Sometimes after a long, busy day, deciding what well-balanced, nutritious meal to make can seem like an impossible task. Worry no more – we've compiled a list of our favourite healthy dinners that are simple, straightforward and full of flavour. All you have to do is pick which to make first.
What makes a nutritious, healthy dinner?
Like most meals, balance is important, as this will help you to feel satisfied and give your body the nutrients it requires. On a basic level, simply ask: does my plate have at least one source of protein, healthy fat and carbohydrate? Remember, vegetables are carbohydrates too – not just bread, rice and pasta. In fact, dinnertime is a great time to load up on less starchy, fibre-rich vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, peppers and mushrooms. Variety is important, as different foods offer different types of nutrients and fibres, so try to aim for at least three or four different ingredients on your plate – if you can make it 10, even better!
Best healthy dinner recipes
Healthy tacos
Healthy vegan tacos – stuffed with smoky courgette, zesty black beans, pickled red onion and creamy avocado – make a brilliant lighter dinner which the whole family can tuck into.
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Healthy spaghetti bolognese
This spaghetti bolognese has slightly less meat in than usual but no less flavour, and is bulked out with lentils for healthy fibre. You could also use vegetarian mince, if you like.
Healthy turkey stir-fry
Sauerkraut, earthy broccoli and mushrooms combine to make this satisfying healthy stir-fry, balanced with zingy ginger and a sweet and salty sauce.
Cumin-crusted chicken with kale salad and hummus dressing
A clever way to make chicken more exciting is to coat in cumin and paprika before frying. There's 38.5g of lean protein per serving, plus plenty of nutrients and fibre. It's light, flavour-packed and ready in 40 minutes.
Healthy sausage traybake
Nadine Brown’s balanced, nutritious and well-spiced sausage traybake is bursting with smoky, succulent flavours, making it a reliable midweek option that’s healthy, too.
Salmon traybake
Traybakes, the midweek saviour. This vibrant, curried salmon dish is full of healthy omega-3 fats and antioxidants – great for healthy skin and mind. Serve as is or add a nutritious grain like brown rice or spelt when you're extra hungry.
Not a salmon person? Check out more healthy fish recipes.
Vegan chilli
This sweet and smoky chilli is the epitome of healthy comfort food, providing plenty of satisfying plant protein and fibre from the beans. The tomato sauce is rich in skin-healthy antioxidants and potassium – important for replenishing your salt balance after a workout. It also freezes well, perfect for busier days.
Mexican prawn soup
This easy one-pot is packed with flavour from the cumin, smoked paprika and lime. Avocado offers a great source of healthy fats, while the generous helping of fresh coriander is rich in antioxidants.
Discover even more healthy soup recipes.
Korean fried cauli rice
This punchy recipe is gluten-free and low in carbs – a great healthy alternative to fried rice. Its variety of vegetables make it rich in fibre and antioxidants, as well as offering 21.1g of protein per serving.
Check out some of our other fried rice recipes.
Moroccan veggie soup
This colourful soup is packed with nutritious veg, pulses and spices for a vegan winter warmer that's good for you. Spinach, potatoes and chickpeas offer plenty of soluble and insoluble fibre to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Plus, the spices and rich tomato broth provide antioxidants.
Peri-peri chicken mozzarella stacks with ‘macho’ peas
Check out this easy chicken recipe with creamy mozzarella, roasted red peppers and punchy 'macho' peas. Nando’s fans will love this lighter version of the restaurant classic, which packs 47.7g of protein per serving alongside plenty of nutrient-dense green veggies.
Butternut squash dahl with eggs and crispy onions
Liven up lentils with lightly toasted spices, coconut milk and crispy onions in this vibrant, veggie dahl. Red lentils are a brilliant, inexpensive source of plant protein. As well as providing more protein, eggs offer healthy fat and vitamins A, D, B12, zinc and iron. Buy omega-3 rich eggs for added healthy fats.
Try even more of our delicious dahl recipes.
