2,691 light recipes

No-mayo Tuscan potato salad dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and fresh herbs. Served at room temperature, this light Italian side dish is a refreshing swap for heavy picnic potato salads.

A light, jiggly tomato aspic salad made with tomato juice, unflavored gelatin, and a squeeze of lemon. Diabetic-friendly at just 15 calories per serving, served on crisp lettuce with colorful pepper strips.

Catskill Mountain rye bread for the bread machine with rye flour, caraway seeds, and honey. Vital wheat gluten keeps the loaf tall and light despite the dense rye. Great for sandwiches and toast.

Wine fruit cup with sliced plums, nectarines, and golden raisins soaked in a spiced white wine syrup infused with anise, cinnamon, and lemon. A chilled starter that doubles as a light summer dessert.

Curried spinach and chickpea soup with pearl barley, half the chickpeas pureed for a creamy base, the other half left whole for bite. Vegetarian, high-fiber, lightly spiced with curry powder and cumin.

Turkey Waldorf salad turns leftover roast turkey into a crisp, light meal with chopped apples, celery, green onions, and a tangy yogurt-mayo dressing brightened with lemon. The day-after-Thanksgiving lunch hero.

Romulan Lucernae is a DIY tangerine oil lamp, not a dish. Hollow the fruit, wick the pith, fill with olive oil, and light for a warm citrus-scented glow at the dinner table.

Vegetable lo mein with dried mushrooms, celery, and bamboo shoots tossed with fresh wheat noodles in a light broth. A classic Chinese wok technique that beats takeout in under 30 minutes active time.

Espresso cake is a coffee-infused angel food cake: 12 whipped egg whites, cake flour, and espresso baked in a tube pan, then finished with a coffee-cocoa icing. Feather-light and caffeinated.

Pepper poached pears simmer in white wine with black peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon and a whisper of chili heat, then chill in a syrup reduced from the poaching liquid. An elegant, lightly spiced dessert.

Best borscht: a ruby-red Russian beet soup loaded with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes in a rich beef broth, finished with a swirl of sour cream and fresh dill. Hearty yet light.

Tuna lemon pasta, a light pantry dinner of shells and flaked tuna tossed in a bright lemon, wine, and broth sauce with scallions. A quick, fresh weeknight meal that skips the heavy cream.

Grilled Eggplant, Tomato, Zucchini & Squash Sandwich recipe

Fresh fruit ice is a light, low-fat frozen dessert made with orange juice, lemon, mashed banana, and strawberries or peaches. Gelatin and a rebeat give it a creamy, scoopable texture without a churn ice cream maker.

Mascarpone is light and creamy, try to find fresh, local and seasonal blueberries, which make the cupcakes absolutely flavorful. The frosting is made with mascarpone and heavy cream to give the fluffy cupcakes extra creaminess and layers of flavors. These cupcakes won't last long, everybody will love them.

Chilled blueberry buttermilk soup with orange zest and fresh juice, served icy cold with an orange slice and berry garnish. A refreshing Scandinavian-inspired starter or light dessert that's ideal for hot summer days.