17 Whole-Grain Dinner Recipes to Help Lower Cholesterol

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Published on March 19, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes — Photo: Jennifer Causey

Make one of these delicious meals for dinner tonight. In this collection, you’ll find lots of nutritious whole grains like farro, barley and brown rice, plus other satisfying foods like vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. These ingredients contribute at least 6 grams of fiber to every serving, and each recipe is made low in saturated fat to fit our healthy cholesterol nutrition parameters. Recipes like our Fish Taco Bowls with Green Cabbage Slaw and Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes are nourishing, flavorful and great options to help meet your nutritional goals.

01 of 17

Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl

Skip the hassle of making sushi rolls at home and just go for this grain bowl. Start with a base of brown rice and add veggies, dressing and creamy avocado for a delicious and easy meal.

02 of 17

Fish Taco Bowls with Green Cabbage Slaw

a recipe photo of the Fish Taco Bowls with Green Cabbage Slaw — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

Fresh salsa verde, green cabbage and avocado all contribute to the vibrant green color of this light and bright fish taco bowl. We love the mild flavor and firm, meaty texture of halibut but any firm white fish like mahi mahi or tilapia will work well in its place. We garnish this flavorful taco bowl with cilantro, but if you want to take it a step further, try toppings like sprouts or watermelon radishes for even more bright green color.

03 of 17

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes — Jennifer Causey

This hearty vegetarian quinoa chili with sweet potatoes has mild spice from poblanos and green chiles. Chili powder, cumin and garlic provide classic chili flavor.

04 of 17

Spicy Tuna Wrap

These tuna wraps were inspired by spicy tuna sushi rolls. We love how they taste with peppery watercress, but other greens, such as arugula, romaine, escarole or even radish sprouts, would taste great in the filling. If you want to play on the sushi inspiration, stir some wasabi into the soy sauce for dipping and serve with pickled ginger. Serve with sliced cucumbers and slivered red onions tossed with rice vinegar, a little oil and a pinch of salt.

05 of 17

Lemony Lentil & Cauliflower Cup Soup

a recipe photo of the Lemony Lentil & Cauliflower Soup — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This bright lemony soup gets its boost of fiber and earthy, nutty flavor from ingredients like lentils and bulgur. Bulgur adds heartiness and a nice chewy texture, but you can swap it out for another cooked grain like brown rice or quinoa. Plus, the broth gets gentle heat from harissa paste. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water.

06 of 17

One-Pot Chicken with Farro

a recipe photo of the One-Pot Chicken with Farro — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickeyt, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Inspired by arroz con pollo, this chicken and whole-grain dish is hearty with satisfying complexity. Cumin, saffron, and oregano season rich chicken thighs and nutty farro as the dish simmers. If using saffron, deploy it sparingly; those tiny threads bring subtle flavor and a little color to the dish, but too much will yield a medicinal taste.

07 of 17

Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili

This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal. Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there's no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.

08 of 17

Anti-Inflammatory Vegetable-Packed Grain Bowls

Spring Vegetable Grain Bowls

Farro provides satisfying chew, while the raw shaved veggies soften slightly in the vinaigrette to become perfectly tender-crisp. To blanch the peas, cook in boiling water for 1 minute, then dunk in an ice bath for 1 minute to stop the cooking. A mandoline or vegetable peeler makes quick work of thinly slicing vegetables. Beets contain a phytochemical called betalains, which can help fight inflammation in the body.

09 of 17

Spinach & Fried Egg Grain Bowls

a recipe photo of the Wilted Spinach and Fried Egg Wheat Berry Bowl — Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Wheat berries, a nutty-tasting whole grain with a pleasantly chewy texture, are the base of this hearty breakfast bowl recipe. The fiber-rich grain freezes very well, so cook up a batch to stash away for salads, bowls and more. Topped with spinach, peanuts and an egg, these bowls make for a satisfying breakfast. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper for extra heat.

10 of 17

The Best Vegan Burgers

a recipe photo of the Vegan Burger — Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

These nutty vegan burgers are held together by a combination of oats and flaxseed meal. When mixed with water, flaxseeds swell, making a nutritious binding agent similar to traditional eggs. The patties soften as they cook in the skillet, so be careful flipping them—they will firm up again as they cool. Serve with chips, zucchini fries and your favorite vegan dipping sauce.

11 of 17

Seared Tuna with Bulgur & Chickpea Salad

seared tuna with bulgur and chickpea salad

This healthy tuna recipe combines fresh fish, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs and chickpeas. Cooking for two? Flake the two leftover tuna steaks and mix them into the remaining bulgur salad, then serve over lettuce for lunch the next day.

12 of 17

Jerk-Spiced Salmon & Quinoa Bowl with Mango Vinaigrette

Jerk-Spiced Salmon & Quinoa Bowl with Mango Vinaigrette — Jacob Fox

Chef Millie Peartree has been feeding the community in the Bronx, where she grew up, as a private chef, caterer and restaurant owner of Millie Peartree's Fish Fry & Soul Food for more than a decade. Her healthy-eating philosophy is all about making simple but flavorful protein-packed meals. Mango juice in the vinaigrette balances the spiced salmon and roasted vegetables on these grain bowls.

13 of 17

Meal-Prep Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps

For this healthy lunch idea, we swap the traditional warm filling with a cold plant-based bean salad loaded with fresh herbs and lemon. Topping each lettuce leaf with a little quinoa before adding the filling helps to keep the wrap from getting soggy.

14 of 17

Jackfruit Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

Jackfruit Barbacoa Burrito Bowls

Jackfruit, a tropical fruit with a dense, chewy texture, is a blank canvas that takes on flavors well. In these vegan burrito bowls, the jackfruit is simmered in a warm and spicy chile sauce that's so good you'll never know you're eating a plant-based protein instead of pork or beef.

15 of 17

Salmon & Sweet Potato Grain Bowls

Dominic Perri

Harissa adds Moroccan flavor to this healthy grain bowl recipe without needing a long list of ingredients. Just 5 ingredients is all you need to get dinner (or a packable lunch) on the table in under an hour!

16 of 17

Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowls

a recipe photo of the Kale and Chickpea Grain Bowl w Avocado Dressing — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. It also delivers more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, key for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be excellent make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin it as needed.

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Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Sauce

Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

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