Here Are 70 Slim-But-Filling 300-Calorie Dinners

Nobody complains about eating leftovers when these are on the menu. Addictively crunchy, these crispy, cheesy croquettes make a great dinner or an afternoon snack. To make them gluten-free, substitute gluten-free baking mix for the all-purpose flour and use gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Frozen hash browns make it possible to whip up latkes in minutes. Enjoy the combo of crisp potato pancakes and a simple green salad for a light entrée, or serve alongside roast chicken or beef for a protein punch.

One-skillet dinners like this one make weeknight cooking a breeze—and since it comes together in 30 minutes, you spend less time cooking and more enjoying the meal. Starting the chicken in a cold skillet renders flavorful fat that crisps up the chicken and potatoes to golden perfection. Use a cast-iron skillet; its even heat distribution delivers delicious results.

Can’t find turkey cutlets? Use chicken cutlets or breasts. Serve the soup with a crunchy salad and citrus vinaigrette.

Smooth and custardy, silken tofu blends perfectly with the butternut squash and pumpkin to create the ultimate velvety texture. And thanks to its protein and fiber, the dish is quite filling—your family won’t even know it’s 295 calories and completely vegan.

Pounding the flat iron steak breaks down the muscle fibers and tenderizes the meat. Grain-fed flat iron steaks are a relatively tender cut. But with grass-fed steak's lower fat content, we find pounding the meat before cooking ensures tenderness. It also helps the steaks cook quickly—they only need about 3 minutes on a searing hot grill to hit medium-rare.

Hearty collard greens pack this pesto with vitamin K, an essential nutrient for bone health. Buttery Castelvetrano olives make any extra pesto perfect for adding big flavor to pasta and grilled cheese sandwiches; substitute any green olive if you can’t find them.

This 20-minute dish provides 32g of protein and is just 261 calories per serving. To ensure this comforting soup’s velvety texture, whisk a little of the hot broth into the eggs before adding them to the pot; it cooks them gently and prevents curdling.

We love a great gumbo, but the dish can feel a little too hearty for warm summer days. This dish keeps the classic elements of gumbo but with a fresh identity. Traditional? No. Completely delicious? Yes!

Cook this with either hanger or flank steak, whichever you prefer. The onions add a hit of umami, but feel free to omit them.

While a lot of curry paste makes a fantastic marinade, just a little can make a light, fragrant poaching liquid for delicate cod fillets. A crunchy, colorful slaw makes this a refreshing summer main.

Ridged shishito peppers are usually pleasantly bitter with mild to medium heat, but watch out: Every so often, you'll get one that packs a fiery punch.

A mandoline is the best tool for shaving the vegetables into thin, even slices, but the salad would be just as delicious with thinner shaved ribbons (using a vegetable peeler) or slightly thicker slices (using a sharp knife). If you don't have pecorino romano, you can substitute, you can substitute Parmesan cheese.

A bright and tangy Asian cucumber salad makes a crisp compliment to quick sauteed shrimp. Gently smashing fresh cucumber slices helps them absorb more vinaigrette, almost as if they've been marinating overnight. It’s a popular technique in many parts of Asia because cucumbers take on sweet, sour, and spicy flavors so well.

If ground turkey is a staple protein in your kitchen, try ground chicken—the blend of light breast and rich thigh meat is just as flavorful and quick-cooking. A cast-iron skillet helps with browning, but any large skillet will do. True to most stir-frying techniques, we separate the tough stems of the bok choy from the tender leaves and cook them first so that everything has just the right doneness. One large bok choy can stand in for the baby ones; be sure to trim off the wide, fibrous ends and cut the stems into thin slices. Serve with Scallion-and-Cilantro Barley to make a hearty grain bowl.

Fingerling potatoes add some satisfying heft to a light dish of fish and veggies in a clean broth.

Beef tenderloin steaks are often considered a special-occasion cut, but when they go on sale (or you're ready for a splurge), this classic preparation is foolproof. Use a timer rather than turning, prodding, or overcooking the steaks, and set the timer again while they rest so you don't slice too soon.

Create a flavorful, golden crust on the pork roast by browning it well before placing it in the slow cooker. Red wine, tomatoes, and plenty of aromatics enrich the ragù with savory depth as it cooks low and slow.

