15 Best Healthy Asian Recipes To Try Today

It’s hard to change your mind once you develop a hunger for a certain type of food, and Asian cuisine is one of our top cravings.

Best Healthy Asian Recipes To Try Today

However, ordering takeout usually results in Americanized copies of traditional foods that are rich in calories and sodium and lack all nutritional value. Making your own Asian dishes at home is the ideal answer for tackling this problem.

To give you some ideas, we’ve compiled a list of 15 of our favorite healthy Asian recipes (see also “10 Amazing Healthy Steak Recipes“) so you can cook a delicious, authentic meal without the calories!

1. Beef Noodle Soup

Asian cuisine has perfected the art of creating a genuinely delicious, filling soup, and in this slow-cooker-friendly recipe, they blend rich beef chunks, noodles, and fresh bok choy with a broth spiced with ginger and soy.

Although soup is not always satisfying, this dish is absolutely deserving of being a whole meal.

Ingredients

  • Peanut or canola oil
  • Chuck roast
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Low-sodium beef stock
  • Water
  • Low-sodium soy sauce
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Fresh ginger
  • Star anise pods
  • Udon noodles, rice noodles, or fettuccine
  • Bok choy
  • Sriracha
  • Hoisin
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Fresh basil leaves

2. Beef With Broccoli

The beef and broccoli dish is a mainstay on many Chinese-American takeout menus, but this variation omits the meal’s typical thick brown sauce, additional oil, and sodium.

Instead, the emphasis is on serving plenty of lean meat and fresh broccoli while using less sauce.

Ingredients

  • Broccoli
  • Water
  • Avocado oil
  • Onion
  • Fresh ginger
  • Garlic
  • Flank steak
  • Sesame seeds
  • Low-sodium soy sauce
  • Honey
  • Sesame oil
  • Arrowroot powder or cornstarch

3. Black Pepper Steak

With tender, juicy strips of steak and tangy bell peppers and onions, this incredible recipe is definitely to die for!

This black pepper steak recipe is simple to make at home, and, even better, it’s gluten free and keto-friendly. This dish just shows how easy it is to recreate authentic Chinese flavors right in your own kitchen.

Ingredients

  • Soy sauce
  • Fresh ginger
  • Garlic
  • Cornstarch
  • Water
  • Chinese wine
  • Granulated sweetener
  • Ground black pepper
  • Angus beef
  • Sesame oil
  • Onion
  • Red bell pepper
  • Broccoli
  • Button mushrooms
  • Scallions
  • Cauliflower rice
  • Fresh cilantro

4. Chicken Meatball Lettuce Wraps

These chicken meatballs were inspired by the street-corner grills found in Vietnam and Thailand.

Your taste buds will be overjoyed by the abundance of flavors, including ginger, lemongrass, garlic, and jalapeno peppers, coupled with the char of a grill, and served with steaming rice, cucumbers, and large lettuce leaves to wrap everything up burrito-style.

Ingredients

  • Mango
  • Purple cabbage
  • Cilantro
  • Green onions
  • Lime juice
  • Honey
  • Chili garlic sauce
  • Kosher salt
  • Sesame oil
  • Low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • Garlic
  • Fresh ginger
  • Cornstarch
  • Chicken
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Butter lettuce
  • Sesame seeds

5. Chicken Spring Rolls With Peanut Sauce

A deliciously nutritious way to fill up is with a combination of roasted chicken breast, crisp carrots, cucumbers, and bean sprouts rolled in rice paper wrappers.

The peanut sauce for dipping is the perfect complement and is just as low in calories! This appetizer really is a great way to start off a meal.

Ingredients

  • Chicken breasts
  • Butter lettuce
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Fresh mint
  • Peanuts
  • Carrots
  • Rice paper
  • Low-calorie peanut sauce, store-bought or homemade

6. Chili-Mango Chicken Stir-Fry

This dish focuses on enhancing a simple stir-fry with the traditional spicy and sweet taste balance.

The mango pieces add sweetness, while the chili sauce adds spice. This recipe will satisfy you completely without making you feel stuffed, thanks to healthier oils like sesame and peanut varieties and a large quantity of sugar snap peas.

Ingredients

  • Cornstarch
  • Low-sodium soy sauce
  • Peanut or canola oil
  • Red onion
  • Chicken thighs
  • Fresh ginger
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Mango
  • Chili garlic sauce
  • Black pepper

7. Chinese Chicken Salad

This salad was made popular by chef Wolfgang Puck at his restaurant back in the 1980s, and it is now a mainstay that can be found in both fine dining establishments and fast food restaurants.

However, this recipe is significantly lighter than those you’ll get at restaurants because it uses considerably less dressing and fried noodles.

Ingredients

  • Chicken
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Napa cabbage
  • Red cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Green onions
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Almonds or cashews
  • Sesame seeds
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Low-sodium soy sauce
  • Garlic
  • Honey
  • Ginger
  • Sesame oil
  • Olive oil

8. Garlic Butter Shrimp And Broccoli

This meal is perfect because it is quick, easy, healthy, and delicious! It’s great for a quick meal on worn-out Monday evenings or a tasty addition to your homemade Asian takeout.

Made with meaty shrimp, fresh broccoli, and tons of garlic, you’re sure to have a restaurant-quality meal by the time you’ve finished cooking!

