These nutritious dinners will have you enjoying delicious flavors all month long. Following the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns around, these dishes are balanced with vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins. Plus, with low counts of saturated fats and sodium, these dinners are also well-suited for a heart-healthy eating pattern. Recipes like our Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl and Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Vegetables are satisfying and tasty choices that can help you meet your nutritional needs.
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Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl
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This cilantro-lime shrimp bowl has tons of flavor and texture. The cilantro-lime shrimp is tangy and fresh, with brown rice and creamy avocado to balance the flavor. The two-chile cream sauce is easy to make and brings all the flavors of this bowl dinner together.
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Chicken Souvlaki Kebabs with Mediterranean-Inspired Couscous
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Fennel adds a nice flavoring to the marinade in this Mediterranean-inspired chicken souvlaki dish. The kabobs are perfectly paired with a veggie-packed, yogurt-dressed Israeli couscous.
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Chicken Chili Verde
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Prepared salsa verde adds tang to this fast weeknight chili recipe and pairs beautifully with the rich caramelized chicken and creamy beans. Don't shy away from the poblano peppers. They offer a mild heat but deliver a depth of flavor you can't find in regular green bell peppers.
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Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos
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These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.
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Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Vegetables
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This one-pan dinner gets a hit of flavorful heat from harissa, the popular North African chile-and-garlic paste. We use harissa paste from a tube for this recipe. It's got a concentrated chile flavor that makes an excellent spice rub for chicken and adds a subtle punch of heat to a refreshing herbed yogurt sauce.
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Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale
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Loading up your pasta with vegetables like the kale and mushrooms here is not only delicious, it also makes the meal more satisfying.
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Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas
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A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling.
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Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Salmon with Potatoes & Peppers
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Busy weeknights beg for something simple like this salmon sheet-pan dinner. Like the name suggests, it's all cooked on one pan. The potatoes get a head start, followed by sweet bell peppers and finally chili-coated salmon fillets. It's a complete meal with easy cleanup!
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Cabbage Lo Mein
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Jam-packed with a colorful medley of vegetables, this classic noodle dish relies on a bold sesame-soy sauce to tie all the flavors and textures together.
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Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens
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In this healthy salmon dinner, you'll get a dose of greens and green dressing! Chowing down on 6 or more servings of dark leafy greens a week can help keep your brain in top shape. This dish features the Test Kitchen's current go-to method for doctoring a can of chickpeas: spice them up and roast until crispy.
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Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage
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Though traditional stuffed cabbage recipes are made with meat, here Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with a combination of rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs for a healthy vegetarian stuffed cabbage recipe. The stuffed cabbage leaves gently bake in a simple tomato sauce. This easy stuffed cabbage recipe can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.
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Meal-Prep Chili-Lime Chicken Bowls
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Skip takeout and whip up these equally delicious and easy-to-make burrito bowls at home. They're great for a fast and easy dinner or a healthy meal to pack for work throughout the week.
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Chickpea & Potato Curry
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This fast Indian-style curry comes together with ingredients you most likely have on hand, like frozen peas and canned tomatoes and chickpeas. Plus, using these spices shows how simple it is to make a curry sauce for an easy vegetarian recipe. Serve with whole-wheat naan to sop it all up.
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Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower "Rice" Tabbouleh
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Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that's enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart.
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Baked Fish Tacos with Avocado
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Instead of deep-frying, the fish fillets in this quick-and-easy 5-ingredient recipe are coated with a flavorful seasoning blend and baked. Several varieties of flaky white fish can be used for these tacos. When you go to the market to purchase fish, the best strategy is to be flexible and choose the variety that looks freshest that day.
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Easy Chicken Enchiladas
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These easy Mexican enchiladas are filled with flavorful, shredded slow-cooked shredded chicken. Placed on a bed of fresh lettuce, this delicious recipe is sure to be the hit of any dinner occasion.
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Curried Chickpea Stew
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Who says a meatless meal isn't filling? Packed with fiber-rich vegetables and chickpeas, this fragrant stew satisfies.
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Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
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Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.
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Chicken-Spaghetti Squash Bake
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In this version of a chicken-and-broccoli casserole, spaghetti squash takes on a creamy texture when baked with cream of mushroom soup.
