Finding low-fat recipes for dinner for the whole family is difficult! Finding 30-minute low-fat meals for the picky eaters is even more difficult (trust me it’s a word)! Even so, we managed to put together a wonderfully wide variety of low-fat recipes here just for you.
From sweet breakfasts to fun and fruity refreshments, we spoiled you for choice on low-fat recipes and ideas so that you can pick and choose what you want to eat.
Not only will you save some time by having a whole list of delightfully delectable dishes, but you’ll also save some of those calories and maybe your waistline (God knows I need to)!
1. Healthy Orange Chicken
Orange chicken is probably the most popular Chinese takeout dish, but why waste money and calories when you can easily make it yourself as part of your low-fat dinner recipes?
I can feed the whole family orange chicken for almost the same price as a single order of the dish at my local takeout!
This recipe focuses on the umami flavor of the chicken through the addition of coconut aminos.
The coconut aminos act as a soy sauce substitute but add their complementary umami to the dish.
2. Lasagna Alla Bolognese
If you’re trying to eat a low-fat diet, you may have asked yourself, “is pasta low-fat?” The answer is it certainly can be!
This recipe is the real deal, making the meat and white sauces from scratch to make sure your low-fat meal ideas are low fat without all the additives of ready-made alternatives.
The pasta may have some extra calories to them if you use oven-ready sheets but they’ll still be low fat.
If you’re naughty like me, you’ll use a slightly higher fat content ground beef or beef mince for the extra flavor.
I can’t escape it!
3. Low-Calorie Hummus
Easy low-fat meals for one can be difficult because recipes often make too much for a single person.
The beauty of hummus is that you can use it in combination with other meals as long as it’s still fresh, so the 10 servings listed will be gone in no time
The nigella seeds that get sprinkled on the end product seal the deal for me – they are so fragrant!
Even though you might use the hummus as a dip for some crackers, the nigella seeds add an extra level of crunch that I can’t get enough of!
4. Easy Curry Chicken
Curries are a staple of many cultures and countries but this one, in particular, is inspired by Indian flavors and adapted a bit too Western tastes It’s one of the easy low-fat recipes with chicken I come back to time and again with my family when we want something warm and comforting!
What I like about this recipe is that the honey cuts just enough of the spicy heat to make the dish irresistible The sweetness doesn’t detract from the dish either and is barely present in my opinion.
5. Reduced Fat French Toast
“What can I eat on a low-fat diet?” That question has haunted me for a long time but I realized there are more options than I previously thought!
I never thought I would be able to eat French toast again but this recipe proved me wrong!
Skim milk and an egg substitute are what help to keep the fat low, and the ground cinnamon adds a little warmth through its spice while the vanilla extract is so aromatic and flavorful that it tastes like you’re getting more fatty cream than you actually are!
6. Healthier Creamy Rice Pudding
When considering what meals are fat-free, this simple rice pudding dessert is a great example of that!
There is a good amount of low-fat milk in this recipe but it is much better than other dairy products often used to make a rich rice pudding, like heavy cream.
The egg is the secret to making this rice pudding luxuriously thick and creamy.
It actually acts as a starchy thickener that adds extra protein without too many calories or fats to feel guilty about!
7. Healthy Tuna Salad
Tuna is often described as the chicken of the sea for how many applications it has in the culinary world.
It isn’t fishy even when preserved or canned, and it is high in proteins with only some healthy fats for the brain!
The simplicity of this recipe lends itself to low-fat meals on a budget that can be made ahead of time before serving on a wholesome slice of whole-grain bread.
The kicker is the celery used in this tuna salad, it breathes fresh air into this zesty selection of ingredients with the crunch it provides!
8. Simple Skinny Tomato Soup
Lavish tomato soups are known to have a great deal of cream that can be high in fats, not so good for low-fat meal ideas.
This recipe actually has no cream whatsoever but comes packed with flavor so you can enjoy it wholeheartedly without the fear of excessive fats!
“How does the soup get thick then?”, I hear you ask. Corn flour! A low-fat thickening agent that doesn’t affect the taste of the soup! So get ready to dip your bread crusts into your new favorite tomato soup!
9. Best, Easy Healthy Baked Salmon
When it comes to what cooking methods are low in fat, baking is one of the best options mankind has come up with.
It’s also the perfect way to enjoy a nice bit of fresh salmon in low-fat meals!
The minced garlic is a little bit of a twist on this baked salmon recipe, and one that I welcome with open arms.
If you could add cheese to this recipe and keep it low fat, I probably would, but I’ll settle for the intoxicating aroma of garlic!
10. Perfect Summer Fruit Salad
You might think that a fruit salad is just a bunch of fruits cut up and mixed together, but if you want a truly special fruit salad it takes just a little bit more effort!
Some citrus juices help keep the flavor and color of the fruits, and the zest imparts a wonderful tang to even the milder of the included fruits.
