You Just Started a Diabetes Diet—Here Are the Recipes to Make First (2024)

Following a diabetes diet is as delicious as ever with these easy, healthy diabetes-friendly recipes. From Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls to Sesame-Garlic Beef & Broccoli with Whole Wheat Noodles, you can meet your healthy eating goals without sacrificing flavor. Each meal meets our diabetes requirements for recipes, meaning the carbohydrates are balanced to help keep your blood sugar within a healthy range. If you're just starting out following a diabetes friendly diet, or have been doing so for years, here are our favorite recipes to try.

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Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls

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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. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

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Shrimp & Pepper Kebabs with Grilled Red Onion Slaw

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These healthy grilled shrimp and mini bell pepper kebabs come together in just 30 minutes, so they're great for weeknight dinners. A bag of coleslaw mix is a time-saving meal starter. Here, we make it our own by mixing in grilled red onion and crushed pita chips. A homemade herb-feta dressing both coats the slaw and sauces the kebabs. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2019

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Sesame-Garlic Beef & Broccoli with Whole-Wheat Noodles

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A savory marinade with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil infuses flavor into sirloin steak pieces in this healthy beef and broccoli stir-fry recipe. Tip: Partially freeze the beef for easier slicing. Source: What to Eat with Diabetes 2019

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Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

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Homemade poppy seed dressing pairs beautifully with tender spinach, crunchy almonds and juicy berries for a fantastically refreshing and easy spring salad. To make ahead, whisk dressing, combine salad ingredients and store separately. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving. To make it a complete meal, top with grilled chicken or shrimp. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2019

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Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats

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It takes just minutes to assemble this healthy no-cook breakfast and you'll have meal-prepped grab-and-go breakfasts on hand for the rest of the week. Top these delicious vegan oats--inspired by classic cinnamon bun flavors--with fresh or frozen fruit and your favorite nuts and seeds. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2018

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Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

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These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes). Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad

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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. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019

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Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark

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Lightly sweetened Greek yogurt gets studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack or healthy dessert is perfect for kids and adults alike. Use full-fat yogurt to ensure the creamiest bark possible. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2017

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Chipotle Ranch Egg Salad Wraps

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Put a Southwest spin on easy-to-pack egg salad sandwiches with this healthy wrap recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Spinach-Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

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An old-school classic gets a boost of nutrition and flavor from garlicky spinach and tomatoes in this healthy mac and cheese recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

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Everything Bagel Avocado Toast

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Get all the flavor of an everything bagel married with the creaminess of avocado toast in one healthy breakfast. Just toast, top, sprinkle and go for this quick morning meal when you need to get out the door fast. Want to take it up a notch? Top with a poached or fried egg. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2017

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Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls

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Brimming with colorful roasted vegetables, these plant-based meal-prep lunch bowls are high in fiber to keep you full through the afternoon. The easy roasted veggies are based on a popular recipe from our sister magazine (see Associated Recipes). Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus to cut down on prep time, or make a batch of your own (see Tip). You can also sub in an 8-ounce microwaveable quinoa pouch to minimize cooking. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Skillet Chicken Potpie

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Roasted Buffalo Chickpeas

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Soaking chickpeas in vinegary hot sauce gives them a mouthwatering tang before they crisp up in the oven. The result? An addictively crunchy snack that's actually good for you. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2017

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Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil

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Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with spinach, cabbage and white beans and tossed together with a bright basil dressing in this healthy main dish salad. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Mexican-Style Ham and Egg Breakfast

Packed with protein and lower in carbs, these ham and egg breakfast sandwiches with guacamole will keep you full all day. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Flank Steak Tacos with Strawberry Salsa

For this easy taco recipe, we've topped skillet-cooked flank steak with a quick fresh salsa that takes advantage of perfectly ripe strawberries. Make the salsa while the steak cooks for a 30-minute dinner the whole family will love. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2019

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Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls

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A bold, smoky marinade elevates roasted cauliflower in this meal-prep version of our popular Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos (see Associated Recipes). To cut down on prep time, look for precut cauliflower in the produce department. You can also save time by using microwaveable quinoa pouches (you'll need one 8-ounce pouch for this recipe) instead of cooking quinoa. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

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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. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

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Greek Salad Wraps

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Zesty Greek salad packed with tomatoes, cucumber and olives--plus chickpeas for a protein punch--gets tucked into a whole-wheat wrap for a healthy vegan lunch that's easy to pack for work. It's so flavorful and satisfying, you won't miss the feta! Source: EatingWell.com, April 2018

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Sweet Chili Popcorn

Honey and chili powder create the perfect mix of sweet and spicy popcorn. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Charred Shrimp & Pesto Buddha Bowls

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These shrimp and pesto Buddha bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019

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One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

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In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner recipe you'll be returning to again and again. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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Chinese Ginger Beef Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy

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All of the ingredients for this easy beef stir-fry recipe are cooked in one wok (or skillet), so not only is the meal-prep fast for this healthy dinner, cleanup is quick too. Look for Lee Kum Kee Premium oyster-flavored sauce in the Asian-foods aisle of your grocery store. It has the most concentrated oyster flavor. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

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Salmon Pita Sandwich

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This quick lunch recipe is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s thanks to the canned sockeye salmon. If you're bringing this sandwich for lunch, keep the salmon salad separate and stuff the pita just before eating. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2016

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Spinach, Apple & Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing & Cheese Crisps

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Swap out store-bought for this tangy homemade buttermilk and poppy seed dressing to take this healthy salad recipe to the next level. For an even more impressive meal, make your own crunchy cheese crisps in a snap, using phyllo dough, for a delicious accompaniment to this dinner salad. Make extra dressing to keep on hand for other salads throughout the week. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2019

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Hearty Tomato Soup with Beans & Greens

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Garlicky kale and creamy white beans elevate simple canned tomato soup into a 10-minute lunch or dinner that really satisfies. Use a soup with tomato pieces for a heartier texture. Look for a brand that's low- or reduced-sodium, with no more than 450 mg sodium per serving. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019