High-Protein Dinner Recipes

We're willing to bet that this easy grilled salmon in foil recipe will become a regular in your weeknight dinner rotation. Cooking fish in foil keeps it super-moist, plus you don't have to worry about the fish sticking to the grill. Butter, lemon pepper and fresh parsley perk up the flavors for this versatile main course. Cook some vegetables, such as asparagus, zucchini and corn, alongside the fish packets for a healthy dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes.

This healthy chicken pasta recipe is jazzed up with traditional bruschetta toppers, including cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil. Multicolored cherry tomatoes look pretty, but you can use all one color of tomato too. Either way, you've got an easy weeknight dinner that's ready in 25 minutes. We've called for spaghettini (thin spaghetti) in this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite shape of pasta.

For these hearty and healthy vegan meatballs, we've swapped out the traditional ground beef and pork for protein-packed chickpeas and quinoa--without skimping on any of those Italian flavors that you look for in a classic meatball. Mushrooms up the umami factor, and a simple tomato sauce completes the picture. Serve over your favorite pasta.

A splash of coconut milk and some curry powder elevate ordinary ramen soup into a memorable bowl of noodles. Add protein with cooked shrimp or cubed tofu and a pop of freshness with cilantro and lime juice. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.

Chipotle chiles, black beans and pepper Jack cheese give a flavorful boost to this zippy vegetarian dinner. We've sped things up by steaming the peppers and using quick-cooking quinoa. We like the look of tri-colored quinoa, but any quinoa you have on hand will work. If possible, choose peppers that will stand upright.

Yellow and green peppers, tomatoes and sweet onion come together in the Instant Pot and make this classic sandwich pop with flavor. Cooking sausage and peppers in your Instant Pot makes this even easier for a busy weeknight. While green peppers are classic, any color bell peppers will work well.

This cheesy eggplant casserole has a light custard with deliciously tender and flavorful summer vegetables and fresh herbs. The cheese makes this easy dish creamy and decadent. Enjoy it for brunch or dinner with a green salad on the side.

Think of these cabbage rolls as a healthier riff on classic Chinese egg rolls! Cabbage leaves stand in for the traditional fried wonton wrappers, but we promise they won't be missed. It's worth it to make this better-than-takeout Chinese recipe at home. Feel free to substitute ground turkey or tofu crumbles for the pork in this recipe.

This comforting one-pot pasta dish has a Southwestern kick. Chili powder and pico de gallo flavor the dish, while melted Mexican cheese adds a creamy finish. Top it with your favorite fixings like scallions, cilantro and sour cream, and serve it alongside a crisp green salad for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

This easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too.

This spring-produce-packed one-pan meal makes a healthy and satisfying weeknight dinner. Melted garlic butter coats the salmon and vegetables, adding depth of flavor and richness to the dish.

The bold spices and cooling and creamy tahini-yogurt sauce make these vegetarian pitas a home run for lunch or dinner. The meaty, umami-rich mushrooms do enough heavy lifting so that you don't miss the meat at all.

These eggplant pizzas have all the classic flavors of a real pizza without all the carbs. Opt for spicy Italian sausage if you like the heat! Serve these mini pizzas with a green salad on the side to complete the meal.

This easy roasted eggplant pasta dish is dressed with eggplant, fresh cherry tomatoes and plenty of fresh herbs. Feta cheese adds a savory note while the balsamic dressing brightens the flavor. It's the perfect summer vegetarian dinner.

A quick lime marinade does double duty as a sauce in these tangy chicken tacos.

These easy shrimp tacos are inspired by the seafood tacos in Baja California.

Plan ahead so you can use your slow cooker to prepare the pulled pork for these tacos. This recipe is a better-for-you twist on the classic tacos al pastor. Pork loin is a lean cut that's a healthier option than traditional pork shoulder, which has more fat.

This hearty bean salad is packed with vibrant colors and contrasting textures. Center-cut boneless pork chops (also called pork cutlets), make a convenient and economical protein to round out the meal. This recipe makes one extra cutlet, which can be refrigerated for another use (see Associated Recipe).

Shredded zucchini keeps these lean turkey burgers moist and sneaks extra vegetables into your meal.

This easy quesadilla recipe uses canned cooked chicken to save time. You can also use leftover cooked chicken or turkey if you have it. Dice the vegetables up to 1 day ahead for even speedier prep.

Pancetta (cured pork belly) is similar in taste and texture to bacon (which is cured and smoked pork belly). You can find it near the bacon at many grocery stores.

A flavorful combination of chickpeas, cashews, and garlic forms a protein-rich base for this homemade flatbread. Store-bought crust makes prep a breeze.

Tempeh is a vegetarian protein that crumbles easily; here it stands in for ground meat in this tempeh taco recipe.