It may seem bizarre to add vanilla extract to your fruit salad, but the sweet notes meld surprisingly well with the sweet nature of the banana and the brown sugar!
11. How to Boil Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob is one of those filling low-fat meal ideas that can bring a whole family together when you get a big pot of it for a cookout.
The vegetable is full of fibre and starch which works perfectly for low-fat diets.
Salt and pepper are the best traditional seasonings for corn on the cob.
If you’re being a little lenient on the fat, some butter helps keep the seasonings on and adds a whole new level of yummy goodness.
12. Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Put this recipe in your low-fat menus for when you need to take a dip at that popping block party! Just because the spinach artichoke dip is healthy and low fat, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it!
Cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese all go into making this dangerously tasty dip.
Who doesn’t like low-fat cheese?
I know I do, but the non-fat Greek yoghurt binds all the ingredients and seasonings together as well as provides its own unique flavor.
13. Healthy Baked Crab Cakes
It’s hard to go wrong with crispy crab cakes when they’re baked, one of the healthiest ways to cook food.
These meaty morsels of seafood are almost the perfect size for popping into your mouth, something I’ve certainly done myself!
Half of a jalapeño pepper cuts through what little fat there is in this recipe without being too spicy for those that can’t handle the heat.
It also adds a smoky flavor that pairs so indescribably well with the crab meat.
14. Healthy Banana Bread
You can’t survive on bread alone, although I wish I could with this amazingly moist banana bread!
Fair warning, this recipe does have a relatively high amount of sugar because of the naturally sweet bananas and the five added tablespoons of sugar, but it is still low fat!
The common combination of vanilla extract and ground cinnamon in other baked goods and pastries finds its way into this banana bread as well, and rightly so!
The thought alone is tempting enough to start the waterworks in your mouth, but the smell and taste will put you over the edge!
15. Healthy Beef Stroganoff
By starting the stroganoff from scratch, you can easily make this traditionally creamy dish low fat that will still demand seconds from everyone at the table.
Non-fat Greek yoghurt and sour cream are substituted in place of things like cream of mushroom or heavy cream to make a thick, soupy base.
Worcestershire sauce complements the flavor brought to the table by the dijon mustard and adds to the color of the dish achieved by cooking down the mushrooms and beef.
16. Homemade Healthy Fat-Free Baked Tortilla Chips
When we think of chips and fries, we often think about frying and oil but these homemade tortilla chips use baking to make the chips fat and sin-free.
What’s also great about these baked tortilla chips is that you can cut them into any size and shape you want, so get creative and make snacking fun for the kids!
Pair the tortilla chips with a bit of simple salt on top for a premium, fat-free food experience.
They also work great as little boats for all sorts of dips and salsa!
17. Best Ever Syn Free Roast Potatoes
Potatoes are so versatile and can be prepared in almost limitless ways, but a lot of those ways involve cooking them with an excess of oil or other fats that make them unusable in low-fat diets.
Using high-quality potatoes (basically any that aren’t Russet potatoes) will give them a lot more flavor when roasting but the true secret ingredient is the broth flavoring cube.
You can choose whether you use chicken or vegetable cubes but just make sure you don’t use a broth flavor that is overpowering like beef.
18. Low-Calorie Pizza
Pizza is the most popular food in the whole world.
In the United States alone, it is estimated that 350 slices of pizza are sold every second. But even the lowest calorie pizzas at major chains can total over 1000 calories for the whole pizza.
This pizza is quick to make, even making no-rise pizza dough from scratch, and topped with everything you need to keep your slices low fat.
And while pizza is Italian in origin, adding Italian seasoning to both the sauce and crust makes it pop more than your run-of-the-mill dough!
19. Healthy Chicken Salad
If you’re not one for tuna or seafood in general, this chicken salad recipe keeps the fat low by using plain, non-fat, or low-fat yoghurt.
Fresh red onion, dill, and celery make it an absolute joy to dine on this light filling for sandwiches.
The mayo also adds a little bit of useful fat that binds everything together, but it is so necessary for the taste as well!
Go a step further with avocado oil mayo so that even if it does have fat, it is healthy unsaturated fats!
19 Easy Low-Fat Recipes
Ingredients
- 16 ounces frozen popcorn chicken about 4 cups
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 medium carrots thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1-1/2 tsps grated orange zest
- 1 c orange juice
- 1/3 c hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsps sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Dash cayenne pepper
- Hot cooked rice
Instructions
- Cook a package of popcorn chicken according to the included instructions (we recommend the baking method for extra crispiness!).
- Using medium-high heat, heat oil in a large skillet.
- Stir-fry carrots until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in your hoisin sauce, juice, orange zest, sugar, and other seasonings.
- Heat to a boil-equivalent amount of popping before reducing the heat and simmer uncovered for 4-6 minutes or until thickened. Stir the skillet constantly during this time.
- Add the popcorn chicken to the skillet, and gently toss to coat with the sauce.
- Serve hot with fresh rice.