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Stir-fry recipes are a fantastic choice for a quick and easy meal in under half an hour. Whether you opt for rice, noodles, or a mix of vegetables, this dish offers a flexible and nutritious option for lunch or dinner. Crafting a wholesome stir-fry at home can seamlessly align with your weight loss goals, should you be focusing on that aspect of your health journey.
An effective strategy for a weight-loss-friendly stir-fry involves incorporating high-protein ingredients, as protein aids in promoting a feeling of fullness and supports the development of lean muscle mass. Introducing fiber into your stir-fry can also prolong satiety until your next meal. Additionally, it’s wise to limit the use of calorie-dense components such as vegetable oils or fatty cuts of meat to create a lighter dish in terms of calories.
With these considerations in mind, we have curated a collection of 18 delectably healthy stir-fry recipes for you to experiment with this week. It’s essential to note that stir-fry dishes frequently include soy sauce as a key element, leading to potentially elevated sodium levels. To address this, you can opt for a low-sodium soy sauce or even explore the option of using coconut aminos as a healthier substitute for traditional soy sauce.
Sweet and Spicy Beef Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 300
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 570 mg
Lower in calories and sodium than your typical takeout dish, this Sweet and Spicy Beef recipe uses low-sodium soy sauce, garlic, mushrooms, green beans, chili garlic sauce, hoisin sauce, and flank steak for a tasty lunch or dinner.
Get our recipe for Sweet and Spicy Beef Stir-Fry.
Chili Mango Chicken Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 240
Fat: 8 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 410 mg
This stir fry is the perfect choice for those who love the combination of sweet and spicy. It calls for ingredients like mango, snap peas, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, low-sodium soy sauce, and chicken thighs, and the entire meal is only 240 calories. Plus, you can have this meal ready in under 20 minutes!
Get our recipe from Chili Mango Chicken.
Quick Paleo Thai Beef Stir-Fry Recipe
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 399
Fat: 14 g (Saturated Fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 700 mg
Fiber: 10 g, Sugar: 10 g
Protein: 40 g
If you’re on the Paleo diet, it may seem like you have to give up things like stir-fry because of the rice or noodles. But that isn’t the case with this dish. Using cauliflower rice, coconut aminos, no-sugar-added fish sauce, and honey, this healthier Thai beef dish is a great choice for those eating Paleo or just wanting simpler ingredients in their meal.
Get our recipe for Quick Paleo Thai Beef Stir-Fry.
Chicken Fried Rice
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 390
Fat: 10 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 720 mg
Exactly what you’d want from a takeout meal but with way fewer calories and lower fat and sodium levels, you can have a healthier chicken fried rice meal with fresher ingredients in a matter of minutes.
Get our recipe for Chicken Fried Rice.
Kung Pao Chicken
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 290
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 670 mg
For the spice lovers, this Kung Pao Chicken dish is the ideal stir-fry. Made with chicken thighs, rice wine, soy sauce, siracha, red chiles, ginger, and garlic, this dish is full of flavor and super nutritious.
Get our recipe for Kung Pao Chicken.
Curry Cauliflower Butternut Squash Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 260
Fat: 8 g (Saturated Fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 510 mg
Made with butternut squash, cauliflower, light coconut milk, and garbanzo beans, this stir-fry is full of fiber and has only 260 calories, making it a quick and healthy choice to include in your weight loss plan.
Get our recipe for Curry Cauliflower Butternut Squash Stir-Fry.
Takeout-Level Beef With Broccoli Recipe
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 330
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 900 mg
Skip the takeout and save yourself the calories, fat, and sodium with this healthier beef and broccoli alternative. This stir-fry recipe keeps the calories under 400 but still gives you plenty of protein because of the flank steak.
Get our recipe for Takeout-Level Beef With Broccoli Recipe.
Takeout-Level Vegetable Fried Rice
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 360
Fat: 12 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 390 mg
Getting enough vegetables is an important part of a weight loss plan. In fact, research has shown a connection between increased veggie intake and greater weight loss. If you need a meal that can help you squeeze in more vegetables, this fried rice is one of the easiest ways to do it! With simple ingredients like brown rice, eggs, soy sauce, and the chopped veggies of your choosing, this dish can be whipped up in just a few minutes.
Get our recipe for Takeout-Level Vegetable Fried Rice.
Spicy Thai Chicken With Basil
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 190
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 890 mg
This stir-fry recipe is full of flavor from ingredients like garlic, jalapeños, soy sauce, fish sauce, and fresh basil, and including boneless skinless chicken breast gives you a large protein boost with very little fat. For extra fiber, add this dish to some cooked wild rice or whole-grain noodles.
