Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused Diets High-Protein Recipes High-Protein Dinner Recipes 17 High-Protein One-Pot Dinners for Spring By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 2, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player Use seasonal ingredients like broccoli, kale and mushrooms to make these satisfying dinners this spring. From savory skillet pizza to zesty tacos, these filling dishes offer at least 15 grams of protein per serving from foods like chicken, beans, legumes and seafood. That protein can help support healthy digestion, muscle recovery and staying full for longer so you can feel your best. Recipes like our One-Pot Pasta With Spinach & Tomatoes and Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce are easy, flavorful and nutritious meals that come together in just one pot. 01 of 17 Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta This healthy sausage and kale pasta recipe cooks in one skillet, so there's only one pot to clean! Try it with any greens you have in the fridge, such as chard or spinach. View Recipe 02 of 17 One-Pot Pasta With Spinach & Tomatoes Caitlin Bensel This one-pot pasta dinner is simple, fresh, and healthy—what's not to love? Cooking the pasta right in the sauce saves time and cleanup while infusing the noodles with more flavor. This speedy recipe is also endlessly adaptable, and lends itself to plenty of easy ingredient swaps (make sure to check out the clever riffs below). Change up the spinach for any vegetables you have on hand such as sliced zucchini and mushrooms, or add leftover chicken or cooked and crumbled sausage. We've happily embraced whole-wheat spaghetti as a healthier alternative to white pasta; it works especially well in this one-pot application. View Recipe 03 of 17 One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta A little bit of Sunday meal prep goes a long way in this one-dish pasta recipe. The pasta is cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge to use for meals all week, but any leftover cooked pasta you have on hand will do. Chicken sausage with feta is especially good in this recipe. View Recipe 04 of 17 Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce These seared pork chops are topped with a rich and creamy mushroom sauce that gets flavored with fresh herbs. View Recipe 05 of 17 One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless This one-pot pasta dish with white beans, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes is lively and vibrant and leaves you with an easy cleanup. Toasting the orzo before adding the broth adds another layer of flavor. Another dark leafy green like chopped kale or Swiss chard can stand in for the spinach, but may take longer to wilt in the pan. If you use a sturdier green, add it to the pan during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. View Recipe 06 of 17 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli Photographer: Kelsey Hansen; Food Stylist: Greg Luna Shrimp and broccoli cook quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve this healthy shrimp recipe over whole grains or rice. View Recipe 07 of 17 One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan Antonis Achilleos This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body. If you avoid cheese made with rennet, look for vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which is made without it. View Recipe 08 of 17 Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza with Sausage & Kale A piping-hot cast-iron skillet turns pizza dough into a puffy, crisp-bottomed crust (similar to focaccia). If you have children, let them help make this easy pizza recipe: While you cook the sausage, have the kids tear up the kale--no knife required! View Recipe 09 of 17 Bacalao Guisado (Puerto Rican Fish Stew) Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Bacalao, salted dried codfish, is the defining ingredient in traditional Puerto Rican fish stew, but salt cod requires overnight soaking and several rinses in cool water before it can be used. We opt for fresh fish in this quick version. Serve with crusty rolls to soak up the juices. View Recipe 10 of 17 Cabbage & Kielbasa Skillet Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Smoky sausage, tender cabbage and sweet apples, along with mustard and cider vinegar, create a perfect balance of flavor in this hearty skillet dinner. View Recipe 11 of 17 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist:Christine Keely, Food Stylist:Chelsea Zimmer Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce. View Recipe 12 of 17 Smoked Turkey, Kale & Rice Bake This hearty one-skillet dinner is loaded with celery, kale, tomatoes and quick-cooking brown rice. It's easy to make the recipe vegetarian by substituting smoked tofu for the turkey. View Recipe 13 of 17 Steak with Glazed Carrots & Turnips This cast-iron steak recipe has what it takes to transform beef and vegetables from basic to brilliant--a pop of rosemary on the steak, an intense sear in a hot skillet and a sweet-and-sour glaze on the vegetables. Serve with sautéed spinach and a glass of red wine. View Recipe 14 of 17 Smoky Shrimp, Corn & Pea One-Pot Pasta Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila Make your sauce and pasta all at once with this fast weeknight pasta dinner recipe. By using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta--no colanders here--the starch that cooks off into your pasta water, which you usually drain away, stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results. View Recipe 15 of 17 Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner Victoria Jempty This one-pan chicken dinner doesn't get much easier, or more satisfying. In just half an hour, you can have a complete meal on the table that doesn't require loads of dishes afterwards. We call for tender haricots verts because they're quick cooking; traditional green beans likely won't be tender enough after the brief cooking time at the end. If that's all you have on hand, steam them first, and then add them to the pan for the final step. Serve this hearty chicken and potatoes dinner with a simple side salad to sneak in another serving of veggies. View Recipe 16 of 17 Lemony Linguine with Spring Vegetables Instead of cooking pasta in a huge pot of water, here we use just 3 1/2 cups for this one-pot pasta recipe. When the pasta is al dente, most of the water has evaporated and the bit that's left is thickened with the starch that cooks off the pasta. With just a few add-ins like lemon and Parmesan cheese you have a delicious silky sauce. Want to use up your veggie stash in the freezer? Swap in 8 ounces frozen spinach for fresh. View Recipe 17 of 17 Chicken & Broccoli Casserole This one-pan chicken and broccoli casserole is prepared in a skillet on the stovetop, then finished in the oven until it's browned, cheesy and bubbling. Serve with a crunchy green salad. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit