29 High-Protein Meals for Weight Loss

Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Photo: Jacob Fox

Make a filling and healthy dinner with these high-protein meals for weight loss recipes. Each dinner has at least 15 grams of protein per serving, so you'll feel satisfied. You'll also feel full thanks to the high fiber in these recipes, which is an important nutrient if you're looking to slim down. Recipes like Chicken Tinga Tostadas and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Chili are delicious, low in calories and can help you meet your nutrition goals.

01 of 29

Seared Scallops with Green Goddess Slaw

Seared Scallops with Green Goddess Slaw
Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat

Avocado, yogurt and buttermilk lend creaminess to the herbaceous dressing coating this salad.

02 of 29

Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Jacob Fox

These chicken tinga tostadas are topped with cotija cheese for a salty brine, while cilantro adds a pop of flavor and color. We bake the tortillas to ensure a crispy base, while also using less oil than deep-frying.

03 of 29

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Jacob Fox

Inspired by stuffed peppers, this soup is ready faster and with fewer dishes too! Have fun with the toppings—we top it with onion, Cheddar cheese and tortilla chips here, but salsa, sour cream and corn would also make stellar additions.

04 of 29

Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo

Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo

In this healthy BBQ shrimp recipe, shrimp are seasoned with a peppery spice blend and served with zucchini, peppers and whole-grain orzo for a delicious and easy dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes. The shrimp and veggies are cooked in the same skillet, so cleanup is a snap too.

05 of 29

Chicken Parmesan & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

a recipe photo of the stuffed peppers

Chicken Parm gets a fun low-carb and gluten-free twist with these cheesy stuffed peppers with chicken and quinoa. Serve with a salad for a healthy dinner that's easy to prep too.

06 of 29

Pizza-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Pizza Spaghetti Squash

Skip the dough and stuff all of your favorite pizza toppings into spaghetti squash boats for a fun and healthy dinner that'll please the whole family. We love the combination of mushrooms, bell peppers, pepperoni and mozzarella, but feel free to mix it up with your favorite pizza ingredients. You could throw in a bit of chopped cooked broccoli, for example, or add some olives or chopped artichoke hearts. And of course feel free to omit the pepperoni to make the dish vegetarian. Round out the meal with a simple salad.

07 of 29

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

89723.jpg

If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

08 of 29

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Chili

7222755.jpg

Sweet potatoes pair wonderfully with this simple chili recipe. Add one more chipotle pepper if you want to spice up this healthy sweet potato recipe.

09 of 29

Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Root Vegetables & Barley

7222766.jpg

Be sure to use bone-in chicken here--it enhances the flavor of the broth, and the bones are easy to remove after cooking. This healthy chicken soup can be made in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.

10 of 29

Smoky Collards & Shrimp with Cheesy Grits

Smoky Collards & Shrimp with Cheesy Grits
Jacob Fox

Be sure to slice the collards extra thin; it will help expedite the cooking process and produce the most tender greens.

11 of 29

Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

7222786.jpg

Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.

12 of 29

Instant Pot Goulash

7459537.jpg

Your Instant Pot (or other multicooker) cuts hours off the cooking time of this Hungarian beef stew recipe. This Instant Pot goulash, a saucy dish flavored with caraway and smoked paprika, is served over whole-wheat egg noodles that cook while your multicooker works its magic. It's comfort food at its best!

13 of 29

Sloppy Joe Casserole

7459011.jpg

Like sloppy Joes? Then you'll love this sloppy Joe casserole recipe. This kid-friendly dinner has the classic sloppy Joe flavors kids love, while parents will like all the veggies that are packed in to make it a healthy meal.

14 of 29

Cheesy Chipotle-Cauliflower Mac

5633962.jpg

You'll barely notice the cauliflower in this comforting skillet pasta—it's pureed and mixed into the creamy cheese sauce.

15 of 29

Chicken Hummus Bowls

8373215.jpg

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.

16 of 29

Beef Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

5604266.jpg

A gyro is a Greek sandwich made of thin slices of roasted meat, served on pita bread with a cucumber-yogurt sauce. In this recipe, lean ground beef is seasoned with oregano and marjoram, pressed into a loaf pan, baked and thinly sliced to fill the pita.

17 of 29

California Turkey Burgers & Baked Sweet Potato Fries

6854594.jpg

Inspired by an option at the West Coast chain In-N-Out Burger, this turkey burger recipe keeps the carbs in check with a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. The side of sweet potato fries bakes while you prep the burgers, so this entire healthy dinner is ready in under 30 minutes.

