18 Heart-Healthy Dinner Recipes to Help Lower Cholesterol (2024)

One great way to prioritize your heart health is by keeping your cholesterol in check. High cholesterol can lead to plaque depositing in your arteries, making it harder for your heart to pump blood. Luckily for us, there are several foods that can help lower cholesterol, like salmon, beans, avocados, nuts and garlic. These dinners showcase these heart-healthy ingredients while being lower in sodium and saturated fat to help you meet your nutritional goals. Recipes like Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas and Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Soup are so tasty that they will become regulars in your rotation.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

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This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.

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Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

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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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Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens

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In this healthy salmon dinner, you'll get a dose of greens and green dressing! Chowing down on 6 or more servings of dark leafy greens a week can help keep your brain in top shape. This dish features the Test Kitchen's current go-to method for doctoring a can of chickpeas: spice them up and roast until crispy.

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Red Lentil & Cauliflower Curry

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This cauliflower curry recipe also features red lentils, which turn yellow when cooked. Curry powder, onions, cumin and other seasonings give this vegetarian dinner tons of flavor. Serve over rice to complete the meal.

Carne Asada Tacos

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These flank-steak soft tacos are so tasty and easy, they should be in everyone's repertoire. Plus they're made with fresh corn tortillas (not fried) and topped with a quick homemade salsa made with avocado, tomato, onion and a bright squeeze of lime.

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Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

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A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling.

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Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

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Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.

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Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges and Brussels Sprouts

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This easy sheet-pan recipe brings together many fall favorites into a hearty dinner.

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Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Salmon with Potatoes & Peppers

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Busy weeknights beg for something simple like this salmon sheet-pan dinner. Like the name suggests, it's all cooked on one pan. The potatoes get a head start, followed by sweet bell peppers and finally chili-coated salmon fillets. It's a complete meal with easy cleanup!

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Southwestern Three-Bean & Barley Soup

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Serve this zesty bean and barley soup garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired.

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Chicken Chili Verde

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Prepared salsa verde adds tang to this fast weeknight chili recipe and pairs beautifully with the rich caramelized chicken and creamy beans. Don't shy away from the poblano peppers. They offer a mild heat but deliver a depth of flavor you can't find in regular green bell peppers.

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Slow-Cooker Jambalaya

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This hearty jambalaya is bursting with chicken, smoked turkey sausage, and shrimp. It takes just 25 minutes to prep in the morning and then your slow cooker will work its magic and deliver a tasty meal at the end of the day.

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Garlic Roasted Salmon & Brussels Sprouts

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Roasting salmon on top of Brussels sprouts and garlic, flavored with wine and fresh oregano, is simple enough for a weeknight meal yet sophisticated enough to serve to company. Serve with whole-wheat couscous.

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Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

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Though traditional stuffed cabbage recipes are made with meat, here Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with a combination of rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs for a healthy vegetarian stuffed cabbage recipe. The stuffed cabbage leaves gently bake in a simple tomato sauce. This easy stuffed cabbage recipe can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.

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Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas

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One sheet pan is all you'll need to whip up these zesty chicken fajitas. They're quick and easy to make and cleanup is even faster!

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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

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Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.

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Lentil Burgers

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Walnuts and fresh marjoram accent these vegan lentil burgers. Substitute oregano for marjoram if you like. Serve with a smear of whole-grain mustard and roasted sweet potato wedges.

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

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This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

18 Heart-Healthy Dinner Recipes to Help Lower Cholesterol (2024)

FAQs

What is the best dinner for high cholesterol? ›

Cholesterol-friendly recipes
  • Cinnamon porridge with banana & berries. A star rating of 4.8 out of 5. ...
  • Edamame & chilli dip with crudités. ...
  • Zingy salmon & brown rice salad. ...
  • Spiced quinoa with almonds & feta. ...
  • Vegetable & bean chilli. ...
  • Summer vegetable curry. ...
  • Vegan tagine. ...
  • Open sandwiches - Tomato, sardine & rocket.

What is the single best food to lower cholesterol? ›

1. Oats and Oat Bran. Oats and oat bran are concentrated sources of a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which helps lower cholesterol by preventing the absorption of cholesterol in the GI tract and increasing cholesterol excretion through the stool.

What is the golden drink that lowers cholesterol? ›

Golden milk, also known as turmeric milk, is a common Indian drink that has recently been gaining popularity in western cultures due to many health claims. It's beautiful bright yellow color is a result of adding turmeric, along with spices such as cinnamon and ginger, to milk.

