24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (2024)

These nutritious recipes make it easy (and delicious) to follow a heart-healthy eating pattern. These recipes are low in saturated fat and sodium and full of vegetables and protein. Whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner recipes like Salmon Caesar Salad and Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon are flavorful and make healthy eating a breeze.

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Yogurt Sundaes in Granola Cups

Kids will love this healthy breakfast riff on a classic sundae. We replace the ice cream with good-for-you Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries and a few chocolate chips; it's all served in an edible granola bowl for extra fun.

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Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (1)

This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor.

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Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (2)

Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can't find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper (see Associated Recipes). This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that's ready in 25 minutes.

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Black Bean-Queso Wraps

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (3)

These easy wraps are filled with black beans, corn, red pepper and creamy queso. They cook up quickly in a panini press.

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Cherry Smoothie

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (4)

The combination of oat milk, vanilla extract and sweet cherries makes this recipe taste like a cherry pie smoothie. Adding a bit of brown sugar boosts that nostalgia even more.

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Salmon Caesar Salad

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This easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too.

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Breakfast Beans with Microwave-Poached Egg

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (6)

In Costa Rica, this popular breakfast bean dish is called gallo pinto, which means spotted rooster, referring to the dark beans amid the pale rice. We call for cooked barley here, but you can use whatever leftover cooked grain you may have on hand.

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Sweet & Peppery Flank Steak with Shish*tos

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (7)

This flank steak recipe comes together easily on a baking sheet, but if you're itching to take it outside, fire up the grill instead. Just be sure to use a grill basket for the peppers so you don't end up chasing them around the grates, or worse, losing them to the fire.

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Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (8)

Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.

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Easy Chicken Cutlets with Rhubarb Sauce

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (9)

Sweet white balsamic vinegar balances tart rhubarb in a simple pan sauce for this quick chicken cutlets recipe.

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Italian Egg Breakfast Sandwich

This breakfast sandwich will satisfy your hunger for hours. It features Italian-seasoned scrambled eggs, shredded chicken breast and strips of roasted sweet peppers atop a pesto-smeared toasted whole-grain English muffin.

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Green Goddess Quinoa Bowls with Arugula & Shrimp

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (10)

We're taking advantage of all the healthy items you can find at your local specialty grocery store to create these healthy meal-prep lunches. To add extra protein (while minimizing prep time), we're using fully cooked quinoa and cooked shrimp, both of which you can find in the freezer section. With a few more simple items, including bottled salad dressing, you'll have all the ingredients you need to make these high-protein lunch bowls in under 20 minutes.

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Salmon with Chopped Tomatillo Salad

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (11)

We made this chopped salad with pico de gallo in mind. Tangy tomatillos add fresh crunch to the classic mixture of tomatoes, cilantro and onion to brighten up this broiled salmon recipe.

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Mango Raspberry Smoothie

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (12)

A squeeze of lemon juice adds bright flavor to this frozen fruit smoothie. Mango provides plenty of sweetness without having to add juice, but if it's too tart for you, a touch of agave will do the trick.

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Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Salmon with Potatoes & Peppers

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (13)

Busy weeknights beg for something simple like this salmon sheet-pan dinner. Like the name suggests, it's all cooked on one pan. The potatoes get a head start, followed by sweet bell peppers and finally chili-coated salmon fillets. It's a complete meal with easy cleanup!

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Chopped Salad with Shrimp, Apples & Pecans

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (14)

Sweet and crunchy apples and celery combine with savory shrimp and nutty pecans in this easy, colorful dinner salad.

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Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (15)

Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.

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Grilled Vegetable Salads with Goat Cheese

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (16)

Prepare a week's worth of lunches in about 10 minutes using a handful of ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To save time, we're using a bag of frozen grilled and marinated vegetables, then adding big flavor with marinated goat cheese. If you want to bump up the protein, leftover chicken breast or salmon pair perfectly with this hearty salad.

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Pear-Spiced Oatmeal

This healthy breakfast combines hearty oatmeal with fresh pears, ginger, and cinnamon. It's ready in just 15 minutes and will keep your hunger at bay through lunch.

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Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (17)

Meal-prep a week's worth of delicious and satisfying high-fiber lunches with just 5 simple ingredients and 20 minutes. In this Southwestern-style pasta salad, we're using pasta made with black beans to bump up the fiber to an impressive 14 grams per serving. Paired with seasoned chicken strips and a flavorful corn salad--shortcut ingredients you can often find at your local specialty grocery store--this meal-prep lunch is one you'll get excited for.

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Tofu Tacos

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (18)

These quick vegan tacos, filled with a spicy tofu filling, make a perfect weeknight dinner. To keep them vegan, top them with shredded cabbage, fresh pico de gallo and guacamole. For vegetarians, add crumbled queso fresco.

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Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps

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24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (19)

For these meal-prep-friendly lettuce wraps, we swap the traditional warm filling for a cold plant-based bean salad filling loaded with fresh herbs and lemon. Topping each lettuce leaf with a little quinoa before adding the filling helps to keep the lettuce from getting soggy.

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Vanilla Yogurt with Apricots

Dried apricots give plain vanilla yogurt a tart-sweet boost of flavor, plus potassium and fiber.

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Chipotle Turkey & Swiss Sandwich

This better-for-you sandwich is made with whole wheat bread and reduced-fat mayonnaise and cheese, so you can feel great about your lunch choice.

