1,293 light recipes

A low-calorie party dip made from cottage cheese, garlic, parsley, white wine vinegar, and Italian seasoning. No cooking, just mix and chill. Light enough for any diet, flavorful enough for any crowd.

Silky crab meat stir-fried with ginger, scallions, and cooking wine, finished with wispy egg white and poured over blanched baby bok choy. A light, elegant Chinese seafood dish ready in 35 minutes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lunn Cake, a traditional English yeast cake baked in a ring mold with scalded milk, eggs, and a light crumb. Served warm with butter, this no-knead bread rises twice for a pillowy texture.

A refreshing frozen citrus ice made with orange, grapefruit, and lemon juices thickened with gelatin and sweetened with sugar substitute. Light, tangy, and practically guilt-free, this diabetic-friendly dessert is pure frozen sunshine.

Thai-inspired crab salad tossed with lemongrass, fish sauce, lime juice, and cilantro, spooned into cool hollowed-out cucumber cups. A no-cook appetizer that's fresh, light, and packed with bright Southeast Asian flavors.

Light carrot cake made with applesauce instead of oil and egg whites instead of whole eggs, studded with raisins and drizzled with a fresh orange glaze. Lower in fat but still full of flavor.