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Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl
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It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!
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Smoked Turkey, Kale & Rice Bake
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This hearty one-skillet dinner is loaded with celery, kale, tomatoes and quick-cooking brown rice. It's easy to make the recipe vegetarian by substituting smoked tofu for the turkey.
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Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
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Curly kale forms the base of this salad, but you could use chard or spinach. To the greens, add a multitude of chopped veggies, such as broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Finish with rich salmon for protein and a drizzle of creamy yogurt dressing to bring it all together.
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Eggplant Tortilla Casserole
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This layered casserole is inspired by classic cheese enchiladas, minus the fuss of rolling and stuffing individual tortillas. You'd never guess that within this comforting Tex-Mex casserole hides a layer of thinly sliced eggplant. The thin slices become tender when roasted and add a subtle savory note.
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Lemon-Garlic Chicken Penne with Pesto and Spinach
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Fresh pesto brilliantly compliments the lemon and garlic flavors of this juicy chicken dinner.
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Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli
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This healthy salmon dish is as balanced as it is delicious. You add broccoli right into the pot along with the pasta during its last minute of cooking to save time here. One less thing to wash too!
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Winter Greens Bowl
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This one-pan meal packs in lots of plant-based protein and flavor thanks to beans and quinoa, while a creamy lemon-garlic dressing completes the dish.
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Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
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Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use parcooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter—making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking.
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Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach
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Gochujang, a Korean red chile paste, and honey give this salmon a little bit of sweetness and a whole lot of spice.
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Chipotle-Orange Broccoli & Tofu
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Chipotle peppers add kick to this tofu and broccoli stir-fry recipe. If you're shy about spice, cut back on the amount or leave them out completely. Serve over brown basmati rice.
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Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils
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This earthy bowl of lentils is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in the field of nutrition and healthy eating, I can provide you with information related to the concepts mentioned in this article. The article discusses nutritious dinners that follow the Mediterranean diet, which is known to be one of the healthiest eating patterns. These dinners are balanced with vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins. They also have low counts of saturated fats and sodium, making them suitable for a heart-healthy eating pattern.
Let's dive into the concepts mentioned in the article:
Mediterranean Diet:
The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that is inspired by the traditional dietary patterns of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. It emphasizes consuming a variety of plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Olive oil is the primary source of fat in this diet, and it is used in place of other fats, such as butter. The diet also includes moderate amounts of fish, poultry, and dairy products, while red meat and sweets are consumed in smaller quantities. The Mediterranean diet has been associated with numerous health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer.
Vegetables:
Vegetables are an essential component of a healthy diet. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, while being low in calories. The article mentions various vegetable-based recipes, such as Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos and Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas. These recipes provide a delicious way to incorporate vegetables into your meals.
Whole Grains:
Whole grains are grains that have not been refined, meaning they retain all parts of the grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. This makes them higher in fiber, vitamins, and minerals compared to refined grains. The article includes recipes like Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale and Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl, which incorporate whole grains like pasta and quinoa.
Healthy Fats:
Healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil, are an important part of a balanced diet. They provide essential fatty acids and help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. The article mentions recipes like Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl and Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Vegetables, which include sources of healthy fats like avocado and olive oil.
Lean Proteins:
Lean proteins are sources of protein that are low in saturated fat. They are important for building and repairing tissues, as well as supporting various functions in the body. The article includes recipes like Chicken Souvlaki Kebabs with Mediterranean-Inspired Couscous and Baked Fish Tacos with Avocado, which feature lean protein sources like chicken and fish.
Heart-Healthy Eating Pattern:
The article highlights that the dinners mentioned are well-suited for a heart-healthy eating pattern. This means that they are low in saturated fats and sodium, which are known to contribute to heart disease. By following a heart-healthy eating pattern, you can support cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart-related conditions.
In summary, this article discusses nutritious dinners that follow the Mediterranean diet, which is known for its health benefits. These dinners are balanced with vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins. They are also low in saturated fats and sodium, making them suitable for a heart-healthy eating pattern. Incorporating these concepts into your meals can help you meet your nutritional needs while enjoying delicious flavors.
I hope this information is helpful to you! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.