30 Low-Sodium Dinners That Support Healthy Aging

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Updated on September 26, 2023

Reviewed by Dietitian

Elizabeth Ward, M.S., RDN

One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake — Photo: photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall

As we age, it's important to limit sodium intake. Excess sodium intake can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, especially as you get older. These dinner recipes meet the American Heart Association's recommendations for a low-sodium diet so you can keep sodium in check. Recipes like Arepas with Spicy Black Beans and One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake are flavorful and healthy.

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One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake — photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall

In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner you'll be returning to again and again.

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Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Chicken Cutlets with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Though a chicken cutlet may be a chicken breast cut in half, this recipe shows how to make chicken cutlets with double the deliciousness. 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 chicken, and the tomatoes go into the cream sauce.

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Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Protein-packed, lean shrimp cook up super-fast, making them the ultimate taco filling for a fast weeknight dinner that's also impressive and delicious enough for a weekend dinner party. We've also loaded up on crunchy veg and didn't skimp on the spices.

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Linguine with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

This easy pasta recipe is an excuse to buy wild mushrooms, available at many grocery stores these days. Or if you prefer white buttons, those will work well too. The creamy linguine is ready in 40 minutes, so it's quick enough for an easy weeknight recipe, but it feels fancy enough for entertaining.

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Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles

Packed with plenty of vegetables and tons of flavor, this chicken pasta bake is inspired by the ingredients in a caprese salad.

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Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water—its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.

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Avocado-Bun Turkey Sliders

two sliders with avocados as the buns

Instead of being served on traditional buns, these turkey sliders are sandwiched inside mini avocados for a clever (and low-carb) meal—because why put avocado on your burger when you can put your burger on an avocado? Quick pickled onions are a pretty and tasty topping, and chipotle mayo seals the deal. Bonus: The burgers are cooked on a baking sheet, so it's easy to whip up a whole batch.

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Arepas with Spicy Black Beans

These corncakes are a common style of flatbread in Colombia and Venezuela. Arepas are made with precooked cornmeal and served warm with butter or cheese, or split open and filled, or topped, as we've done here. Our arepas filling is loaded with fragrant spices and vegetables to elevate the dish.

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Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese

four containers with Zucchini Noodles & Quick Turkey Bolognese

Forgo regular pasta (and most of the carbs) for spiralized zucchini "noodles" in these make-ahead meals. The zoodles quickly turn tender-crisp as the veggie-packed Bolognese warms in the microwave.

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Roasted Salmon & Tomatoes with Garlic & Olives

Roasted Salmon & Tomatoes with Garlic & Olives

Keep the mess to a minimum with this easy sheet-pan dinner. Cherry tomato halves roast alongside salmon fillets and make a delicious topping combined with olives, garlic and thyme in this easy fuss-free dinner.

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Scrambled Egg Curry

This mildly spiced Indian scrambled egg recipe makes a great light lunch or light dinner. Tuck the curried eggs into a warm whole-wheat tortilla or an Indian flatbread, like paratha, which can be found in the freezer case at Indian markets. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.

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Chicken Parmesan & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

a recipe photo of the stuffed peppers

Chicken Parm gets a fun low-carb and gluten-free twist with these cheesy stuffed peppers with chicken and quinoa. Serve with a salad for a healthy dinner that's easy to prep too.

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White Beans & Eggs with Pancetta & Fennel

Pancetta (cured pork belly) is similar in taste and texture to bacon (which is cured and smoked pork belly). You can find it near the bacon at many grocery stores.

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Cajun-Style Pork and Shrimp Pasta

Cajun seasoning adds flavor and spice to this delicious slow-cooker pork and shrimp pasta dish. Our recipe calls for salt-free seasoning to lower the sodium content, or you have the option to make your own Cajun seasoning blend.

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Beef Tenderloin with Pomegranate Sauce & Farro Pilaf

This recipe proves that roasting and then saucing with vibrant flavors is the best way to cook beef tenderloin. Double pomegranate—juice and molasses—lends fruity tartness to the sauce.

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Shrimp Cobb Salad with Dijon Dressing

We've replaced chicken with shrimp in this delicious and easy spin on the classic Cobb salad. This satisfying salad takes just about 20 minutes to make, so it's perfect for weeknight dinners, but it's elegant enough to serve to guests.

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BBQ Baked Potatoes with Pork & Broccoli

Use leftover cooked pork to whip together these easy BBQ pork baked potatoes. Add steamed broccoli and Cheddar cheese to round out this easy healthy dinner.

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Polenta Cakes with Poached Eggs & Avocado

Precooked polenta makes this savory healthy breakfast a breeze. Serving the easy poached eggs on a bed of arugula is a wonderful way to get a head start on your daily vegetable intake.

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Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the bonus of minimal cleanup.

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Tofu & Vegetable Curry with Zucchini Noodles

Thai Tofu & Vegetable Curry with Zucchini Noodles

For this quick Thai-inspired curry recipe, we've combined tofu and plenty of veggies with a flavorful sauce made with red curry paste, lime juice and coconut milk. Serve the curry over lightly warmed zucchini noodles to get even more veggies in your weeknight dinner. Bonus: Everything is cooked in one skillet, so there's only one pan to wash after dinner.

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Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Arugula Salad

Mediterranean Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Arugula Salad

Roasted portobello mushrooms stand in for pizza crust in these comforting individual "pizzas." An easy arugula side salad makes a vibrant accompaniment.

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Honey-Mustard Chicken with Asparagus Farrotto

Risotto gets a whole-grain upgrade by swapping in farro (a type of wheat) for the white rice. The farrotto adds a chewy bite and nutty flavor, plus 4 extra grams of fiber per serving.

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Classic Mac & Cheese

No sneaky ingredients here, just delicious comfort food. You can enjoy this super-cheesy mac and cheese in the same time it takes to cook the boxed version. Whole-wheat noodles add fiber, while sharp Cheddar adds richness. A hefty twist of black pepper balances the cheese's salty tang.

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Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Topping

Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Topping

In this easy shepherd's pie recipe, we keep the carbs in check by using creamy mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes. The ground beef filling is cooked in the same skillet used for baking the pie, making assembly (and cleanup) a breeze.

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way, it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.

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Skillet Chicken Potpie

A store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner recipe is comfort food at its best.

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Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos

Give juicy shrimp tacos a Cajun flavor spin with spices and a quick sear on a hot grill. An easy avocado mash adds creaminess to cool off the spicy kick.

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Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.

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Sesame-Garlic Beef & Broccoli with Whole-Wheat Noodles

A savory marinade with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil infuses flavor into sirloin steak pieces in this healthy beef and broccoli stir-fry recipe. We recommend partially freezing the beef for easier slicing.

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