High-Protein Lunch Ideas & Recipes

With these high-protein lunch ideas and recipes, you will get long-lasting energy to power through the day. From quick salads and mixed bowls to make-ahead stews and soups, these easy and delicious lunches can be enjoyed at home or packed up to bring to work.


High protein lunch ideas and recipes

Jump to: ℹ️ Overview |🍽Lunch For Omnivores |🥦 Vegetarian Lunch Ideas


High-Protein Lunch Ideas

For a high-protein lunch, you should be aiming for 25-30 grams of protein per meal. This can come from one or multiple protein foods, animal or plant sources. Here are some quick ideas for lunch meals.

  • A plate of hard-boiled egg, cheddar cheese, hummus, crackers, carrots and cucumber sticks. You can also make a super quick egg and ham salad.
  • Mixed salad with a can of tuna, sardines or salmon topped with avocado and your favourite healthy dressing.
  • Rotisserie chicken salad or use leftover cooked chicken to make Asian salad with mixed vegetables, rice noodles and oriental dressing.
  • Tex-Mex inspired cooked quinoa with black beans, sweet potatoes, avocado, coriander & tomatoes.
  • Greek yoghurt with cottage cheese, walnuts, diced apples and honey drizzle.
  • Make ahead bowls: meatballs, brown rice and roasted vegetables.
  • Make ahead bowls: ground turkey, bean and sweet potato chilli with sour cream and avocado.
  • Make ahead bowls: grilled beef fajitas with red and green bell peppers, corn chips and salsa.
  • Tuna and cheese toastie or tuna melt with sauerkraut or side salad
  • High-protein wrap: tuna mayo and corn with salad.
  • High-protein wrap: chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado and Cheddar.
  • High-protein wrap: grilled tofu, hummus, salad, red onion, satay sauce and coriander.
  • Quick protein smoothie: Whey or plant-based protein, frozen berries, banana, peanut butter, water.

High-Protein Lunch Recipes (For Omnivores)

Here are some inspiring recipes suitable for lunch. You can make these ahead of time or on the day, especially if working from home.

This is an ever-growing collection of high-protein lunch ideas and I will be adding more recipes to this post in the coming weeks.

Salmon Fishcakes With Sweet Potatoes

Salmon Fish Cakes With Sweet Potatoes & Peas

Cals: 582 Protein: 29 grams Carbs: 42 grams

These salmon fish cakes with sweet potatoes and peas are great for lunch, dinner, or as a quick snack out of the fridge! Served with spiced aioli and celery radish salad but you can pair them with a variety of sauces and side dishes. Get the recipe here.

Creamy Chicken Mushroom Salad

Cals: 479 Protein: 21 grams Carbs: 11 grams

This paleo and keto-friendly creamy chicken salad comes with sliced marinated mushrooms, eggs and walnuts in a mayonnaise dressing and is super simple to prepare. Serve in lettuce cups or over shredded leaves. Get the recipe here.

Easy Cheeseburger Salad

Cheeseburger salad for lunch

Cals: 435 Protein: 20.5 grams Carbs: 73 grams

Feel like a cheeseburger and a healthy lunch at the same time? How about this easy and delicious cheeseburger salad with extra veggies. From Randa Nutrition.

Honey Sriracha Chicken Meal Prep Bowl

Chicken Meal Prep Bowl

Cals: 428 Protein: 44 grams Carbs: 41 grams

This easy meal-prep honey-sriracha chicken and broccoli dish, which can also be served as a main dish, is made on a sheet pan and comes together quick! From Skinny Taste.

Cheesy Tuna Cabbage Fritters & Salad

Tuna Cabbage Patties With Spicy Garlic Mayo

Cals: 480 Protein: 27 grams Carbs: 5.9 grams

Make these crispy, cheesy tuna cabbage patties ahead of time. Served with spicy garlic mayonnaise and a simple salad, they make for a satiating, nutritious lunch. Macros above are for fritters with sauce only. Get the recipe here.

Roasted Vegetable, Chorizo & Feta Salad

Roasted Vegetable Salad With Chorizo & Feta

Cals: 652 Protein: 21 grams Carbs: 29 grams

This is filling salad featuring roasted vegetables like beets, sweet potato and carrots, all of which can be done ahead of time. Plus, pan-fried chorizo or other sausage, feta and pomegranate dressing. Get the recipe here.

Canned Salmon Salad (Curry-Spiced)

Recipes with canned salmon - nutritious salad with mayo dressing

Cals: 516 Protein: 43 grams Carbs: 17.7 grams

Get extra Omega-3s healthy fats with canned salmon, crunchy vegetables and curry-spiced mayonnaise dressing in this easy lunch meal (also great for a light dinner). Low-carb, Paleo, Whole30 friendly. Get the recipe here.

Canned Tuna & Sweet Potato Salad

Tuna Sweet Potato Salad

Cals: 427 Protein: 30.6 grams Carbs: 19 grams

Another filling salad featuring canned tuna and cooked sweet potatoes with a creamy mayo dressing. This one is a little higher in carbs so it’s great before or after a workout. Also Paleo & Whole30 friendly. Get the recipe here.

Greek Chicken Bowls

Low-Carb Greek Chicken Bowls (Keto, Gluten-Free)

Cals: 496 Protein: 40 grams Carbs: 12.6 grams

Greek salad meets Mediterranean grilled chicken in this high-protein lunch salad. It’s also low in carbs but you can add some quinoa, roast potatoes or sourdough croutons to up the carbs. Get the recipe here.