This one-pan meal is a crowd-pleaser and testament to how 4 ingredients can come together to form a supremely satisfying dish, ready in a flash. We broil the steak over the veggies so the meat juices baste them as they cook. Choose multifaceted flat iron steak. Butchered from the shoulder (chuck), it gives you the best of both beefy worlds: One end of the cut is tender and mild, while the opposite end has sirloin-like chew and deep, mineral flavor.

Classic potpies use several pans to simmer and sauté vegetables, build a sauce, and bake the pie. The skillet does it all here, and it is the perfect size for a golden, flaky piecrust lid. No chicken collection is complete without a potpie. You can substitute diced Yukon Gold potatoes and kale or chard for the turnips and turnip greens.

Spaghetti squash is a great lower-calorie, lower-carb alternative to pasta. It’s a neutral tasting veggie that absorbs all the flavors of this simple skillet, so be sure to toss well to coat every strand. The end result is a veggie-based meal in a bowl that you can quickly throw together—a nice alternative to salads when you want to fill up on vegetables.

The gorgeous tomatoes are the icing on top of this creamy, decadent mac and cheese. You’ll love the artichokes, too. Make this dish gluten-free by using the brown rice elbow pasta and brown rice flour options listed in the ingredients. 

Escarole is amped up with a salty kick from fish sauce and pecorino and is brightened with sweet, crunchy carrots.

Chicken Enchiladas are the ultimate in family-favorite dishes. Chicken breasts are poached in a highly-flavored liquid; then the liquid does double duty as a sauce when mixed with salsa verde and whipping cream and spooned over the chicken-filled tortillas.

For a finishing touch of color and light, herby flavor, garnish the dish with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

The radish relish gives a hit of bright crunch to the tostada; sour cream adds a cool, creamy finish.

Roasting shrimp in the oven is a hands-off route to bringing out robust flavor; the method also helps prevent overcooking, keeping shrimp tender. Prep tip: It's easier to grate the rind before juicing the lemon.

A dollop of Mexican crema adds a cooling finish to the vibrant pairing of grilled shrimp and cabbage.

One egg adds 6g protein to this vegetarian plate; the yolk is also a creamy dressing.

Don't skip the chilling step: It gives flavors time to soak into the barley.

The recipe title here is a playful pun, taking its cues from the pronunciation of the star ingredient. Mushrooms and chiles play surprisingly well together, and this peppy concoction highlights the maitake's robust, roast chicken–like flavor.

'Shroom subs: Oyster, pioppini, portobello, shiitake, chanterelle

We like our version extra chunky, so we only puree about a third of the broccoli mixture. For a thinner, smoother consistency, add more soup to the blender.

We love the high-impact flavors in this recipe. The vibrant, colorful relish will not only look divine when plated atop grilled chicken thighs, but will taste just as amazing.

Crispy breaded fish is a weeknight favorite, and you can have it without reaching into the freezer case. What we love about this recipe is that you don't even need to pan-fry the fillets; they get breaded and go right under the broiler. Be sure to use a broiler pan; the air vents keep the fish from getting soggy. Our only change was to slightly decrease the amount of salt—it's still fantastic.

Traditional creamy chicken casserole can have more than 800 calories per serving, but we’re serving up this classic comfort dish with a fraction of the calories.

Chicken with kick, paired with a spicy pineapple dressing, makes this Cooking Light main-dish salad recipe one to add to your repertoire.

Capturing the simplicity found in sun-drenched Mediterranean cuisine, these braised chicken thighs melt under the influence of bright, vibrant lemon, briny olives and capers, and juicy plum tomatoes. Serve with rosemary mashed potatoes or over hot basmati rice.

We add white cheddar cheese to this comfort-food favorite making it seem more indulgent than it actually is at less than 300 calories per serving.

Chicken cutlets can range in size from about 2 ounces each to close to 5 or 6 ounces each. For this dish, we chose the smaller ones.

This saucy dish is worthy of a dinner party; just serve with a side of brown rice or rice noodles. Cola is the secret ingredient, yielding a luscious sauce with great body.

You can set up this recipe in less than 15 minutes, turn on the slow cooker, and go. Come back in four hours, and your supper will be ready.

We like the creamy, custardy consistency of this quiche when it's baked for 35 minutes. If you prefer a firmer texture, bake an additional 5 minutes.

Fresh mandarin oranges, riesling, and orange marmalade provide the highlights for the sweet profile, while crushed red pepper adds the spicy kick to this Asian-inspired turkey dish. Serve with hot steamed rice as an accompaniment to soak up the delicious sauce.