Can I eat spaghetti if I have high cholesterol? ›

If you have high cholesterol, pasta doesn't have to be completely off-limits. By choosing healthy noodle alternatives and other heart-healthy ingredients, you can make cholesterol-friendly pasta dishes. Try to steer clear of high-fat cheeses and meats. Instead, opt for low-fat and lean varieties.

What can I drink to flush out my cholesterol? ›

Cholesterol is often high due to excessive saturated and trans fat consumption. There are certain drinks that can help maintain an ideal cholesterol level. Some of the best drinks for cholesterol management include green tea, pomegranate juice, citrus juice, soy milk, plant-based smoothies, and red wine.

What are the 5 worst foods for cholesterol? ›

  1. Fried foods. French fries, fried chicken, mozzarella sticks and other fried foods have high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat from the oil they get cooked in, per Cleveland Clinic. ...
  2. Red meat. ...
  3. Processed meats. ...
  4. Baked goods. ...
  5. Sugary drinks. ...
  6. Refined carbs. ...
  7. Fast food.
Feb 28, 2024

What should I eat everyday to lower my cholesterol? ›

Cholesterol and healthy eating
  • plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.
  • a variety of healthy protein-rich foods (especially fish and seafood), legumes (such as beans and lentils), nuts and seeds. ...
  • unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. ...
  • healthy fats and oils. ...
  • herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.

Are potatoes OK for cholesterol? ›

Potatoes are rich in soluble fibre, which can be consumed by high cholesterol patients without any confusion. Consuming potatoes not only maintains the cholesterol level, but the body also gets many health benefits. Consumption of potatoes in cholesterol is safe only if you consume it properly.

Are eggs bad for cholesterol? ›

One large egg has about 186 mg of cholesterol — all of which is found in the yolk. If your diet contains little other cholesterol, according to some studies, eating up to an egg a day might be an OK choice. If you like eggs but don't want the cholesterol, use only the egg whites.

What is the best drink to lower cholesterol? ›

Best drinks to improve cholesterol
  1. Green tea. Green tea contains catechins and other antioxidant compounds that seem to help lower LDL and total cholesterol levels. ...
  2. Soy drinks. Soy is low in saturated fat. ...
  3. Oat drinks. ...
  4. Tomato juice. ...
  5. Berry smoothies. ...
  6. Drinks containing sterols and stanols. ...
  7. Cocoa drinks. ...
  8. Plant milk smoothies.
Oct 27, 2023

Are bananas good for cholesterol? ›

However, cholesterol can be bad if too much comes from foods high in saturated fat. This is why it is important to eat foods to help lower your cholesterol, such as those high in soluble fiber. Fruits like avocados and apples, and citrus fruits like oranges and bananas are foods that can help lower cholesterol.

What do Chinese use to lower cholesterol? ›

Hawthorn extracts of Crataeguspinnatifida, rubimaillin, and berberine (BBR) could reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption via inhibition of intestinal ACAT activity. Recent findings also suggest that TCMs might have the potential to lower cholesterol absorption.

Does lemon water lower cholesterol? ›

Thanks to their naturally high vitamin C levels, lemons are also beneficial in helping to lower blood cholesterol levels. Mixing the juice of two to three lemons in water each day can be enough to lower your low-density lipoprotein (also known as 'bad' cholesterol) and lower the risk of heart disease.

Which alcohol burns cholesterol? ›

The connection between drinking alcohol and cholesterol levels is complex, and we don't know everything just yet. We do know that red wine contains polyphenol compounds that may lower the bad form of cholesterol, LDL. Moderate consumption of red wine is linked to healthy cholesterol levels.

What are 3 best foods for lowering cholesterol? ›

5 foods that fight high cholesterol
  • Oats. An easy way to start lowering cholesterol is to choose oatmeal or an oat-based cold cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. ...
  • Beans. Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. ...
  • Nuts. ...
  • Foods fortified with sterols and stanols. ...
  • Fatty fish.
Apr 14, 2023

What can I cook to lower cholesterol? ›

All Low-Cholesterol Recipes Ideas
  • Pasta and Beans: Pasta e fa*gioli. Recipe | Courtesy of Rachael Ray. ...
  • Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Recipe | Courtesy of Ina Garten. ...
  • Oven-Baked Salmon. ...
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • Sauteed Carrots. ...
  • Fisherman's Stoup. ...
  • Honey Glazed Carrots. ...
  • Massaged Kale Salad.

What meat can I eat with high cholesterol? ›

If you have high cholesterol, you should talk with your doctor about what you eat, including meat. There are good, lean choices. For example, you can consider chicken or turkey breasts without skin; pork tenderloin; or beef round, sirloin, or tenderloin. Avoid highly processed meats (bacon, ham, lunchmeat, etc.).

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