31 Wholesome Recipes For Every Night In January To Start The Year Off Right

    2021 is looking delicious.

    Hannah Loewentheil
    by Hannah Loewentheil

    BuzzFeed Staff

    January is a fresh start and the perfect time to focus on cooking wholesome, nutritious meals that not only make you feel great but also taste delicious. Here are 31 healthyish yet satisfying recipes to make all month.

    1. Salmon Sushi Bowl

    The Modern Proper / Via themodernproper.com

    You can use just about any seafood to make this veggie-packed, sushi-inspired bowl. Try shrimp, seared tuna, or even canned salmon...or you can keep it totally vegetarian.

    Recipe: Salmon Sushi Bowl

    2. Whole Roasted Peruvian Chicken

    The Cookie Rookie / Via thecookierookie.com

    This Peruvian-inspired recipe is the end of boring roast chicken. A whole bird is marinated in jalapeño, garlic, paprika, soy sauce, lime, and lots of good spices, then it's roasted until the skin is crispy and the meat is juicy.

    Recipe: Whole Roasted Peruvian Chicken

    The Real Food Rds / Via therealfoodrds.com

    Hats off to whoever invented spaghetti squash. Roasted in the oven, the meat of the vegetable shreds just like tiny angel hair pasta. This recipe adds spicy Buffalo chicken to the mix for an indulgent-tasting yet wholesome meal.

    Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

    4. Mediterranean Chicken Hummus Bowl

    A chicken and vegetable hummus bowl.
    No Spoon Necessary / Via nospoonnecessary.com

    This super-simple, feel-good meal features a big dollop of hummus on the bottom and a healthy serving of your favorite Mediterranean toppings on top. Load this bowl with cucumber, tomato, olives, pickled onions, peppers, and feta.

    Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken Hummus Bowl

    5. No-Bean Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

    Skinny Taste / Via skinnytaste.com

    This protein-packed, hearty chili is delightful on cold nights. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and some tortilla chips for dipping.

    Recipe: No-Bean Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

    6. Air Fryer Fish and Chips

    Crispy breaded fish with French fries.
    Feel Good Foodie / Via feelgoodfoodie.net

    Your air fryer gets breaded fish seriously crispy without any deep-frying required.

    Use a white flaky fish like cod or hake for this dish.

    Recipe: Air Fryer Fish and Chips

    Green Healthy Cooking / Via greenhealthycooking.com

    Meatless Monday just got a whole lot more interesting with this buttery, melt-in-your-mouth whole roasted cauliflower, roasted with savory wild mushrooms.

    Recipe: Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Wild Mushrooms

    8. Coconut Shrimp Curry

    Cafe Delites / Via cafedelites.com

    This creamy curry sauce is made with coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, and lots of spices. It tastes like a cross between Thai red curry and shrimp tikka masala, which is a win in my book.

    Recipe: Coconut Shrimp Curry

    9. Vegetarian Bibimbap Bowl

    The Wanderlust Kitchen / Via thewanderlustkitchen.com

    If you're looking for a vegetarian meal that still tastes incredibly satisfying, this Korean-inspired rice bowl is for you. Of course, you could always add your favorite meat, like marinated skirt steak or chicken.

    Recipe: Vegetarian Bibimbap Bowl

    The Flavor Bender / Via theflavorbender.com

    If you get easily intimidated by cooking fish at home, this salmon is a must-try. It slow-roasts at a low temperature, so it's basically impossible to overcook, and the result is delightfully tender and flaky.

    Recipe: Slow-Roasted Salmon With Lemon Butter Sauce

    11. Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

    The Healthy Foodie / Via thehealthyfoodie.com

    Beef Bourguignon gets a vegetarian-friendly twist in this recipe, which is made with lots of mushrooms cooked with onion and carrots in red wine, veggie broth, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, and tamari. It's hearty and savory and perfect over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

    Recipe: Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

    12. Slow Cooker Ratatouille

    Whole Food Bellies / Via wholefoodbellies.com

    This French recipe is just so cozy. Russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and squash are sliced, arranged in a baking dish, and topped with marinara sauce and Parmesan and roasted until tender.

    Recipe: Slow Cooker Ratatouille

    13. Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Mac 'n' Cheese

    A bowl of creamy vegan mac 'n' cheese.
    Rainbow Plant Life / Via rainbowplantlife.com

    This dish features all the creaminess of mac 'n' cheese without any dairy. The decadent sauce is made with pumpkin (or butternut squash), white miso, soaked raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and spices. Make a big batch because you'll want to put it on everything.

    Recipe: Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Mac 'n' Cheese

    14. Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

    A hand holding a lettuce wrap stuffed with buffalo chicken.
    Our Salty Kitchen / Via oursaltykitchen.com

    If you're trying to cut back on carbs, these Buffalo chicken stuffed lettuce wraps are a delicious way to start. If you use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, you don't even have to turn on the oven.

    Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

    15. Korean Beef Power Bowl

    Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net

    Start with ground beef (or pork or chicken, for that matter), and cook it in a mixture of brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and sriracha. Add it to a base of your favorite grains, like rice, faro, or quinoa with lots of veggies.