24 Heart-Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes (2024)

FAQs

What is an example of a heart-healthy meal? ›

1. Spaghetti with sardines and cherry tomatoes. Easy to make and low in saturated fat, salt and sugar, this recipe is another great way to incorporate fish into your diet – perfect for a weeknight meal.

What foods are good for a cardiac diet? ›

Foods to eat
  • Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, and trout)
  • Lean meats such as 95% lean ground beef or pork tenderloin or skinless chicken or turkey.
  • Eggs.
  • Nuts, seeds, and soy products (tofu)
  • Legumes such as kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lima beans.
Mar 24, 2022

What is a heart-healthy breakfast? ›

Scrambled eggs, whole-grain toast, one cup of milk and sliced apples. Greek yogurt with whole-grain cereal and berries. Whole-grain toast with peanut butter or alternative, sliced apples, one cup of milk. Yogurt parfait with plain yogurt, ground flax seeds or muesli and fresh fruit.

What is the 3 day cardiac diet? ›

The 3-Day Cardiac Diet sets strict limits on foods you can eat during specific meals. Meals generally consist of a protein source paired with fruits, vegetables, toast, or saltine crackers. Salt and pepper are the only permitted spices. For dessert, vanilla ice cream is allowed once per day during dinner.

Which drink is best for the heart? ›

Water is the drink of choice for heart health. If you're thirsty, drink water.

What should heart patients not eat? ›

Top Foods Cardiologists Want You to Avoid for Heart Health
  • Red meat (including “the other white meat”) ...
  • Bacon, hot dogs, and other processed meats. ...
  • French fries and other fried foods. ...
  • Sugary drinks and cereals. ...
  • Potato chips and snack foods. ...
  • Full-fat dairy products. ...
  • Baked goods, cookies, and pastries.
Feb 1, 2023

Is peanut butter good for a cardiac diet? ›

Peanut butter also contains omega-6 fatty acid. This fatty acid lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol and increases good (HDL) cholesterol. In addition, peanuts are a natural source of arginine, an amino acid that may prevent heart and vascular disease by promoting good blood vessel function.

What is the single healthiest thing to eat? ›

Top 10 Foods for Health
  1. Water. Drink 8 to 12 cups of water daily.
  2. Dark green vegetables. Eat dark green vegetables at least three to four times a week. ...
  3. Whole grains. Eat whole grains sat least two or three times daily. ...
  4. Beans and lentils. Try to eat a bean-based meal at least once a week. ...
  5. Fish. ...
  6. Berries. ...
  7. Winter squash. ...
  8. Soy.

What is the number 1 healthiest diet? ›

“It's not surprising that the Mediterranean diet ranked number one,” says Jackie Newgent , a registered dietitian, Forbes Health Advisory Board member and panelist for our best diets ranking. “First, it's not a 'diet' as we have come to think of diets; it's a lifestyle.

What is the healthiest single meal? ›

Healthy meal-for-one recipes
  • Miso mushroom & tofu noodle soup. A star rating of 4.1 out of 5. ...
  • Sweet & sour tofu. A star rating of 4.1 out of 5. ...
  • Creamy mushrooms on toast. ...
  • Vegetarian ramen. ...
  • Couscous & fish in a bag. ...
  • Miso broccoli, egg & quinoa salad. ...
  • Chicken breast with avocado salad. ...
  • Curried mango & chickpea pot.

What is the best dinner for heart patient? ›

Boost Your Cardiovascular Health with Delicious Meals
  • Chicken Kebabs. ...
  • Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles. ...
  • Morning Burritos. ...
  • Macaroni and Cheese with Cashew Cream. ...
  • Sweet Potato, White Bean Hummus, and Israeli Salad. ...
  • Seared Salmon with Pistachio Gremolata. ...
  • Spiced Lentil Soup. ...
  • Irish Pork Roast with Roasted Root Vegetables.
May 27, 2023

What is the best breakfast for clogged arteries? ›

Oatmeal. Both doctors cited oats as their regular favorite breakfast. Oatmeal contains lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and studies associate it with lowering cholesterol and helping with weight control, according to the American Heart Association. “My go-to is really oatmeal,” Freeman says.

Which is the most heart healthy meal? ›

Lean meat, poultry and fish; low-fat or fat-free dairy products; and eggs are some of the best sources of protein. Choose lower fat options, such as skinless chicken breasts rather than fried chicken patties. And choose skim milk rather than whole milk. Fish is healthier than high-fat meats.

Can you eat pasta on a cardiac diet? ›

Foods high in these fats are bad for your heart. You should also limit cooking with coconut and palm oils, as well as butter or margarine. White breads. Also known as refined carbohydrates, skip white bread, crackers and pasta.

What fast food is good for heart patients? ›

We've rounded up six fast-food orders dietitians say are actually good for your heart.
  • DIY Pizza at Blaze Pizza.
  • Lifestyle Bowls at Chipotle.
  • Fruit and Maple Oatmeal at McDonald's.
  • DIY Taco Bowl at Qdoba.
  • Chickpea Bites and Avocado Protein Box at Starbucks.
  • Chicken Soft Tacos at Taco Bell.
Sep 18, 2022

Is chicken a heart healthy meal? ›

Many studies have found that including lean chicken as part of your eating pattern can lead to a reduction in “bad” LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, as well as less risk of heart disease.

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