20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (2024)

Think you don't have enough time to make a healthy dinner? Think again. These easy healthy meals are ready in just 20 minutes so you can get a flavorful dish on the table on even the busiest of days. From Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara to One-Skillet Bourbon Chicken, these recipes are satisfying and quick to make.

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Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (1)

Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.

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Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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This healthy Indian recipe is a flavorful chickpea curry that you can make in just 20 minutes. Also called chana masala, this dish is a comforting and delicious dinner.

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Classic Sesame Noodles with Chicken

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (3)

Sesame noodles become a satisfying meal with lean chicken and tons of veggies in this quick, healthy noodle recipe. 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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Spinach & Feta Scrambled Egg Pitas

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (4)

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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One-Skillet Bourbon Chicken

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Bourbon chicken gets coated in a slightly sweet-spicy sauce for a flavorful dinner that comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

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3-Ingredient Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostadas

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (6)

Making your own tostadas is easy. Use store-bought corn tortillas, brush them with olive oil and bake to crunchy perfection! Here, we topped the tostada with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo for an easy three-ingredient meal.

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Scallop Scampi with Pasta

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (7)

This scallop scampi with pasta is a delicious twist on the classic shrimp dish. Swap in whole-wheat angel hair pasta for a boost of fiber.

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White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (8)

Sun-dried tomatoes are the star of this recipe—providing texture and umami. Combined with the spinach, they make this dish a great source of vitamins C and K.

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3-Ingredient Farro Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (9)

To make this hearty grain bowl, grab a salad kit from the grocery store. Then, top the kit with farro and chicken for a high-protein lunch or dinner that's ready in minutes.

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3-Ingredient Teriyaki Edamame Sauté

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (10)

Whip up this high-fiber, plant-based stir-fry for a quick and convenient dinner. Look for bottled teriyaki sauce labeled less sodium or reduced sodium to cut back on the salt without sacrificing flavor.

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Breakfast Naan Pizza

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Give your morning eggs a tasty spin by building an easy individual pizza on a prepared naan.

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Quick Gochujang Pork & Rice Bowls

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Deeply savory gochujang adds a mild heat to these quick-cooking grain bowls. Look for gochujang, a fermented red pepper paste, in Asian markets or in the Asian foods aisle of your local supermarket. Leftover brown rice can also be used in these grain bowls.

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Crispy Fish Taco Bowls

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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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Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (14)

This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.

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Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

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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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Quick Shrimp Puttanesca

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (16)

Because refrigerated fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta, this Italian-inspired pasta dish will be on the table lickety-split! Puttanesca, traditionally made with tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies and garlic, gets shrimp for extra protein and artichoke hearts to boost the vegetable servings (and the fiber!). If you can't find frozen artichoke hearts, sub in drained canned artichoke hearts.

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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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Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (18)

To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 milligrams of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.

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One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta

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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (19)

A little bit of Sunday meal prep goes a long way in this one-dish pasta recipe. The pasta is cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge to use for meals all week, but any leftover cooked pasta you have on hand will do. Chicken sausage with feta is especially good in this recipe.

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Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

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Two of our favorite comfort food sandwiches join forces in these family-friendly dinner sandwiches. We found that softer buns make this easier to eat, and it's all the better when wrapped takeout-style in a sheet of foil.

20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (2024)

FAQs

What is the 1 healthiest food? ›

Top 10 Foods for Health
  1. Water. Drink 8 to 12 cups of water daily.
  2. Dark green vegetables. Eat dark green vegetables at least three to four times a week. ...
  3. Whole grains. Eat whole grains sat least two or three times daily. ...
  4. Beans and lentils. Try to eat a bean-based meal at least once a week. ...
  5. Fish. ...
  6. Berries. ...
  7. Winter squash. ...
  8. Soy.

What is the healthiest single meal? ›

Healthy meal-for-one recipes
  • Miso mushroom & tofu noodle soup. A star rating of 4.1 out of 5. ...
  • Sweet & sour tofu. A star rating of 4.1 out of 5. ...
  • Creamy mushrooms on toast. ...
  • Vegetarian ramen. ...
  • Couscous & fish in a bag. ...
  • Miso broccoli, egg & quinoa salad. ...
  • Chicken breast with avocado salad. ...
  • Curried mango & chickpea pot.

