Clean eating is one of the easiest diets to stick to because it’s not an actual diet, per say. Unlike the Mediterranean diet, Paleo, the Blue Zone diet, Keto, orintermittent fasting, clean eating isn’t centered around excluding certain foods. All that clean eating calls for is you focus on consuming whole, organic foods rather than processed ones.
But like any other eating style, clean eating is easier said than done. That’s why we’ve rounded up these 25 clean eating recipes to guide you to greatness! This compilation of clean eating recipes has something for everyone – plus, we’ve saved the best for last. Scroll through to the end to see some of the best sweet clean eating recipes for a healthy dessert. Let’s dive in!
What is clean eating?
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Clean eating is a style of eating that’s focused on consuming whole and organic foods while avoiding highly processed foods.
What foods do you eat on clean eating?
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Clean eating primarily includes whole grains, organic vegetables and fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Is cheese considered clean eating?
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Cheese can be considered clean eating, as long as it’s not heavily processed and served in limited portions. Cheese can provide protein and healthy fats to a clean eating meal plan.
What are the best clean eating recipes?
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch / PEXELS
The best clean eating recipes provide a balance between organic fruits and veggies, fiber, healthy fats, and protein. Grain bowls, grilled chicken,high-protein wraps, and substantial salads are great for clean eating.
Our Best Clean Eating Recipes For Healthy Meals
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
Whoever says burgers can't be clean eating just got proven so wrong. This healthier take on America's go-to bun combines sweet potatoes and black beans for the flavorful patties, giving each bite a good dose of fiber and protein. Top these sammies with your fave garnishes, and you've got dinner! (via Brit + Co)
Slow-Cooker Marsala Grain Bowl
These balanced grain bowls are unbelievably easy to make with a slow cooker. Just throw all the ingredients into the cooker, set it for a few hours, then serve over some greens with honey and yogurt once it's ready. Yep – you'll get a very satiating taste of savory and sweet in this dish. (via Brit + Co)
Fattoush Salad
This colorful salad will make you glow from the inside out! With all the good greens and veggie ad-ons, you'll finish off this bowl with a sprinkling of pita chips for extra crunch. Try opting for whole grain chips (or better yet, whole grain crusty bread) to really nail down the clean eating concept. (via Brit + Co)
Curry Chicken
Sometimes you just want something with a nice kick to it. This healthy, one pot chicken dish will fill the gaps with tons of curry spice, making it an excellent choice for the colder months. Swap the basmati rice in this clean eating recipe for brown rice if you're aiming to eat more whole grains. (via Brit + Co)
Shakshuka
Shakshuka is one of the best clean eating recipes to add to your rotation because it's suitable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This recipe earns a zingy flavor from preserved lemon and tons of vegetarian-friendly protein from chickpeas and egg. (via Brit + Co)
Baked Almond-Crusted Cod
We're gettin' fancy now! Feast on some clean eating lean protein by prepping this delicious crusted cod dish. It's packed with omega-3 fatty acids that boost heart health, plus has an impressive balance of tender fish and crusty, almond-y coating. Better yet is the lemon-dill sauce built using Greek yogurt! (via Brit + Co)
Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Make a big batch of this chickpea salad sandwich filling for an easy take-to-work lunch! The mix of chickpeas, onion, corn, peppers, and pickles will be a super fresh and delightful respite from the workday. Whole wheat bread works wonderfully with this clean eating recipe, but you could go the extra mile and turn these into healthy lettuce wraps! (via Brit + Co)
Lemon Chicken Skewers
Putting in the extra work to marinate your chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, and lots of cilantro and parsley will be 1000% worth it when you make this clean eating recipe. Skewered alongside organic artichoke pieces and asparagus, the protein will taste just as heavenly as it is healthy! (via Brit + Co)
One Pot Tuscan White Bean Soup
The Instant Pot does all the work for you to make this soup. It's super hearty, being packed full of beans, onion, leek, tomato, mushrooms, zucchini, and even more veg. This recipe will yield a huge pot of soup to feast on all week long, making it easier to eat clean since you'll already have something in the fridge! (via Brit + Co)
Vegan Butternut Squash + Spinach Casserole
Casseroles might just be our favorite form of food. Although more involved dishes are fun to make, finding the time can be a challenge in light of life's other happenings. This vegan casserole simplifies mealtime (without sacrificing healthy eats) by using easy-to-find ingredients. (via Brit + Co)
Harissa Grilled Shrimp with Chickpea-Dill Sauce
Shrimp is sooo yum, and it gets even yummier with this recipe that draws inspiration from Mediterranean meals! Each piece earns a pleasant hint of spice from harissa paste, then gets combined with a glorious dill-centered sauce that'll satisfy the whole table. (via Brit + Co)
Couscous Stuffed Artichokes
