26 Diabetes-Friendly Recipes You Can Make in a Cast-Iron Skillet
A cast-iron skillet is a great tool to have in your kitchen, whether you opt to crisp up ingredients for tacos or cut down on clean-up with a one-pot meal. These cast-iron skillet meals feature complex carbs like vegetables, whole grains and legumes and have lower counts of saturated fats and sodium, so they are a great fit for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Try recipes like our Brothy Lemon-Garlic Beans or our Chicken Piccata Casserole for a delicious and satifying dinner.
Brothy Lemon-Garlic Beans
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Amanda Holstein, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
Creamy beans soak up the garlicky, lemon-infused broth that is perfectly sopped up with a piece of toasted whole-wheat bread. For a little extra flair, finish the dish with a drizzle of good olive oil—or, for a creamier take, a dollop of Greek-style yogurt.
Balsamic-Parmesan Melting Cabbage
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Slow-roasted with a rich balsamic-infused broth and topped with a light dusting of Parmesan, this dish transforms humble cabbage into a side dish to remember. Serve it alongside roasted chicken, salmon or a hearty lentil stew for a complete meal.
Balyg Kyukyusu (Smoked Fish & Herb Omelet)
Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
Kyukyusu (also spelled kuku) is a baked omelet that’s enjoyed throughout countries that were historically part of the Persian empire, often as an appetizer during the spring celebration of Nowruz. This version features plenty of fresh herbs and bits of smoked fish.
Chicken Piccata Casserole
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf
This protein-packed casserole brings all the flavors of classic chicken piccata together in one dish. Cooking the lemon slices in butter mellows their bite and helps jump-start the lemony flavor of the dish while helping the butter get a little brown, bringing some nuttiness to the dish.
Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole
This easy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare, meaning that seared steak can be a weeknight meal. Cooking herbs in the pan with the steak releases their aroma, infusing it into the meat while creating a crispy garnish. After the steaks and herbs are pan-seared, the escarole is cooked in the same skillet, so this healthy dinner requires minimal cleanup too.
Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Food Stylist:Chelsea Zimmer
A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner recipe—the flavorful oil they’re packed in is used to sauté the shallots and the actual tomatoes help to add delicious flavor to the creamy sauce. Served with perfectly cooked salmon, you really can’t go wrong with this easy 20-minute weeknight meal.
Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls
These shrimp, pesto and quinoa bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they’re basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame.
Tilapia Fish Tacos
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
These refreshing and quick tilapia fish tacos are tender and packed with a flavor that will take you straight to the coast. Corn or flour tortillas work well here.
Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
This easy one-pan skillet recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as the potatoes and kale for minimal cleanup.
Skillet Chicken Potpie
A store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner is comfort food at its best.
Vegetarian Tacos with Zucchini & Corn
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
These vegetarian tacos with zucchini and corn feature chipotle-infused refried beans, which add a layer of heat. For vegan tacos, skip the queso fresco and add chopped avocado in its place.
Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry
This tofu veggie stir-fry is quick and easy, making it a great go-to weeknight meal. Baked tofu has a firm, toothsome texture that crisps well in a hot pan. You can find it in flavors like teriyaki and sesame, both of which are delicious here.
Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole
This simplified take on cheesy chicken enchiladas only requires one pan for cooking and eliminates the need to stuff and roll corn tortillas. Charring the veggies in a cast-iron skillet adds depth of flavor. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, because you can use any oven-safe skillet instead.
Tofu & Snow Pea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce
A fast dinner recipe perfect for busy weeknights, this easy stir-fry recipe will quickly become a favorite. To save time, use precooked rice or cook rice a day ahead.
Skillet Lemon-Pepper Salmon
Simple ingredients like lemon, cracked black pepper and paprika completely awaken this fall-apart-tender salmon with a crispy exterior. Use this salmon to add protein to a grain bowl or salad, or enjoy alongside roasted veggies.
Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use parcooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter—making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking.
Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice
This vegetarian faux fried rice uses riced cauliflower in place of white or brown rice to pack in extra veggies and cut down on carbs. Chile-garlic sauce pumps up the heat, and fresh ginger adds a bright, warm bite.
Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce
This healthy steak dinner is a one-skillet meal that will be on your table in just 25 minutes! The pan drippings combine with mushrooms, broth and grainy mustard to make a thick and delicious sauce that pairs well with the added broccolini and peas.
Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet
We love this quick skillet meal for busy evenings. The sausage and orzo simmer together in chicken broth, resulting in a creamy, risotto-like dish in under 30 minutes.
Baked Frittata with Butternut Squash, Kale & Sage
This easy frittata recipe is full of flavor, thanks to creamy butternut squash, plenty of fresh sage, and earthy lacinato kale.
Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries
Bump up the vitamin A and fiber when you swap tortilla chips for sweet potatoes in this healthy recipe. Serve as an appetizer at your next party or turn it into dinner by adding chicken, tofu, shrimp or more beans for protein.
Seared Halibut Fish Tacos with Cilantro Slaw
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Maura Timmerman
Halibut—a tender, sweet-tasting white fish—is a great option for fish tacos, especially when paired with crunchy slaw, pico de gallo and a salty cheese. We promise you’ll want these more often than just on Taco Tuesdays. Serve them with a side of black beans or yellow rice to round out your meal.
Spinach-Mushroom Frittata with Avocado Salad
Frittatas are like omelets, only easier–and they taste great hot, warm or cold. This vegetable-packed version is spiked with flavor and paired with a cool salad of lemony cucumbers and tomatoes with creamy avocado. This easy recipe is perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner!
Salmon Piccata
Our salmon piccata is a riff on a classic, replacing chicken with salmon and cutting back on the butter to keep saturated fat in check without sacrificing flavor. This dish comes together quickly, making it perfect for any weeknight dinner. Pair it with a salad and whole grains to complete the meal.
Kung Pao Tofu
Kung pao sauce is typically made with dark soy sauce and sugar—we lightened it up in calories but still kept the dark color by swapping in a touch of molasses. Cooking the tofu and vegetables over high heat means they get crisp on the outside but stay tender in the center.
Roasted Poblano & Pepper-Jack Frittata
Serve this healthy frittata for breakfast or brunch. Roasted poblanos bring heat to the dish, while shallots provide a touch of sweetness. We like pepper Jack cheese in this frittata, but you could easily substitute your favorite shredded cheese.
