Healthy Curry Main Dish Recipes

The stringy texture and mild flavor of canned jackfruit mimics chicken in this vegan curry recipe. Chickpeas add delicious crunch and protein for a satisfying meal. Serve over brown rice for an easy, healthy dinner.

This vegetable curry comes together fast thanks to the help of a multicooker. Coconut milk makes it creamy, while keeping this easy dinner vegan, and the potatoes and chickpeas help bulk up the dish for a satisfying meal. Serve over basmati rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.

This healthy chicken thigh recipe is tender and packed with flavor, thanks to a yogurt-based marinade. The healthy yogurt marinade recipe also works well with pork, shrimp, firm fish or tofu. (Divide the recipe in half if marinating 1 pound of chicken thighs.)

If you're looking for a basic green Thai chicken curry recipe, start here. Green is the hottest type of curry paste; to take this chicken recipe down a notch, try red Thai curry paste (considered “medium” heat) or mild yellow curry paste. If you have a shellfish allergy, compare curry paste ingredient lists--some brands contain shrimp and some don't.

Biryanis are rice-based casseroles that combine a saucy meat, vegetable or legume curry with basmati rice, whole spices, nuts and raisins. This particular dish is a nutritional powerhouse, thanks to the mustard greens and chickpeas. Look for the specialty spices--cardamom pods, saffron and garam masala--in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets or online at penzeys.com.

We cook the eggplant in the oven to speed up the recipe and keep things from getting too unruly on the stovetop. While the eggplant roasts, line up all of your ingredients and begin cooking to make this easy eggplant curry come together seamlessly. Any leftovers will hold up well and are great for taking to work for lunch.

Combine precooked lentils (often located in the produce section of your grocery store) with an Indian-style simmer sauce for a super-fast and flavorful curry. Serving it over riced cauliflower bumps up the vegetable count and keeps carb servings in check. This 3-ingredient dinner (not counting salt, pepper and oil) is really as easy as it gets. To be mindful of the salt, look for simmer sauces with less than or close to 350 mg sodium per ¼-cup serving.

This easy Thai-inspired coconut curry shrimp is loaded with vegetables and gets tons of flavor from prepared green curry paste and coconut milk. The sweet and spicy sauce gets sopped up by a bed of hot brown rice. Serve with a crunchy Asian slaw to round out the meal.

Masabacha is a thick stew that in this case serves as the backbone to a hearty and healthy breakfast bowl. But the real star here is the silky whipped tahini sauce, made by simply pureeing tahini and water with garlic and lemon juice until the mixture is transformed into a light, spreadable sauce. Serve with warm pita and some vegetables for dipping.

In this simple goat curry recipe, lean and healthy goat meat becomes tender from simmering with tomatoes and traditional Indian spices. Look for goat at ethnic markets or ask your butcher to order it for you. Serve with brown basmati rice and a dollop of yogurt.

Protein-rich yellow split peas combined with fresh vegetables yields a hearty, stewlike curry--perfect for a cold winter night by the fireplace, with a loaf of crusty bread. Try any combination of vegetables--sweet potatoes, winter squash and spinach create a sweeter offering. Don't be alarmed by the number of chiles--the vegetables and split peas bring the heat level down to make each bite addictive without being excessively hot.

Fresh ginger and pungent curry add big flavor to this one-pot meal.

Pep up your morning routine with this savory oatmeal recipe featuring cashews, curry powder and raisins. If you're short on time in the morning, try our overnight oatmeal version of this satisfying vegan recipe.

Thai flavors--curry paste, fish sauce, lime and coconut milk--and a cabbage and cilantro slaw update this healthy slow-cooker pulled-pork sandwich recipe. A smaller slow cooker (such as a 4-quart model) is ideal for this healthy crock pot pulled-pork recipe. Look for red curry paste in jars in the Asian section of the supermarket.

A white wine reduction intensifies the flavor of the garlic and onions in this chicken curry recipe. Served over brown rice with wilted spinach, it's a dish your whole family will enjoy.

This recipe pairs curry-coated scallops and brown rice seasoned with cilantro, scallions and lemon. For this recipe you'll need 3 cups cooked brown rice. Serve with roasted carrots tossed with cumin and coriander.

This tofu curry recipe has a rich and spicy tomato-based sauce studded with cubes of pressed, baked tofu. Serve with brown rice and naan bread to sop up any remaining sauce.

If you're looking for a basic Thai green curry recipe, start here. Green is the hottest type of curry paste; to take this chicken recipe down a notch, try red Thai curry paste (considered “medium” heat) or mild yellow curry paste. If you have a shellfish allergy, compare curry paste ingredient lists--some brands contain shrimp and some don't.

This classic Indian-inspired dish typically takes several hours to make, but we simplified it by skipping the traditional yogurt marinade and letting the pressure cooker infuse the tikka masala flavor into lean chicken breasts. Cayenne adds heat, while a splash of cream keeps the spice in check (add less cayenne if you want it less spicy). Serve over rice and with a piece of naan to soak up the sauce.

Serve this flavorful and filling lamb curry with a steamed grain like brown rice, millet or whole-wheat couscous for soaking up the sauce.

This flavorful vegetarian Thai red curry recipe matches sweet potatoes with fresh dandelion greens and asparagus, though you can substitute cauliflower florets, cubed Asian eggplant, squash or carrots. If you're using cauliflower or eggplant, add them earlier, when the potato is only partially cooked, as they will take longer to cook than asparagus. Classic Thai red curry is flavored with lime leaves and Thai basil. If you find them, use them, but even without them the vegetable curry will still be a knockout.

Diluting the rich coconut milk that is used in many Asian curries with evaporated skim milk reduces the saturated fat considerably. Serve over brown basmati rice.

The addition of apricot preserves makes this chicken curry taste faintly of chutney. Serve it with brown rice seasoned with curry powder.

At once comforting and exotic-tasting, this rich chicken coconut curry stew will warm you on chilly winter evenings. Chunks of potato, lean chicken and loads of veggies make it a meal in a bowl. Enjoy with a fruity white wine like Gewurztraminer or Chenin Blanc to tame the heat. Using “lite” coconut milk instead of full-fat in this healthy curried coconut chicken stew recipe trims roughly two-thirds the fat and calories without sacrificing flavor.