These savory stuffed 'chokes are met with a sweet sprinkling of pomegranate seeds, which we love. The fact that this dish combines veggies and fruits qualifies it as one of the best clean eating recipes out there! If you've never made whole artichokes before, this is the recipe to start with. (via Brit + Co)
Spice-Rubbed Roast Chicken
Why settle for bland, boring chicken when you can make this flavorful version in just a few steps? Keeping some piece of this spice-rubbed chicken on-hand to top clean eating salads and wraps will make your life so much easier and tastier. You can go in as heavy- or light-handed as you want, but we recommend seasoning very generously. (via Brit + Co)
One Pot Vegan Sriracha Chili
Chili heals all. It's hearty and complex in flavor, and this vegan version is no exception. There's three different types of legumes included to power up your clean eating with plant-based protein, plus there's not much seasoning involved. Sriracha sauce does the heavy lifting in terms of flavor and spice! (via Brit + Co)
Mediterranean Chicken Skewers
You can serve these skewers with basically anything from salads to snack plates. Go ahead, give your girl dinner a nutritious boost. (via Brit + Co)
Green Goddess Salad
Clean eating recipes that are easy to eat have our hearts. Since this green goddess salad is finely chopped, you can go in with your fave chips for snacktime and lunchtime alike. The homemade dressing is the real secret sauce here, so make sure to always have some in your fridge for maximum flav. (via Brit + Co)
Tahini Salmon Salad
Salmon dishes always feel special, so treat yourself to this salad every once in a while! It's totally clean eating-approved with a big ol' bed of greens, a sweet tahini-based dressing, and chunks of juicy mango. (via Brit + Co)
Vegan Chickpea Curry
This chickpea curry stores super well, so you can be confident the leftovers will taste just as good as they did when you first made it. Plus, everything goes in just one pot – hooray for way less dishes in the sink! If you're not vegan, you could even beef this dish up with, well, literal beef. Or chicken. Or whatever makes your heart happy! (via Brit + Co)
Greek Salad
Let's hear it for some clean eating appetizer recipes! This chunky (in a good way, trust us) Greek salad is perfectly balanced between fresh and cheesy, plus you can get creative with seasoning each bite with salt and pepper or balsamic glaze. This pick will hit even harder in the summer when you're craving something cool. (via Brit + Co)
Squash Nachos
Since clean eating recipes tend to limit processed foods, you may reconsider snacking on too many tortilla chips. Instead, try out pairing your fave dips and nacho toppings with roasted squash. Even another veg like sweet potato or carrot will work well with this easy recipe. (via Brit + Co)
Vegan Walnut Tacos
This innovative taco recipe just showed up every other clean eating recipe out there. Using walnuts for the "meat" mixture actually results in a super tender and flavorful filling that gives a good serving of healthy fats. When balanced with veggie toppings and a lime squeeze, you won't want tacos any other way. (via Brit + Co)
Sweet Clean Eating Recipes For Dessert
Healthy Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are surprisingly crafted with chickpeas, which not only provide some beneficial protein, but also help form the rich dough. The ingredients list definitely beats any frozen cookie dough you could find at the store, and when you mix in the chocolate chips, magic happens. (via Brit + Co)
5-Ingredient Apricot Bites
These no-bake bites just make sense to meal prep when you want something to snack on before the gym or after lunch. Use unsweetened dried apricots to ensure you're limiting your intake of processed, overly sugary foods. The coconut flakes simply make this pick one of the best clean eating recipes for dessert! (via Brit + Co)
Black Bean Brownies
Black. Bean. Brownies. That's right! These clean eating sweet treats are made from black beans, oats, and cocoa powder that work together to form some deliciously gooey bites for enjoying after dinner (or for a midnight snack). Agave nectar and coconut oil take the place of the usual sugar and butter, making this dessert the superior healthy option. (via Brit + Co)
Easy Green Smoothie
All you need is four ingredients to master this green smoothie recipe. The greens are entirely hidden behind scoops of protein and banana, so this sipper actually tastes more like dessert than a health drink. Opt for an all-natural, less-processed milk to make this more appropriate for clean eating. (via Brit + Co)
No-Bake Apple Pie Bites
This healthy finger food is perfect because each bite tastes just like apple pie! It leverages honey to sweeten the dough, instead of the usual sugar. Protein powder and flax seeds are the perfect blend for making this filling snack. (via Brit + Co)
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Meredith Holser
Creative Assistant, Meredith Holser, is B+C's resident food writer, photographer, and TikTok taker. Meredith writes about a range of topics for B+C, but she's adopted food writing in all its many facets for the last year. You can see her work published in Do214, Advocate Magazine, WFAA, and North Texas Daily. Meredith's passion for photography began after sneaking her mom's iPhone to take pictures of flowers on vacation, eventually evolving from a passion to a professional career. Outside of work, you can catch Meredith hiking, trying new recipes, and dreaming about having a yummy little treat.