Tofu tacos
Tofu doesn't have to be boring. These light but flavourful tacos are full of protein (24.6g per portion) and fresh fruit and veg. Added bonus? They're ready in just 30 minutes.
Discover even more taco recipes.
Turkey ramen
Use up leftover turkey in this nourishing and restorative ramen that offers 53.3g protein per serving. Broccoli, onions and mushrooms provide a variety of soluble and insoluble fibre, which feed your beneficial gut bacteria and support healthy bowel movements. The turkey bone broth provides several important amino acids and gut supportive nutrients such as vitamin A, zinc and magnesium.
Try even more of our gut-supportive recipes.
Chickpea fritters
Turn chickpeas into lightly-spiced fritters, served with a zesty cucumber salad, for a low-calorie meal ready in just 30 minutes. Gram flour is a great storecupboard staple, offering protein, fibre, magnesium and iron. Turmeric adds antioxidants, while Greek yogurt provides bone-supportive calcium.
Kimchi-baked tofu
A traditional Korean fermented food, kimchi adds more than just flavour. It’s a natural source of probiotics and fibre, essentially the gut’s favourite things. Studies suggest that regularly eating kimchi has a positive effect on the gut, immune system, brain function and skin health.
Make our red cabbage kimchi.
Healthy chicken with lentil salad
This vibrant chicken salad with crunchy green beans, mangetout and lentils is super-simple and quick to make. With just 6.2g of fat per portion, this is a lovely, light midweek meal.
Love healthy salads? Discover even more recipes.
Wild rice and mushroom risotto with roast garlic
Try this moreish take on risotto using wild rice and creamy roasted garlic for a simple, low-fat vegetarian dinner. Wild rice is incredibly nutritious, offering magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium and selenium. Low-fat crème fraîché provides a lovely creaminess, as well as calcium.
Try even more delicious vegetarian risotto recipes.
Vegan fajita bowl with cauli rice
Our vegan fajita bowl manages to deliver on flavour despite being low in fat and 5:2 friendly. This simple, quick supper has just 4.4g fat and 0.7g of saturates, great for those watching their fat intake.
Do you love Mexican food? Check out our best-ever Mexican-style recipes.
Japanese chicken and broccoli curry
Add white miso and soy sauce to your curry for an umami-rich midweek meal full of chicken and veggies. Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamins such as vitamin K, C and folate, as well as fibre and antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for eye health.
Love broccoli as much as we do? Try our best-ever broccoli dishes.
Light paneer curry
Cook this fragrant, veg-heavy curry for a healthy vegetarian meal on the table in 30 minutes. Paneer offers 14g of protein per 100g, while peas are also uniquely rich in plant protein, as well as offering fibre, iron, folate and vitamin K.
Thai green tofu curry
Looking for a quick and easy vegan curry? Our Thai green curry with smoked tofu and veg is delicious and ready in 25 minutes. Tofu is not only a great source of vegan protein, but provides magnesium, zinc and calcium. It also contains natural plant compounds called isoflavones, which function as phytoestrogens in the body, offering a variety of health benefits.
Try our favourite tofu recipes.
Spiced-yogurt roast chicken
Looking for a healthier roast dinner? Our super-simple, yogurt-marinated roast chicken is full of flavour while still being lighter and good for you. Serve with a veggie-rich side dish for a nutritious, satisfying meal.
Hasselback harissa roast squash
Everybody should have a foolproof, vegetarian roast up their sleeves. With sweet, moreish squash, spicy harissa and salty feta, everyone will love this stunning Middle Eastern-style centrepiece. Serve with one of our veg-rich sides for a balanced meal.
Keto chilli con carne
This wholesome beef chilli con carne is a satisfying meal, packed with mushrooms, pepper and tomato. It's a winner whether or not you're following a keto diet.
Healthy turkey burgers
Make these herby turkey burgers with sweet tomato chutney for a healthy family dinner – they're low in calories and packed with protein.
