Top 10 recipes under 500 calories
Eat well but cut back on the calories with these 10 recipes.
All 10 of these recipes are under 500kcal per serving. We worked out the calorie count of those recipes which don't specifically state it.
Salmon tagine
This salmon tagine clocks in just under the limit at 483 calories per serving, and wild salmon is lean and very healthy. It is packed with vitamin B12 and Omega-3s, and this tagine is cooked with other ingredients that are very good for you; couscous, mandarins and tomatoes, to name a few. Don't sacrifice flavour just because you're eating healthily!
Asian prawn boats
These Asian prawn boats are really easy to make. Take cooked prawns (hot or cold) and mix them with a little soy sauce, coriander, chilli and garlic, then spoon into a gem lettuce leaf and listen to the 'crunch!'
Great Asian flavours, but barely any calories.
Roast monkfish
Roast monkfish with olives and capers is an ideal light and airy main. Recipe author Sally Bee loves monkfish for its firm texture and refreshing taste, and here she serves it with a thin sauce made from yoghurt, olives, capers and parsley. Serve the fish sprinkled with chilli flakes, and the dressing on the side.
Stuffed aubergines
Aubergines only have around 25 calories per 100g, next to no fat, and lots of vitamins C and B-6. It's also a good source of minerals. In this recipe, the aubergine flesh is scooped out, diced, then mixed with coriander, pine nuts and onions, among other bits and pieces, then placed back into the baked 'shell'. Pure goodness!
Chicken and chickpea curry
Chickpeas actually have more calories than you'd think - around 364 per 100g. So you might want to reduce the amount of chicken you use here, and replace it with a bit more spinach. Despite the high calorie count, chickpeas provide you with loads of fibre, iron, magnesium and calcium. They're one of the ultimate dieting foods.
Fruity porridge
Nadia Sawalha’s porridge recipe is the perfect start to a healthy day. Apparently her husband loves a bowl before running his marathons(!), so it obviously keeps you going. Nadia uses almond milk for extra flavour and to save on calories, then serves topped with pear and honey. 343 calories per bowl.
Raw salad
It doesn’t get much healthier than Arthur Potts Dawson’s raw salad with baby beetroot and quinoa. It’s a 'low carbon' raw salad, mixing together everything from young fennel to broad beans, red endive, and fresh herbs. Plus it’s made with ingredients which are mostly easy to grow at home.
Stuffed peppers
Kirsty Hale's stuffed peppers are delicious. Go easy on the chorizo if you're trying to lose weight, because a little, chopped fairly finely, goes a long way in spreading flavour through each bite. The peppers are stuffed with brown rice, thyme and onion, and served with boiled sweetcorn and chard leaves.
Warm smoked mackerel
While smoked mackerel is higher in fat than some of the other ideas here, it's an oily (and delicious) fish that contains essential fats, that are crucial for your diet. Opt for some smaller fillets, and put more emphasis on the accompanying salad, substituting low-fat mayo and yoghurt for use in the dressing.
Stuffed baked sweet potatoes
Each of these potatoes, even when stuffed with greens and with a dollop of hummus on top, is only around 300 calories. Very filling, very healthy, very tasty. You can get reduced fat hummus in stores to help out, but there's not a particular need since the calorie count here is so low and it's not usually that good anyway. Sweet chilli sauce also goes well with these, but this tends to have rather a lot of sugar, so use sparingly.
This is a classic Lovefood article that has been updated
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