Get our recipe for Spicy Thai Chicken With Basil.
Low-Calorie Shrimp Lo Mein Recipe That’s Better Than Takeout
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 490
Fat: 9 g (Saturated Fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 680 mg
Lo mein is always a tempting choice, but this popular takeout dish is usually piled high with calories. For a healthier alternative that will still satisfy your cravings and fit in better with your weight loss plan, try this lower-calorie shrimp dish. You’ll still get the savory satisfaction of the noodles, shrimp, and soy sauce, but with less than 500 calories per serving.
Get our recipe for Low-Calorie Shrimp Lo Mein.
Tofu Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 297
Fat: 17 g (Saturated Fat: 2 g)
Carbs: 12 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 22 g
Tofu is a great source of protein for those not wanting to eat meat. It’s one of the few plant-based complete protein sources, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that your body needs to make protein. Plus, it’s lower in calories than most animal proteins, and it makes for an easy ingredient in stir-fry dishes—like this one from Well Plated By Erin.
Get the recipe from Well Plated By Erin.
30-Minute Portabello Mushroom Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 161
Fat: 5 g (Saturated Fat: 0.7 g)
Sodium: 1,040 mg
Carbs: 26.5 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 15.8 g)
Protein: 6.1 g
This delicious stir-fry uses vegetables like portabello mushrooms, bell pepper, broccolini, and green onion, plus a flavorful homemade sauce from tamari, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, lime, and red pepper flakes. You can pair with brown rice, white rice, or cauliflower rice, depending on your personal preferences. If you want to add more protein, throw in some chicken, flank steak, or tofu.
Get the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.
Cabbage Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 235
Fat: 11 g (Saturated Fat: 2 g)
Carbs: 19 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 17 g
We love a dish that can easily be made low-carb, like this cabbage stir-fry. Made with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, carrots, cabbage, green onions, and chicken, this dish can provide you with a ton of flavor, protein, and fiber. Plus, if you want to keep it low-carb you can eat it as is, but you can also pair with some white or brown rice.
Get the recipe from Well Plated By Erin.
Sesame Orange-Ginger Chickpea Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 248
Fat: 6.3 g
Carbs: 41.1 g (Fiber: 8.6 g, Sugar: 15.9 g)
Protein: 8.3 g
Vegetarian-friendly stir-fry doesn’t have to just use tofu. This dish from Ambitious Kitchen uses chickpeas and veggies, and it can be served with your favorite grain like rice or quinoa. Because of these ingredients, this meal will give you a tasty boost of fiber to help keep you full and contribute to healthier digestion.
Get the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.
Orange Chicken Stir-Fry with Coconut Cauliflower Rice
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 391
Fat: 17.8 g (Saturated Fat: 4.5 g)
Carbs: 33.4 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 16.6 g)
Protein: 30.3 g
Orange chicken is a popular takeout choice, but it’s often loaded with sugars to give it that sweeter tang. This version keeps things a bit lighter and uses orange juice and honey for sweetness. With 30 grams of protein, you’ll feel satiated until your next meal.
Get the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.
Spring Veggie Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 122
Fat: 3.7 g (Saturated Fat: 2.9 g)
Sodium: 753.6 mg
Carbs: 20.7 g (Fiber: 3.6 g, Sugar: 13.2 g)
Protein: 4 g
Just in time for spring, this seasonal stir-fry uses vegetables like carrots, asparagus, and red onion, plus garlic, ginger, and red pepper for extra flavor. You can keep it vegetarian-friendly as is or with added tofu, or you can throw in some chicken or flank steak if you’re okay with animal proteins.
Get the recipe from Cookie + Kate.
Zoodle Veggie Stir-Fry
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 475
Fat: 30 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 1,802 mg
Carbs: 45 g (Fiber: 13 g, Sugar: 23 g)
Protein: 14 g
You don’t have to use rice or noodles to make a stir-fry. Instead, those wanting to go l0w-carb can use zoodles! Combining zucchini noodles, carrots, broccoli, onion, and snow peas, this meal gives you plenty of vegetables, and you can add your own protein source like chicken, tofu, or steak.
Get the recipe from Katie’s Cucina.
Stir-Fried Honey Ginger Sesame Noodles
Nutrition information unavailable
In just 20 minutes, you can have a healthy, nutrient-rich meal that fits perfectly into your weight loss plan. This dish is full of flavor and is made with honey, garlic, cashews, siracha, peanut butter, chili oil, and your choice of noodles. Keep it vegetarian or add your favorite meat.
Get the recipe from Half-Baked Harvest.
This story has been updated to include new information and copyedits.
