Let’s make some healthy dinner recipes for spring. These 4- and 5-star recipes include seasonal ingredients like tender asparagus, sweet peas, and cauliflower to ensure freshness in every bite. Recipes like Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon with Green Beans and Creamy Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes are ready in just 30 minutes, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the season.
skillet bruschetta chicken
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster
This flavorful Skillet Chicken Bruschetta is a delicious twist on a traditional dish. Inspired by Italian appetizers, use protein-rich chicken cutlets instead of the usual toasted bread. The bright, juicy chopped tomato topping remains the same, accented by a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze. For extra flavor, top with grated parmesan or add chopped olives to the tomato mixture for a salty kick.
Tagine shrimp tacos with cabbage slaw
Greg Dupree
Tajín, a Mexican chili-lime seasoning, adds a spicy and tart punch to the sweet and mellow shrimp. Choose a low-sodium chili-lime seasoning, or improvise a combination with chili powder, a little lime zest, and a healthy squeeze of lime juice. Look for pineapples that are already peeled and cored for faster preparation.
Collard & Portobello Grilled Cheese
Turn this easy grilled cheese recipe into a healthy meal with meaty portobello mushrooms and sautéed collards. If you don’t have Dijonnaise on hand, make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise.
Salmon teriyaki with green beans
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
Think of this sheet pan teriyaki salmon as sautéing, not stirring. Instead, rice and vegetables are seared on a hot sheet pan, along with green beans and salmon coated in a sweet teriyaki glaze. Microwavable cooked rice or leftover brown rice are convenient. Be sure to loosen any stuck rice clumps so that it cooks evenly.
Creamy pasta with feta cheese and tomatoes
Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall
This creamy feta and tomato pasta uses just five simple ingredients to bring a satisfying vegetarian dinner to your table. Cherry tomatoes are your go-to when tomato season isn’t at its peak. Grape tomatoes make a sweet and juicy alternative that guarantees a satisfying and flavorful meal.
cheese asparagus chicken cutlets
Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall
A weeknight dinner inspired by early spring, wrapped in a creamy cheese sauce and tender, crunchy asparagus wrapped around a chicken cutlet. Asparagus can also be replaced with soft or crunchy steamed vegetables, such as snap peas or green beans. Serve with baby potatoes or new potatoes as a starchy side to complement the sauce.
Teriyaki chicken skillet casserole and broccoli
Photographer: Bree Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Quick and easy to make in one skillet, Teriyaki Chicken Casserole is perfect for busy weeknights and is sure to please a crowd. A great way to use up leftover chicken and rice. If you don’t have enough leftovers, pair rotisserie chicken with microwaveable packages of brown rice.
Vegetarian lo mein with shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and bean sprouts
A hit of Sriracha adds a sweet and spicy edge to this healthy vegetarian recipe. Traditional lo mein is made with fresh lo mein noodles found in Asian markets. You can also use fresh or dried linguine noodles. Fresh linguine can be found in the refrigerated section of some grocery stores. It’s an easy dinner that takes just 30 minutes to make, making it perfect for weeknights.
Creamy Pesto Shrimp Gnocchi with Peas
Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall
This speedy dinner recipe combines shrimp with pillowy gnocchi, pesto, and peas in a creamy sauce. You can also use other vegetables like broccoli or asparagus instead of peas. If you like it a little spicy, sprinkle with crushed red pepper or grate Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Broccoli and white bean sheet pan gnocchi
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This no-fuss dish comes together on two baking sheets for easy prep and easy cleanup. A blend of lemon and broccoli is mixed with tender gnocchi and rich cannellini beans, then finished with a generous drizzle of olive oil. For an extra boost of protein, add shrimp or flaked cooked salmon.
Wild rice salad with tofu, snow peas and carrots
Create a healthy Asian grain salad recipe with sesame oil and seaweed. Serve as a vegetarian main dish or as an accompaniment to grilled shrimp or baked chicken.
lentil burger
Walnuts and fresh marjoram accent this vegan lentil burger. Substitute oregano for marjoram if you like. Serve with whole grain mustard and roasted sweet potatoes.
spinach, artichoke, sausage, cauliflower, gnocchi
Hearty and zesty, this easy cauliflower gnocchi dinner incorporates several healthy ingredients like turkey sausage and tender artichoke hearts to get dinner on the table in no time.
Salmon and creamy orzo with spinach and mushrooms
In this easy salmon dinner, salmon fillets are combined with creamy orzo, wilted spinach, and earthy mushrooms. Cooking the salmon at high temperatures reduces the cooking time for this healthy dinner recipe. To speed things up even more, look for pre-sliced mushrooms.
Vegetarian Reubens with Russian Dressing
The spinach, mushroom, and onion filling is so satisfying, and you won’t want to miss the corned beef in this vegetarian Reuben sandwich. This amazing sandwich was inspired by the food at the now-closed Penny’s Cruise His Cafe in Burlington, Vermont.
Sheet Pan Salmon with Crispy Quinoa
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
Enjoy a complete protein-rich dinner with this Salmon, Roasted Tomato, and Quinoa recipe, cooked on just two baking sheets for easy cleanup. Roasted quinoa adds texture and crunch to the dish. Once the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it up with a fork to release steam and let it sit to crisp up. Packaging cooked quinoa streamlines preparation, but it works just as well if you have leftover quinoa.
Chicken and spinach skillet pasta with lemon and parmesan cheese
Photographer: Jen Cosey
This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal, flavored with garlic and lemon, and best served with a little parm. I call it “Mom’s Skillet Pasta” and she called it “Devon’s Favorite Pasta”. Either way, this is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that we made together and scribbled on a little recipe card over a decade ago, and it’s still in my weekly dinner rotation. It’s an easy dinner that the whole family will love.
Tarragon scallops on asparagus spears
In this 15-minute recipe, crunchy-tender asparagus spears serve as a vibrant base for lemon- and tarragon-flavored scallops.
Chickpea pasta with mushrooms and kale
Adding plenty of vegetables like kale and mushrooms to your pasta will make it not only delicious but also satisfying.
spinach and artichoke dip pasta
If you’ve ever wanted to make a meal with warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And almost as good as the taste of this comforting dish is the fact that it takes just 20 minutes to prepare this healthy dinner.
Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens
Soaking the tofu in buttermilk allows the batter to adhere, creating a crispy fried tofu reminiscent of fried chicken. Adding paprika to the collards to make them spicy adds a smoky flavor while keeping this dish vegetarian. This quick, easy, and healthy dinner is ready in just 25 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Edamame lettuce wrap burger with peanut sauce
Homemade veggie burger with edamame means green protein machine. Peanut sauce, curry paste, and simply pickled carrots give it a Thai-style flavor.
green goddess grain bowl
This healthy grain bowl is packed with green peas, asparagus, and creamy yogurt dressing. Tofu adds protein while keeping it vegetarian, but you can also replace it with cooked shrimp or chicken for a satisfying dinner or portable lunch in just 15 minutes.
Creamy salmon pasta with sundried tomatoes
This creamy salmon pasta recipe uses sun-dried tomatoes in two ways. Sauté the shallots in flavorful oil and add the tomatoes to the cream sauce.
