Last updated on February 20th, 2023 at 09:18 pm
Make eating clean every day easy with these quick healthy dinner recipes ready in 30 minutes or less!
Did you know takeout isn’t the only way to get food on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes? Shocking I know! Today I want to share some of my favorite easy and healthy dinner ideas that are super delicious and quick!
These fast healthy meals are perfect for busy weeknights, but tasty enough to make when you have more time as well.
This little roundup features healthy dinners with chicken, ground beef, fish and shellfish, as well as vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Most of these 30-minute recipes are what you’d call – dinner for two, but if you have a bigger family you can easily adapt them! That way everyone gets to eat clean, at least for dinner during the week!
And if you’re looking for healthy meal ideas for one, well, then lucky future you – you’re getting to enjoy a nutritious meal tomorrow too!
Healthy Foods To Eat For Dinner
A healthy dinner can have many different ingredients, depending on what you’re making but here are the main food groups you wanna look for:
- Fruits and vegetables – choose what’s in season right now and buy fresh or frozen.
- Whole grains and legumes – foods like lentils, beans, chickpeas, quinoa, rice for some more fiber and protein in your meals
- Nuts, seeds and their butters – nuts and seeds are great in salads and you can use the nut and seed butters to make tasty sauces. Pair with some garlic, lemon, mustard or tamari sauce and you’d be surprised how good these taste!
- Animal protein (if you’re not vegan) – chicken, salmon, shrimp, yogurt, cheese and eggs (if you’re not allergic to dairy, fish, shellfish or eggs of course)
- Herbs and spices. Do not forget to spice up your dishes – it makes a huge difference.
Now here are some of my go-to quick healthy dinner recipes – I make a variation of these every month and love them.
Healthy Dinner Recipes With Chicken
Let’s start with the obvious ones…you’ve probably heard the phrase winner winner chicken dinner. I don’t even know what it means or where it comes from, but these healthy dinner ideas with chicken are definitely going to win you over.
1. Mediterranean Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These lettuce wraps make the perfect lighter weeknight dinner! Packed with chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives, they’re full of flavor and super fresh! Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 30 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 338
2. 15-Minute Quinoa & Chicken Fried Rice
You can make this nutrient-dense variation of chicken fried rice in no time with some cooked quinoa, eggs and veggies! Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 15 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 443
3. Mediterranean Chicken Dinner Skillet
This is one of my favorite dinner recipes and it also happens to be super underrated! It’s made with chicken, roasted eggplant, tons of other vegetables, garlic and feta cheese. It’s excellent with some toasted bread and salad on the side. Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 20 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 352
4. Quick and Easy Chicken Egg Roll In A Bowl
This is a pretty cheap and quick healthy dinner recipe with chicken, cabbage, carrots, garlic and tamari sauce. And it tastes just wonderful! Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 20 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 474
5. Amazing Mediterranean Chicken Wraps
These wraps are so good. I know it’s not common to have wraps for dinner, but..once you try this, you’ll get it. It’s on another level. The chicken wraps are filled with chicken, garlicky yogurt sauce, hummus and a simple salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and avocado. Fresh, easy and so tasty! Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 30 minutes | Serves: 4 | Calories: 488
6. Healthy Chicken Macaroni
This chicken pasta is much healthier than most pasta dishes and makes a wonderful dinner for the family! You can use any type of pasta you want here, I recommend whole grain, but the original recipe uses quick cooking macaroni. If you do use whole grain pasta, the recipe will probably take 10 minutes longer, which is okay, because you’ll still be done in 20 minutes. Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 10 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories:444
Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
Now, if you’re vegetarian or like to enjoy a meatless dinner from time to time, these vegetarian dinner options are for you. From quinoa recipes to soups and healthy bowls, these quick meal ideas are definitely worth saving.
7. Healthy Tomato Basil Quinoa Risotto
This simple dinner recipe is for one and is made with cooked quinoa, fresh tomatoes, cheese, garlic and zucchini and it is absolutely delicious! Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 10 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 458
8. Healthy Spicy Mediterranean Bowls
Use canned chickpeas, avocado, olives and vegetables to make these mouthwatering vegan bowls. The chickpeas are spicy, the hummus is creamy and the salad is super refreshing! These bowls are great for meal prep too! Recipe here.
Ready in: 20 minutes | Serves: 4 | Calories: 355
9. Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice
I’ve been hesitating to try using cauliflower as rice for years, but once I did, I cannot stop! This is the healthy low-carb version of my favorite weeknight dinner: vegetable fried rice. It’s made with riced cauliflower, carrots, tamari, garlic and eggs! Super easy to make from scratch too! Recipe here.
