food
By Hannah Loewentheil
•
Published Dec 5, 2020
Additional reporting by
Taryn Pire
You know those nights when you’re craving mac and cheese, but you really, really don’t want to sabotage a whole day of eating healthy? We’ve got you covered. Here are 32 low-calorie comfort food recipes that taste just like the real thing—despite all of them containing less than 500 calories per serving.
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Recipes Under 200 Calories
1. Mini Cauliflower Pizzas (99 calories each)
No diet could ever keep us away from pepperoni.
2. Portobello And Butternut Squash Tacos (162 Calories Each)
Taco Tuesday just got even better.
Maria Siriano/The Probiotic Kitchen
Recipes Under 300 Calories
3. Restorative Miso Noodle Soup (213 calories)
Helloooo, probiotics. This take on miso soup is just as soothing as the original, with the addition of hearty soba noodles, umami-rich mushrooms and spinach.
Get the recipe
4. The Best Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets (227 Calories)
The only thing better than this recipe (which uses tons of pantry staples)? The nugs only take 35 minutes to make.
5. Chicken Zoodle Soup (227 Calories)
Just as comforting as the original, minus the carbs.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6. Vegetarian Chili (255 Calories)
Meatless Mondays will never be the same.
Get the recipe
7. Herbed Lemon Garlic Chicken Skewers (266 Calories)
Serve these with an extra squeeze of lemon, if you're keeping things light. Or go all in on tzatziki (because it's too good to pass up).
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
8. Dairy-free Butternut Squash ‘fondue’ (268 Calories)
Go ahead, have a pot of melted "cheese" and crudités for dinner.
Get the recipe
9. Oven-baked Orange Cauliflower (285 Calories)
Your favorite Chinese takeout spot will miss you.
10. Quinoa Enchilada Casserole (285 Calories)
This calls for a fiesta.
11. Low-carb Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats (287 Calories)
Beef, marinara sauce and *three* types of cheese? Even your kids won't mind that it's served in a vegetable.
12. Baked Fish And Chips (291 Calories)
If the steak-cut fries aren't enough to convince you to try it, maybe the fact that it all comes together in one pan will.
Cauliflower
13. Crispy Baked Cauliflower ‘wings’ (295 Calories)
They only stay crisp for a little while, so be sure to devour as soon as they're ready. (We're sure that won't be a problem.)
Get the recipe
Photo: Michael Marquand/Styling: Jake Cohen
Recipes Under 400 Calories
14. Charred Sweet Potatoes with Pistachio-Chili Pesto (302 calories)
Sure, it's technically a side dish. But the fancy, citrusy pesto on top puts these spuds in entrée territory in our book.
Get the recipe
15. Healthy Apple Crisp With Coconut And Pecans (312 Calories)
That number doesn't include a massive scoop of vanilla ice cream...but we'll be helping ourselves anyway.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
16. Black-bean Burgers (326 Calories)
Proof that veggie burgers can be way, way more than plant-based hockey pucks.
Get the recipe
17. Veggie Fried Rice (329 Calories)
Load up this fried rice with your favorite stir-fry veggies, like bell peppers and onions.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
18. Cauliflower Crust Pizza (329 Calories)
Top the gluten-free masterpiece as you please.
Get the recipe
Healthyish
19. Loaded Baked Potato And Cauliflower Soup (358 Calories)
Complete with thick-cut bacon, grated cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.
Get the recipe
20. Healthy Mac And Cheese (369 Calories)
21. Vietnamese Chicken Salad With Rice Noodles (373 Calories)
Bring it to work and you'll be the envy of the break room.
22. Keto Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers With Cauliflower (379 Calories)
Between the gooey provolone and tender chunks of top sirloin, you won't even miss the bread.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
23. 20-minute Paleo Egg Roll Bowls (380 Calories)
All the ground pork, cabbage and ginger of traditional filling, minus the greasy egg roll wrapper.
Get the recipe
24. Healthy Chicken Pot Pie (380 Calories)
Shred your own boneless, skinless chicken breasts or save time with a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
25. Quinoa Fried Rice (383 Calories)
All the taste of takeout with none of the guilt.
26. Healthy Chicken Parmesan (385 Calories)
Two types of breadcrumbs and a stint in the oven make the chicken just as crispy as the O.G.—no messy frying required.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
27. Spicy Lemon-ginger Chicken Soup (387 Calories)
Make the broth a day ahead to deepen its flavor, then assemble your bowl when you're ready to eat.
Get the recipe
28. Peanut Ginger Noodles (391 Calories)
Mmm, creamy peanut sauce.
Patricia Niven/Keeping It Simple
Recipes Under 500 Calories
29. Baked Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs (454 calories)
Because no one has time to brown meatballs for days on the stove.
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Aubrie Pick/Eat What You Love
30. Buffalo-stuffed Sweet Potatoes (455 Calories)
It's the football Sunday and Thanksgiving meal mashup we never knew we needed.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
31. One-pot, 15-minute Pasta Limone (457 Calories)
We love zoodles just as much as the next girl. But sometimes when you have a hankering for pasta, nothing but the real thing will do.
Get the recipe
Kristen Kilpatrick/The Defined Dish
32. Oven-baked Chicken Kofta Wraps (488 Calories)
Kofta is a Middle Eastern meat dish that's typically skewered and grilled, but this one-hour rendition bakes it instead. Oh, and you'll want to make a double batch of the lemon-garlic aioli.
Get the recipe
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Hannah Loewentheil
Freelance PureWow Editor
From 2015-2017 Hannah Loewentheil held the role of Editor covering entertainment, food, travel and all things nyc.
read full bio
Taryn Pire
Food Editor
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...
read full bio
