A new year calls for a new menu, and after all that holiday grub (and bubbly), we're craving better-for-you fare that actually tastes good. With a little forethought, you can eat healthier this month without resorting to salad every single night, because honestly, that sounds miserable. These 31 January dinner recipes will help you plan for a nutritious meal every night of the month. The ingredients are pretty darn clean (think vegetables, lean proteins and minimally processed foods), but these dishes will still leave you satisfied and impressed, not deprived. Promise.
31 Healthy January Dinner Recipes to Make All Month Long
January 1: Spiced Lamb Meatball and Escarole Soup
It's not as tough to pull off as it sounds—trust. This soup is hearty and healthy, thanks to a hefty dose of greens and the most tender lamb meatballs you've ever tasted.
January 2: Vegan Slow Cooker Detox Coconut Soup
In our book, all the best dinners come together with just the push of a button, and this Crockpot gem fits the bill. This Insta-worthy beauty is vegan, dairy free, gluten free and piled high with fresh herbs.
January 3: Plantain Subs with Quick Pickles
January 4: Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce
Proof that sweet potatoes can hold their own as an entrée, especially with the help of protein- and fiber-rich chickpeas. (But even if they couldn't, you had us at yogurt sauce.)
January 5: Kale Salad with Persimmons, Crispy Chickpeas and Fried Shallots
It's crisp, tart, savory, sweet and basically the polar opposite of a sad salad. Sweet, rich persimmons are just the match for crunchy chickpeas, crisp greens and savory shallots.
January 6: Tandoori-Inspired Roast Cauliflower Bowls with Tahini
An Insta-worthy meal if we've ever seen one. This vegetarian take on tandoori chicken (meaning chicken cooked in a tandoor, a type of clay oven) stars a spiced yogurt marinade that's so good, you might want to straight-up drink it.
January 7: Instant Pot Vegan Pho
January 8: Alison Roman’s Swordfish with Crushed Olives and Oregano
Even self-proclaimed seafood haters will swoon after one bite of this briny dish. In case you've never tried it, swordfish is a lot like chicken…only a million times tastier (and just as easy to prepare).
January 9: Low-Carb Zucchini Enchiladas
January 11: Chickpea Caesar Salad with a Cheater’s Dressing
January 12: Rainbow Collard Wraps with Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
You can make these no-cook wraps ahead of time (up to two days in advance, to be exact) and they won't get soggy in the fridge. In other words, we know what you're having for lunch on the 13th.
January 13: Lightened-Up Fettuccine with Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
Our favorite cruciferous veggie proves that it can handle just about any recipe, including a mean Alfredo sauce. (Don't worry, the dish still calls for plenty of Parmesan cheese.)
January 14: Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Corn Chowder
How is the chowder so rich and creamy without a drop of dairy, you ask? Homemade cashew cream. Use canned or frozen kernels instead of fresh, since corn is out of season.
January 15: Whole30 Chicken Meatballs and Cauliflower Rice with Coconut-Herb Sauce
We're not even on the Whole30 diet, but we still can't get enough of these tender meatballs and creamy, dairy-free sauce. Thanks, coconut milk.
January 16: Leftovers Frittata
Whether it's wilted greens you forgot about in the crisper, last night's sweet potatoes or the final crumbles in a container of feta, this frittata can accommodate all your fridge's odds and ends.
January 17: Chicken and Snap Pea Stir Fry
January 18: Garlicky Spinach and Chickpea Soup with Lemon and Pecorino Romano
Leave it to your pantry to pull together your new go-to winter soup. A flurry of warm spices (cumin! coriander! sweet paprika!) makes the North African-inspired broth positively irresistible.
January 19: Crispy, Spicy Cauliflower Tacos with Jicama-Carrot Slaw
Put down the ground beef and step away from the packet of taco seasoning. This spin on your favorite handheld is totally vegan and boasts impeccably spiced cauliflower, crunchy veggies and dairy-free cilantro crema.
January 20: Veggie-Loaded Stuffed Bell Peppers
Tell meat to take a seat—traditional stuffed peppers are long overdue for an update. (We're talking quinoa, veggies and a generous dose of Monterey Jack cheese.)
January 21: 15-Minute Mediterranean Couscous with Tuna and Pepperoncini
If you ask us, canned tuna is so underrated. How else could you make a protein-rich dinner in 15 minutes without a moment of cooking?
January 22: Shrimp and Pasta Stew
January 23: Carrot, Fennel and Miso Soup
Come for the umami-laced soup, stay for the crunchy pepita-pine nut topping. Leftover cooked winter squash or sweet potatoes would also work wonders in this soup.
January 24: Mark Bittman’s Cauliflower “Polenta” with Mushrooms
It's so luscious and creamy that you won't believe how healthy it actually is. This polenta alternative, starring pureed cauliflower, is low carb, gluten free and surprisingly high in protein.
January 25: Instant Pot Coconut Salmon with Fresh Herbs and Lime
This dinner doubles as a work of art, if we do say so ourselves. Serving this salmon is sort of like putting a painting on your dinner table instead of a wall.
January 26: Five-Minute Bean Salad
It's just the recipe for using up all those canned white beans you've been hoarding in the cupboard. We're betting a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese on top or a bed of greens underneath wouldn't hurt.
January 27: Creamy Lentil-Stuffed Butternut Squash
January 28: Sheet Pan Miso-Glazed Fish with Broccoli and Coconut Rice
Fewer dirty dishes means more time to catch up on your Netflix queue. Any flaky fish you enjoy will do here, like salmon, cod, sea bass or halibut.
January 29: Cauliflower Sweet Potato Burgers
Don't let the hockey pucks of dinners past deter you. Believe us when we say that these will be the juiciest veggie burgers you ever taste. Smashed avocado and spicy mayo take the meatless handheld over the top.
January 30: Cauliflower Chili
It's a vegetarian comfort as is, but you can easily spruce it up with ground turkey or chicken if you'd like. Might we suggest bookmarking this crowd-pleaser ahead of the Super Bowl?
January 31: Broccoli Margherita Pizza
Delivery pizza? We don't know her. If you're wondering why you don't see any broccoli on top of this better-for-you pie, that's because it's hidden in the four-ingredient crust. Take that, picky kids.
Katherine Gillen is PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.