41 Healthy Lunch Ideas

If you're looking for new healthy lunch ideas, you're in the right place. These easy lunch recipes are fun, filling, and good for you, too!

Good healthy lunch ideas are like gold. In the middle of a busy work day, lunch is the longest break I take. It’s a time to reset, relax, and re-energize to tackle the tasks that lie ahead. Great healthy lunch recipes are ones that I can make ahead of time and that will keep me full and focused throughout the afternoon. But the best healthy lunch ideas taste delicious, too! They add something fun and flavorful to the middle of the work day, making my midday break extra-refreshing and worth looking forward to. Below, you’ll find my top healthy lunch ideas,…

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Chilaquiles

Topped with fried eggs, these chilaquiles verdes are a delicious breakfast or brunch. Load them up with crema and fresh garnishes before digging in!

In my book, this chilaquiles recipe is the ULTIMATE Sunday brunch. Sorry pancakes, waffles, and French toast—after years of living in Austin, I wake up craving breakfast dishes that are spicy and bright. And in that respect, these chilaquiles verdes seriously deliver. What are chilaquiles? Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican dish. Similar to migas, they were first made as a way to use up stale tortillas. They consist of fried tortillas cooked in a flavorful sauce, typically salsa verde or salsa roja. You can top chilaquiles with eggs and serve them for breakfast or brunch, like I do here, but…

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Cilantro Lime Crema

Plain old sour cream can't compare to this zesty cilantro lime crema recipe. It's easy to make, and it adds bold, bright flavor to tacos, burritos, and more!

Skip the sour cream—this cilantro lime crema is the BEST way to add a burst of tangy flavor to tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. I love it because it’s more complex than regular sour cream or my go-to alternative, Greek yogurt. The lime juice gives it zesty brightness, the cilantro freshens it up, and a little onion powder adds addictive savory depth. And the best part? To make this cilantro lime crema recipe, you just need 7 simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes. The next time you want to jazz up Mexican or Tex Mex fare (or even grilled veggies!)…

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Garlic Yogurt Sauce

This homemade garlic yogurt sauce is creamy, tangy, and SO easy to make! Stir it together in minutes to jazz up wraps, roasted vegetables, and more.

This garlic yogurt sauce is the simplest sauce you’ll ever make. In fact, it’s so simple that I wondered if I should even share it. Does a 5-ingredient, 5-minute recipe really deserve its own blog post? But here’s the thing: I’ve been making this garlic yogurt sauce for years. It’s the perfect “emergency sauce.” When you’re putting together a meal—tacos, wraps, quinoa bowls—and you realize you need something creamy and tangy to drizzle on top, this garlic yogurt sauce is there for you. You always have the ingredients in your pantry. You can make it in minutes (no food processor…

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Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is famously good on steak, but uses for this Argentinian sauce don't end there. Drizzle it over vegetables and more for fresh, tangy flavor.

vegetarian / cooking basics

If you’re not making chimichurri at home, you absolutely should be! This Argentinian green sauce is fresh and tangy, and you can mix it up in under 10 minutes. It’s famously good on steak, but I can attest that it tastes delicious on just about everything else too—vegetables, beans, even polenta. I developed this chimichurri recipe after Jack and I went on our honeymoon in Argentina. While we were there, I ordered chimichurri everywhere I could, savoring its zingy, herbaceous flavor. I wanted to keep enjoying it when we got back, so I learned to make my own. This 8-ingredient…

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Whipped Ricotta

Topped with honey, lemon, and fresh herbs, this whipped ricotta dip feels elevated. But it's so easy to make! You just need 5 minutes and 4 ingredients.

This whipped ricotta dip will be my go-to appetizer for the rest of the summer…and fall…and winter. It feels elevated, but it couldn’t be simpler to make. We’re talking 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep! The recipe comes together in the food processor, the S-blade whizzing away the graininess that store-bought ricotta often has straight out of the package. The whipped ricotta becomes insanely creamy and silky smooth, with a bright burst of flavor from lemon juice. I love to serve it with fresh toppings like honey, herbs, and lemon zest to balance the richness of the dip. Scoop…

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Tofu Sandwich

Great for cookouts or game day, this tofu sandwich is loaded up with the works—BBQ tofu, vegan mayo, slaw, avocado, and pickles. Pass the napkins!

This tofu sandwich recipe doesn’t skimp on flavor. Smoky BBQ tofu plays off a tangy, nutty cabbage salad, which in turn contrasts with sour dill pickles, creamy avocado, and a soft, sweet bun. When it comes to plant-based cookout or game day recipes, it’s a tough one to beat. This tofu sandwich is bold, hearty, and seriously saucy. I learned the hard way: don’t attempt to eat it without a stack of napkins nearby. Tofu Sandwich Recipe Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to make this tofu sandwich recipe: Tofu, of course! 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, to be exact. Note…

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Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Tired of marinara? You'll love this easy roasted red pepper pasta sauce! Creamy and tangy, it's delicious on chewy rigatoni or any pasta you like.

When life gives you roasted red peppers, make roasted red pepper pasta! This yummy recipe is a fun way to change up your weeknight pasta rotation, because even though it looks like pasta with marinara, it tastes like something else entirely. The red pepper pasta sauce is lightly creamy, tangy, and filled with sweet and smoky flavor. Sun-dried tomatoes make it deeply savory, and basil adds a refreshing kick. If you’ve been stuck in a pasta rut lately, I hope you’ll try this recipe. This roasted red pepper pasta is simple, unexpected, and nothing if not flavorful. It’s the perfect…

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Cosmopolitan Cocktail

Travel to the '90s with this Cosmopolitan cocktail recipe! This classic vodka and cranberry juice drink may be retro, but it's still refreshing and delicious.

If you, like me, have seen every episode of Sex and the City, you have to learn how to make a Cosmopolitan cocktail, or Cosmo for short. This tart, refreshing vodka drink is a hallmark of the show, and when you watch Carrie and friends sip enough of them, you can’t help but want to try one. Below, I’m sharing my go-to Cosmopolitan recipe, which is perfect for dinner parties, girls’ nights, and binge watching the Sex and the City reboot (who else is tuning in for season 2 this week?!). It has a gorgeous blush pink color and a sweet and…

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BBQ Tofu

Think tofu is just for vegans? Think again. This easy BBQ tofu recipe is packed with bold flavor. It's sweet, savory, and smoky...everyone will love it!

You can make this BBQ tofu recipe in two ways: in the oven or on the grill. The oven version is an easy protein for vegetarian dinners all year round, while the grilled BBQ tofu is perfect for summer cookouts. I’ve loved making it for our backyard get-togethers lately because it’s a) super simple to make, b) bursting with BBQ flavor, and c) a hit with everyone, tofu skeptics included! This BBQ tofu has a satisfying chewy texture with edges that are crisp and lightly charred. A glossy layer of BBQ sauce coats each cube, giving it an amazing sweet,…

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How to Press Tofu

Learn how to press tofu with and without a tofu press! These two easy methods take just 30 minutes. They'll help you cook crispy tofu every time!

If you’re a tofu lover, learning how to press tofu is a complete game changer. Here’s the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture. It takes on a chewier, firmer texture, which makes it super satisfying to eat and less likely to fall apart. Pressed tofu guzzles up flavor from a sauce or marinade, and it gets SO…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.