Asian cuisine offers some of the most flavorful, satisfying, and naturally healthy dishes in the world – when you make them at home. Restaurant versions are often loaded with excess oil, sugar, and sodium, but these 17 healthy Asian recipes capture all those incredible flavors while keeping things clean and nutritious.
From fragrant curries made with nonfat Greek yogurt to Japanese-inspired bowls packed with fresh vegetables and lean proteins, each recipe focuses on the bright, bold flavors that make Asian food so crave-worthy. You’ll learn to balance sweet, salty, sour, and spicy elements using wholesome ingredients like fresh ginger, garlic, citrus, and aromatic herbs. These dishes prove that healthy eating doesn’t mean sacrificing the complex, satisfying flavors you love. Whether you’re craving the comfort of a warm soup or the freshness of a Vietnamese-style salad, these recipes will transport your taste buds while nourishing your body.
1. Healthy Asian Recipes: Satay Skewers
Normally, with a satay sauce, you’re looking at a few hundred calories because of the high fat content of peanut butter and sesame oil. But when you make it at home, you can easily control that aspect and keep your sauce flavorful without being calorie-heavy. These skewers are only 260 calories for 3!
2. Shrimp Spring Roll in a Bowl
Beautiful big shrimp and crunchy veggies in a good sauce is such a healthy, but easy go to for an Asian inspired meal. I love that this recipe is so easy to customize to your favorite toppings. You can add or take away based on what you like! And this recipe makes 2 very generous servings for under 500 calories each.
3. Healthy Asian Recipes: Bulgogi
Enjoy the bold, sweet-savory flavors of Korean BBQ with this healthier, low-calorie Chicken Bulgogi. We’ve replaced traditional corn syrup with Splenda, while maintaining the delicious blend of grated pear, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in the marinade. The result is tender, caramelized chicken, bursting with flavor. Quick to prepare, this versatile dish is perfect for any meal—serve it with rice and steamed vegetables, or enjoy it as a fresh, light lettuce wrap.
4. Vietnamese Spring Roll Bowl
This Vietnamese spring roll bowl is very similar to the shrimp spring roll bowl, but with different noodles and a slightly different taste. So they’re both worth a try to see which you like best! This recipe makes 4 servings for just 170 calories each, and again, is very customizable.
5. Healthy Asian Recipes: Korean Braised Chicken
Korean Braised Chicken, or dakjjim, features tender chicken simmered with wholesome vegetables in a savory-sweet sauce with a hint of spice. This comforting stew is naturally sweetened and perfectly balanced with sweet, salty, and spicy notes, creating a hearty yet light meal that’s satisfying and nutritious. Ready in under an hour, it’s packed with flavor in every bite.
6. Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken
This Asian chicken recipe is a great one to keep around for meal prep. It’ll keep your chicken moist all week long, and you can batch cook it so that you’ve got it ready to go whenever you need it. You can add it to salads, rice bowls, or wraps – whatever type of meal prep you prefer!
7. Healthy Asian Recipes: Egg Roll Soup
Egg Roll Soup is naturally very healthy. It’s low in calories and if you use bone broth instead of beef broth, it’ll be high in protein as well. Keep a large batch of this stocked in your fridge during the colder months, and you’ve got a simple go to whenever you need it.
8. Manchow Soup
Manchow Soup is an Asian classic with loads of finely chopped vegetables in a clear, umami-rich broth. Served as a starter in Chinese restaurants, this simple yet beautiful and healthy soup is slightly thickened for a creamy and chunky texture that’s so satisfying. The classic version includes carrots, cabbage, and bell peppers, but you can always add more variety.
9. Healthy Asian Recipes: Chinese Dumpling Soup
Chinese Dumpling Soup combines the comforting warmth of clear broth with satisfying, delicate dumplings in a nourishing meal that’s ready in just 20 minutes. This one-pot wonder features dumplings in flavorful chicken broth enhanced with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, while carrots, spinach, and mushrooms add nutrition, texture, and fiber to keep you satisfied. Perfect for meal prep, this versatile soup improves in flavor over time.
10. Pork Egg Rolls
These Pork Egg Rolls offer a lighter, healthier take on a beloved Chinese takeout classic. Each roll is generously filled with a flavorful medley of lean protein and fresh, crisp vegetables, all seasoned to perfection with authentic Asian spices. Encased in a delicate, egg-based wrapper, these savory delights are not only incredibly delicious but also remarkably simple to prepare. By utilizing an air fryer, you can achieve that irresistible crispy exterior without the need for excessive oil.
11. Healthy Asian Recipes: Asian Chicken Soup
This Asian Chicken Soup recipe is a delightful blend of Chinese and Japanese flavors, featuring a light yet flavorful broth, reminiscent of traditional Asian soups. It’s also a one pot recipe and can be ready to eat in 2 hours. The 90 minute simmer is important for enhancing the flavor of the broth so don’t skip it!
12. Pork Bulgogi
The top of this list has a chicken bulgogi, and this recipe will show you how to make it with pork instead. Despite using pork instead of chicken, it’s still a light and healthy recipe! One serving is just 255 calories, so if you have room, serve it over rice or veggies.
13. Healthy Asian Recipes: Chinese Chicken Salad
This Chinese Chicken Salad delivers a burst of freshness with its blend of flavors and textures that will keep you coming back for more. Packed with fresh Chinese cabbage, tangelos, and colorful vegetables, it’s both visually appealing and surprisingly filling. The unexpected addition of crispy ramen noodles adds a delightful crunch.
14. Chicken Curry
This simplified Chicken Curry recipe allows you to enjoy this traditional dish without all the unhealthy extras. The chicken gets marinated in yogurt and spices, and then cooked over high heat in a frying pan. This process adds a toasted and smoky touch that enhances the flavor of the dish. If you want, you can use coconut milk instead of yogurt, which provides a creamier texture and a slightly sweet flavor.
15. Healthy Asian Recipes: Vietnamese Spring Rolls
We’ve given two bowl versions of spring rolls, but what if you just want to make spring rolls?! Traditionally, spring rolls comprise four elements: rice paper wrappers, vermicelli noodles (which we’ve omitted in this recipe to save calories), fillings (consisting of vegetables, aromatic herbs, and proteins), and peanut sauce. This recipe also has an adaptation of the classic peanut sauce, keeping it vegetarian friendly.
16. Beef and Broccoli
Asian stir-fries are one of the best take-out meals, but they are so heavy in calories because of the oil. With this recipe, you can make takeout right at home and keep the calories under 200 per serving! It can be ready in under an hour, which is always a win!
17. Healthy Asian Recipes: Sushi Salad
With ingredients like cucumber, lettuce, salmon, shrimp, soy sauce, nori seaweed, and carrots, this salad is a fresh and light version of traditional sushi rolls and is under 200 calories. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients to personalize it to your taste. If you have access to seaweed such as wakame, arame, or suginori, add them to give your salad an extra authentic Japanese touch.
Each recipe on this list is worth making multiple times, so go ahead and dig in. It’ll keep your meals healthy, light in calories, but most importantly, flavorful!