    Recipe: Korean Beef Power Bowl

    16. Chicken Souvlaki

    Gimme Some Oven / Via gimmesomeoven.com

    These chicken skewers are marinated in a simple mixture of olive oil, lemon, and fresh herbs. Serve them over rice, in pita bread, or on a salad with some crunchy vegetables and hummus or tzatziki.

    Recipe: Chicken Souvlaki

    17. Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas

    A sheet pan with roasted veggies, sliced steak, and tortillas.
    Life Made Sweeter / Via lifemadesweeter.com

    It doesn't get much easier than these fajitas, which come together on a single sheet pan to eliminate just about any mess. If steak isn't your favorite, just swap in your favorite protein.

    Recipe: Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas

    From a Chef's Kitchen / Via fromachefskitchen.com

    The key to this low-carb jambalaya, made with with chicken, shrimp, and sausage, is the crunchy cauliflower rice. Instead of being sautéed until soggy, the cauliflower is spread out on a baking sheet, seasoned, and roasted to maintain a delicious crispy texture.

    Recipe: Keto-Friendly Cauliflower Rice Jambalaya

    19. Pad Thai With Zucchini Noodles

    Zucchini noodle pad Thai in a bowl.
    Our Balanced Bowl / Via ourbalancedbowl.com

    Spiralized zucchini takes the place of rice noodles in this better-for-you version of a Thai classic. With it also tossed in the gingery, garlicky, peanut butter sauce, you won't miss the carbs.

    Recipe: Pad Thai With Zucchini Noodles

    20. Banh Mi Bowl

    A ground pork banh mi bowl.
    The Almond Eater / Via thealmondeater.com

    This Vietnamese-inspired bowl is packed with all the delicious flavors of a banh mi sandwich. This recipe calls for cauliflower rice and ground pork, but you can swap in any grain or protein.

    Recipe: Banh Mi Bowl

    21. Chicken Yakitori

    Skewers of chicken yakitori on a plate.
    Simply Scratch / Via simplyscratch.com

    For the best flavor, start with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which are sliced into small pieces and arranged on skewers. They're then marinated in a soy, sake, and brown sugar marinade that caramelizes as the chicken is grilled.

    Recipe: Chicken Yakitori

    Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com

    You'll want every day to be Taco Tuesday after trying this zesty and fresh shrimp version.

    Recipe: Spicy Shrimp Tacos With Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw

    23. Roasted Garlic Vegetable Stew With Red Lentils and Tomatoes

    A bowl of roasted vegetable and lentil stew.
    Crumbs and Caramel / Via crumbsandcaramel.com

    This rich stew gets its flavor from roasted cauliflower, sweet potato, and bell peppers, which are roasted and then simmered in a tomato-based broth with lots of spices.

    Recipe: Roasted Garlic Vegetable Stew With Red Lentils and Tomatoes

    Hungry Hobby / Via hungryhobby.net

    The best thing about this recipe is its versatility. Grab your favorite store-bought gnocchi, some veggies, and a protein and roast everything simultaneously in the oven. Toss with your favorite pasta sauce, and you've got the ultimate weeknight meal.

    Recipe: Sheet Pan Cauliflower Gnocchi With Chicken Sausage and Broccoli

    25. Greek Meatballs With Tzatziki Sauce

    All The Healthy Things / Via allthehealthythings.com

    For maximum flavor, use a mixture of ground beef and pork to make these herb-packed meatballs. Serve them in Greek-inspired bowls with all of your favorite toppings, like chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, feta, and bell pepper.

    Recipe: Greek Meatballs With Tzatziki Sauce

    26. Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

    Life Made Sweeter / Via lifemadesweeter.com

    For this true dump dinner, just toss all the ingredients into your slow cooker and wait for this cozy soup to cook itself.

    Recipe: Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

    Ambitious Kitchen / Via ambitiouskitchen.com

    A light and fresh avocado peach salsa is the ultimate complement to this slightly spicy salmon, which is marinated in soy, honey, balsamic, crushed red pepper, and ginger.

    Recipe: Firecracker Salmon With Peach Avocado Salsa

    28. Baked Eggplant Parmesan

    Cooking For Keeps / Via cookingforkeeps.com

    Six ingredients and one baking sheet are all you need to make these better-for-you eggplant Parm stacks, which are baked from start to finish and never fried.

    Recipe: Baked Eggplant Parmesan

    29. 30-Minute Quinoa "Fried Rice"

    Minimalist Baker / Via minimalistbaker.com

    While this recipe is vegan, you can customize it according to your dietary preferences. Personally, I love adding fried egg or, if I'm craving more protein, some shrimp or tofu.

    Recipe: 30-Minute Quinoa "Fried Rice"

    30. Shakshuka

    The Noshery / Via thenoshery.com

    There's no wrong time of day for baked eggs in spiced tomato sauce. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it's perfectly appropriate and always satisfying.

    Recipe: Shakshuka

    31. Soba Noodle Salad With Sesame Soy Dressing

    A soba noodle and vegetable bowl.
    Aberdeen's Kitchen / Via aberdeenskitchen.com

    IMO, salad tastes better when noodles take the place of lettuce. Once you try this bowl packed with veggies and buckwheat noodles in tangy sesame soy sauce, I think you'll agree.

    Recipe: Soba Noodle Salad With Sesame Soy Dressing