food

13 Healthy One-Pot Meals Under 500 Calories

By: Stephanie Cain

Published: February 17, 2020

We love a one-pot meal—the ease of production and cleanup—but as much as we adore you, one-pot mac and cheese, we know you aren’t the healthiest. The good news? There are tons of ways to cook up a single-pan dinner and still meet your diet goals. Here, 13 healthy one-pot meals under 500 calories.

Inspired Entertainment/The Domestic Geek’s Meals Made Easy

1. One-pot Tomato Basil Pasta (318 Calories)

You don’t have to drown your noodles in cream sauce to amp up the flavor. Opt for simple tomato and basil and you’ve got a healthy and tasty spaghetti dinner.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

2. One-pot, 15 Minute Pasta Limone (457 Calories)

Not a tomato fan? Try this bright, tangy version with tons of lemon zest and a sprinkling of Parm.

The Mom 100

3. One-pot Cod, Cabbage And Edamame (273 Calories)

Omega-3s, protein and tons of vitamins are packed into Katie Workman’s cod, cabbage and edamame masterpiece.

Teri Lyn Fisher/Eat Like You Give a Fork

4. Chicken Sausage, Spelt And Pepper Skillet (489 Calories)

Surprise: This one-pan stir-fry is tasty, filling and actually on your diet.

Foodie Crush

5. The Best Minestrone Soup (327 Calories)

Hand-blending purees? Um, we’re good. Heidi Larsen’s hearty soup is ready and on the table in just under an hour (and most of that is hands-off cooking time).

Half Baked Harvest

6. Saucy 30-minute Thai Basil Salmon Curry (289 Calories)

Set the timer: It’s just half an hour until you dig a spoon into this Thai-inspired salmon-and-basil curry.

Half Baked Harvest

7. Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs And Spaghetti Squash (326 Calories)

Swap spaghetti squash for classic pasta and turkey meatballs for beef, and you’ve got a sub–500 calorie dinner you can make in an Instant Pot.

Credit: Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

8. One-pot Vegetarian Chili (255 Calories)

Skip the ground beef and your hearty chili dinner clocks in at less than 300 calories per serving.

Foodie Crush

9. Slow-cooker Chicken Cacciatore (205 Calories)

Let your Crock-Pot do the work for tonight’s meal, which combines classic chicken cacciatore with the ease of a one-pot cooking process.

Half Baked Harvest

10. Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Rice Soup (239 Calories)

Make this coconut sweet potato and lentil soup in your Instant Pot (or if you don’t have one, you can easily whip it up on the stovetop too).

Ambitious Kitchen

11. Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup (369 Calories)

Healthy? Pot pie? Sign us up, Monique Volz.

The Mom 100

12. Moroccan Lamb And Butternut Squash Stew (267 Calories)

Whoa, it’s possible to make red meat into a low-cal dinner. Just try this Moroccan-inspired bowl of deliciousness by Katie Workman.

Half Baked Harvest

13. One-skillet Greek Sun-dried Tomato Chicken (366 Calories)

If living in Greece means eating a dish like this every night, we’re packing up our stuff and moving immediately. Opa!