What can I cook in 5 minutes? ›

25 healthy recipes you can cook in 5 minutes or less
  • Pea and broad bean couscous.
  • Fast home-made baked beans.
  • Porridge.
  • Pasta with cherry tomatoes and rocket.
  • Home-made hummus.
  • Smashed avocado and wilted spinach.
  • Cucumber (or potato) raitha.
  • Quick pitta pizzas.

What can you cook in 3 minutes? ›

Three-Minute Meals
  • Mushroom Toast. 1 piece whole-grain toast. ...
  • Spring Salad with Shrimp and Brown Rice. ...
  • Italian-Style Ratatouille with Chicken Sausage. ...
  • Quick Vegetarian Tacos. ...
  • Mediterranean-Style Loaded Baked Potato. ...
  • Breakfast for Dinner: Vegetarian Omelette. ...
  • Asian-Inspired Stir Fry. ...
  • Whole Grain Flatbread Pizza and Salad.
Jun 7, 2017

How to feed 100 people cheaply? ›

Serving budget-friendly cuisines like salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes can be a very cost-effective choice. Or, if you're looking for a more casual option, how about a barbeque? Burgers, hot dogs and other grill-oriented foods are sure to be crowd favorites, and they won't rack up a big bill.

What are the 5 most popular foods? ›

popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a american dish. Find out more
  1. 1 Mashed potatoes86%
  2. 2 French Fries86%
  3. 3 Hamburgers85%
  4. 4 Cheeseburger83%
  5. 5 Grilled Cheese82%
  6. 6 Steak and Baked potato82%
  7. 7 Hash browns82%
  8. 8 Fried Chicken82%

What shall I eat tonight? ›

Easy dinner recipes
  • Sweet potato & peanut curry. ...
  • Tomato & mascarpone risotto. ...
  • Chicken pasta bake. ...
  • App onlyGolden spiced pilaf with crispy shallots. ...
  • Sausages with lemon & rosemary roast potatoes. ...
  • Summer roast chicken traybake. ...
  • Chicken & ginger fried rice. ...
  • Piri-piri chicken with smashed sweet potatoes & broccoli.

Is 10 too late to eat dinner? ›

So when exactly should you stop eating at night? Scientists can't agree on a single set time, but the consensus seems to be within three hours before bedtime. So if you go to bed at 11 p.m., don't eat after 8 p.m.

What are 7 healthy lunches? ›

What you eat for lunch is almost as important as what you eat for breakfast.
  • Avocado and egg sandwich. ...
  • Summer rolls with peanut sauce. ...
  • Quinoa pear salad with spinach, cranberries and pecans. ...
  • Protein Salad. ...
  • Loaded Vegetable Sandwich. ...
  • Lentil vegetable soup. ...
  • Chicken burrito bowl with rice and beans.
Aug 30, 2023

What do you feed 12 people for lunch? ›

19 Ideas For Easy Meals For Large Groups
  • Taco Bar.
  • Meatballs.
  • Butter Chicken.
  • Lasagna.
  • Chili.
  • Homemade Pizza.
  • Baked Pasta.
  • Skewers.
Apr 4, 2023

What do kids like for lunch? ›

51 Healthy Kids Lunch Ideas They Won't Be Able to Resist
  • Fresh Fruit Salad. ...
  • Sweet Safari Box. ...
  • Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. ...
  • Sushi Sandwich with Turkey and Cheese. ...
  • Rainbow Veggie Pinwheels. ...
  • Apple Ring PB&J. ...
  • Cauliflower Pizza Bites. ...
  • Chicken and Avocado Roll-ups.
Nov 2, 2023

What is the healthiest meal ever made? ›

The meal starts with a salmon terrine, which is smoked fish served with olive oil and a dusting of fresh herbs, alongside a mixed leaf salad with an extra-virgin olive oil dressing. Up next is a chicken and lentil casserole, accompanied by mixed veggies and a high-fiber multigrain roll on the side.

What is the healthiest meal you can eat every day? ›

Emergency doctors share 7 longevity foods they eat to stay 'healthy, full and energized' every day
  1. Nuts. Nuts are high in protein and more environmentally friendly than meat. ...
  2. Hummus. ...
  3. Vegetables. ...
  4. Avocados. ...
  5. Olives. ...
  6. Roasted seaweed. ...
  7. Hard-boiled eggs.
Mar 24, 2023

What is the healthiest thing to cook food in? ›

Choose to steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods, rather than deep fry them. Use non-stick cookware. Microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them to retain the nutrients.

What is the healthiest eating possible? ›

Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Includes a variety of protein foods such as seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, nuts, and seeds.

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