39 Simple Healthy Main Meals - An Oregon Cottage

Looking for some easy and tasty dinners that will keep the whole family happy? Look no further than these simple healthy main meals that are made with real foods, will save you time, and keep everyone coming back for seconds. You’ll find dinner ideas for chicken, beef, pork, beans, vegetarian, and seafood options to cover all the bases. Get out your menu and create it quick and easy with this list!

How often do you struggle to come up with a healthy and satisfying main meal? You’re not alone!

There are days when we all want to grab takeout or fall back on things we know aren’t that great (often from a box and full of sugar and unhealthy fats).

And then there is trying to eat enough vegetables and fruits. Did you know that 9 out of 10 Americans are not getting enough fruits and vegetables in their daily diet according to the CDC?

Let’s buck that trend by creating simple healthy meals that are tasty and easy to make! With the following thirty nine easy-to-follow recipes, you can nourish your body and satisfy your taste buds at the same time.

I’ve organized the healthy dinner recipes into main ingredient groups to make it easier to find recipes you’d like to use:

Chicken & Turkey
Beef
Pork
Beans
Vegetarian
Seafood

I hope you’re able to add these easy healthy dinner ideas to your recipe lists to rotate healthy meals effortlessly through your menus!

Healthy Dinner Ideas with Chicken & Turkey

healthy main dish Spicy Chicken Noodle Salad

1. Spicy Chicken Noodle Salad

This noodle salad is one of my favorites all during the warmer months! It’s so easy to make with cooked chicken (I keep rotisserie cooked chicken in the freezer 1-2 cup measurements for recipes like this!) and simple vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and peppers. Easy to adapt and change the spice to ANY level you’d like.

2. Spiced Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (or Instant Pot)

This is such a great meal and meal prep recipe! Take a few steps to prep the whole chicken, let it cook to perfection (and by that I mean juicy breast!), and then use it for dinner that night with a salad and bread. Then cut up the rest to use (or freeze) in salads and main dishes.

roasted chicken and vegetables on a sheet pan

3. Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables with Lemon & Garlic

Sheet pan meals are known for being easy, and this is no exception – use cut up chicken pieces and cook them right along with the vegetables. The flavor enhancer? Tossing everything in a lemon-garlic marinade beforehand. Lick the plate good.

4. Parmesan Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Here’s another easy one pan meal where the the potatoes, beans, and chicken all roast on one pan. The difference is the chicken is coated with breadcrumbs and parmesan first which sounds so good, right? Many of the comments mention to add seasoning to the potatoes and green beans as well.

5. Asian Glazed Turkey Meatballs

Tasty meatballs coated in an easy sweet and sour sauce to serve with rice and steamed broccoli, stir fried vegetables, or grilled vegetables.

6. Asian Chicken Wraps with Peanut Sauce

How easy would these wraps filled with chicken, preshredded coleslaw mix and peanuts be for quick dinners or lunches? They’d be great for to-go meals, too. The peanut dipping sauce is a must.

7. Chicken Fajita Burrito Bowl

Peppers, onions, and chicken are seasoned and roasted together while you prepare the rice and a few more toppings. Sounds so easy and delicious.

8. Grilled Chicken Margherita

What a beautiful summer meal – can’t you just imagine this with homemade pesto and garden tomatoes? Served with noodles or zoodles and a green salad this would be perfect for guests and family.

9. Firecracker Chicken Stir Fry

Healthier than take-out, but just as delicious – stir fry chicken and veggies in a sweet and spicy sauce to serve over rice in less than 30 minutes.

Healthy Beef Dinner Ideas

bowls of Spicy Beef, Tomato, and Corn Stew

10. Spicy Beef, Tomato, and Corn Stew

Quick to put together with pantry ingredients and any ground meat you have, this dish I created surprised my whole family with how good it was! My husband declared it his “new favorite meal.” I serve with quesadillas and a slaw or green salad.

Sriracha Beef & Vegetable Rice Bowls on white background

11. Sriracha Beef & Vegetable Rice Bowls

Bowls filled with veggies and protein are some of the easiest ways to have healthy meals! And I love this recipe mainly for the delicious sauce (you can go easy on the spice if you’d like) and for how you can adapt it: use any ground meat, any type of grain (or cauliflower rice), and whatever fresh veggies you have.

12. Garlic Butter Steak with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

“Ridiculously good” colorful meal of steak, brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes or butternut squash. Serve with rice or bread.

13. Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Change up taco Tuesday – and make it a bit healthier – with this stuffed sweet potato with beef and all the taco toppings – one commenter suggested a squeeze of lime before eating.

14. Sheet Pan Spicy Ginger Sesame Beef and Broccoli

Slicing the steak thin means you can have this sheet pan meal ready in about 35 minutes. Serve over rice and pass the spicy mayo sauce for a delicious dinner.

