If you’re trying to up your protein intake, you’ll definitely want to add these high-protein lunches to your menu! In case you didn’t know, protein is an essential nutrient that helps you maintain energy and muscle and bone strength. These foods are packed with protein, providing at least 15 grams per serving. In addition, they are rated with 4 and 5 star reviews Eating well readers, so you can count on them being delicious. Try options like our Lemon Dill Tuna Salad or our High Protein Tomato, Mozzarella and Arugula Sandwich for a delicious protein-rich meal that will keep you full and satiated.
Lemon-dill tuna salad
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Props Styling: Lindsey Lower
This lemon-dill tuna salad is high in protein and flavored with sumac, a spice used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and North African cooking that adds a citrusy flavor, enhancing the lemon flavor without overpowering the other ingredients. Serve it as a sandwich between two slices of whole wheat bread, or on its own with a delicate Bibb salad or crunchy celery sticks.
Creamy Egg Salad Sandwich
Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Amanda Stanfield, Prop Stylist: Tucker Vines
The egg salad in this sandwich gets its creamy texture from finely grating the eggs, which mixes the whites and yolks together so you get a little bit of both in every bite. We add some parmesan cheese to the egg salad and toast the sandwiches in a pan with a little butter to make this creamy sandwich special.
High protein tomato, mozzarella and arugula sandwich
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: LIndsey Lower
This vegetarian sandwich is packed with protein thanks to creamy fresh mozzarella cheese and a generous spread of roasted red pepper mixed with walnuts. Reminiscent of Romesco sauce, the spread is versatile and can be served as a dip or sauce, adding depth and complexity to dishes such as grilled meats, seafood and vegetables, or as a topping for pasta.
Chicken Fajita Salad
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Try this chicken fajita salad to mix up your dinner, with lightly charred and blackened chicken, crispy romaine, and plenty of veggies. Along with tortilla chips, this salad is a real dinner winner. You can use fajita seasoning to season the chicken to reduce the number of ingredients, but be aware that this can increase the sodium content of the dish.
Spinach, sun-dried tomato and cucumber sandwich
Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, props: Christina Brockman, food stylist: Lauren Odum
This protein-packed hummus sandwich features crunchy veggies, feta cheese, and sweet, tangy sun-dried tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes in oil have a soft texture that is perfect for sandwiches. You can use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead, but you may need to rehydrate them in water to soften them before use.
Sliced ​​Italian sandwiches
Photographer: Stacy K. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
This melt-in-the-mouth Italian sliced ​​sandwich is assembled using a method where all the ingredients are placed in a single layer, finely chopped together, and then layered onto the bread. It’s a simple yet effective technique that you’ll find yourself using time and time again. You can add additional Italian antipasto ingredients such as canned artichokes, olives, sun-dried tomatoes or roasted peppers for extra flavor.
Ham and spinach quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
This ham and spinach quiche is perfect for any meal, from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. This quiche skips the crust, making it incredibly easy to make even on short notice. Swap the cheddar for Gruyère or use Swiss chard instead of spinach for a slightly different twist.
Cucumber and tomato sandwich
Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, props: Christina Brockman, food stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
This herb cucumber and tomato sandwich is crisp and refreshing, making the most of summer’s bountiful produce. Chives add a delicate onion flavor to cream cheese, but dill or basil can be used instead.
5-ingredient Brie and blackberry jam grilled cheese
Photography: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Props Stylist: Gabriel Greco
This irresistible sandwich combines creamy Brie cheese with a sweet and savory blackberry jam spread to create a super quick lunch or dinner. You can easily double the recipe with a medium pan or use a sandwich press if you have one handy.
Kale and Chickpea Bowls
This veggie-packed bowl is crunchy and colorful thanks to crunchy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale, and a tangy avocado dip. It also provides more than 50% of your daily intake of fiber, which is key to weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be great for lunch. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin as needed.
Crustless Caprese Quiche
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This light and fluffy crustless quiche is dotted with tomatoes, melted mozzarella and savory pesto. And best of all, it mixes, assembles and bakes in a pie pan for easy cleanup. Enjoy as a simple breakfast or brunch option, or serve with a green salad for lunch or dinner.
Green Goddess Tuna Salad
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Canned tuna makes this recipe convenient and pantry-friendly while providing impressive protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, sardines or mackerel would work just as well in this quick recipe. Use the remaining herb dressing as a dressing for salads or cereal bowls, as a sandwich spread or as a vegetable dip.
Chicken Caesar Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This timeless chicken Caesar salad features a delicious dressing made with Greek yogurt. Our dressing calls for anchovy paste, which adds to the distinctive salty taste Caesar salad is known for. Any leftover anchovy paste can be used to enhance vinaigrettes, dips or sauces.
Mushroom Ricotta Tartines
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco,
Enjoy the art of presentation with a tartine, a sandwich that delights the eyes and the taste buds and is served open-faced. Here we spread a thick slice of good crusty whole wheat bread with a creamy pesto-ricotta spread and put golden brown fried mushrooms on top. Any tender and quick-cooking mushroom is suitable for this recipe. Oyster dumplings, chanterelles and shiitake mushrooms would all be delicious. Enjoy it as is or take it to the next level by adding a poached or fried egg on top.
Salmon rice bowl
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Props: Gabriel Greco
Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, the salmon rice bowl is perfect for a delicious lunch or dinner. Thanks to healthy ingredients like instant brown rice, salmon and vegetables, you can have a delicious meal in just 25 minutes.
Chicken, spinach and feta wraps
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco
This chicken, spinach and feta wrap recipe is enhanced by the comfort of rotisserie chicken and the delicious flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. Whip up a simple sauce, toss with chicken, add spinach and wrap it all up for a delicious lunch or dinner. Using roisserie chicken speeds up the process, but you can stretch this recipe if you have cooked chicken on hand.
Tomato and cucumber sandwich with bacon
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
This refreshing tangy sandwich is easy to pull together when you’re short on time. If you want to add a little crunch, you can lightly toast the bread. Fresh dill adds a grassy flavor. If you don’t have fresh, stir in 1/8 teaspoon dried dill instead. Make this a vegetarian sandwich by skipping the bacon and adding sliced ​​cheese or an extra slice of tomato instead.
Chicken and cabbage soup with Pesto
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This one-pot chicken and cabbage soup is topped with a flavor-enhancing store-bought pesto. Large, high-fiber butter beans add a creamy bite, but you can easily substitute cannellini beans or kidney beans if you prefer.
Caprese pasta salad
This light and fresh caprese pasta salad is topped with a bright and spicy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.
Chopped salad with chicken and creamy Chipotle dressing
This chopped chicken salad is smoky and delicious thanks to the creamy chipotle dressing. Coriander adds freshness to every bite.
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