Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipes: 10 Simple Recipes Built on Whole Foods

Quick answer: Anti-inflammatory recipes use whole foods from the pattern Harvard describes: vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and lentils, olive oil, nuts, fish and herbs, with little added sugar or processed meat. These ten recipes are simple, use ordinary ingredients and can be swapped for allergies. They are home-cooking illustrations, not medical advice.

You do not need special ingredients to eat this way. The Harvard Nutrition Source says there is no single anti-inflammatory diet plan, so use these as a starting point. For a full week built from similar meals, see our anti-inflammatory diet meal plan, and for the evidence, our anti-inflammatory diet guide.

1. Berry and Walnut Overnight Oats

Serves 1. Prep 5 minutes, plus overnight.

• Ingredients: 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup plain milk or a plain dairy alternative, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 1/2 cup berries, 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts.
• Method: Stir the oats, milk and chia seeds in a jar, cover and refrigerate overnight. Top with the berries and walnuts in the morning.
• Swaps: certified gluten-free oats for celiac disease, seeds for walnuts if you avoid nuts.

2. Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Serves 4. Prep 15 minutes, cook 30 minutes.

• Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 cup dried lentils (rinsed), 6 cups vegetable broth or water, a handful of spinach, lemon juice, herbs, and a pinch of ginger or turmeric if you like.
• Method: Soften the onion, carrots and celery in the oil. Add the garlic, lentils and broth, bring to a boil, then simmer until the lentils are tender. Stir in the spinach, lemon juice and herbs.
• Check: choose a broth with a short ingredient list, because some contain added sugars and additives.

3. Sheet-Pan Salmon With Broccoli and Quinoa

Serves 2. Prep 10 minutes, cook 15 to 20 minutes.

• Ingredients: 2 salmon fillets, 1 head of broccoli in florets, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon, garlic, herbs, cooked quinoa to serve.
• Method: Toss the broccoli in half the oil and roast on a tray. Add the salmon with the remaining oil, lemon, garlic and herbs and roast until the fish flakes with a fork. Serve over quinoa.
• Swaps: other oily fish such as sardines or trout; brown rice for quinoa.

4. Chickpea, Cucumber and Herb Salad

Serves 2. Prep 10 minutes.

• Ingredients: 1 can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed), 1 chopped cucumber, a large handful of chopped parsley or mint, cooked quinoa, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Method: Combine everything and season. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
• Check: canned beans sometimes include added salt or calcium chloride; read the label.

5. Vegetable Omelet With Whole-Grain Toast

Serves 1. Prep 10 minutes.

• Ingredients: 2 eggs, a handful of spinach, a few mushrooms or other vegetables, 1 teaspoon olive oil, whole-grain toast.
• Method: Cook the vegetables in the oil, pour in the beaten eggs and cook until set. Serve with toast.
• Swaps: gluten-free bread for celiac disease; tofu scramble for eggs.

6. Roasted Vegetable and White Bean Bowl

Serves 2. Prep 10 minutes, cook 30 minutes.

• Ingredients: 1 sweet potato, 1 zucchini, 1 carrot, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 can of white beans (drained), a handful of greens, herbs, lemon, optional tahini.
• Method: Roast the chopped vegetables in oil until tender. Warm the beans, then combine with the greens, herbs and lemon.
• Check: if you avoid nightshades, this recipe uses none.

7. Tuna and White Bean Salad

Serves 2. Prep 10 minutes.

• Ingredients: 1 can of tuna (drained), 1 can of white beans (drained), salad greens, 1/2 red onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, herbs.
• Method: Toss everything together and serve on the greens.
• Check: canned fish packed in water or olive oil has a shorter ingredient list than versions packed in flavored sauces.

8. Olive Oil and Lemon Dressing

Makes about 1/2 cup. Prep 5 minutes.

• Ingredients: 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar, 1 teaspoon mustard (check the label), 1 small crushed garlic clove, salt, pepper and chopped herbs.
• Method: Shake everything in a jar until combined. Keep in the fridge and shake before use.
• Why: bottled dressings are a common place for added sugars, gums and industrial seed oils, which is why this one is worth making. See our guide to seed oils to avoid.

9. Baked Sweet Potato With Black Beans and Greens

Serves 2. Prep 10 minutes, cook 45 minutes.

• Ingredients: 2 sweet potatoes, 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a handful of greens, lime juice, chopped coriander or parsley, plain yogurt or avocado to top.
• Method: Bake the sweet potatoes until soft. Warm the beans with the cumin and oil. Split the potatoes, then top with the beans, greens, lime juice, herbs and yogurt or avocado.
• Swaps: avocado in place of yogurt for a dairy-free version.

10. Warm Quinoa Porridge With Fruit and Seeds

Serves 2. Prep 5 minutes, cook 20 minutes.

• Ingredients: 1/2 cup quinoa (rinsed), 1 cup water or plain milk alternative, 1 cup chopped fruit or berries, 2 tablespoons pumpkin or sunflower seeds, a pinch of cinnamon.
• Method: Simmer the quinoa in the liquid until soft, stirring now and then. Top with the fruit, seeds and cinnamon.
• Why: it is a gluten-free breakfast alternative to oats, without nuts or dairy.

A Bowl Formula to Make Your Own

Most of these recipes follow one template, which you can repeat with whatever you have:

1. A whole grain: brown rice, quinoa, oats, buckwheat or whole-grain bread.
2. A legume or fish: lentils, chickpeas, white or black beans, salmon, sardines or tuna.
3. Two or more vegetables, in different colors, raw or roasted.
4. A fat: extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds.
5. Flavor from herbs, spices, lemon or garlic instead of sugary sauces.

Pantry Staples

• Rolled oats, brown rice, quinoa and whole-grain bread or pasta.
• Dried or canned lentils, chickpeas and white and black beans.
• Extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, lemon, mustard and garlic.
• Canned fish such as sardines, salmon or tuna.
• Nuts, seeds, chia seeds and ground flaxseed.
• Dried herbs and spices, including ginger, cumin and turmeric.
• Frozen vegetables and berries, ideally without added salt or sugar, as the CDC advises.

Cooking Ahead and Storing Food

Soups, stews, cooked grains and bean salads keep well in the fridge for a few days, and soups and stews freeze well in portions. Cool cooked food quickly, store it in covered containers and reheat it until hot. If you are cooking for someone who is pregnant, immunocompromised or elderly, ask your doctor or dietitian about food safety guidance for them.

Label Check for the Packaged Parts

Whole-food recipes still call for broth, canned beans, bread, plant-based milk and dressings. These are where added sugars, refined starches, industrial seed oils and additives show up. Our guide to seed oils to avoid explains one of those categories. Foodsage lets you choose conditions, sensitivities and avoid choices, scan a product, and see which ingredients matched your profile; it also creates personalized weekly meal plans, including AIP-diet and PCOS-friendly recipes. It does not diagnose or treat any condition.

Who Should Be Careful

If you have food allergies, celiac disease, an autoimmune condition or diabetes, check any recipe with your doctor or dietitian, and read every packaged label yourself. If you have or have had an eating disorder, talk to your care team before following any food plan. These recipes are general information, not medical advice.