MyPlate-Inspired Beef Recipes

Cooking Light is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit MyPlate.gov.

For this dish, grill the beef tenderloin first, and then coat it in the mustard and herb mixture for bright, fresh flavors. Serve with grilled polenta and a simple salad.

Make a classic family favorite in a fraction of the time. Best of all, this comforting dinner dish comes in at less than 400 calories per serving.

The trick with this shish kebab recipe is to cook the beef separately from the vegetables so nothing overcooks. You can prepare this recipe on a grill pan, but you’ll need to cook the kebabs in batches.

Entertaining? Pop the beef tenderloin in the oven as guests arrive, and make the cherry-black pepper sauce just before they're seated.

Bulgogi, beef barbecue, is one of the most popular Korean dishes. Serve over rice and lettuce for a complete meal.

We pair simply seasoned beef tenderloin with a flavorful sauté of fresh green beans, onions, shallots, garlic, and balsamic vinegar–all for under 250 calories per serving.

A classic pot roast with gravy is the “gateway” recipe to using your pressure cooker–it’s quick, and you’re rewarded with a hearty dish in a fraction of the time.

These simple tacos are an ideal showcase for tender Beef Carnitas–tender, slowly cooked, inexpensive beef stew meat that will win you over with its great flavor and versatility.

Make use of a budget-friendly cut of meat by marinating in a rich Asian marinade, which serves double-duty in this delicious recipe.

Small but loaded with flavor: Caramelized onions, blue cheese, arugula, and sirloin fill your mouth with sweetness and pungency.

This meat-lover’s pizza is equally pleasing as a family dinner or for a casual party. For the best flavor, shred and grate the cheeses yourself.

Try a new twist on the usual weeknight steak dinner. Pair with steamed veggies or a side of rice.

This classic is all about technique–roast at a low temperature to ensure gently cooked meat with a medium-rare center. Keep the seasoning simple to allow the meat to star.

Arugula, a peppery salad green, makes a tasty bed for pan-seared steak. Asiago bread is a fitting accompaniment for a complete meal.

This steak Diane recipe will impress your family and guests with very little effort. For an easy side of roasted potatoes, start with precut potato wedges.

"Bloom" the ginger, garlic, and curry powder by warming them in oil to round out flavors in this Asian-inspired, dinner dish.

Master the art of stir-fry with this beef-based, Asian-inspired dish. If presliced beef is not available, ask your butcher to thinly slice flank steak or boneless sirloin steak.

Lots of veggies and herbs pack this flavorful salad. It’s quick to prepare and would be delicious with grilled chicken or lamb, if you prefer.

Ready in just 40 minutes, this beef-based dish uses mango salsa for an unusual blend of textures and tastes that will have you coming back for more.

Chile peppers and cacti are staple ingredients in Southwestern cooking. Here I mixed a sweet-smoky ancho chile paste with bottom notes of earthy cumin into the beef patty. For a condiment, I started with nopales (cactus paddles) to give deep green veggie flavor. Jicama adds hearty crunch, while lime juice and cilantro brighten it all up. -Tiffany Vickers Davis, Test Kichen Manager

Rich cherry sauce complements steak in this 40-minute dish.

For a more kid-friendly dish, substitute red bell pepper for the jalapeño in the salad.

If you have the time, freeze the steak for 20 minutes prior to preparation for easier slicing.

This sauce is also tasty with sautéed chicken breasts or pork chops.

Give traditional lettuce wraps a kick in the tastebuds with the addition of zesty spiced steak.

Be sure to put some of the pesto aside for a later weeknight dinner. It's herbaceous flavor pairs well with beef, chicken, and fish.

Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) is a delicious stew of pork and black beans that's traditionally served over rice with fresh orange slices. In Brazil, this dish is often served on special occasions, but preparing it in a slow cooker makes it possible to serve this rich dish on the busiest weeknights.

Bacon lends the peas and carrots in this dish a lovely smoky flavor.

The chard makes a wonderful peppery, lightly bitter complement to the sweet fennel. Look for crema Mexicana in the supermarket dairy section or at ethnic markets, or substitute crème fraîche.

If you want a more budget-friendly option, swap in some stemmed kale for the Swiss chard.

Revamp classic pot roast with parsnip and sweet potatoes.

With over 17g of protein and ready in under an hour, this lightened-up comfort food is a filling and satisfying dish for any night of the week.

Finished with a rosemary, onion, red wine, and mushroom sauce, these seared steaks are an easy entrée that pair well with blue cheese mashed potatoes and broccoli.

In this deli-style roast beef, bold ingredients blanket the exterior of a lean but flavorful cut—eye of round.

We love the color and slightly bitter edge of radicchio, but you can sub shredded green cabbage for a milder flavor.

Poblano peppers range in heat level from quite spicy to rather mild, and there's no way to know what you're getting until you take a bite. If your peppers are too hot, cool off with a dollop of sour cream.

Spring's favorite vegetable shines in this quick stir-fry. Serve with precooked jasmine rice, available in pouches on the rice aisle.

Orange rind and five-spice powder perfume the dish with sweet notes that are countered by a hit of red pepper heat.