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Here are my top healthy recipes for any meal of the day, from energizing breakfasts to satisfying dinners. These dishes are packed with vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins for delicious, balanced eating.
The term “healthy recipes” is hard to define. But after testing (literally) thousands of recipes over the past decade, I think I know what many people are looking for: food that makes you feel energized without sacrificing flavor that’s made of deliciously hearty and satisfying ingredients.
Here is a collection of recipes that have earned permanent spots in my dinner rotation, and the ones readers tell me they’ve made over and over. I’ve organized them by meal to make your planning easier, whether you’re looking for easy breakfast recipes, lunch ideas to take to work, or quick dinners for weeknights that are packed with nutrients.
What Makes These Recipes “Healthy”?
I follow a Mediterranean diet approach to cooking, which means these recipes emphasize colorful vegetables, whole grains, seafood, and healthy fats like olive oil. Each recipe I’ve selected delivers high amounts of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients. I’m not claiming these are miracle foods, but they make balanced, nourishing meals.
For more about what specific recipes are right for you, consult your doctor or health care professional. You can also learn more about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet here.
50 Healthy Recipes to Try
This easy cauliflower stir fry is an ideal healthy and easy dinner idea! It’s full of nutrients and covered in a punchy sauce. This recipe has so many healthy vegetables, it provides 221% of your daily Vitamin C!
Also try: Tofu Stir Fry, Broccoli Stir Fry or Stir Fry Vegetables
What makes this the best lentil soup recipe? Let’s just say that everyone I've served it to immediately asks for the recipe…and seconds. Lentils are the definition of healthy: low in calories, high in plant-based protein and fiber.
Also try: Instant Pot Lentil Soup or Curry Lentil Soup
This chickpea curry is the ultimate healthy and easy weeknight dinner! It’s done in 20 minutes, plant based, and full of flavor.
Also try: Shrimp Curry, Vegetable Curry or Butternut Squash Curry
Here’s a recipe that’s a total winner every night of the week: Greek chicken! Bake the chicken with tomatoes, olives, garlic, lemon, and feta cheese, and it comes out with beautiful bold flavors.
This ultra flavorful shrimp and broccoli comes together in minutes for a fast and easy healthy dinner recipe! It's loaded with protein and 132% of your daily vitamin C. Serve with rice or over noodles.
Also try: Shrimp Fried Rice
Here’s a Tex Mex favorite recipe that's a great way to infuse loads of veggies: Vegetarian Faijtas! These are so satisfying, they please everyone around the table: even the meat lovers! It stars my favorite fajita veggies, blackened in the oven and finished on the stove, and pinto beans cooked in a flavorful fajita sauce.
Here’s one of my favorite healthy recipe ideas: salad meal prep dinners! Prepare the greens mix, then mix and match toppings, proteins, and dressings to make different bowl meals. It also works as prep for lunch or side salads. Ditch those bag salads and make this for healthy dinners and lunches through the week!
This delicious baked salmon is an easy weeknight meal that also works to impress guests. Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and a great source of protein (source).
Also try: Miso Salmon or Broiled Salmon
Hello and welcome to one of my favorite easy healthy recipe ideas: the rice bowl! Layer turmeric rice with crunchy veggies, protein-packed chickpeas, and cover in a creamy tzatziki sauce. It's a Mediterranean-style meal that’s bursting with creamy, tangy, crunchy, fresh, and savory flavors.
Here’s how to make the tastiest fish tacos around! Bake the fish with a dry rub of spices, then top it with tangy slaw and creamy sauce.
Also try: Crispy Avocado Tacos or Best Jackfruit Tacos
This sauteed shrimp is a dinnertime win! The seasoning is the perfect pairing with juicy shrimp; serve with pasta or rice for an easy dinner idea. One medium shrimp has only 7 calories, so it’s a great lean protein for a healthy dinner!
Also try: Blackened Shrimp, Cilantro Lime Shrimp or Garlic Butter Shrimp
Try this Sweet Potato Curry! Tender sweet potatoes and bell peppers swim in a luscious broth of coconut milk and Thai curry paste, topped with fresh cilantro and crunchy peanuts. There’s so much flavor going on, you’ll want to take another bite before you’re finished savoring the first.
Need a quick and crowd-pleasing healthy recipe? Try this Kale Soup with White Beans! Hearty Tuscan kale, white beans and kale float in a tangy broth flavored with oregano and fennel. It's full of bold Mediterranean-style flavors and comes together in just 30 minutes (bonus: it's great for leftovers!).
Healthy mac and cheese? This one is all about balance: it’s got big flavor, a bit less cheese per serving than the standard recipe, and it’s loaded with broccoli for a dose of nutrients and fiber. What’s not to love?
Here’s a healthy lunch or dinner idea to spice up your routine: Mediterranean tuna salad! This spin adds crunchy veggies and swaps out the classic mayonnaise for olive oil and vinegar. Eat with toast, crackers, spoon into avocados or make it into lettuce wraps.
It’s simple, it’s elegant, but it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant: Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus! Roasting it up on a sheet pan with lemon slices and fresh herbs adds effortless flavor that feels fresh yet refined. This sheet pan meal works is the perfect weeknight meal.
Use eggplant for the crust to make eggplant pizza! These mini pizzas are tasty and easy to make, covered in garlicky sauce and gooey cheese.
Also try: Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Here’s a healthy recipe that makes the most delicious dinner you’ll put on your regular rotation immediately. Try this Tofu Curry! The brilliant red broth is flavored with coconut milk and red curry paste, with the zing of lime and a hint of spicy sweetness.
Here’s an irresistible Mediterranean recipe: Baked Falafel Salad! Make a batch of this easy baked falafel, then layer them with crunchy veggies and top with a creamy, zingy tahini dressing. Or, use purchased frozen falafel or even repurpose take-out leftovers!
Blackened salmon is the ultimate healthy recipe: fast, easy and seasoned to perfection! It’s guaranteed to become a favorite. The homemade blackened seasoning has a savory intrigue and makes a crispy black crust on the outside of the fish.
Also try: Cajun Salmon or Easy Pan Seared Salmon
The ultimate vegan burrito is a healthy plant based lunch or dinner idea that's packed with flavor! It’s stuffed with Mexican rice, seasoned black beans and peppers, and avocado.
Also try: Vegan Enchiladas
This soba noodle bowl is a quick and easy dinner recipe, perfect for weeknights! It’s a filling vegetarian meal full of healthy veggies. Broccoli and red pepper load on the nutrients.
Did you know stuffed peppers is a traditional Italian way to use up leftover odds and ends in your kitchen? I can’t take credit for this genius move, but here’s my spin on it. Try my favorite healthy stuffed peppers recipe! The filling is seasoned irresistibly with Italian spices, pizza sauce and melty cheese.
This pan fried cod is the best white fish you’ll have! Flavored simply with spices and olive oil, it’s healthy, stunning and irresistible all at once. Cod is a great low calorie source of protein and Vitamin B12.
Also try: Perfect Baked Cod or Perfect Grilled Cod
Here’s a fast and easy healthy recipe starring white beans! It takes just 5 minutes in a skillet and they’re full of flavor! Use this trick for cooked or canned beans. Beans may help you live longer: they’re rich in cancer fighting antioxidants and hearty-healthy fiber.
Also try: Easy Black Beans or Easy Cannellini Beans
You won’t believe the flavor in these Mexican sweet potatoes, topped with black bean salsa and creamy cilantro sauce! They're loaded with fiber and protein.
This really is the best vegetarian chili. It's beyond simple to make, and the flavor is outstanding. It’s got a hint of smokiness to highlight the tangy tomatoes and savory black beans. Top it with your favorite toppings, and it’s so hearty and savory, you’ll forget it’s healthy, too.
You won’t believe the flavor in these fast and easy egg tacos! The vegetarian “taco meat” filling works for any meal of the day. Bonus: they come together in just 5 minutes!
Also try: Loaded Quinoa Tacos or Cauliflower Tacos
Here’s how to make a poke bowl! This healthy recipe stars ahi tuna marinated in a flavorful poke sauce, rice, and lots of veggie topping ideas.
Also try: Vegan Poke Bowl or Ahi Poke Recipe
This broccoli potato soup is intensely creamy and 100% plant based! It’s an easy healthy soup that everyone loves (plus it’s vegan and gluten free).
Also try: Best Wild Rice Soup or Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup Recipe
This healthy sheet pan dinner is filled with healthy vegetables and fresh flavor! Throw it all in the oven while you cook rice or quinoa. Dinnertime win!
Looking for a flavor-packed healthy soup? Try this easy Cabbage Soup! This veggie makes a hearty, satisfying soup, packed with veggies that swim in a savory-spiced broth of fire roasted tomatoes. Ready to cozy up to a bowl?
Need a healthy snack recipe or two? This crispy roasted chickpeas recipe is the perfect salty, crunchy healthy recipe for when you need salty snack! They’re spiced with chili powder and cumin.
One of the healthiest snacks you can eat? Hummus and veggies! This easy homemade hummus has the BEST zesty flavor and creamy texture: and it’s much cheaper and tastier than store bought!
Also try: Glowing Green Hummus or Creamy Beet Hummus
Here’s the most irresistible avocado sandwich: the Avocado Club! It’s filling and full of hearty flavor, the ideal easy lunch idea.
Here’s the very best tuna salad sandwich you’ll have! This classic recipe is creamy, zingy, and full of flavor. (Plus, a few variations to mix it up.)
Also try: Tuna Salad with Egg or Avocado Tuna Salad
A 5-minute fast lunch idea! This simple chickpea salad is easy to throw together: the perfect healthy plant based desk lunch or quick fix dinner. Chickpeas are a great way to load up on fiber and plant-based protein.
Also try: Easy Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This colorful kale quinoa salad is full of healthy ingredients and tastes incredible! Meal prep this easy plant-based lunch idea for meals all week.
Here’s an easy healthy lunch or dinner idea: lentils! This basic recipe makes perfectly seasoned brown lentils to eat as a fast meal, or use in tacos, salads, and more.
Also try: French Lentil Salad, Lentil Salad with Feta or Instant Pot Lentils and Rice
This easy tofu scramble has the same texture as scrambled eggs, but it’s 100% plant based! It’s a vegan breakfast idea you’ll want to make again and again. Tofu is a great source of protein to start the day.
Want to eat more veggies? Make this breakfast vegetables scramble! It’s got lots of colorful veggies to start the day right…with a plant based / vegan option.
This banana baked oatmeal is the ideal healthy breakfast! It’s full of good-for-you ingredients and so delicious, everyone will want seconds.
Also try: Everyday Baked Oatmeal or Baked Apple Oatmeal
Here’s how to make oatmeal! This master recipe makes rolled oats with the best chewy texture. It’s the ideal healthy breakfast!
Also try: Best Vegan Oatmeal, Perfect Steel Cut Oats or Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal
Looking for a 15 minute meal? This avocado toast with egg has a few unique tweaks that make for a tasty and easy breakfast, lunch or dinner.
These easy mini frittatas are just what you need for a quick nutritious breakfast or lunch! Filled with healthy veggies and packed with flavor, make them ahead to grab and go.
These healthy banana muffins are lightly sweet and made mostly of oats and bananas! They’re blender muffins so they’re easy to make at home. The oats makes them higher in protein and fiber than the standard muffin.
Also try: Apple Zucchini Muffins or Banana Blueberry Muffins
Here’s a make ahead breakfast: these Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies! Yes, it’s magic: oats, nut butter, applesauce, and maple syrup transform into cookies that you can eat for breakfast. There’s none of those traditional cookie ingredients: no flour, no butter, no oil, and no refined sugar. How is it possible? You’ve got to taste.
Want a healthy granola recipe that’s actually good for you? Here’s the only recipe you need! The maple pecan flavor is nutrient rich and 100% delicious. This one is only 200 calories per serving with less sugar than usual.
Need a chocolate fix? This chocolate snack tastes rich and chocolaty, but it’s just Greek yogurt, cocoa powder and maple syrup. And it’s made in 2 minutes!
Truly bliss in a bite, these healthy no bake cookies are made with chocolate and peanut butter. Easy and delicious, they are an all-time fan favorite!
Tips for Making Healthy Recipes Work
After years of testing and cooking these recipes, I’ve learned that success comes down to a few key strategies. First, meal prep components like grains, beans, and roasted vegetables on days off work.
Second, keep your pantry stocked with Mediterranean diet staples like olive oil, canned beans, whole grains, and frozen vegetables. Also, don’t be afraid to customize: these recipes work as templates you can adjust based on what’s in your fridge.
You can also explore recipes by dietary preference: see my plant-based recipes, vegan recipes, and gluten-free recipes.




Love these healthy recipes! Simple and tasty. I’ve shared some of my own ideas on standardbee.com
Thank you for all of these, my goal is to eat as healthy and as clean as possible and you have some great recipes to help me be more creative. Thanks!
I will definitely be bookmarking this post for future reference. Thanks for sharing these 50 amazing recipes!
thank you for all of these, very helpful, and really like the lentil soup!
Many thanks!
One of the resourceful content I have even seen. Many thanks!
thank you for all of these, nice group of recipes – really like the eggplant pizza and loaded sweet potatoes (yay!)