31 Healthy January Dinner Recipes to Make All Month Long

Kick off 2025 with a 20-minute, takeout-inspired dish that's as easy to prepare as it is to devour. The sauce is made almost entirely from pantry staples, and while the recipe calls for gluten-free pasta, you could easily substitute another long noodle. (I'm partial to thick udon.)

In my book, all the best dinners come together with just the push of a button, and this Crock-Pot gem fits the bill. The photogenic beauty is vegan, dairy free, gluten free and piled high with fresh herbs. Need I say more?

Crispy, double-baked tostones + quick-pickled veggies + spicy mayo + pillowy-soft baguette = the most unexpected vegetarian sammy you'll ever have. Top the handhelds with runny eggs or tofu scramble for more protein.

As comforting as sweet potato fries, but ten times as wholesome. Roast the spuds in advance and use canned black beans to save time. You can even shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a protein-packed topping, if you feel so inclined.

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.

A swoon-worthy meal if I've ever seen one. This vegetarian take on tandoori chicken (aka chicken that's cooked in a tandoor, a type of clay oven) stars a spiced yogurt marinade that's so good, you just might want to straight-up drink it.

When I say "hug in a bowl," this is what I mean. Treat yourself to a mix of noodles, ginger, mushrooms, bean sprouts, tofu and a mélange of herbs, all swimming in soothing vegetable broth. Bye-bye, winter blues.

Even self-proclaimed seafood haters will ooh and ahh after one bite of this briny masterpiece. In case you've never tried it, swordfish is a lot like chicken…only a million times tastier (and just as easy to prepare).

These enchiladas have all the gooey, cheesy goodness of the O.G., minus some of the carbs, since the recipe calls using thin-sliced zucchini in place of tortillas. Did I mention they reheat and freeze like a dream?

This monochromatic salad is begging for a shoutout on your Instagram story. Made with purple sweet potatoes, radicchio, blood oranges and purple basil, the meal is finished with a punchy, umami-laced dressing, starring fish sauce. Shrimp or ground pork would be great additions, IMO.

The kind you get as a sushi appetizer is certainly comforting, but it's not exactly hearty. Here, soba noodles, meaty mushrooms and fresh greens put the soup firmly in entrée territory. (Though I wouldn't blame you for serving white rice and sashimi on the side anyway.)

This main is proof that you don't need fancy ingredients to craft a memorable marinade. The key is making the most of a well-stocked pantry. Here, staples like soy sauce, mirin and sugar do most of the heavy lifting. Plate the pork with a grain and a crunchy vegetable side, like cabbage slaw.

Here, my favorite cruciferous veggie proves that it can tackle just about any recipe—including a mean Alfredo sauce. (Don't worry, the unexpected dish calls for plenty of Parmesan cheese, so your picky kids will still ask for a second helping.)

If you're still working through the Christmas collard greens in your fridge (or have a bunch of kale or Swiss chard on your hands), turn to this soul food-inspired Latin recipe. The leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, and you can use store-bought sazón and empanada dough to save time.

I'm not even on the Whole30 diet, but I still can't get enough of these tender meatballs and the creamy, dairy-free sauce. Props to you, coconut milk. As for the cauli rice, it's a stellar alternative to grains for low-carb or keto dieters.

Whether it's wilted greens you forgot about in the crisper, last night's sweet potatoes or lingering crumbs of feta cheese, this frittata can accommodate all your fridge's odds and ends. "The only thing that's nonnegotiable is that the vegetables are pre-cooked, otherwise they'll sog out in the oven," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen notes. Use your trusty cast iron skillet to ensure a crisp exterior and fluffy center.

High in protein, low in carbs, calories, effort and cook time—what's not to like? Feel free to toss in any veggies that are withering away in your pantry or fridge, like broccoli, carrots, spinach or baby corn.

If you like jerk chicken, you need this flavorful number in your weekly rotation. “We served the chicken with a simple slaw made with half a small cabbage and a quarter of a pineapple, both thinly sliced, some freshly flaked coconut, sliced jalapeño, green onion, cilantro and mint,” write recipe developers Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley.

Cauliflower, butternut squash, sweet potato, lentils and herbs unite in a pool of garlicky cashew cream sauce to create a vegan miracle. Want it to be gluten free too? Nix the panko breadcrumbs and double down on the pine nuts for crunch.

Tell ground beef to sit this one out—traditional stuffed peppers are long overdue for an update, and this one's vegetarian-friendly. I'm talking quinoa, zucchini, corn, tomatoes and a generous dose of Monterey Jack cheese. No meat, no problem.

Feed a crowd of eight in one hour with the help of canned corn and beans, pantry seasonings and quick-cooking ground turkey. Set up a topping bar of diced avocado, cheddar cheese, sour cream and lime juice for your guests to top their own bowls.

It's your pantry's time to shine. After all, aren't your usual weeknight pasta and shrimp dishes (read: shrimp scampi and...that's it) getting old? Give this wintry soul-soother, which features tender kale and a tomatoey seafood broth, a go in their place.

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, as would a swirl of yogurt or sour cream on top.

Does it get cozier than this? I think not. The "polenta" is so luscious and creamy that you won't believe how healthy it actually is. This polenta alternative, starring puréed cauliflower, is low carb, gluten free and surprisingly high in protein. That's a win-win-win.

Here, dinner doubles as a work of art, if I do say so myself. Serving this salmon is sort of like putting a painting on your dinner table instead of a wall. The fish is steam-poached in coconut milk, which keeps it moist and flavorful for the long haul.

It's the ideal recipe for using up all those canned white beans you've been hoarding in the cupboard. I'm betting a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese on top or a bed of greens underneath wouldn't hurt. Just don't skip the fresh oregano or lemon zest—they brighten every bite considerably.

Hearty and, dare I say it, meaty—despite being vegan. The herb- and wine-kissed lentils are delicious on their own, but I think the butternut-tahini sauce on top just might steal the show.

Reason #582 to love sheet pan dinners: 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. The savory miso glaze is endlessly adaptable.

If you're going to eat salad for dinner, you should at least make every bite worthwhile. Enter this falafel-crowned mix of lettuce, radicchio, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion, which is made even more indulgent with a generous drizzle of sriracha yogurt sauce.

It's a vegetarian comfort as is, but you can easily give it a protein boost by adding ground turkey or chicken, if you'd like. Might I suggest bookmarking this crowd-pleaser now for your next football Sunday watch party, or even the Super Bowl?

Delivery pizza? I 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 cheesy, four-ingredient crust. Take that, picky kids.