40 Best High-Protein Meals – Easy Ideas For Meals High In Protein

Gone are the days when cottage cheese was just a bland diet food, filling up the scooped-out well of a cantaloupe. It’s now used in, well, everything—whisked into eggs, blended into dips, added to sweet treats, and, in this one-pan recipe, swapped for ricotta. Why? It has a tangier flavor and packs more protein, making it a great upgrade to classic recipes.

Get the Cottage Cheese Baked Ziti recipe.

This one-pan wonder has it all: plenty of luscious creamy sauce, tender chicken, and flavor for days. Honestly, we get all starry-eyed just thinking about it. But what if we want a little extra protein with our Marry Me moment? Because this recipe is so good and the sauce is so magical, it’s easy to make protein-boosting adjustments.

Get the High-Protein Marry Me Chicken recipe.

This white bean and sausage skillet is guaranteed to have you scraping your bowl clean and coming back for seconds. Seared smoked sausage gets smothered in a creamy sauce made from shallot, garlic, chopped kale, and tender cannellini beans, then topped with crispy-crunchy homemade mini croutons to make this hearty skillet dinner.

Get the White Bean & Smoked Sausage Skillet recipe.

Sweet and sour sauce is a staple across Chinese-American restaurant menus—and for good reason. The combination of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors pairs well with virtually every protein. That’s especially true when it comes to tofu—because it’s mild in flavor, the sweet and sour sauce truly shines (even the tofu haters in your household will ask for seconds).

Get the Sweet & Sour Tofu recipe.

Take your Monday night dinner into a Tuesday afternoon grain bowl with this miso-glazed salmon and charred scallion farro bowl. Miso is a Japanese cooking staple that’s got toasty, deeply savory, and slightly sweet notes that pair well with hearty fish like salmon or cod, but it can also amplify the flavor of roasted veggies or even baked goods.

Get the Miso Salmon & Farro Bowl recipe.

Bell peppers tend to be a bit sweeter and fruitier than poblano peppers, but poblanos really hold up to big flavors and rich foods. So we updated the typical beef and rice stuffing a bit by using fire-roasted tomatoes and spicing the sauce with chipotle chiles, ground cumin, and oregano.

Get the Beef & Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers recipe.

This recipe is not only a simple, quick dinner (ready in 20 minutes!), but it’s a texture lover’s paradise. Quinoa is the base for our bowl, setting the stage for fresh arugula, thin slices of cucumber, tender, buttery salmon, and a homemade creamy dill and yogurt dressing.

Get the Salmon Quinoa Bowls recipe.

When we’re craving something hearty and healthy, this chicken chili immediately jumps to mind. White beans make it heartier than your average chicken noodle soup, green chilis and jalapeño add just the right amount of spice, and a dollop of sour cream lends a tangy creaminess that will keep you coming back for more.

Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.

We’ve created countless bowls that we love , but when we’re craving a chicken dinner, we turn to this one. With a homemade peanut dressing, sliced chicken, sweet potato, spinach, and avocado, this healthy dinner is one we love to prep at the beginning of the week, then assemble and feast on all week long.

Get the Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls recipe.

A stir fry is our go-to weeknight dinner when we just don’t have the energy to spend a long time in the kitchen—this recipe is no exception. Make it as is for our best-ever version, then use it as a jumping-off point to create your own.

Get the Chicken Stir Fry recipe.

In this vegetarian version of a Chinese-American favorite, oven-baked tofu gets tossed in a savory, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce along with crisp-tender broccoli, then topped with toasty sesame seeds and scallions. With a side of white rice, you’re on your way to a saucy, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner.

Get the Sesame Tofu & Broccoli recipe.

When we’re craving crispy egg rolls but need a more filling lunch option, we turn to these bowls. Whether you’re low-carb, are looking for a creative lunch, or simply want to spice up your weeknight with an easy, budget-friendly dinner, these egg roll bowls are the way to go.

Get the Egg Roll Bowls recipe.

With tender spiced meat, crunchy fresh veggies, tzatziki, and chewy pita, it’s not hard to see why gyros are so globally beloved. Inspired by this popular sandwich, we created this healthy but hearty bowl that’s perfect for a light dinner.

Get the Low-Carb Turkey Gyro Bowls recipe.

While there’s no shame in devouring slices of leftover pizza, if you’re craving pizza for breakfast but want a substantial meal, turn to this pizza frittata. We load this frittata up with marinara, shredded mozzarella, and sliced pepperoni for savory pizza flavor, with double the protein and a lot less effort.

Get the Pizza Frittata recipe.