Looking for some healthy dinner recipes? We have plenty of ideas for quick and healthy meals, healthy curries, nourishing fish suppers, high-protein recipes, dairy-free dinners and even gut-friendly meals.

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If you want something quick and nutritious to make for lunch, try our healthy lunch ideas, then check out our healthy summer recipes, healthy veg recipes, 15 healthy swaps and high-calorie foods to try. Find out what to eat this Christmas for a happy gut.


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.

Taco Topped with Sliced Charred Courgette, Black Beans and Red Onion

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.

A white bowl of spaghetti bolognese with parmesan and a grater in the background

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.

Fried Rice with Broccoli and Mushrooms in a Wok

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.

Cumin-Crusted Chicken with Kale Salad on two Plates

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.

A sausage, chickpea and potato traybake

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.

Salmon Tray Bake Recipe

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.

Vegan chilli recipe

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.

Mexican Soup Recipe with Prawns

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.

Korean Fried Cauliflower Rice Recipe

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.

Moroccan Vegetable Soup Recipe

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.

Peri Peri Chicken with Mozzarella and Macho Peas

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.

Butternut Squash Dahl Recipe with Coconut

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.

Easy Tofu Recipes For Best Tofu And How To Cook Tofu

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.

191016_Olive_TurkeyRamen

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.

Chickpea Fritters with Yogurt, Green Chilli and Cucumber Salad

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.

Baked Tofu with Kimchi Sauce Recipe

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.

Chicken Salad Lentils, Beans and Mustard Dressing

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.

Mushroom Risotto Recipe with Garlic

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.

Vegan Fajita Bowl with Cauliflower Rice Recipe

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.

Japanese Chicken Curry Recipe with Broccoli and Mushrooms

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.

two plates of paneer curry with rice

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.

Vegan Thai Green Curry Recipe

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.

Roast Chicken Recipe with Yogurt

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.

Hasselback Squash Recipe

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.

A casserole dish of chilli topped with sour cream next to bowls of grated cheese and coriander

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.

Two Turkey Burgers in Buns with Lettuce and Tomato on a Wooden Board

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.

Sushi rolls on a grey rectangular platter with picked ginger and wasabi and a pot of soy sauce

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.

a dark grey bowl filled with orange soup with a swirl of yoghurt and toasted pumpkin seeds

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.

Veggie Burger Allotment recipe

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.

Rarebit Cauliflower Steaks Recipe

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.

Spinach, chickpea and potato curry in a skillet with some naan breads

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.

Chorizo, greens and bean stew in a large dish, placed on a table with a side of chopped parsley

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.

A platter topped with roasted cauliflower, lentils and slices of avocado

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.

Two bowls filled with orange soup topped with seeds

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.

A white plate piled with three large scalops on a bed of golden chickpeas with a garnish of rocket to the side

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.

Two white plates of sardines on toast, scattered with raisins and pine nuts on a wooden table

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.

Omelette Stuffed with Spinach with Tomatoes on the Side

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.

Healthy Jacket Potato Topped with Tuna, Green Beans and Egg

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.

A plate of chicken, asparagus and red peppers on a white cloth with a speckled grey background

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.

A silver pan of rice with vegetables with a serving spoon on a stone board next to wedges of lime

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.

Tuscan pork loin steaks with butterbeans and greens on plates

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.

A Large Pan of Brown Rice Topped with Chicken Breasts and Spring Onions

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.

Greek Chicken Skewers on a Board with Hummus and Flatbreads

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.

GREEN LENTIL VEGETABLE AND ORZO STEW

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.

Vegetable and bean stew in a pot with bread

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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.

Authors

Tracey Raye - Health Editor & NutritionistHealth Editor & Nutritionist

Tracey Raye is the Health Editor for Olive and BBC Good Food. She oversees all health, nutrition and fitness related content across the brands, including the bi-annual Healthy Diet Plan, monthly Health Edit newsletter and health column in the magazine.

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