Healthy Quick & Easy Winter Dinner Recipes

Find healthy, delicious quick & easy winter dinner recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Easy Italian Wedding Soup

Rating: Unrated
3
Forget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this soup. In this easy recipe, they're full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling.
By Robin Bashinsky

Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

Rating: Unrated
10
This rich and creamy 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

Garlic Shrimp with Cilantro Spaghetti Squash

Rating: Unrated
19
Garlicky shrimp are served on top of buttery, cilantro-flecked spaghetti squash in this quick, healthy dinner recipe inspired by shrimp scampi. Pair with a side of sautéed greens, such as kale, collards or spinach.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Rating: Unrated
15
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

White Bean & Veggie Salad

Rating: Unrated
5
This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.
By Katie Webster

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Rating: Unrated
14
You'll never want to eat roasted cauliflower any other way once you try this tasty recipe. Bacon, sour cream and sharp Cheddar cheese coat good-for-you cauliflower in deliciousness for an easy side that will make everyone actually want to eat their vegetables.
By Carolyn Casner

Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

Rating: Unrated
41
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

Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad

Rating: Unrated
6
This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Chicken-&-Mushroom Marsala

Rating: Unrated
3
For the best flavor in this classic one-pan chicken dinner recipe use real Marsala wine, not the cooking-wine kind. Serve with mashed potatoes.
By Adam Dolge

Chicken & White Bean Soup

Rating: Unrated
22
Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Beefy Italian Vegetable Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
This one-pot, easy-to-make soup is so full of beef and vegetables that it could almost be called a stew. Beans, mushrooms, kale, chunks of tomatoes and beef sirloin will fight for space on each spoonful.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chickpea & Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Rating: Unrated
4
It seems Buddha bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!
By Katie Webster

Inspiration and Ideas

26 Cozy Winter Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less

26 Cozy Winter Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less

Each dinner is packed with hearty proteins and nutritious vegetables to create a balanced meal
22 Easy Winter Dinners for When You’re Sick of Cooking

22 Easy Winter Dinners for When You’re Sick of Cooking

These winter dinners are hearty, take just 25 minutes from start to finish and have three steps or fewer.
Black Bean-Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Rating: Unrated
4
Italian Fish Stew

Italian Fish Stew

Rating: Unrated
4
Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Rating: Unrated
86
Butternut Squash Alfredo with Chicken & Spinach

Butternut Squash Alfredo with Chicken & Spinach

Easy Butternut Squash Soup

Rating: Unrated
3

Just a touch of brown sugar sweetens this simple soup that gets its creaminess from pureed squash and fat-free evaporated milk.

All Healthy Quick & Easy Winter Dinner Recipes

Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas

Rating: Unrated
8
Put out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.
By Breana Killeen

Sicilian Olive Chicken

Rating: Unrated
7
This saucy one-skillet chicken dish is full of tomatoes, spinach, olives and capers. Try Kalamata olives in place of the green Sicilians or a combination of both. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles with a mixed green salad on the side.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Broccoli, Mushroom & Beef Stir-Fry

Rating: Unrated
6
This healthy beef and broccoli stir-fry recipe has a Korean-inspired gochujang sauce. Because stir-fries cook up quickly, have all the ingredients prepped and next to the stove before you turn on the heat. Serve over brown rice or rice noodles.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Balsamic Berry Vinaigrette Winter Salad

Rating: Unrated
4
This festive salad features colorful greens, fruit and cheese tossed with a light and zesty dressing.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Pork Medallions with Cranberry-Onion Relish

Ready in just 30 minutes, this pork tenderloin dish will please the whole family!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers.
By Katie Webster

Crispy Cod Sandwich

Rating: Unrated
1
Skip frying but keep all the crunch with this healthy baked fish sandwich recipe. The wire rack ensures both sides of the baked cod get crispy.
By Hilary Meyer

