Everyone experiences pregnancy differently, so this mix of casseroles, soups, salads and more has something to offer any palate. Whether you’re in the mood for quick pasta for two, a mini charcuterie plate or a veggie-packed sheet-pan dinner, these dinners require just 20 minutes of active time or less. Calcium, iron and folate are important during pregnancy, so these recipes are a good source of one or more of those crucial nutrients. Recipes like our Skillet Ravioli Lasagna and Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew are easy, delicious meals that support a healthy pregnancy. For more information, check out our Pregnancy Diet Center.
Grilled Chicken with Farro & Roasted Cauliflower
You can find farro in most grocery stores, near the rice. If you can’t find farro, you can use wheat berries or brown rice instead; cook according to package directions.
Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
This easy inside-out ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food—no layering or mixing bowls required. Feel free to swap in ground turkey for the beef. Look for fresh mozzarella balls (also called “pearls”) in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store.
Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls
Skip the tortillas in favor of this warm fajita salad, which features a nutritious medley of chicken with roasted kale, bell peppers and black beans. The chicken, beans and vegetables are all cooked on the same pan, so this healthy dinner is easy to make and the cleanup is easy too.
Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.
Creamy Mushroom & Spinach Pasta
Make this creamy mushroom and spinach pasta for an easy, healthy dinner. Be sure to save some of the pasta-cooking water as it helps the sauce emulsify.
One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan
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.
Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.
Steak Enchilada Skillet
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This one-skillet dinner is a breeze to pull together, making it perfect for busy weeknights—plus it’s easy to build and adjust to taste for picky eaters. Flour tortillas are cooked right in the skillet with everything else. Add them gradually to prevent them from sticking together. For a slightly different flavor and firmer texture, swap out the flour tortillas for corn tortillas.
Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.
Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
To achieve flavor quickly in this pasta recipe, we use the oil from sun-dried tomatoes to create the base of the cream sauce. Meanwhile, the residual heat of the pasta wilts the spinach in record time for a fast weeknight dinner.
Homemade Testaroli with Pesto
Testaroli is a classic Italian pasta that’s cooked in two steps: first it’s baked in the oven, then it’s boiled until tender. Here we top it with a fresh basil-and-parsley pesto. Read more about testaroli here.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta with Chicken
If you love warm spinach and artichoke dip, then you’ll love that we turned this classic dip into a creamy pasta dish with chicken. And here’s what’s almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp for Two
This healthy dinner recipe comes together in record time thanks to quick-cooking shrimp. Lemon juice brightens the sauce while yogurt adds creaminess. This recipe was adapted from our popular Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp to serve two instead of four.
Tabbouleh, Hummus & Pita Plate
This Mediterranean-inspired vegan picnic dinner features traditional fare like tabbouleh, hummus, olives and fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s perfect to pack and take along or even to serve as an easy, healthy meal at home.
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Canned pumpkin adds mellow background flavor and works to thicken up this turkey pumpkin chili. Smoked paprika adds flavor with a hint of spice. This chili is on the thicker side—if you want it thinner, add a bit more water.
Spicy Chicken Pasta with Peppers & Onions
Inspired by the flavors of fajitas, this healthy chicken pasta is packed with color and spice. We use a mix of chili powder, cumin and chipotle powder to add heat and flavor.
Chicken & Veggie Quesadilla
This easy quesadilla recipe uses canned cooked chicken to save time. You can also use leftover cooked chicken or turkey if you have it. Dice the vegetables up to 1 day ahead for even speedier prep.
Chopped Cobb Salad with Chicken
This healthy chopped salad is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. You can reserve the remaining hard-boiled egg half for a snack.
Prosciutto, Mozzarella & Melon Plate
This perfect picnic for two is great for an outdoor date night or even just a quick, romantic dinner at home. The fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese pair perfectly with sparkling water for sipping. Chocolate-dipped strawberries for dessert make the meal extra-special.
Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes
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.
Butternut Squash Soup with Avocado & Chickpeas
Jazz up a can of soup by adding protein with chickpeas and flavor with curry powder. Stir in a little Greek yogurt to make it creamy.