Ingredients

  • Shrimp
  • Broccoli
  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Paprika
  • Italian seasoning
  • Onion powder
  • Salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper
  • Vegetable stock
  • Sriracha
  • Chili pepper flakes
  • Lemon
  • Parsley or cilantro

9. Kung Pao Chicken

This gluten free and paleo recipe for Kung Pao chicken is the ultimate nutritious meal that’s still packed full of flavor (see also “10 Superb Healthy Chicken Tenderloin Recipes“).

This dish is made by stir-frying your ingredients, so it’s incredibly quick and easy to do. With plenty of spice and flavorful additions, this may well become a staple meal in your household!

Ingredients

  • Chicken breast
  • Red bell pepper
  • Onion
  • Zucchini
  • Dried red chili peppers
  • Cashews
  • Green scallions
  • Olive oil
  • Coconut aminos
  • Fish sauce
  • Rice vinegar
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Chicken broth
  • Xanthan gum or arrowroot powder
  • Sesame oil

10. Lemongrass Pumpkin Porridge

This delicious pumpkin porridge combines the flavors of Indonesia. It really is the ultimate comfort food!

In the cold winter months, rice, squash, maize, and spinach are combined with light and fragrant lemongrass to warm you up and keep you cozy.

Ingredients

  • Long grain rice
  • Water
  • Lemongrass
  • Kabocha squash
  • Sweetcorn kernels
  • Spinach
  • Thai basil leaves
  • Sambal

11. Macanese Broiled Fish With Potato And Peppers

This one-pan miracle will enchant and delight even on a busy weekday, all the way from Macau to your dinner table.

You might think about preparing this dish twice in the same week! Juicy fresh fish is grilled with potatoes, peppers, onions, tomatoes, chorizo, and olives to create an absolute taste sensation.

Ingredients

  • Baby potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • Fish filet
  • Chorizo
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Bell peppers
  • Onion
  • Lemon
  • Olive
  • Parsley
  • Garlic
  • Soy sauce
  • Dry sherry
  • Sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Paprika

12. Roasted Chicken Wings In Asian Marinade

Wings don’t necessarily need to be covered in buffalo sauce! Instead of being drenched in oil in a deep fryer, the chicken in this much healthier recipe is marinated in an Asian sauce and then baked until it is delightfully crisp.

It’s always a good idea to choose low-calorie, flavor-packed wings so you can indulge in some classic junk food guilt-free!

Ingredients

  • Low-sodium soy sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Garlic
  • Fresh ginger
  • Chicken wings
  • Butter
  • Sriracha
  • Lime
  • Sesame seeds
  • Scallions

13. Sesame Noodles With Chicken

If you have a box of noodles lying around, now’s the perfect time to use them! They go great with this Asian-inspired dish.

The secret to this recipe is to approach it like a salad, with the noodles acting as the “lettuce” base. Then, include a ton of vegetables, chicken, and a tasty but light dressing. Delicious!

Ingredients

  • Soy sauce
  • Honey
  • Toasted sesame oil
  • Rice vinegar
  • Sriracha
  • Linguine fini, udon noodles, or spaghetti
  • Broccoli
  • Chicken breasts
  • Canola oil or vegetable oil
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Green onion
  • Sesame seeds

14. Teriyaki Pork Chops With Sauteed Apples

You probably haven’t ever had a pork chop like this! It is marinated in a teriyaki sauce that is sweet and garlicky.

These teriyaki pork chops are a real game-changer when served with apples that have been sautéed with ginger (see also “How To Make Ginger And Turmeric Kombucha“) and Chinese spices.

Additionally, whether you’re looking for a quick dinner idea or want to try a dish that will dazzle your dinner guests, it’s quite simple to prepare!

Ingredients

  • Pork chops
  • Teriyaki marinade
  • Peanut oil or canola oil
  • Onion
  • Fresh ginger
  • Apple
  • Apple juice
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Chinese five-spice powder
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

15. Vegan Lentil Stew

This tomato-based lentil stew is a hearty and tasty dish that will fill you up and is incredibly easy to make.

Your mouth will be watering from the curry aroma that is emanating from the pot alone. Greek yogurt can be used as a garnish to provide even more creaminess.

Ingredients

  • Dried lentils
  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Celery
  • Italian seasoning
  • Ground paprika
  • Cumin
  • Dried thyme
  • Tomatoes
  • Tomato paste
  • Carrots
  • Potato
  • Vegetable broth
  • Bay leaf
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Salt

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Asian Food Healthy?

Authentic Asian food is high in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, as well as being low in saturated and total fat.

According to a number of healthcare professionals, the ingredients used in Asian cooking combine to protect against many chronic diseases, such as heart disease.

Furthermore, it often does not contain much meat or dairy products, making Asian food perfect for a number of dietary requirements.

Is Asian Food Keto-Friendly?

Many Asian dishes can be high in carbohydrates, such as rice, noodles, and battered or fried proteins.

Fortunately, there are a number of Asian dishes that are suitable for those following a ketogenic diet, and many dishes that aren’t typically keto-friendly can be easily altered to reduce carbohydrates.

To Conclude

Enjoying authentic Asian cuisine doesn’t have to be unhealthy! With these recipes, you can bring some Asian fusion to your kitchen, and enjoy delicious meals completely guilt-free.

Lindsey Morgan
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