Pork Chops with Roasted Cauliflower and Onions

This quick one-skillet vegetable and pork main dish recipe makes a great weeknight dinner. Look for pre-cut cauliflower florets in the produce aisle of your grocery store to cut down on prep time, and your dinner will be on the table in just 30 minutes!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chili-Topped Sweet Potatoes

Rating: Unrated
1
Transform ordinary baked potatoes into a full dinner with these chili-topped spuds. In this healthy recipe, we use sweet potatoes for an added nutrient kick. Sprinkle on extra toppings as you see fit--sliced scallions, chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sliced jalapeños are all tasty choices.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Salmon Alfredo

A low-fat white sauce, made with fat-free milk, coats the salmon, pasta, and broccoli in this complete 30-minute meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Easy Chicken Pasta

Rating: Unrated
1
This quick and easy recipe tops multigrain or whole-grain pasta with flavorful chicken, broccoli and diced vegetables. With 0 grams of saturated fat and 20 grams of protein per serving, this recipe has everything you need for a no-hassle dinner.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Steamed Butternut Squash

Rating: Unrated
1
Butternut squash steams quickly, making this a great cooking technique to enjoy this fall vegetable as a weeknight side dish. For extra flavor, toss the steamed butternut squash with salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil, butter or Parmesan cheese after cooking.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Honeynut Squash

Rating: Unrated
2
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

Chicken Thighs with Couscous & Kale

Rating: Unrated
11
One-pot meals, like this all-in-one chicken thigh, kale and Israeli couscous recipe, are perfect for nights when you want to keep cleanup to a minimum. Look for Israeli couscous--small pearl-shaped pasta made from semolina flour--near other Middle Eastern dry goods in well-stocked supermarkets or specialty-foods stores.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Chicken & Winter Squash over Mixed Greens

This hearty salad comes together with little effort, since the squash and chicken can roast together on the same sheet pan. Prep the dressing and the salad greens while the chicken is roasting.
By Andrea Kirkland M.S., RD

Vegan Buddha Bowl

Rating: Unrated
6
This easy grain bowl has so much to love--sweet potatoes, protein-packed chickpeas, creamy avocado and homemade tahini dressing. Make the full recipe on the weekend and pack into individual serving containers for ready-to-go lunches for work all week.
By Carolyn Casner

Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap

Rating: Unrated
89
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

White Bean Ragout

Rating: Unrated
1
Topped with Asiago cheese, this bean ragout dinner for two is perfect for a cool fall night.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Beet & Shrimp Winter Salad

This healthy dinner salad recipe gets its staying power from protein-packed shrimp and fiber-rich barley. With a simple red-wine vinaigrette, this quick salad makes just one serving but is easy to double or triple. Look for precooked beets with other prepared vegetables in the produce department.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower "Rice"

Rating: Unrated
1
Cut carbs and calories by using cauliflower "rice" instead of regular rice in this 30-minute pork paprikash recipe.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Greek Salad Nachos

Rating: Unrated
2
This vegetarian nacho recipe is a fun combination of two favorites--nachos and Greek salad. It uses whole-grain pita chips instead of the tortilla chips used in traditional nacho recipes, and it's loaded with the classic fresh vegetables in Greek salad as well as creamy hummus and salty feta cheese. And it doesn't even need the oven! Easily doubled, this makes a great appetizer or light dinner.
By Carolyn Casner

Roasted Veggie & Quinoa Salad

Quick, simple and packed with satisfying protein and fiber, this salad makes a perfect lunch or easy one-dish dinner.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

Rating: Unrated
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

Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut

Rating: Unrated
11
Here's our weeknight version of choucroute garni, “dressed sauerkraut,” made with chicken sausage. The flavor of the dish will vary depending on what type of chicken sausage you choose. We like the taste of roasted garlic sausage or sweet apple sausage in this recipe. And although any type of sauerkraut can be used, we prefer the crisp texture of refrigerated kraut over canned. Serve with roasted carrots and some mustard to spread on the sausage.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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