Special Diet Dinner Recipes

Find healthy, delicious dinner recipes for those who follow a special diet, including gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian dinners, diabetic, paleo and Whole30 dinners. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

12
This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies (concealed in a delicious cheese sauce!).

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

44
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

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

15
Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these Mediterranean meals and pack in containers with lids to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab & go lunches all week long.
By Carolyn Casner

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli

2
Shrimp cooks quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve over whole grains or rice.
By Carolyn Casner

Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls

6
This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.
By Carolyn A Hodges, RD

Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

83
Though a chicken cutlet may be a chicken breast cut in half, this recipe shows how to make chicken cutlets with double the deliciousness. A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner recipe. The flavorful oil they're packed in is used to sauté the chicken, and the tomatoes go into the cream sauce.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Cilantro adds color and flavor when blended to make a creamy dressing. Serve this healthy salad for lunch or dinner.
By Carolyn Casner

Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

17
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

Lemon-Garlic Dump Dinner with Chicken, Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts

2
Tender chicken breast is bathed in a lemony marinade that brings a bright pop of flavor to this one-dish meal. The vegetables get crispy edges and, along with the juicy chicken, make this a winning combo.
By Karen Rankin

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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

One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

16
In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner recipe you'll be returning to again and again.

Easy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles

4
Enjoy classic shrimp scampi lightened up with zucchini noodles in place of pasta. The tomatoes add some sweetness and color, while the cheese contributes nuttiness and richness.
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Inspiration and Ideas

19 30-Minute Diabetes-Friendly Dinners That Can Help Reduce Inflammation
Each meal is lower in saturated fat and sodium and focuses on complex carbs, like whole grains and produce, so you know they'll work with a diabetes-friendly eating pattern.
15 Low-Calorie Mediterranean Diet Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less
From grain bowls and salads to pasta and shrimp, these delicious and easy dinners are packed with staple ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, like fresh produce, whole grains and healthy fats. All containing 400 calories or less, these dinners will help you reach your nutritional goals and only take 30 minutes or less to make. Recipes like our Quinoa Salad with Feta, Olives & Tomatoes and Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl will have you enjoying one of the healthiest eating patterns around.
22 Low-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 15 Minutes
Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
18
Creamy Garlic Skillet Chicken with Spinach
5
One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
14
Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
5

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.

All Special Diet Dinner Recipes

Big Beautiful Summer Salad

1
This gorgeous and healthy summer vegetable salad is loaded with pretty produce, including golden beets, avocado, corn, microgreens and radishes. Chickpeas and edamame add substance, and an herb-filled buttermilk-avocado dressing makes this salad really special. Serve it on its own for a light vegetarian meal or add grilled chicken for an easy weeknight dinner.
By Liz Mervosh

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

12
This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.
By Katie Webster

Easy Eggplant Stir-Fry

3
This eggplant stir-fry is easy to make. We call for long and tender Japanese eggplant, but regular eggplant will work well too, cut into 1-inch pieces. Jalapeño peppers can vary from mild to very spicy. If you need to cut the heat, opt for small sweet peppers in their place.
By Ali Ramee

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli

1
Everyone loves teriyaki chicken--and this one is better for you with much less added sugar. It's also gluten-free so long as you use tamari (aka gluten-free soy sauce). Feel free to swap out the broccoli for any veggie--carrots, snow peas, green beans--that you have on hand.
By Julia Levy

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

4
This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.
By Carolyn Casner

Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

12
To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.
By Katie Webster

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw

4
This zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a preshredded coleslaw blend.
By Sarah Epperson

Melting Potatoes

9
The name for these spuds hints at their creamy interior. Roasting these melting potatoes at high heat ensures they get crunchy on the outside. Then, adding a little broth at the end allows the potatoes to absorb the liquid, making the insides extra moist.
By Adam Dolge

Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes

8
Looking for a new way to turn a bag of frozen cheese ravioli into a satisfying and healthy dinner? This easy pasta recipe calls for just five ingredients but is loaded with fresh flavors. By using grape tomatoes, prewashed spinach and prepared pesto, we eliminate all prep work, making this 15-minute Caprese-inspired ravioli the ideal weeknight meal.
By Carolyn A Hodges, RD

Grilled Chicken Tacos with Slaw & Lime Crema

1
In this easy and healthy chicken taco recipe, we top grilled chicken tenders with a crunchy and colorful vegetable slaw and a simple blend of sour cream, lime juice and cilantro. The chicken is cooked on a grill pan, so these crowd-pleasing chicken tacos make for a great 25-minute weeknight dinner year-round.
By Robin Bashinsky

Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Broccoli

14
In this easy and healthy dinner recipe, sweet and savory baked honey-garlic chicken thighs come with a side of veggies that cook on the same sheet pan as the chicken. The honey-soy-garlic marinade for the chicken does double duty as an irresistible sauce to drizzle over everything. Lining your baking sheet with foil will protect your pan from the sticky honey-soy-garlic sauce, so cleanup will be a breeze too. If you can't find small carrots, cut medium carrots in half lengthwise.
By Sarah Epperson

Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

12
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

Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

16
This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup.
By Carolyn Casner

Fresh Sweet Corn Salad

We love fresh summer corn when it's in season, but frozen corn makes a great year-round substitute in this quick and easy side dish.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta

17
A little bit of Sunday meal prep goes a long way in this one-dish Greek-inspired pasta recipe. The pasta is cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge to use for meals all week, but any leftover cooked pasta you have on hand will do. Chicken sausage with feta is especially good in this recipe.
By Katie Webster

Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries

1
This quick egg scramble with hearty bread is one of the best breakfasts for weight loss. It combines weight-loss power foods, eggs and raspberries, with filling whole-grain toast and nutrient-packed spinach. The protein and fiber help fill you up and the whole meal clocks in at just under 300 calories.
By Robin Bashinsky

Cucumber Vinegar Salad

4
This cucumber vinegar salad has the perfect balance between sweet and sour flavors, plus a hint of fresh dill. The red onion adds nice crunch. Enjoy this salad right after you're done making it or store it away to snack on for later.
By Liv Dansky

Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.
By Shefaly Ravula & Amee Meghani

Garlic Butter-Roasted Salmon with Potatoes & Asparagus

9
This spring-produce-packed one-pan meal makes a healthy and satisfying weeknight dinner. Melted garlic butter coats the salmon and vegetables, adding depth of flavor and richness to the dish.

Avocado Tuna Salad

Jazz up a can of tuna with this easy avocado tuna salad recipe. Silky avocado adds creaminess that's cut with a hit of acidity from lemon and a briny punch from feta cheese. Romaine hearts and cucumber offer refreshing crunch.
By Karen Rankin

Stuffed Cabbage with Beef

1
This lightened-up version of stuffed cabbage uses lean ground beef and less sugar than the traditional recipe—but is every bit as delicious. The sauce sinks into the cabbage rolls while baking, which helps deepen the flavors.
By Jasmine Smith

Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives

9
Store-bought spinach ravioli and a handful of basic pantry items are all you need to get a healthy dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Ingredients like oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives and toasty pine nuts help to build big flavor fast. If you can't find frozen artichokes, swap in a 15-ounce can (just be sure to drain and rinse them well).
By Carolyn A Hodges, RD

Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad

6
Here's a healthy salad recipe to make at the height of summer when watermelon and cucumbers are at their juiciest and most flavorful. Feta adds the perfect creamy, salty, tangy edge, and mint makes this salad taste even brighter. This is one easy side salad you'll want to serve at all your summer BBQs.
By Pam Lolley

Greek-Inspired Burgers with Herb-Feta Sauce

5
These healthy burgers get a Mediterranean twist with a yogurt sauce seasoned with oregano, lemon and feta cheese. If you can't find ground lamb, ask the butcher to grind some for you.
By Breana Killeen
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