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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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (2)

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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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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20 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes (13)

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

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 healthiest meal you can make? ›

30 healthy dinners you can cook in 30 minutes or less
  • Grilled octopus with tomato, wild oregano, red wine vinegar and anchovies. ...
  • Roasted lamb rump with sweet pea salad and mint salsa. ...
  • Smoked kingfish salad with tamarind dressing. ...
  • Tuna sashimi with charred peppers and dashi dressing. ...
  • Vietnamese rare beef salad (bo tai chanh)

What to cook for 20? ›

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

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.

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 the 4 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 are the 5 most popular foods? ›

What Is The World's Most Eaten Food?
  • Rice. Rice is the staple food of more than half the world's population, and it's been that way for centuries. ...
  • Eggs. Eggs are extremely versatile because they are rich in protein, low in calories and it is great for baking. ...
  • Potatoes. ...
  • Chicken. ...
  • Pizza. ...
  • Chocolate. ...
  • Ice Cream. ...
  • Pasta.
Dec 18, 2022

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 to serve 12 people for lunch? ›

Feed-a-crowd recipes
  • Spiced salmon with traybaked sag aloo. ...
  • Chicken Provençal. ...
  • Chicken gyros. ...
  • Sharing bavette with blue cheese, beef dripping wedges & ranch salad. ...
  • Sticky tamarind tomato & spinach whirl. ...
  • Summer vegetable & flatbread platter with dill & mustard dip. ...
  • Spring sharing board. ...
  • Waste-nothing loaded potato wedges.

What is a healthy lunch for a kid? ›

Chicken Waldorf Salad is a great way to get kids to eat more protein. It's loaded with chicken breast, apple, grapes, celery, mayonnaise, and Greek yogurt. With carrots, whole wheat flour, and oats, these carrot cake muffins are a healthy addition to any lunchbox or an extra healthy treat during lunchtime at home.

What are the 20 healthy foods to eat? ›

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.

How to feed 100 people cheap? ›

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 is the healthiest cooked food in the world? ›

The 10 Healthiest Cuisines in the World
  • South Mediterranean (Italian and Greek) ...
  • Korean. ...
  • Ethiopian. ...
  • Nordic Scandinavian. ...
  • Vietnamese. ...
  • Lebanese. ...
  • Thai. Thai cuisine is typically low in saturated fat and is cooked with lean meats. ...
  • Spanish. This cuisine includes a lot of dried fruits and nuts, which are high in fiber content.
Jan 23, 2023

What is the healthiest meal for losing weight? ›

Great Food Combos for Losing Weight
  • Power Pairs. 1/15. ...
  • Avocado and Dark Leafy Greens. 2/15. ...
  • Chicken and Cayenne Pepper. 3/15. ...
  • Oatmeal and Walnuts. 4/15. ...
  • Eggs, Black Beans, and Peppers. 5/15. ...
  • Bean and Vegetable Soup. 6/15. ...
  • Steak and Broccoli. 7/15. ...
  • Green Tea and Lemon. 8/15.
Sep 27, 2022

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