17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (2024)

In just 30 minutes, you can have a healthy and satisfying dinner on the table. These dinners are high in fiber, a nutrient that can help remove excess cholesterol from your body. And if you're following a heart-healthy diet, these recipes are also low in sodium and saturated fat. Dinners like Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto and Tofu Tacos prove that healthy eating is delicious.

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30-Minute Roasted Salmon Tacos with Corn & Pepper Salsa

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (1)

A honey-and-chipotle glaze gives this roasted salmon a sweet and spicy kick. If you have time, consider grilling or broiling the corn for a few minutes for additional flavor. Short on time? Thawed frozen corn can be used in place of fresh.

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Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

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Homemade pesto may seem daunting, but in this quick pasta recipe you can make a simple sauce in minutes while the pasta water comes to a boil. You can substitute frozen green beans and cauliflower for fresh; in Step 4, cook the frozen vegetables according to package directions before tossing with the pasta and pesto.

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Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (3)

Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

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Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (4)

This healthy copycat recipe of the comfort food classic trades beans for some of the meat to bump up fiber by 7 grams. We also cut back on the sugar and ketchup in this Sloppy Joe recipe makeover to save you 12 grams of added sugar.

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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (5)

This rich and creamy chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.

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Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (6)

Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.

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Anti-Inflammatory Beet & Avocado Wrap

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (7)

Packed with fiber and monounsaturated fats, avocados are one of the best foods to eat to fight inflammation. Combined with beets, which contain their own inflammation-fighting phytochemicals, you'll get a lunch that packs a healthy punch. The tahini-lemon mixture adds brightness and a nutty flavor to the wrap. To julienne beets, cut them into thin rounds, then slice the rounds into matchsticks. Or to save time, simply grate the beets on the largest holes of a box grater.

Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (8)

This easy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare, meaning that seared steak can be a weeknight meal. Cooking herbs in the pan with the steak releases their aroma, infusing it into the meat while creating a crispy garnish. After the steaks and herbs are pan-seared, the escarole is cooked in the same skillet, so this healthy dinner requires minimal cleanup too.

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Tofu Tacos

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (9)

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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Cashew, Chickpea & Pasta Salad with Cilantro-Mint-Shallot Vinaigrette

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (10)

In our humble opinion, the dressing makes this salad. Tangy and zesty with a bit of a crunch from the shallots, this cilantro-mint-shallot vinaigrette will quickly become your go-to. Make the dressing and chop up the veggies while you wait for the pasta to cook, then mix everything and enjoy!

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White Bean Ragout

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (11)

Topped with Asiago cheese, this bean ragout dinner for two is perfect for a cool fall night.

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Vegan Black Bean Burgers

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (12)

These easy vegan black bean burgers have a healthy dose of fiber thanks to the combination of black beans and quinoa. Cumin and chipotle chile powder give these vegan burgers a Southwestern spin. Using your hands to combine the mixture creates a soft, uniform texture.

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Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (13)

In this healthy BBQ shrimp recipe, shrimp are seasoned with a peppery spice blend and served with zucchini, peppers and whole-grain orzo for a delicious and easy dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes. The shrimp and veggies are cooked in the same skillet, so cleanup is a snap too.

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Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowl

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (14)

This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. It also delivers more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, key for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be excellent make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin it as needed.

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Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make 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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Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (16)

Taco night meets baked potato night with this simple recipe for loaded baked potatoes with salsa, beans and avocado. This easy, healthy family dinner comes together with just 10 minutes of active time, so you can make it on even the busiest of weeknights. This recipe is just as delicious with sweet potatoes in place of russets.

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Lemon-Tahini Couscous with Chicken & Vegetables

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (17)

When you want pasta in no time, couscous is your best friend! The tiny pasta balls cook up in minutes, and absorb all the water so you don't have to fuss with draining. Tossed with sautéed vegetables plus leftover chicken, it's a fast and tasty meal in a bowl that's perfect as an easy dinner recipe.

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Easy Tortellini Soup

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (18)

This nourishing, vibrant soup is on the table quickly, making it the perfect weeknight meal. The broth is delicate and creamy, thanks to the Parmesan rind, while dried basil adds an herbaceous note. We call for cheese tortellini, but you can easily swap in your favorite kind.

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Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (19)

This vegan burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve them on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce--it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.

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Black Bean-Queso Wraps

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (20)

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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Chicken Soup with Recaito & Potatoes

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (21)

This hearty chicken soup builds flavor quickly, thanks to store-bought recaito, a cooking base made from culantro, onions, sweet peppers and garlic. Each bite is packed with veggies, including potatoes, carrots and red bell pepper. Lime juice finishes the dish to add brightness.

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Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (22)

It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!

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Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (23)

These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.

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Air-Fryer Shrimp Po'Boys with Rémoulade Slaw

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (24)

A po'boy is a classic New Orleans sandwich, and we stuff this one with plenty of crispy shrimp. A crunchy broccoli slaw and a spicy mayo complete this sandwich for a satisfying medley of textures and flavors. Pickles add another element of crunchiness, but you can leave those on the side, if you prefer.

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Steak Taco Salad

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17 Dinner Recipes for Healthy Cholesterol You Can Make in 30 Minutes (25)

This gluten-free take on a taco salad uses seared flank steak in place of ground beef. Instead of a fried tortilla shell, crisp romaine lettuce forms the sturdy base for each salad. Queso fresco is a firm, mild cheese—a great alternative to feta if you're not a fan of the tang. Keep the tortilla chips whole for scooping, or lightly crush them and sprinkle on top of the bowl.