20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (2024)

If you're looking for a nutritious and satisfying meal, try these dietitian-approved dinner recipes. These dinners feature protein, vegetables and whole grains or pasta for a balanced and filling meal. Recipes like Crispy Fish Taco Bowls and Mushroom Ravioli & Chicken Piccata are healthy, delicious and on the table in 20 minutes.

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Beef Pad Thai

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We've bulked up the serving size of beef pad thai by adding in lots of healthy veggies like matchstick carrots, snap peas and scallions. Look for whole-grain brown-rice pad thai noodles to add an additional 3 grams fiber to each serving.

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Crispy Fish Taco Bowls

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (2)

The adobo sauce in a can of chipotles lends earthy heat to the crema that tops these bowls. Don't toss out the unused peppers! Freeze them in an airtight container and pull them out to add to sauces, marinades or chili.

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Mushroom Ravioli & Chicken Piccata

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This weeknight-friendly version of classic chicken piccata calls for mushroom ravioli, but regular cheese ravioli works too. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut down on prep time, and use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken here to cut down on cook time in this fast and easy dinner.

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Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (4)

This fridge-clean-out meal is the perfect way to use up whatever vegetables you have on hand. Chop up anything that's been left behind in your veggie drawer for this quick scramble that's the perfect healthy dinner for one.

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Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad

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This zesty quinoa salad is delicious all on its own, with some serious Mediterranean flair. Make a double batch for lunches later in the week.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (6)

This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Teriyaki-Glazed Cod with Cauliflower Rice

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (7)

This healthy fish recipe comes together fast with just three ingredients you can always have on hand in your freezer and fridge. Store-bought teriyaki glaze makes a great marinade for cod that doubles as a sauce for the cauliflower rice.

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Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (8)

Whisking a beaten egg into simmering broth is a quick and easy way to add creaminess and protein to noodle soup mix. Add freshness with a handful of baby spinach at the end. This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 2 and use the whole package of noodles. To cut back on sodium, look for noodle varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.

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Southwestern Steak Salad

This steak salad recipe is packed with fresh summer corn, ripe tomatoes and silky avocado. It might be hard to imagine that this healthy dinner can be whipped up so quickly but the secret is in the timing. While the steak is cooking under the broiler, you'll have plenty of time to whisk together the lightened-up creamy chipotle dressing and assemble the rest of the salad. Serve with crumbled tortilla chips for an extra crunch.

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Salmon & Avocado Poke Bowl

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Poke (pronounced poh-kay), the bite-size marinated fish salad famous in Hawaii, is so popular that it's sold by the pound in supermarkets. Now it has crossed the Pacific to become the meal-in-a-bowl du jour, served in eateries from Los Angeles to New York. But it's easy to make at home with this quick recipe. Sriracha and Chinese-style mustard add a touch of heat to the classic poke seasoning of soy sauce and sesame oil. Serving it over a brown rice salad makes it a meal.

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Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (10)

This healthy copycat recipe of the comfort food classic trades beans for some of the meat to bump up fiber by 7 grams. We also cut back on the sugar and ketchup in this Sloppy Joe recipe makeover to save you 12 grams of added sugar.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (11)

If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (12)

An easy-to-make slaw served on the side of these salmon tacos makes for a filling and fast weeknight dinner. If you prefer more heat in these fish tacos, simply add a pinch or two of chipotle chile powder or cayenne with the chili powder.

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Pork & Broccoli Thai Noodle Salad

Crunchy broccoli slaw--available in most supermarkets near the other coleslaw mixes--is the secret to making this Thai noodle recipe super-fast. If you have the time and want to make your own broccoli slaw, shred broccoli stems through the large holes of a box grater. Making the pork patties while the water for the noodles comes to a boil ensures the pork and noodles will be done at the same time.

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Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (13)

This meatless dinner comes together in only 15 minutes, thanks to the convenience of frozen chopped spinach and crumbled feta. We've added a flavorful burst of sun-dried tomato tapenade to spread over the whole-wheat pita before nestling the scrambled eggs inside. If you can't find it, basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto also work well.

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Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (14)

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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Classic Sesame Noodles with Chicken

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (15)

Classic sesame noodles become a healthy meal with lean chicken and tons of veggies in this quick recipe for Asian noodles. Be sure to rinse the spaghetti until it's cold, then give it a good shake in the colander until it's well drained. Are you a spiralizing pro? Swap 5 cups of raw zucchini, carrot or other veggie "noodles" for the cooked pasta.

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Rainbow Veggie Wraps

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (16)

There's definitely a sushi vibe to these kid-friendly wraps, which are stuffed with vegetables, cheese and hummus and then rolled and sliced. Serve them with store-bought green goddess, a creamy herb-filled dressing, to take it up a notch with ease. They look impressive but they're easy enough for kids to assemble themselves for an easy lunch or dinner.

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Creamy Salmon & Sugar Snap Cauliflower Gnocchi

Tender cauliflower gnocchi combine with a quick cream sauce, tender peas and flaky salmon for an unforgettable weeknight dinner. This one is so good you might make it for special occasions. If you don't like smoked salmon, use fresh.

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Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

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20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (17)

This crowd-pleasing and easy dinner recipe takes just 20 minutes to make, start to finish, so it's perfect for weeknights! When tomatoes are at their in-season best, just a quick chop and a few ingredients are all you need to make a spaghetti sauce in minutes. Store-bought chicken meatballs keep the low-effort theme going all the way to the table.

20 Dietitian-Approved Dinners in 20 Minutes (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest meal you can eat for dinner? ›

"The ideal plate is one-half vegetables, a quarter protein, and a quarter starches, such as grains or starchy vegetables," said Rizzo. She listed grilled salmon with quinoa and roasted vegetables, and a vegetable bowl with brown rice and tofu as prime examples.

What is the healthiest meat to eat? ›

While meat can be a part of a healthy diet, not all sources are created equal. The leanest and healthiest meats to eat include poultry, pork, fish, and seafood. Eating a balanced diet is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle, which means choosing various foods from different food groups, like proteins.

What is actually the best meal of the day? ›

Breakfast is often considered the most important meal of the day, but should it be? For some, skipping breakfast can be detrimental to their day — especially for kids — but others may feel better fasting until lunch. Experts agree that while breakfast provides benefits, one meal isn't more important than the other.

What are the 20 most healthy foods? ›

3. What are Top 20 best food for good health? The top 20 best foods for good health include spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, blueberries, oranges, almonds, walnuts, avocado, salmon, tuna, eggs, Greek yogurt, quinoa, brown rice, lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.

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