Sushi rolls (maki sushi)
Fresh, homemade sushi is hard to beat for a light, flavour-packed meal – it's worth investing in a bamboo rolling mat to make these.
Butternut squash soup
Make this silky butternut squash soup for a satisfying veggie lunch. It's simple to whip up and only needs a handful of ingredients. Finish with toasted seeds and a swirl of Greek yogurt.
Homemade veggie burgers
The idea behind these genius allotment vegetarian burgers is that you can grow many of the ingredients yourself, so adapt and add what you’ve got in your garden.
Cauliflower steaks with sauce vierge
These pan-roasted cauli steaks with sauce vierge are a great way to use this on-trend ingredient. They're vegetarian, ready in 30 minutes and under 300 calories.
Spinach, chickpea and potato curry
Try our lightly-spiced vegan curry for a wholesome midweek meal for four. Make the most of storecupboard ingredients such as chickpeas and chopped tomatoes in this flavoursome dish.
Chorizo, greens and bean stew
Check out our hearty, healthy and high-protein chorizo stew dinner, flavoured with sweet smoked paprika and peppered with cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes and kale.
Miso roasted cauliflower, avocado and lentil salad
Fibre-rich cauliflower is roasted in a miso dressing – also filled with probiotics – and turned into a rustic salad with pickled onions and lentils. It's delicious and great for your gut too.
Roast sweet potato, chipotle and orange soup with paprika seeds
Bursting with vibrant sweet potatoes, punchy chipotle and zingy orange, this low-calorie soup makes for a nourishing vegan lunch.
Healthy scallops
Healthy, quick and packed full of flavour, this recipe with smoky spiced chickpeas and golden, tender scallops is one to make room for on the weekday dinner rotation.
Healthy sardines on toast
Sweet shallots, plump raisins and sharp capers go perfectly with sardines in this nourishing Sicilian-style dish – pile the lot on toasted bread for a speedy, fuss-free meal for two.
Healthy spinach omelette
This healthy omelette is a satisfying vegetarian lunch, topped with creamed spinach and juicy cherry tomatoes – we've lowered the fat by replacing cream with light soft cheese and milk.
Healthy jacket potato
For a healthy and filling lunch, try a classic French niçoise salad stuffed into a crispy, fluffy baked potato – it's high in protein and low in calories.
Roast chicken panzanella
Make a tasty dressing using the pan juices to soften the crispy pitta chunks in this salad of chicken, asparagus, roasted peppers and capers.
Healthy fried rice
Cubes of chewy, golden paneer are tossed through fragrant fried rice for a healthy twist on a classic, flavoured with ginger, garlic, chilli and curry powder.
Tuscan pork loin steaks
This recipe for Tuscan pork steaks ticks all the boxes for a nutritious midweek meal. It's low calorie, low fat, low sugar, low salt and high in protein.
Healthy one-pan chicken and rice
Chicken is marinated in soy, hoisin, honey and garlic then cooked with brown rice. It's a simple midweek dinner that's packed with Chinese-inspired flavours.
Greek chicken skewers
Try our healthy chicken skewers, flavoured with oregano and lemon. Serve them as part of your own mini Mediterranean spread with hummus, warm pittas and a fresh salad.
Vegan stew
A delicious meat-free one-pot with green lentils, vegetables and orzo. This stew is even better after 24 hours and would be wonderful served with a spoonful of pesto.
Vegetable stew
Make this easy vegetarian stew with three beans, tomato and spinach for a warming family dinner. It's also high in protein and low in calories.
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Tracey Raye is the Health Editor for olive and BBC Good Food. Tracey, MSc, is a registered nutritionist, holding a master’s degree in Personalised Nutrition. She is passionate about harnessing the power of all things health and wellbeing - in a way that enhances, rather than limits our lives. She covers our nourishing recipes and collections, oversees our health strategy and stays adrift of the latest health and lifestyle trends – in order to bring you the tools and inspiration you need to find what health means for you.
