31 Healthy January Dinner Recipes to Make All Month Long
In our kitchen, a new year calls for a new menu. With a little planning and determination, you can totally eat healthier this month without resorting to salad every single night, because honestly, that sounds miserable. These 31 healthy January dinner recipes allow you to plan a nutritious, delicious meal (some of which will leave you with leftovers for lunch) every night of the month. The ingredients are pretty darn clean (think vegetables, lean proteins and minimally processed foods), but these dishes will leave you satisfied and impressed, not deprived. Promise.
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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
All the best dinners come together with just the push of a button. This Insta-worthy beauty is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and piled high with fresh herbs.
January 3: Jake Cohen’s Iraqi Roasted Salmon with Tomato and Lemon
Iraqi curry powder inspired the blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne in the caramelized tomato paste topping, which gives this salmon a tangy kick.
January 4: Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce
Proof that sweet potatoes can hold their own as an entrée. (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 crunchy, tart, savory, sweet and basically the 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
This vegetarian take on tandoori chicken (meaning chicken cooked in a tandoor, a type of clay oven) stars a spiced yogurt marinade that you'll straight-up want to drink.
January 7: Instant Pot Vegan Pho
When we say “hug in a bowl,” this is what we mean. Think noodles, ginger, mushrooms, bean sprouts, tofu and a mélange of herbs swimming in soothing vegetable broth.
January 8: Alison Roman’s Swordfish with Crushed Olives and Oregano
Even so-called seafood haters will swoon after one bite of this briny dish. It’s like chicken…but a million times better (and it's just as easy to prepare).
January 9: Low-Carb Zucchini Enchiladas
These enchiladas have all the gooey, cheesy goodness of the O.G., minus the carbs. Did we mention it reheats like a charm?
January 10: Roasted Squash and Tofu with Soy, Honey, Chili and Ginger
Spicy, sweet and mostly hands-off? We see a new weeknight go-to in our future. Take your pick of kabocha, acorn or delicata squash.
January 11: Piri Piri Chicken
It’s chilly outside, but we’re turning up the heat in the kitchen with this Portuguese staple. The marinade's unique heat is courtesy of the southeast African piri piri pepper.
January 12: Rainbow Collard Wraps with Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
You can make them 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 do anything, including a mean Alfredo. (Don't worry, the sauce still calls for plenty of Parm.)
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.
January 15: Whole30 Chicken Meatballs and Cauliflower Rice with Coconut-Herb Sauce
We’re not even on the Whole30 diet and we can’t get enough of that creamy sauce. Thanks, coconut milk.
January 16: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sriracha and Lime
Citrusy, spicy, sweet and ready in under an hour—we think we're in love. Pair the spuds with rice, quinoa or a green salad for a heartier meal.
January 17: Chicken and Snap Pea Stir-Fry
High in protein, low in carbs, cals and cook time. Feel free to substitute any veggies you forgot about in the fridge, like broccoli, carrots, spinach or baby corn.
January 18: Gluten-Free Cauliflower Gnocchi Pomodoro
Your picky kids will have no clue how healthy it is, given that the cauli is hidden in the gnocchi dough. Feel free to use store-bought sauce or pesto to save time.
January 19: Poblano and Mushroom Tacos with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
It's about time you expanded your taco Tuesday repertoire. See ya later, ground beef.
January 20: Veggie-Loaded Stuffed Bell Peppers
Tell ground beef to take a seat—this dinner staple is overdue for a facelift. (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?
January 22: Shrimp and Pasta Stew
It's your pantry's time to shine. Plus, your usual pastas and shrimp dishes (read: shrimp scampi...and nothing else) are getting old anyway.
January 23: Carrot, Fennel and Miso Soup
Come for the umami-laced soup, stay for the crunchy pepita-pine nut topping.
January 24: Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup
Break out that brand-new Instant Pot you got over the holidays and put it to delicious use.
January 25: Instant Pot Coconut Salmon with Fresh Herbs and Lime
This dinner doubles as a work of art. Serving this is sort of like putting a painting on your dinner table instead of the 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 wouldn't hurt.
January 27: Ginger-Scallion Chicken Meatballs with Sesame-Soy Glaze
There are so many easy ways to tweak this recipe. The meatballs can be made with ground turkey or pork instead of chicken, and they can be pan-fried instead of baked, if you value an outer crust over inner tenderness.
January 28: Sheet-Pan Miso-Glazed Fish with Broccoli and Coconut Rice
Any flaky fish you enjoy will do, like salmon, cod, sea bass or halibut.
January 29: Cauliflower Sweet Potato Burgers
Believe us when we say that these will be the juiciest veggie burgers you ever taste. Smashed avocado and homemade spicy mayo take this meatless handheld over the top.
January 30: Cauliflower Chili
It's a vegetarian comfort as is, but feel free to spruce it up with ground turkey or chicken if you'd like.
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, that's because it's hidden in the four-ingredient crust.
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