21 DASH Diet Dinner Recipes

A healthy and satisfying dinner is the perfect way to end your day on the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. This eating plan, designed to lower blood pressure and improve heart health, focuses on whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins. A well-planned DASH dinner can be both delicious and beneficial, helping you meet your health goals without feeling deprived.

This article presents 21 easy-to-prepare dinner recipes that are fully compliant with the DASH diet. They are divided into three categories to help you find the perfect meal for any evening: Poultry Dishes, Seafood Dinners, and Meatless Mains.

Poultry Dishes

1. Chicken with Ginger-Soy Vegetables & Brown Rice

Ingredients:

• 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas)
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions:

1. In a wok or large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chicken strips and cook until browned.
3. Add the mixed vegetables and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
4. Stir in the soy sauce and ginger. Serve over brown rice.

2. Pan-Seared Chicken with Crispy Herbs & Escarole

Ingredients:

• 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 cups escarole, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme), chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt-free seasoning blend and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Season the chicken with the salt-free blend and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and herbs, and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through.
3. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Add the escarole and cook until wilted.
4. Serve the chicken with the wilted escarole.

3. Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

Ingredients:

• 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup canned white beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
3. Shred the chicken with a fork before serving.

4. Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 oz ground chicken
• 1/2 cup diced sweet potato
• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, no salt added
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions:

1. In a pot, cook the ground chicken until browned.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
3. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

5. Grilled Chicken with Quinoa and Steamed Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 4 oz grilled chicken breast
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
• Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions:

1. Serve the grilled chicken alongside the quinoa and steamed broccoli.
2. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the chicken and broccoli before serving.

6. Turkey Meatballs with Marinara and Whole-Wheat Pasta

Ingredients:

• 4 oz ground turkey
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked
• 1/2 cup low-sodium marinara sauce

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg white, and Italian seasoning. Form into meatballs.
2. Brown the meatballs in a non-stick skillet. Add the marinara sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked pasta.

7. Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:

• 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers (mixed colors)
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 2 small whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 teaspoon fajita seasoning (low-sodium)

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, cook the chicken, peppers, and onion until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
2. Stir in the fajita seasoning.
3. Serve the chicken and vegetable mixture in the warm tortillas.

Seafood Dinners

8. Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 4 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup whole-wheat pasta, cooked
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, cook the shrimp and garlic until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and lemon juice.
3. Toss the cooked pasta with the yogurt sauce, shrimp, and parsley.

9. Spicy Shrimp, Vegetable & Couscous Bowls

Ingredients:

• 4 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat couscous, cooked
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (zucchini, cherry tomatoes), chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, sauté the mixed vegetables in olive oil until tender.
2. Add the shrimp and red pepper flakes, and cook until the shrimp are opaque.
3. Serve the shrimp and vegetable mixture over the cooked couscous.

10. Salmon Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 oz cooked salmon, flaked
• 1 cup whole-wheat couscous, cooked and cooled
• 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons lemon vinaigrette

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine the couscous, cucumber, and red onion.
2. Gently fold in the flaked salmon.
3. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette and toss to combine.

11. Poached Cod & Green Beans with Pesto

Ingredients:

• 4 oz cod fillet
• 1 cup green beans, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon pesto
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer.
2. Add the green beans and cod. Poach for 8-10 minutes, or until the cod is flaky and the green beans are tender.
3. Drizzle with pesto before serving.

12. Tarragon Scallops on Asparagus Spears

Ingredients:

• 4 oz sea scallops
• 1 cup asparagus spears, trimmed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
• Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the scallops for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
2. While the scallops are cooking, steam or blanch the asparagus until tender-crisp.
3. Serve the scallops over the asparagus spears, sprinkled with tarragon and a squeeze of lemon juice.

13. Baked Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 4 oz salmon fillet
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini), chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (dill or rosemary)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and herbs, and spread on a baking sheet.
3. Place the salmon fillet on the baking sheet with the vegetables.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

14. Baked Tilapia with Sweet Potato

Ingredients:

• 4 oz tilapia fillet
• 1 medium sweet potato, baked
• 1 cup steamed green beans
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Paprika and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Season the tilapia with paprika, pepper, and lemon juice. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes.
2. Serve the baked tilapia with the baked sweet potato and steamed green beans.

Meatless Mains

15. Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato, baked
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup kale, steamed or sautéed
• 2 tablespoons hummus, thinned with a little water to make a dressing

Instructions:

1. Split the baked sweet potato lengthwise.
2. Top with black beans and kale.
3. Drizzle with the hummus dressing.

16. Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons lemon-tahini dressing

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine the quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, and tomatoes.
2. Drizzle with the lemon-tahini dressing and toss to combine.

17. Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes (using lean ground beef or meat substitute)

Ingredients:

• 4 oz lean ground beef (90/10) or plant-based crumbles
• 1/2 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1 whole-wheat hamburger bun
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, cook the ground beef or plant-based crumbles until browned.
2. Stir in the kidney beans, tomato sauce, and onion powder. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Serve the sloppy joe mixture on the whole-wheat bun.

18. Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed roasted vegetables (bell peppers, onions, zucchini)
• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed
• 2 small corn tortillas
• 1/4 avocado, sliced
• 1 tablespoon salsa

Instructions:

1. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave.
2. Fill each tortilla with the roasted vegetables, black beans, and avocado slices.
3. Top with salsa before serving.

19. Stir-fried Tofu with Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 4 oz firm tofu, cubed
• 1 cup mixed stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, carrots, snow peas)
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

Instructions:

1. In a wok or skillet, heat the sesame oil and stir-fry the tofu until golden.
2. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until tender-crisp.
3. Stir in the soy sauce and serve over brown rice.

20. Vegetarian Chili with Beans

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, no salt added
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions:

1. In a pot, sauté the onion until softened.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
3. Serve hot, garnished with a dollop of low-fat Greek yogurt if desired.

21. Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked wild rice
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions:

1. In a pot, sauté the onion and mushrooms until tender.
2. Add the broth and parsley, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the cooked wild rice and milk. Heat through but do not boil.

Conclusion

These 21 DASH diet dinner recipes showcase the variety and flavor that can be enjoyed while following a heart-healthy eating plan. From lean poultry and fresh seafood to satisfying meatless meals, there is a dinner option for every palate. By incorporating these simple and nutritious recipes into your weekly rotation, you can end your day with a delicious meal that supports your blood pressure management and overall wellness goals.

References

[1] EatingWell. (2023, May 12). 14 DASH Diet Dinners in 20 Minutes or Less. https://www.eatingwell.com/gallery/8046099/dash-diet-dinners-in-20-minutes/

[2] National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2025, January 10). DASH Eating Plan. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan

[3] Mayo Clinic Staff. (n.d.). DASH diet recipes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/dash-diet-recipes/rcs-20077146