Kidney-friendly dinner recipes

Roasted vegetable pasta

Makes 6 servings | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 20 min

Ingredients

• 1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 8 oz whole wheat penne
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
• Toss eggplant, onion, zucchini, and yellow squash and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread into an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast, flipping occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. 
• Add roasted vegetables, balsamic vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Nutrition

Serving size: 1 ½ cups

Calories: 269 | total fat: 10 g | saturated fat: 2 g | sodium: 80 mg | cholesterol: 4 mg | total carbs: 39 g | fiber: 5 g | sugars: 8 g | protein: 9 g | potassium: 296 mg

Cauliflower tacos

Makes 4 servings (12 tacos total) | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 30 min

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup low-fat sour cream
• 12 6-inch corn tortillas
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
• Toss cauliflower with spices, salt, pepper, and oil. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender.
• Build tacos with cauliflower topped with onion, cilantro, and sour cream. Serve garnished with lime wedges.

Nutrition

Serving size: 3 tacos

Calories: 209 | total fat: 4 g | saturated fat: 2 g | sodium: 142 mg | cholesterol: 39 mg | total carbs: 39 g | fiber: 6 g | sugars: 8 g | protein: 8 g | potassium: 479 mg

Tofu stir-fry

Makes 4 servings | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 60 min

Ingredients

• 1 14-oz package firm tofu
• 3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil (olive, canola, or other oil can be substituted)
• 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, remove membrane and seeds, sliced into thin strips
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
• Dry tofu. Place tofu between multiple layers of paper towels and place a heavy plate on top. Let dry for 15 minutes. 
• Chop tofu into 1-inch pieces and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway through cooking.
• Whisk together soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and cornstarch.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add veggies and cook, 5-7 minutes until softened. Add sauce and stir, cooking 3-5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
• Serve over rice.

Nutrition

Serving size: 1 cup stir-fry + ½ cup rice

Calories: 314 | total fat: 11 g | saturated fat: 2 g | sodium: 462 mg | cholesterol: 0 mg | total carbs: 42 g | fiber: 5 g | sugars: 8 g | protein: 17 g | potassium: 516 mg

Sheet pan salmon with asparagus

Makes 4 servings | Prep: 5 min | Cook: 25 min

Ingredients

• 1 lb salmon fillets
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried dill
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 lemon wedges

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
• Place salmon and asparagus on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with dill, pepper, and salt.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until salmon is cooked and asparagus is tender. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition 

Serving size: 3 oz cooked salmon + about 10 spears asparagus

Calories: 248 | total fat: 14 g | saturated fat: 2 g | sodium: 216 mg | cholesterol: 60 mg | total carbs: 6 g | fiber: 3 g | sugars: 2 g | protein: 25 g | potassium: 879 mg