15. Hearty Beef & Sweet Potato Stew

Beef chuck simmered with mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, garlic and sweet potatoes provides a fun change from traditional beef stew. Serve with a green salad and some hearty bread.

Healthy Pork Dinner Ideas

One Pot Italian Pasta with Sausage and Spinach from above in pan

16. One Pot Italian Pasta with Sausage and Spinach

Make this all in one pot using any kind of sausage you’d like along with tomatoes, spinach and onions simmered in a tomato sauce (hopefully like this roasted tomato sauce you made). Use any kind of pasta you’d like – it cooks right along with everything else for an easy-peasy meal.

Slow Cooker Pork Stew with Vegetables in white bowl with mashed potatoes

17. Slow Cooker Pork Stew with Vegetables

I love this easy one dish meal for the flavor and that it’s different from other stews. Perfect for when you’ll be gone all day and want a meal waiting when you get home. You can add potatoes in or save them to make mashed potatoes to serve with the stew (my favorite!).

18. Sweet and Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps

In just 20 minutes you can have a low carb veggie filled lettuce wrap with seasoned ground pork and a sweet and spicy sauce. You can add rice for those who want it or serve cauliflower rice, too.

19. Mexican Adobo Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderlion cooks up fast (and you don’t want to over cook it!), so you can make this adobo rubbed version in 45 minutes. Serve with rice and a salad for an easy low-prep meal.

20. One-Pan Honey Mustard Pork Chops and Veggies

Another one pan meal with pork chops, green beans and potatoes baked all on a sheet pan. The honey mustard sauce drizzle is what sets this recipe apart.

21. 20-Minute Moo Shu Pork

This recipe for moo shu pork uses boneless pork loin chops as well as shredded coleslaw mix and green onions. The classic sauce is made with hoisin, oyster, and soy sauces and comes together in 20 minutes. TIP: wrap in tortillas to replicate the Chinese pancakes of the original!

Healthy Dinner Ideas With Beans

Tex-Mex Salad with Ranch Style Beans in bowl above

22. Tex-Mex Salad with Ranch Style Beans

An easy vegetarian recipe that goes way back for me – I just love the flavor of this salad tossed with a homemade American style French dressing and the ranch flavored beans. Great for potlucks, lunches, and dinners.

Sausage, Bean and Greens Gratin on orange cloth from above

23. Sausage, Bean and Greens Gratin

The meat, beans and greens are simmered in a tomato base before baking with cheese on top (love the crusty top!) for a delicious casserole. Serving in ramekins makes this casserole fit for guests and it’s easy to make this vegetarian. Serve with a crusty bread to help soak up all the yummy sauce.

24. 30-Minute Easy White Beans and Greens

Kale, garlic, onion, and beans simmer in a tomato based sauce for a warm, comforting meal served with toasted baguettes.

25. Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet

Beans, squash, and other veggies are simmered in an enchilada sauce and topped with melty cheese for the ultimate one pan meatless meal. No need to individually wrap enchiladas for the same flavor – simply serve this with corn tortillas or chips!

26. Italian Chicken and Bean Stew

This one pot stew is made with bone-in chicken thighs for the most flavor. Simmered with beans, onion, and kale in a wine-tomato sauce for that rustic Italian flavor. Definitely serve with artisan bread to soak up all that great sauce.

27. One Pot Cuban Style Rice with Chicken and Sausage

High protein meal with beans, chicken and sausage as well as vegetables and rice, all with a spicy seasoning made in one pan in 30 minutes.

Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Ideas

best homemade tomato soup on a white bowl

28. Best Homemade Tomato Soup

This was one of the first real foods I made that showed me how much better it was than the cans – and how easy it is to make! Serve this with grilled cheese for a classic, comforting meal you know is good for you.

cauliflower cheese soup on white bowl above

29. Amazing Cauliflower Cheese Soup

I’ve made this soup for years and years – I crave it because it’s one of those things you can’t believe that it’s full of veggies when you eat it! The ONLY way my kids would eat cauliflower, lol. Serve with bread and a green salad.

30. Lentil Bolognese

Make a vegan pasta sauce with tomatoes and lentils for a delightful change! Top with herbs and cheese and serve with a green salad.

31. Crispy Sheet Pan Black Bean Tacos

The black bean filling for these tacos is so good commenters say they put it in all kinds of other things, too! Baking the filled tortillas until crisp is a great way to make tacos.

32. Balsamic Mushroom Parmesan Quinoa Skillet

Mushrooms, parmesan, garlic, and balsamic elevate protein rich quinoa to a full fledged main dish in this 30 minute, one pan recipe.

33. Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables and Halloumi

Zucchini, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and onions combine with Halloumi cheese to make a flavorful vegetarian sheet pan meal. Can’t you just taste this on a piece of toasted sourdough?