Satisfy beef cravings with skirt steak, an ultra-flavorful cut that does well on the grill in no time. The veggie-based sauce with tangy tomatillos is a perfect match for charred beefiness.

Our Tomato Tart is a classic dish that's a summery spectacular, but it can also be a creamy, cheesy calorie and sat-fat bomb. Ours is meat-free and cream-free, but olives add satisfying richness.

Fast-food chicken pies can contain 800 calories per serving. We deploy full-flavored chicken thighs and smoky bacon to add depth. Store-bought pie crust keeps prep easy.

A healthy take on pad thai, this dish stretches 12 ounces of shrimp to feed four and keeps the noodle portion in check. Sauce has some pumped-up kicks, comparable to many restaurant versions.

Chicken is pure lean protein (use a good brand for chickeny flavor). Cherries and nectarines lend a sweet-tart counterpoint. Brown rice adds whole-grain goodness.

Salmon is low in calories and rich in healthy fats, and goes beautifully with a sweet, salty, spicy glaze and this ingenious summery slaw.

Because it's sustainably farm-raised and widely available, tilapia is a great option. And since it doesn't have an assertive flavor, it pairs well with a variety of ingredients.

This unexpected taco filling is crunchy and delicious. Serve with mashed black beans.

Don't let the low-calorie count fool you, these Greek-inspired spinach- and feta cheese-stuffed pork chops have earned rave reviews from our readers.

Chef Ed Kenney uses Hawaiian fish such as mahimahi and onaga (long-tailed snapper), but any type of meaty, white fish like snapper will work in this low-calorie recipe.

This piquant herb sauce gets depth from anchovies and brightness from lime juice. To tone down the contrast, start by using less of each and taste and add as you go. If your grill is large enough, you can cook the vegetables and chicken all at once. Serve with a scoop of brown rice, and you're all set.

Flaky halibut is dressed with light and refreshing lemon-herb sauce for a delicious dish that will only take 22 minutes to prepare. Serve with a side vegetable and a cold glass of wine for a satisfying meal.

Peppery arugula is a fantastic bed for grilled steak. Don't skip on the shaved Parmesan, it gives a salty bite.

This salad dressing mimics the flavor of a typical Caesar but in a vinaigrette form that allows this salad to stay under 300 calories.

Highlight the sweet and subtle flavor of halibut with a smoky homemade romesco sauce.

Chermoula, a North African herb and spice paste, imparts bold flavors with minimal effort. This low-calorie recipe will need to marinate for 8 hours or overnight, so be sure to plan ahead.

Mahimahi is simple and easy to prepare, as is the bacon-tomato butter. It's rich and sweet, and the dish is great served with a salad, pasta, or fresh vegetables.

Watercress offers a refreshing change from spinach and other greens. Scallops are a sustainable buy, but for the best choice, pick diver-caught scallops from Mexico.

Fresh and light describe the flavors of this salad. With pops of green onions, herbs and cucumber, and bright red bell pepper, this dish will be a delight for both the eyes and the palate.

Coming in at under 200 calories per serving, this colorful grilled summer dish is perfect for a light picnic on the patio. Sautéed chard makes a simple side.

For convenience, you can make the tomatoes and fritters in advance, then reheat them to serve. Reheating the fritters in an oven or toaster oven will keep them from being soggy.

Who says dinner party food can't be low-calorie? For ease, make the pork mixture for these tamales a day or two ahead. The recipe makes quite a few servings; serve with Spanish saffron-flavored rice for a fun evening with friends.

The rich flavors of chicken and goat cheese join forces in this impressive 5-star, low-calorie main dish. Serve with orzo or rice to soak up the shallot-thyme sauce, but keep portions in check to keep this a low-calorie meal.

A quick brine keeps the pork moist and juicy, while the Plum and Jicama Relish provides sweet and spicy flavors.

Turning the steak on the grill about every five minutes helps keep the marinade from scorching as the meat cooks. Garnish the serving platter with chopped green onions.

Look for Japanese soba noodles in the ethnic-food section of your supermarket. At just 256 calories per serving, this is one dinner recipe that you can indulge in.

Filet mignon is extra delicious with a rub of herbs and garlic. Serve this quick-fix recipe with roasted red potato wedges and steamed broccoli florets.