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Photo: Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.
Need a cheap healthy meal to get on the table fast? We have pulled together 15 of our favorite recipes for when you need to save time and money. These easy meals feature healthy, inexpensive staples, like beans, pasta and frozen vegetables—and all take 15 minutes or less to make. As always, feel free to make substitutions with whatever veggies and proteins you have on hand to make these recipes even less expensive and more convenient.These recipes were designed with many clever shortcuts to get meals prepped fast and keep the kitchen cleanup to a minimum. Many of the recipes call for bagged salads and slaw blends, boxed blended soup, canned beans, store-bought sauces and other ready-made staples. Try our five-star favorites: Peanut Zoodles with Edamame, a no-cook vegetable bowl that is ready in five minutes. Plus, try our 3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad, which features a kale-and-broccoli slaw blend mixed with a can of white beans. Some of these recipes serve two but can easily be doubled or tripled to feed your family.
Need a cheap healthy meal to get on the table fast? We have pulled together 15 of our favorite recipes for when you need to save time and money. These easy meals feature healthy, inexpensive staples, like beans, pasta and frozen vegetables—and all take 15 minutes or less to make. As always, feel free to make substitutions with whatever veggies and proteins you have on hand to make these recipes even less expensive and more convenient.
These recipes were designed with many clever shortcuts to get meals prepped fast and keep the kitchen cleanup to a minimum. Many of the recipes call for bagged salads and slaw blends, boxed blended soup, canned beans, store-bought sauces and other ready-made staples. Try our five-star favorites: Peanut Zoodles with Edamame, a no-cook vegetable bowl that is ready in five minutes. Plus, try our 3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad, which features a kale-and-broccoli slaw blend mixed with a can of white beans. Some of these recipes serve two but can easily be doubled or tripled to feed your family.
01of 15Two-Ingredient-Dough Margherita PizzaView RecipeYou won’t believe how quick and easy it is to make this healthy pizza. Thanks to a two-ingredient dough that combines self-rising flour and Greek yogurt, there is no need for a rise time. Just roll, top and bake, and you’ll have a delicious quick dinner.
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Two-Ingredient-Dough Margherita Pizza
View Recipe
You won’t believe how quick and easy it is to make this healthy pizza. Thanks to a two-ingredient dough that combines self-rising flour and Greek yogurt, there is no need for a rise time. Just roll, top and bake, and you’ll have a delicious quick dinner.
02of 153-Ingredient Teriyaki Edamame SautéView RecipeCarolyn A. Hodges, R.D.Whip up this high-fiber, plant-based stir-fry for a quick and convenient dinner. Look for bottled teriyaki sauce labeledless sodiumorreduced sodiumto cut back on the salt without sacrificing flavor.
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3-Ingredient Teriyaki Edamame Sauté
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.
Whip up this high-fiber, plant-based stir-fry for a quick and convenient dinner. Look for bottled teriyaki sauce labeledless sodiumorreduced sodiumto cut back on the salt without sacrificing flavor.
03of 15Sesame Instant Ramen Noodles with Broccoli & Soft-Boiled EggView RecipeJazz up basic ramen noodles with toasted sesame oil, quick-cooked broccoli and a jammy soft-boiled egg. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 milligrams sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.
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Sesame Instant Ramen Noodles with Broccoli & Soft-Boiled Egg
Jazz up basic ramen noodles with toasted sesame oil, quick-cooked broccoli and a jammy soft-boiled egg. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 milligrams sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.
04of 15Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & OnionsView RecipeThese 15-minute quesadillas are a notch above basic with the addition of sautéed peppers and onions. Let the kiddos load them up with the toppings at the table.
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Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & Onions
These 15-minute quesadillas are a notch above basic with the addition of sautéed peppers and onions. Let the kiddos load them up with the toppings at the table.
05of 153-Ingredient Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo TostadaView RecipeSara HaasMaking your own tostadas is easy. Use store-bought corn tortillas, brush them with olive oil and bake to crunchy perfection! Here, we topped the tostada with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo for an easy three-ingredient meal.
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3-Ingredient Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostada
Sara Haas
Making your own tostadas is easy. Use store-bought corn tortillas, brush them with olive oil and bake to crunchy perfection! Here, we topped the tostada with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo for an easy three-ingredient meal.
06of 15BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage SlawView RecipeThis zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a pre-shredded coleslaw blend.
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BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw
This zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a pre-shredded coleslaw blend.
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3-Ingredient Chicken Caesar Flatbread
A frozen cauliflower-based pizza crust becomes the crispy base for this no-fuss flatbread. Pick up a Caesar-style salad kit to save yourself the hassle of needing to buy lots of other ingredients (everything’s included in the kit!), and use rotisserie chicken to simplify the prep even more.
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3-Ingredient Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Chickpeas
Carolyn A. Hodges, RD
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Peanut Zoodles with Edamame
A package of fresh zucchini noodles gets tossed with shelled edamame and store-bought peanut sauce in these five-minute, no-cook vegetable noodle bowls. Because prepared sauces and dressings are commonly high in sodium, scan the label and opt for those that contain 150 mg sodium or less per tablespoon.
10of 153-Ingredient Goat Cheese Pasta with BroccoliView RecipeCarolyn Hodges, M.S., RDNSwap out regular pasta for pasta made with chickpeas, and you’ll more than triple the fiber and double the protein in this simple, satisfying dish. Be sure to save some of the pasta water to make a sauce. Feel free to use frozen broccoli in a pinch (you can blanch the broccoli in the same water you use to cook the pasta).
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3-Ingredient Goat Cheese Pasta with Broccoli
Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN
Swap out regular pasta for pasta made with chickpeas, and you’ll more than triple the fiber and double the protein in this simple, satisfying dish. Be sure to save some of the pasta water to make a sauce. Feel free to use frozen broccoli in a pinch (you can blanch the broccoli in the same water you use to cook the pasta).
11of 15Broccoli & Parmesan Cheese OmeletView RecipeThis high-protein breakfast recipe features broccoli and cheese folded into a light and fluffy omelet.
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Broccoli & Parmesan Cheese Omelet
This high-protein breakfast recipe features broccoli and cheese folded into a light and fluffy omelet.
12of 15White Bean & Veggie SaladView RecipeThis meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.
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White Bean & Veggie Salad
This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.
13of 153-Ingredient Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprout Hash with Chicken SausageView RecipeCarolyn A. Hodges, R.D.Apple-flavored chicken sausage adds flavor and protein to this quick dinner hash that uses a bag of shaved Brussels sprouts as its hearty, high-fiber base. Steaming the cubed sweet potatoes in the microwave cuts way down on total cook time.
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3-Ingredient Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprout Hash with Chicken Sausage
Apple-flavored chicken sausage adds flavor and protein to this quick dinner hash that uses a bag of shaved Brussels sprouts as its hearty, high-fiber base. Steaming the cubed sweet potatoes in the microwave cuts way down on total cook time.
14of 15BBQ Chicken BowlsView RecipeThese BBQ chicken bowls are perfect for weeknight dinners. They come together in just 15 minutes and are chock-full of the classic barbecue flavors you love, including saucy beans, coleslaw and potatoes.
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BBQ Chicken Bowls
These BBQ chicken bowls are perfect for weeknight dinners. They come together in just 15 minutes and are chock-full of the classic barbecue flavors you love, including saucy beans, coleslaw and potatoes.
15of 153-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean SaladView RecipeCarolyn A. Hodges, R.D.Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.
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3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad
Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.
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