18 of 29

Lasagna Soup

lasagna soup

This quick and healthy lasagna soup recipe has all the comforting flavors of classic lasagna with plenty of tomatoes, Italian turkey sausage and lasagna noodles broken into bite-size bits. A dollop of ricotta cheese mixed with mozzarella and Parmesan adds a creamy finishing touch. Serve the soup with a green salad and crusty bread to sop up what's left in the bowl for an easy healthy dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes.

19 of 29

Crispy Oven-Fried Fish Tacos

5544330.jpg

Fish tacos make a satisfying meal the entire family will love. Many restaurant versions are deep-fried, but our technique includes coating the fish in a seasoned whole-grain breading and spritzing it lightly with cooking spray before baking on a rack until golden brown. The result is a crispy exterior with moist and flaky fish inside.

20 of 29

Forbidden Rice & White Kimchi Steak Salad

7680763.jpg

This steak salad doesn't feature a typical dressing, but tangy kimchi, savory pan-fried shallots and lemon juice pack it with flavor. Forbidden rice helps add more color and nutrition to this tangy dish.

21 of 29

Quick Shrimp Puttanesca

5691842.jpg

Because refrigerated fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta, this Italian pasta dish will be on the table lickety-split! Puttanesca, traditionally made with tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies and garlic, gets a makeover with shrimp for extra protein and artichoke hearts to boost the vegetable servings (and the fiber!). If you can't find frozen artichoke hearts, sub in drained canned artichoke hearts.

22 of 29

Turkey Meatballs with Linguine & Fresh Tomato Sauce

6659904.jpg

For this healthy turkey meatball recipe, lean ground turkey is mixed with fresh mushrooms, oats, garlic, spices and a little Parmesan cheese for a meatball that's moist, delicious and has more fiber and less saturated fat than a traditional beef and pork version. Serve these tasty meatballs over whole-grain pasta with fresh tomato sauce for a satisfying take on spaghetti and meatballs, and save the leftovers to stuff into sandwiches.

23 of 29

Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives

6691966.jpg

Store-bought spinach ravioli and a handful of basic pantry items are all you need to get a healthy dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Ingredients like oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives and toasty pine nuts help to build big flavor fast. If you can't find frozen artichokes, swap in a 15-ounce can (just be sure to drain and rinse them well).

24 of 29

Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls

6859259.jpg

Skip the tortillas in favor of this warm fajita salad, which features a nutritious medley of chicken with roasted kale, bell peppers and black beans. The chicken, beans and vegetables are all cooked on the same pan, so this healthy dinner is easy to make and the cleanup is easy too.

25 of 29

Italian Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables & Quinoa

6895194.jpg

For the best flavor in this easy roasted pork tenderloin dish, start marinating the pork the night before or get it going before you head off to work in the morning. Then, when you get home, all that's left to do is roast the pork and vegetables and prepare the quinoa for this easy healthy dinner. This recipe makes extra quinoa—use the leftovers as a base for easy meal-prep lunches, salads, stir-fries later in the week.

26 of 29

Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw

5969627.jpg

Lighten up your burger! Bean patties have less saturated fat and more fiber than beef patties. They're also cheaper and easier to cook indoors—and we promise they're just as satisfying, especially with the mouthwatering creamy slaw on top.

27 of 29

Skillet Chili Mac

6885391.jpg

Poblanos add a kick of heat to this chili mac recipe. If that's not your thing, swap in green bell peppers to tone down the heat in this easy pasta dish, which mashes up mac and cheese and chili into a seriously satisfying skillet dinner.

28 of 29

Turkey Enchilada Poblano Peppers

6352783.jpg

In this healthy take on a turkey enchilada recipe, we stuff everything into a roasted poblano pepper shell rather than tortillas to pack an extra serving of veggies into this meal. If you can't find poblano peppers, you can substitute green bell peppers instead.

29 of 29

Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole

6895192.jpg

This veggie-packed beef enchilada casserole is mild, so put out hot sauce and chopped jalapeños if you're feeding heat-seekers. The quick and easy dinner recipe makes extra cheese sauce--save it to make One-Pot Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts later in the week (see Associated Recipes) or serve it with steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, for an easy side dish.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles