25 high-protein meals (2024)

These dishes feature high-protein vegetables as well as meat and seafood, but if you're after high protein vegetarian meals and high protein vegan meals, we've got plenty right here.

For more high protein ideas try our healthy chicken breast recipes, healthy salmon recipes, steak recipes and healthy mince recipes. For dishes high in calories, check out these high-calorie foods to try.

Wanting to boost your iron levels too? Check out our collection of iron-rich recipes for tasty ideas such as chilli con carne, lentil soup and lamb ragu. If you're looking to make your favourite meals healthier, take a look at our 15 healthy swaps and our anti-inflammatory recipes.

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High protein meals

Healthy turkey stir-fry

Check out this healthy turkey stir-fry featuring sauerkraut, earthy broccoli, mushrooms and zingy ginger for a quick, easy and high-protein dinner.

Healthy salmon pasta

Make this healthy salmon pasta by Nadine Brown if you’re looking for a comforting, creamy seafood dinner that’s also high in protein.

Healthy turkey burgers

These turkey burgers are packed with protein and are low in calories. Served with a mixed salad, coleslaw or sweet potato wedges, they make an exciting yet healthy family dinner for four.

Chorizo, roasted red pepper and pea frittata

Liven up your frittata with chorizo and a kick of chilli, then pop under the grill until puffed and golden. A slice of this makes a great high-protein snack. We have plenty more frittata and omelette recipes if that's what you're after.

Healthy egg-fried rice

When you need something high protein, fast, it doesn’t get quicker than fried rice. We’ve added sweet juicy crab to take it up a notch.

Chicken quinoa salad

This healthy, low-calorie and gluten-free chicken salad is made filling with the addition of protein-packed quinoa and colourful with red onion, mint and lemon zest.

25 high-protein meals (6)

Balsamic lentils with pork fillet

Balsamic offers a tartness to our vibrant pork dish. This well-balanced meal is high in protein but low in calories and salt.

Healthy kebabs

This high-protein kebab made of turkey mince offers fresh, zesty flavours thanks to the addition of lemon and parsley, offering a healthier version of a takeaway favourite that’s perfect for the weekends.

Healthy cod and rice one-pot

This healthy one-pan dish, where juicy hunks of cod are mixed with basil and sweet tomato, is a brilliant high-protein dinner option offering fragrant, rich flavours.

Healthy chicken stir-fry

Check out Nadine Brown’s shredded chicken stir fry for a dish that’s high in protein and bursting with fresh, gingery flavour and red chilli heat.

25 high-protein meals (10)

Chicken stroganoff

Try this chicken stroganoff for a midweek dinner that’s high in protein and full of warming flavours.

Healthy fish cakes

For a high-protein dinner with a kick, whip up these spiced salmon fishcakes and serve with fresh carrot and cucumber ribbons.

25 high-protein meals (12)

Vegetable omelette

Jazz your omelette up with plenty of grated courgette, kale, peas and chilli flakes, then serve alongside cherry tomatoes dressed simply with white wine vinegar for an easy, high-protein vegetarian meal.

Healthy jacket potato

A crispy, fluffy baked potato with a classic niçoise salad filling makes for a satisfying high-protein lunch. It’s low in calories, too.

Sesame-crusted tuna with miso dressing

Coat tuna steaks in sesame seeds and serve on a crunchy sugar snap pea and edamame salad for a quick, protein-packed meal. Why not check out more of our favourite tuna recipes.

Tuna pasta bake

An absolute classic, made even more wonderful with the addition of dried chilli flakes and rosemary. It's a real crowd pleaser!

Healthy one-pan chicken and rice

This protein-rich dish sees chicken marinated in soy, hoisin, honey and garlic before being cooked with brown rice. It’s simple, fuss-free yet full of rich and tempting flavours.

Chicken, giant couscous and harissa broth

Giant couscous adds a springy texture to this wholesome broth, packed with plenty of protein from the chicken, plus spring greens and a kick of harissa.

Chicken pasta salad

Throw together this quick and easy pasta salad using leftover chicken, tomatoes and greens for a protein-heavy lunch or midweek dinner.

Miso and chilli chicken noodle soup

Fry shredded chicken in miso and gochujang and add to this nutritious broth for a healthy, gut-friendly meal.

Thai salmon parcels

Sealing the ingredients in a parcel gently steams the salmon and traps in all the flavour to create a light, fragrant sauce for this high-protein midweek meal.

Jerk chicken skewers with mango salad

Coat protein-rich chicken pieces with jerk seasoning and cook over a hot griddle pan for some midweek heat, ready in 20 minutes.

Orzo, bean and tuna salad

Turn storecupboard staples into this vibrant, nutritious orzo pasta salad with roasted red peppers and black olives.

Paprika chicken thighs with cherry tomatoes, courgette ribbons and mint

Check out these seriously crispy, smoky chicken thighs with easy courgette ribbons and juicy cherry tomatoes. This super easy meal is high in protein, low in calories and ready in less than an hour.

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Quinoa and black bean chilli

Try our quick and easy vegan chilli. This quinoa and black bean chilli recipe is high in protein, low calorie and vegan – but still tastes impossibly creamy.

25 high-protein meals (2024)

FAQs

How to eat 25 grams of protein per meal? ›

Egg/Egg Whites: Make an omelette with 1 egg and 3/4 cup egg whites for a total of 26 grams of protein. Lentil Pasta: 4.2oz of lentil pasta will result in 25 grams of protein and a delicious dinner! Greek Yogurt: A breakfast or snack favourite. 1 cup or 250 grams will give you a full 25 grams of protein.

What are the top 10 protein foods? ›

Top 10 Protein Foods
  • Fish.
  • Seafood.
  • Skinless, white-meat poultry.
  • Lean beef (including tenderloin, sirloin, eye of round)
  • Skim or low-fat milk.
  • Skim or low-fat yogurt.
  • Fat-free or low-fat cheese.
  • Eggs.
Mar 6, 2022

Where can I get 25 grams of protein? ›

A 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast has 26 grams of protein. Turkey breast also is full of protein, with 25 grams in a 3-ounce serving. There are so many different beans to choose from, but soybeans are hard to beat.

What is the 30 30 30 rule? ›

The 30-30-30 rule is simple. It involves eating 30 grams of protein within the first 30 minutes after you wake up, which is then followed by 30 minutes of exercise. You can eat whatever else you want with your breakfast, but the 30 grams of protein is key.

What food has 30g of protein? ›

30 grams of protein cheat sheet:
  • 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt.
  • 1 cup tempeh.
  • 5 oz shrimp (about 10 large shrimp)
  • 1 cup cottage cheese.
  • 4 oz chicken (about half of a chicken breast)
  • 5 oz grass-fed steak (slightly larger than a deck of cards)
  • 1 1/2 cups tofu.
  • 2 cups black beans.
May 19, 2023

What are the top 20 protein foods? ›

Complete List of High Protein Foods
  • Chicken breast (skinless, cooked): 32 g.
  • Turkey breast (skinless, roasted): 30 g.
  • Beef roast (roasted): 28 g.
  • Pork roast (roasted): 27 g.
  • Ground beef (fat content not specified, cooked): 26 g.
  • Salmon (baked or broiled): 25 g.
  • Halibut (cooked, dry heat): 23 g.
  • Tilapia (cooked, dry heat): 26 g.
May 19, 2023

What 3 foods contain the highest amount of protein? ›

High protein foods
  • One salmon fillet (178 g) contains 39.3 g of protein .
  • Chicken breast is a lean source of protein. ...
  • Beef offers high amounts of protein per serving. ...
  • There is a range of different types of beef to choose from. ...
  • One can (107 g) of tuna contains around 20.3 g of protein .

What are the top 15 high-protein foods? ›

15 High-Protein Foods that Could Help Support Your Health and Weight-Loss Goals
  • Cheese. ...
  • Related: 28 delicious cheesy recipes. ...
  • Lentils. ...
  • Chickpeas. ...
  • Peanuts. ...
  • Edamame. ...
  • Pumpkin seeds. ...
  • Hemp seeds. Another small-but-mighty protein source, just 3 tbsp of hemp seeds (about 1 ½ ounces) provides 10 grams of plant-based protein.
Aug 28, 2020

How to get 30g protein per meal? ›

4-5 ounces of meat = a large chicken breast or fish fillet, or a medium-sized steak or chop (also at least 5-10g of fat) Four ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. 1 ½ cups of low-fat cottage cheese or greek yogurt. 5-6 whole eggs. 4 whole eggs and an ounce of cheese (also 25-30g of fat)

What's the cheapest way to get protein? ›

Budget-Friendly Ways to Boost Your Protein at Any Meal
  • Opt for Ground Beef. Beef can vary in price depending on the cut. ...
  • Lentils Are Miracle Legumes. Lentils are sneaky higher-protein lower-effort legumes. ...
  • Eggs Can Be Used at Many Meals. ...
  • Canned Fish Solves Dinner, Fast. ...
  • Chicken Thighs Are Flavorful and Affordable.
Mar 14, 2024

How to eat a lot of protein cheaply? ›

Cheap and Healthy Sources of Protein
  1. Sardines. 1/11. You don't need to spend a bundle to stock up on protein-rich foods. ...
  2. Cottage Cheese. 2/11. Cottage cheese not only has nearly 24 grams of protein per cup, it also has casein. ...
  3. Lentils. 3/11. ...
  4. Oats. 4/11. ...
  5. Ground Turkey. 5/11. ...
  6. Peanuts. 6/11. ...
  7. Tempeh. 7/11. ...
  8. Chicken Breast. 8/11.
Aug 28, 2022

What does 30g of protein look like? ›

A standard 4-ounce serving (slightly larger than the size of a deck of cards or about the size of the palm of your hand) of cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast will give you about 30 grams of protein.

Is 25 grams of protein per meal enough? ›

General recommendations are to consume 15–30 grams of protein at each meal. Studies show higher intakes — those more than 40 grams — in one sitting are no more beneficial than the recommended 15–30 grams at one time. Don't waste your money on excessive amounts.

How to get 25/30 grams of protein at every meal? ›

What Does 30 Grams of Protein Look Like?
  1. Grilled Chicken Breast. ...
  2. Ground Beef Patty. ...
  3. Tuna Fish Packet. ...
  4. Hard-Boiled Eggs. ...
  5. Bacon. ...
  6. Cottage Cheese. ...
  7. Extra-Firm Tofu. ...
  8. All-in-One Shake.

What do 25 grams of protein look like for breakfast? ›

Yogurt Bowl

1 cup plain greek yogurt (or cottage cheese) – 23 grams (can be up to 30 with cottage cheese!) 1 tbsp peanut butter – 4 grams (or 1 oz nuts/seeds, or all of the above!) You could also add a peach donut in there for more flavor and protein!

Can I eat more than 25g protein in one meal? ›

Certain studies have shown that there is almost no limit to the amount of protein our bodies can absorb, but the more protein you consume in one go, the longer it will take to digest. There are other factors which affect this, such as the content of certain amino acids within the protein you are consuming.

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