Ready in: 25 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 445
10. 20-Minute Healthy Chickpea Soup
Sometimes I forget how comforting soups can be for dinner! They’re light, but also really satiating. This is a healthy vegan soup made with chickpeas, onions, tomato and a few other simple ingredients. Recipe here.
Ready in: 20 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 298
11. Easy Vegetarian Quinoa Fried Rice
Another healthy vegetarian version of fried rice! This time made with cooked quinoa. Told you it’s one of my favorite dinner options, this is how to make it healthy and it tastes so good! Recipe here.
Ready in: 15 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 484
12. Mediterranean Chickpea Wraps
As you can tell I love healthy flavorful wraps for dinner (or any meal, really)! This one is filled with spicy chickpeas, hummus, a garlicky sauce and a fresh salad and it’s just so perfect. To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free tortillas. In order to make it lighter, serve the filling on lettuce leaves. Recipe here.
Ready in: 20 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 485
13. The Best Avocado Chickpea Salad
If you want to finish your day feeling lighter and refreshed, I recommend a salad! This avocado chickpea salad is perfect for dinner as well, especially on a hot summer night. Recipe here.
Ready in: 10 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 404
14. 30-Minute Butternut Squash Lentil Soup
Speaking of light healthy recipes for dinner, you’ll love this coconut-y creamy and delicious lentil soup! Recipe here.
Ready in: 30 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 281
Healthy Dinner Recipes With Fish and Shellfish
I’m a big fan of fish and shellfish! It’s not everyone’s cup of tea (I’m talking to my brother in law), but when it comes to quick and healthy dinner recipes, you just can’t go wrong with some salmon or shrimp. Here are some of my favorite fast meals using seafood.
15. Healthy and Super Tasty Salmon Bowl
One of my absolute favorite healthy dinners to make with salmon! Filling, super nutritious and incredibly scrumptious, these bowls are fresh and full of flavor. Recipe here.
Dinner is ready in 30 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 580
16. 15-Minute Healthy Spicy Shrimp and Quinoa
Fast, tasty and really easy quinoa recipe with spicy shrimp and vegetables. I admit, it’s an unexpected combo, but this is one of the best healthy weeknight dinner recipes you can make with cooked quinoa and frozen shrimp! Recipe here.
Ready in: 15 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 468
17. Healthy Mediterranean Salmon Wraps
Yes, there’s a wrap for every category in this collection of healthy dinners! These amazing salmon wraps are made with salmon, a tzatziki sauce and a tasty avocado salad. Use tortillas of choice to make them at home in around 30 minutes! Recipe here.
Ready in: 30 minutes | Serves: 4 | Calories: 567
18. Salmon and Shrimp Risotto
If you love one-pan rice dishes you are also going to love this risotto, it makes a lot, so it’s a great family-friendly recipe. Recipe here.
Ready in: 30 minutes | Serves: 4 | Calories: 443
19. Healthy Garlic Shrimp In Tomato Sauce
5 ingredients! Yes, this wonderful dinner is made with just 5 healthy things: shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, dill and olive oil. I honestly cannot imagine someone not loving this easy meal. Recipe here.
Ready in: 15 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 445
20. Healthy Spicy Shrimp Stir-Fry
Use broccoli, frozen shrimp, green beans and vegetables you have at home to make this quick stir-fry! Quick, packed with protein and low in carbs, this is one of the best healthy dinner recipes for weight loss too. But, honestly, you don’t need to be losing weight to love it – it’s delicious either way. Recipe here.
Ready in: 15 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 289
21. Coconut Curry Shrimp Soup
This is a delightful creamy soup with shrimp and zucchini and it’s spicy, satisfying, sweet and savory at the same time. I love the lemongrass in there, as it makes it so light any time of the year. Recipe here.
Ready in: 15 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 358
Healthy Dinner Recipes With Ground Beef
Last but not least, we’re coming to a small collection (it’s just three quick meals) of healthy ground beef dinner recipes! Ground beef is an excellent source of iron, protein and vitamin B12 and it can be a healthy addition to your diet in moderation. So let’s get to these easy recipes!
22. Beef and Broccoli Fried Quinoa
This is such a satisfying ground beef recipe! You can use any vegetables you have, some cooked quinoa and your healthy dinner will be ready in 20 minutes. Recipe here.
Ready in: 20 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 372
23. Healthy Cabbage & Ground Beef Stir-Fry
Use up your cabbage and other vegetables in this tasty meal with ground beef! This easy stir-fry is spicy, flavorful, hearty and so quick! The recipe is here.
Ready in: 15 minutes | Serves: 2 | Calories: 472
24. Healthy Greek Meatball Bowls
Healthy, flavorful, and fresh these Greek meatball bowls are a great dinner option when you want to switch things up! Recipe here.
Ready in: 30 minutes | Serves: 3 | Calories: 532
How To Make A Healthy Dinner Every Day
As you can see, there are many options when it comes to eating clean when dinner time comes around. But, my two best tips for making a healthy dinner on your own is to keep things simple and to be prepared!
Before you start the week make a meal plan or at least think of 2-3 quick recipes you’d like to make during that week. Here’s an example of the last healthy meal plan I made.
I like to make dinner in 20-30 minutes and usually serve a salad to go along, as I feel a meal isn’t complete without some fresh vegetables. I know, we’re all different, but if your goal is to eat healthier, make sure to get in some vegetables at every meal as well.
As mentioned, I highly recommend you make a meal plan, or at least a dinner plan for the week. You can use just pen and paper, or if you want to step it up use a template like this one (use code NTB20 to get 20% off). This meal planning template allows you to plan your meals, create a weekly grocery list and even write down favorite recipes by using the recipe card.
Once you’ve planned everything, go food shopping and stick to whole foods. Avoid sauces with too many ingredients as well as processed foods (even those that seem to be the healthier option).
Healthy Dinner Weekly Meal Prep
If you’re like me, you probably don’t like eating the same thing every day of the week. It’s just, food is how you make life more exciting, right? That seems like a healthy attitude. Well, if you do want to meal prep for the week, here’s what I’d suggest:
- Chop vegetables ahead. You can do this with peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and so many more vegetables that aren’t juicy and won’t spoil fast. Put them in an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Prepare ingredients, not entire meals. You can speed things up a ton in the kitchen by roasting some sweet potatoes or other vegetables you like, cooking some rice or quinoa and cooking protein like chicken or salmon.
- Prepare sauces & dips. I love making some hummus, tzatziki or this roasted vegetable dip. These are great to use in bowls and on the side with some salad.
More Healthy Recipes:
Well, I hope you enjoyed these cooking tips and try some of these quick healthy dinner recipes this week. If you need more inspiration in the kitchen and new healthy meal ideas, make sure to check out these collections as well:
- 30 Healthy Breakfasts You Can Eat On The Go
- 20 Healthy Cold Lunches To Take To Work
- 20 Easy and Healthy Snack Ideas
30-Minute Healthy Dinner Recipes
Make eating clean every day easy with these quick healthy dinner recipes ready in 30 minutes or less! This roundup features dinner ideas with chicken, ground beef, fish and shellfish, as well as vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Ingredients
SALMON
- 12oz / 350g salmon filet
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp basil, dried
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch of salt
SALAD
- 2 cucumbers, chopped
- ⅓ cup olives
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno slices (optional)
- 4 tbsp parsley, thinly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 cup arugula
- ½ lemon, juice of
- 1 tsp olive oil
- pinch of salt
TZATZIKI
- 1 cup yogurt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cucumber
- pinch of salt
For the Salmon Wraps
- 4 small tortillas
Instructions
- Gently rub the salmon with some dried basil, garlic and black pepper. Cook the salmon in a pan on both sides until golden brown (about 5-6 minutes on each side). Once the salmon is done, break the filets in smaller, bite-sized pieces with a fork. (You can also cut them or choose to pre-cut them before cooking, but that would make more flipping).
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients by thinly chopping 1/2 cucumber for the tzatziki, roughly chopping 2 more cucumbers for the salad, peel and chop a ripe avocado, thinly chop parsley, arugula, olives, mince garlic and juice a lemon.
- For the tzatziki use a small bowl to combine the Greek yogurt with garlic, salt and cucumber.
- Add the roughly chopped cucumbers, avocado, arugula, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, jalapeno, olives, olive oil and salt to a bowl and mix.
- Fill a tortilla or a flatbread with some of the salmon, salad and tzatziki. Wrap and enjoy!
Notes
For more details, you can find the original recipe here.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 582mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 7gSugar: 7gProtein: 29g
This post was originally published in April 2020 and last updated in February 2023.
