Healthy Parmesan Cheese Recipes

Find healthy, delicious parmesan cheese recipes from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts get crispy and flavorful in the oven when they're "smashed" and seasoned with Parmesan cheese and everything bagel spice.
By Carolyn Casner

Easy Italian Wedding Soup

Rating: Unrated
4
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

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Rating: Unrated
21
This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.
By Devon O'Brien

Panko- & Parmesan-Crusted Baked Scallops

Rating: Unrated
5
These easy baked scallops have a delightful balance of crunchy, golden-brown topping and tender, sweet scallops. They feel decadent like scallops should, thanks to the tasty lemon-butter sauce. Look for uniform scallops; if they're particularly large, you might need to bake them for more than 10 minutes.
By Karen Rankin

Lemon-Garlic Chicken Penne with Pesto and Spinach

Fresh pesto brilliantly compliments the lemon and garlic flavors of this juicy chicken dinner.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

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

One-Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta

Rating: Unrated
17
This chicken Parmesan pasta uses the one-pot pasta method to cook your noodles, chicken and sauce all in one skillet for a fast and easy dinner with minimal cleanup. Finish the dish under the broiler to achieve a delicious melted cheese crust.
By Hilary Meyer

Creamy Lemon Chicken Parmesan

Rating: Unrated
4
This riff on classic chicken Parmesan replaces the usual marinara with a luscious lemony cream sauce. We've lightened it up by using half-and-half instead of cream, with just-as-delicious results. Serve this lemony chicken dinner with whole-wheat pasta or brown rice.
By Hilary Meyer

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

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

Rating: Unrated
6
This rustic stew cooks all day in the slow cooker so you can come home to a comforting, hot dinner. Not a fan of polenta? Try this healthy chicken dinner over pasta instead.
By Meredith Butcher

Easy Italian Chicken Meatballs

Rating: Unrated
2
These meatballs are flavor-packed--thanks to a little sausage added to the ground chicken mix--and all-purpose: serve them with spaghetti for a healthy dinner, on a toothpick with dipping sauce as an easy appetizer or stir them into a soup to make it more satisfying.
By Adam Hickman

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

Inspiration and Ideas

13 Chicken Parmesan Recipes Perfect for Weeknight Dinners

13 Chicken Parmesan Recipes Perfect for Weeknight Dinners

19 Healthy Recipes Every Parmesan Cheese Lover Needs to Make

19 Healthy Recipes Every Parmesan Cheese Lover Needs to Make

Parmesan cheese makes everything better. It’s rich, bold, nutty flavor is cheesy perfection. Try our healthy Parmesan-packed dishes like baked Eggplant Parmesan, Skillet Chicken Parmesan, Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries, Panko-Parmesan Crusted Baked Scallops and more. We have pulled together our favorite cheesy recipes that are sure to satisfy even the most hard-core Parmesan lover.
Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Chicken & Vegetables

Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Chicken & Vegetables

Rating: Unrated
1
Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Rating: Unrated
13
Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

Rating: Unrated
2
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries

Rating: Unrated
7

Air-Fryer Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Rating: Unrated
1

Stuffed peppers are a classic family meal--and they're fun to eat, too. Instead of roasting the sweet peppers in the oven, use an air fryer to get them crisp-tender but not soggy.

All Healthy Parmesan Cheese Recipes

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.
By Adam Hickman

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

Parmesan Cloud Eggs

Rating: Unrated
7
These light and fluffy eggs are loaded with Parmesan and scallions for tons of flavor, plus there's a luscious runny yolk on top. And don't worry, this impressive brunch recipe is easy enough for anyone to master.
By Carolyn Casner

Spicy Chicken Lasagna

Rating: Unrated
1
Instead of spending hours at the stove making an Italian tomato sauce for your lasagna, let your slow cooker do the work. Your family will love the chicken and mushrooms in this makeover recipe of traditional lasagna.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Spinach & Artichoke-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Rating: Unrated
4
Stuffed mushrooms and spinach-artichoke dip come together in this quick vegetarian recipe. Serve these cheesy stuffed mushrooms with a big salad for a satisfying and healthy dinner.
By Carolyn Casner

Spring Green Frittata

Frittatas are a versatile dish that can be served at breakfast, lunch or dinner. This easy frittata, featuring green spring vegetables accented by chopped tomatoes and parmesan cheese, can be on your plate in just 25 minutes.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Chicken

Rating: Unrated
8
This healthy summer dinner subs zoodles for pasta to help use up your zucchini bounty--as well as slash calories and carbs. Once the spiralized zucchini has time to soak up the herby pesto sauce, this chicken and pesto pasta makes particularly good leftovers.
By Carolyn Casner

BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous

Rating: Unrated
4
In the U.S., dry whole-wheat couscous has been partially cooked, making it a quick-cooking (5 minutes!) whole-grain weeknight dinner champ. And when you buy peeled shrimp, plus a bag of prechopped kale and bottled barbecue sauce, the savings in prep time helps to get this healthy dinner done in a jiff.
By Breana Killeen

Savory Dutch Baby with Arugula & Parmesan

Also called a German pancake, this breakfast or brunch dish is delicious served with sweet or savory ingredients. Here, we make this Dutch baby recipe dinner-worthy by topping it with a fresh salad, cheese and fried eggs.
By Joy Howard

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Risotto

Rating: Unrated
9
Making risotto has never been easier, thanks to an electric pressure cooker, like the Instant Pot. In this easy recipe, you don't have to stand over the stove constantly stirring. Just add everything into the multicooker and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and this delicious dinner side dish is ready.
By Carolyn Casner

Roast Chicken with Parmesan-Herb Sauce

Rating: Unrated
4
A store-bought rice blend and quick-cooking chicken breast help get this healthy chicken recipe on the dinner table fast. Check the label to avoid excessive sodium or other undesirable ingredients. Other herbs, such as rosemary and sage, are also delicious in this recipe.
By Hilary Meyer

Balsamic & Parmesan Broccoli

Rating: Unrated
6
Cooking this quick broccoli side dish recipe in a wok gives you a larger surface area, so you get lots of nice crispy bits. Serve with oven-roasted herb chicken or fish, or as a tasty topping to your grain bowl.
By Carolyn Casner

Pork Chops with Garlicky Broccoli

Rating: Unrated
2
A little Parmesan in the pork chops' crunchy coating makes it extra-flavorful. The broccoli is simple yet special--try it alongside just about anything you're cooking, but it pairs perfectly with the pork here for a satisfying healthy dinner ready in just 30 minutes.
By Liz Mervosh

Broccoli & Parmesan Cheese Omelet

Rating: Unrated
1
This high-protein breakfast recipe features broccoli and cheese folded into a light and fluffy omelet.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Rating: Unrated
2
We took the best parts of chicken Parmesan--ooey-gooey cheese, crispy breadcrumbs and plenty of tomato sauce--and spun them into an easy family-friendly casserole. We simplified it by skipping the breading on the chicken and, instead, loaded the top of the casserole with cheese and breadcrumbs. Serve with a crisp green salad to complete the meal.
By Carolyn Casner

Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese

Forgo regular pasta (and most of the carbs) for spiralized zucchini "noodles" in these make-ahead meals. The zoodles quickly turn tender-crisp as the veggie-packed Bolognese warms in the microwave.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Balsamic-Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan

These super-flavorful mushrooms get a hint of sweetness thanks to a splash of balsamic vinegar. Parmesan cheese added at the end lends a savory note. Enjoy them as an accompaniment to steak or on their own as a side dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Bruschetta-Topped Crispy Baked Chicken

Rating: Unrated
1
A fresh tomato-and-basil topping on panko-crusted chicken cutlets makes an easy meal for family or casual entertaining.
By Carolyn Casner

Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Alfredo

This cheesy pasta recipe is made in a slow cooker but is relatively quick taking just 2 1/2 hours from start-to-finish. It's full of vegetables, whole-grain linguine and of course, lots of cheese!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Fish Amandine

Rating: Unrated
2
In this quick dinner recipe, fresh tilapia fillets are dipped in a buttermilk-panko coating, sprinkled with almonds and Parmesan, drizzled with melted butter and red pepper and baked until flakey. It may sound complicated, but it takes just 20 minutes from start-to-finish!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks

Rating: Unrated
1
These chicken drumsticks are coated in breadcrumbs with oregano, paprika, and pepper and are oven cooked rather than deep-fried. This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare, making it a perfect party appetizer for any occasion.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Cheese-&-Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

Rating: Unrated
28
Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling--ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese--and nestle them into roasted portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large portobello caps; if you can only find smaller ones, buy one or two extra and divide the filling among all the caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

One-Pot Chicken Alfredo

Rating: Unrated
1
This better-for-you creamy, cheesy chicken fettuccine Alfredo isn't all that fancy, but it's incredibly comforting. You'll taste a nice pop of pepper and nutty notes from the whole-wheat pasta. Best part about this recipe? It's a one-pot meal, which means fewer dishes for you!
By Robin Bashinsky

Chicken Parmesan-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This filling, hearty stuffed spaghetti squash is a lower-carb version of your traditional chicken Parmesan with pasta. This chicken Parmesan recipe is still full of cheesy goodness, but has the added benefit of sweet winter squash. If you can't find two small squashes, use one (3-pound) squash and cut each half into two portions when ready to serve.
By Robin Bashinsky
Load More
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com