Happy New Year!
Last year I shared a collection of 20 weeks of lighter dinners, and I’m doing it again this year.
Below are some of our favorite lighter dinner ideas — many make great lunches and leftovers, and most recipes are easy to modify to be healthier (or more indulgent) depending on what you want. You can omit or add meat or cheese, swap ingredients, or change portion sizes. I find planning about three meals per week works well: it avoids having too much food at the end of the week, leaves room for spontaneity on a couple of nights, and gives just the right amount of leftovers.
Here are 112 meal ideas I absolutely love. Feel free to share your favorites in the comments — I’m always looking for new dinner inspiration.
1. Soba noodle salad with caramelized chicken and chili oil
2. Smoky gruyere butternut squash soup with chickpeas
3. 30-minute portobello fried brown rice
4. Chipotle lime shrimp tacos with strawberry salsa
5. Honey chipotle chicken bowls
6. 30-minute shallot, spinach and goat cheese pasta
7. Shaved asparagus and whipped ricotta whole wheat pizza
1. Thai steak salad
2. Mushroom chicken noodle soup with poached eggs
3. Gruyere, fig jam and arugula breakfast sandwiches
4. Toasted coconut tilapia with pomegranate salsa
5. Brussels sprouts tacos with caramelized shallot salsa
6. Chipotle lime chicken skewers with avocado ranch
7. Butternut squash skillet lasagna
1. Smoky white bean chicken chili
2. Chili garlic beef stir-fry with coconut jasmine rice
3. Red wine roasted mushroom toasts with goat cheese
4. Cashew chicken chopped salad with chili-dusted mango
5. Cheesy double bean quesadillas with avocado ranch
6. Shrimp burgers with chipotle cream and coconut-peach salsa
7. Stuffed peppers with tomato basil cream sauce
1. Garlic brown sugar flank steak with chimichurri
2. Black bean and cornbread panzanella
3. Goat cheese whole roasted chicken
4. Bang bang shrimp with napa cabbage slaw
5. 30-minute buffalo chicken soup
6. Roasted red pepper quinoa burgers
7. Three-bean chili pot pies
1. Smoky sweet potato burgers with roasted garlic cream and avocado
2. Cauliflower crust pizza
3. 30-minute white bean chicken soup
4. Baked falafel with spicy feta yogurt dip
5. Lightened-up beef enchiladas
6. Roasted almond-crusted salmon with pomegranate glaze
7. Cheese-smothered stuffed poblano peppers
1. BBQ salmon burgers
2. Chili cheese polenta bowls
3. Oven-crisped cheddar chicken fingers
4. Minestrone pot pie with whole wheat parmesan biscuits
5. Clams casino pizza
6. Broiled fontina toasts with roasted garlic and poached eggs
7. Thai crunch chicken salad
1. Toasted sesame quinoa with chicken
2. Spicy parmesan shrimp skillet
3. Chicken pot pie soup
4. Crispy kale grilled cheese with fried eggs
5. Marinated flank steak with cherry tomato caprese salsa
6. Pineapple cashew fried rice
7. Asian turkey burgers with spicy lime mayo
1. Smoky sweet potato and black bean tacos
2. Roasted chicken ramen
3. Toasted sesame ginger salmon
4. Sweet potato cream pasta with crispy kale
5. Roasted grape and goat cheese stuffed sweet potatoes
6. Braised short rib beef stew
7. BBQ chicken chopped salad with grilled garlic croutons
1. Butternut squash enchiladas
2. Creamy cauliflower soup
3. Roasted chipotle chicken taco stacks
4. Crab cake sliders with pineapple-kiwi salsa
5. Harvest pizza
6. Crockpot pulled pork chili
7. Thai curry pomegranate chicken
1. Ginger garlic steak tacos with pineapple pico de gallo
2. Creamy parmesan white bean stew with spicy greens
3. Parmesan-sage crusted butternut squash galette
4. Chipotle lime butter whole roasted chicken with black bean corn salad
5. Pan-crisped salmon with light Dijon cream and garlic-butter breadcrumbs
6. Whole wheat roasted red pepper and fontina pizza with balsamic glaze
7. Summer BBQ quinoa salad
1. Tilapia burgers with watermelon salsa and avocado
2. White bean tortellini soup with broiled Havarti toasts
3. Spicy beer-braised lime chicken enchiladas
4. Thai butternut squash lettuce wraps
5. White chicken quinoa chili
6. Jerk shrimp tacos with spicy melon salsa
7. Cheesy black bean stuffed sweet potatoes with arugula and poached eggs
1. 15-minute mushroom melts with mustard aioli
2. Honey ginger chicken tostadas with pomegranate-lime salsa
3. Caramelized leek soup with maple-glazed bacon
4. Beer-glazed citrus chicken with orange arugula greens
5. Spinach and artichoke linguine
6. Warm Brussels Caesar with bacon ciabatta croutons
7. Pulled pork tacos with sweet chili slaw
1. Pistachio pesto chicken with whole wheat spaghetti
2. BBQ salmon and crispy chickpea salad with Greek yogurt ranch drizzle
3. Easy double bean burgers with avocado basil cream
4. Citrus-crusted tilapia with blood orange salsa
5. White bean and chicken enchilada-stuffed peppers
6. Balsamic Brussels sprouts grilled cheese
7. Crockpot smoky brisket tacos
1. Triple berry kale salad
2. Spinach and red pepper bacon-wrapped eggs
3. Crockpot mini turkey meatballs
4. Asiago portobello burgers with roasted red pepper and balsamic glaze
5. Crispy shrimp and mango spring rolls or lettuce wraps
6. 20-minute turkey taco nachos
7. Thai chicken enchiladas
1. Brussels sprouts breakfast hash for dinner
2. Grilled blueberry BBQ salmon
3. Thai chicken quinoa bowls
4. Roasted corn Caesar salads with Parmesan Greek yogurt dressing
5. Buffalo-style quinoa sliders with sweet corn and scallions
6. Simple summer chickpea salad
7. Mini chicken meatball soup
1. Roasted jalapeño cheddar turkey burgers with BBQ aioli
2. Sweet potato quinoa cakes with blackberry salsa
3. Coconut baked shrimp with pineapple-peach salsa
4. Greek grilled chicken salad
5. Thai curry butternut squash soup
6. Skillet chicken with peppers and peanuts
7. Caramelized peach Caprese salad with smoked sea salt