Shrimp Caesar Salad

Keto Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe

Cals: 560 Protein: 36 grams Carbs: 15.3 grams

Tasty, protein-rich grilled shrimp Caesar salad is quick and easy to make. It features crispy lettuce, bacon, sweet bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. The best part is the creamy umami dressing! Get the recipe here.

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Cals: 316 Protein: 25 grams Carbs: 30 grams

For a delicious on-the-go lunch that is packed with protein and veggies, you will love this Buffalo chicken wrap. It’s is made with our famous buffalo chicken, blue cheese, and tons of veggies. From Fit Foodie Finds.

Tuna Burrito Wraps

Tuna Burrito Lunch Wraps

Cals: 463 Protein: 22 grams Carbs: 39 grams

Tuna burritos are easy to make and use leftover rice, canned tuna and pantry staples. Enjoy them for an affordable, filling, nutritious lunch (or dinner) that is easy to make. From Happy Foods Tube.

Turkey Lamb Wraps

Turkish Lamb Wraps

Cals: 595 Protein: 32 grams Carbs: 41 grams

These flavourful lamb wraps are made with savoury ground lamb seasoned with Turkish spices, wrapped up in a tortilla with labneh, cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, parsley and peppery watercress.  From Feasting At Home.

Californian Club Chicken Wrap

California club chicken wrap

Cals: 665 Protein: 32 grams Carbs: 54 grams

Shredded chicken, mango, avocado and bacon are the stars in this easy California Club chicken wrap that is perfect for a satiating lunch. You can make it in a lettuce wrap or low-carb wrap. From Taste & Tell.

Mexican Shredded Beef Salad

Shredded Mexican Beef Salad

Cals: 489 Protein: 27 grams Carbs: 19 grams

Mexican salpicon de res is a colourful, fresh salad made with shredded beef, crispy vegetables, and lime juice dressing. I love that you can make the beef and dressing ahead of time to quickly toss this meal together.  From M.A. Kitchen.

Sheet Pan Salmon & Veggies Meal Prep

Sheet pan salmon and vegetables

Cals: 500 Protein: 48 grams Carbs: 20 grams

This sheet pan salmon and veggies is the perfect healthy lunch meal that can be made as part of meal prep with lots of flavour variations. Pack into individual containers for easy-to-grab lunch. From Aubrey’s Kitchen.


High-Protein Vegetarian Lunch Ideas

Black Bean & Quinoa Bowl

Black bean quinoa bowl high protein lunch

Cals: 500 Protein: 20.5 grams Carbs: 73 grams

This bowl has many hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. Loaded up with pico de gallo, fresh coriander and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. From Eating Well.

Paneer & Pea Fritters With Raita

Paneer Fritters With Cucumber Mint Raita

Cals: 335 Protein: 17.1 grams Carbs: 11.2 grams

These vegetarian fritters feature paneer cheese, peas, carrots, eggs, Cheddar cheese and Indian-inspired spices. Serve with a side salad and a few nuts to get to 20 g of protein. Get the recipe here.

High-Protein Veggie Wrap

Veggie Wrap with healthy high-protein filling of lentils, edamame beans and hummus with lots of vegetables.

Cals: 650 Protein: 37. grams Carbs: 65.8 grams

The best veggie wrap made with a special filling of lentils, edamame and sun-dried tomatoes wrapped in a high-protein tortilla along with creamy hummus and colourful vegetables. Perfect for those gains day! Recipe on my blog here.

Pea Corn & Halloumi Fritters

Pea Corn & Halloumi Fritters

Cals: 502 Protein: 24.3 grams Carbs: 25.6 grams

Try these protein-packed, vegetarian-friendly corn, pea and halloumi fritters. Served with a simple tomato aioli and a salad, these fritters are great for a healthy lunch. Recipe on my blog here.

Veggie Wraps With Hummus

Vegetable Hummus Wraps Protein

Cals: 195 Protein: 6.5 grams Carbs: 17 grams

These vegetable hummus wraps with added legumes and edamame beans are made with low-carb, gluten-free wraps and are full of nutrients and fibre. Nutrition above is for one wrap and you’d want at least two for a filling lunch. From Bianca Zapatka.

Mediterranean Lentil Wraps

Mediterranean Veggie Lentil Wraps

Cals: 570 Protein: 27 grams Carbs: 72 grams

Mediterranean lentil veggie wraps with lemon tahini sauce and hummus make for a protein-rich lunch or supper. You can make all the fillings and the sauce ahead of time and use regular, gluten-free or low-carb wraps. From UpBeet Kitchen.

Root Vegetable Lentil Stew

Root vegetable lentil stew

Cals: 536 Protein: 37 grams Carbs: 92 grams

This root vegetable and lentil stew is a hearty, high-protein, carb-rich vegetarian dish that will perk you up on a cold day. Veggies, lentils, and peas are cooked in a delicious tomato broth. You can keep it as is or add some grated cheese on top. From Plant-Based On A Budget.

Vegetarian Power Bowls With Egg

Roast Vegetable Protein Bowl

Cals: 427 Protein: 16 grams Carbs: 52 grams

Roast vegetables, egg and creamy tahini dressing make for a wonderful vegetarian lunch bowl. Everything can be made ahead of time! You can add extra protein with 1/2 cup of chickpeas, tofu, edamame beans or cottage cheese for a non-Whole30 version. From Well Plated.

Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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