use one pound of ground turkey and add whole-grain bulgur to boost the volume and fiber in this chili recipe. After all the ingredients are added to the pot, we like to slowly simmer our chili for close to an hour to develop the best flavor, but if you're in a hurry, reduce the liquid by half and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemony Linguine with Spring Vegetables

Rating: Unrated
3
Instead of cooking pasta in a huge pot of water, here we use just 3 1/2 cups for this one-pot pasta recipe. When the pasta is al dente, most of the water has evaporated and the bit that's left is thickened with the starch that cooks off the pasta. With just a few add-ins like lemon and Parmesan cheese you have a delicious silky sauce. Want to use up your veggie stash in the freezer? Swap in 8 ounces frozen spinach for fresh.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Nonna's Spaghetti & Meatballs

Rating: Unrated
5
The meatballs and sauce are cooked in the slow cooker for this traditional Italian spaghetti and meatballs recipe. You could also serve the meatballs over creamy polenta or on a sandwich with melted provolone.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Ancho Chicken Breast with Black Beans, Bell Peppers & Scallions

Rating: Unrated
2
In this healthy chicken recipe, the meat is rubbed with ancho chile powder, a spice made from dried poblano peppers. It adds mild heat and subtle smokiness to the rub on the chicken, but you can use regular chili powder here instead. This recipe makes an extra 1/2 cup of the black bean mash--try it wrapped into a burrito for lunch or as a taco filling (see Tips, below).
By Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.N.

Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans

Rating: Unrated
2
Taco night meets baked potato night with this simple recipe for loaded baked potatoes with salsa, beans and avocado. This easy, healthy family dinner comes together with just 10 minutes of active time, so you can make it on even the busiest of weeknights. This recipe is just as delicious with sweet potatoes in place of russets.
By Devon O'Brien

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pies

Rating: Unrated
10
These mini vegetarian shepherd's pies feature lentils, carrot and corn, crowned with a velvety mashed potato topping. The recipe can also be made in a broiler-safe casserole dish. Serve with a spinach salad with oranges, walnuts and red-wine vinaigrette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Balsamic Roasted Cabbage

Rating: Unrated
1
These roasted cabbage wedges with honey and balsamic vinegar make an attractive and healthy side dish that's also very easy to prepare. You can use red or green cabbage--or make a double batch with one of each for a pretty presentation.
By Marianne Williams
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