Healthy Recipes Healthy Low-Calorie Recipes Low-Calorie Lunch Recipes 25 High-Protein, Low-Calorie Lunch Recipes By Leah Goggins Leah Goggins Instagram Website Leah Goggins is a digital fellow for EatingWell. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, she is a devotee of old movies, farmers' markets and Ina Garten's tomato sandwich with basil mayo recipe. Leah has a degree in news media and English from The University of Alabama. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 13, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos These light lunches pack in a punch of satisfying protein to keep you full during the day. Everyone's protein needs look different, so these meals contain at least 15 grams per serving to get you on your way. Whether you're looking for a shrimp salad, a meaty burrito bowl or a vegetarian cup of noodles, these recipes have something for you. Recipes like our Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad & Vegetables and Green Goddess Salad with Chicken are delicious ways to shake up your midday routine. 01 of 25 Kale Turkey Wraps View Recipe Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy turkey lunch recipe low-calorie. If you can't find lacinato, also known as Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap. 02 of 25 Green Goddess Salad with Chicken View Recipe In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss and chicken salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. Any extra dressing is delicious served over grilled chicken or flaky white fish, such as cod or flounder. 03 of 25 Chicken Hummus Bowls View Recipe The spiced chicken atop these bowls is ready fast with the help of the broiler. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita for scooping up extra hummus at the bottom of the bowl. 04 of 25 Salmon Caesar Salad View Recipe 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. 05 of 25 Chopped Salad with Chicken & Avocado-Buttermilk Dressing View Recipe This herb-loaded green goddess-inspired dressing gets a color boost from creamy avocado. Make a double batch of this healthy salad dressing to keep on hand for salads throughout the week. 06 of 25 Black Bean & Slaw Bagel View Recipe Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh This easy open-face sandwich recipe uses a jalapeño-Cheddar bagel, but a plain bagel would work just as well. Top each bagel half with black beans and fresh slaw for a satisfying bite. 07 of 25 Lemony Shrimp, Kale & Potato Salad View Recipe Leigh Beisch Hearty kale and potatoes put a seasonal spin on a Greek-style salad featuring feta, olives and cherry tomatoes. Russet potatoes absorb flavor like a sponge, making them a great choice for salads with flavorful vinaigrettes like this one. 08 of 25 Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad View Recipe Greg DuPree Avocado adds creaminess while sunflower seeds provide texture and crunch in this easy tuna-spinach salad. 09 of 25 Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps View Recipe Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ali Ramee / Christine Keely This recipe produces a large batch of sweet-and-spicy ground chicken studded with crunchy cashews and celery—making it great for easy weeknight entertaining or meal prepping. 10 of 25 Cannellini Bean & Herbed Ricotta Toast View Recipe Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh Herbed ricotta toast gets topped with cannellini beans and roasted red peppers for a colorful, tasty open-face sandwich. 11 of 25 Spring Roll Salad View Recipe All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work! This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad. 12 of 25 Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl View Recipe This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner. 13 of 25 Chicken Quinoa Fried Rice View Recipe Regular fried rice gets a protein boost when rice is swapped for quinoa in this healthy dinner recipe. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand-broccoli, green beans and mushrooms are all good options. Serve with hot sauce if desired. 14 of 25 Spicy Ramen Cup of Noodles View Recipe Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this vegetarian ramen recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week. 15 of 25 Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew View Recipe This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe gets great flavor from cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli. 16 of 25 Japanese Chicken Noodle Soup View Recipe This healthy, Japanese-inspired chicken noodle soup recipe is made with udon noodles and gets a hit of umami flavor from a swirl of miso at the end. To make the miso easier to stir into the soup, combine a little bit of the hot broth with the thick miso to thin it before adding to the rest of the soup. 17 of 25 Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad View Recipe This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad. 18 of 25 Beet & Shrimp Winter Salad View Recipe This healthy dinner salad recipe gets its staying power from protein-packed shrimp and fiber-rich barley. With a simple red-wine vinaigrette, this quick salad makes just one serving but is easy to double or triple. Look for precooked beets with other prepared vegetables in the produce department. 19 of 25 Mom's Chili View Recipe This healthy basic beef chili recipe is well worth doubling so you can throw a batch in the freezer. Serve topped with diced red onion, sliced scallions, shredded cheese and your favorite hot sauce. 20 of 25 Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens View Recipe For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch. 21 of 25 Turkey BLT Wraps View Recipe This delicious kid-friendly twist on a classic BLT includes turkey. The extra protein makes a filling, healthy lunch to pack up for school or work. 22 of 25 Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches View Recipe Lighten up classic egg salad by swapping in creamy avocado instead of using mayonnaise. Sandwich it between toasted whole-wheat bread and you've got an easy, packable lunch ready for work or school. 23 of 25 Baked Halibut & Fennel Packets with Chickpea Salad View Recipe Ted Cavanaugh These cute little baked halibut parcels are easy to assemble and even easier to clean up. The herbed chickpea salad is a delicious way to use an abundance of basil and parsley—and makes for a light lunch on its own. Haddock or barramundi are good substitutes for the halibut. 24 of 25 Chicken Salad-Stuffed Avocados View Recipe Looking for a clean, packable lunch for work? This healthy homemade chicken salad served inside an avocado instead of with bread is just the ticket. Plus, this recipe makes enough for ready-made lunches for the week! If you have leftover cooked chicken on hand, skip Step 1 and use about 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken in Step 2. 25 of 25 Roasted Buffalo Chickpea Wraps View Recipe This vegetarian riff on a Buffalo chicken wrap adds the spicy Buffalo tang you love to crunchy roasted chickpeas all tucked into an easy-to-make wrap with carrot, celery and blue cheese. Make and take a wrap for a healthy packable lunch or serve them up on game day for a protein-packed snack everyone will devour. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit