22 High-Protein Sandwiches That Are Perfect for Lunch

In this chicken pesto panini recipe, the extra-thin bread gets nice and crispy, the mozzarella melts beautifully and the arugula adds a fresh and peppery note to complement the pesto. It's a delicious and easy panini to throw together!

White beans mash seamlessly into a creamy protein-packed spread for a satisfying healthy sandwich that makes for an easy lunch or dinner. Mix it up by trying it with canned chickpeas or black beans. This vegetarian sandwich recipe is also a fiber superstar: avocado, beans, greens and whole-wheat bread team up to give it 15 grams of fiber, more than half of what most women should aim for in a day.

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.

Skip frying but keep all the crunch with this healthy baked fish sandwich recipe. The wire rack ensures both sides of the baked cod get crispy.

This caprese sandwich is fresh from the basil and hearty from thick, crusty ciabatta. The sun-dried tomatoes deepen the flavor. Topping the bread with a layer of basil leaves and using toasted bread helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy if you need to make it a few hours ahead.

This chicken caprese sandwich has all the classic flavors of a caprese salad with an added boost of protein from grilled chicken. Using store-bought grilled chicken makes assembly quick and easy. This sandwich for one is made in a skillet, but would work equally well in a panini press if you have one on hand.

This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.

This open-face hot turkey sandwich tastes like Thanksgiving on a plate. If you have it, swap in 1½ cups leftover gravy and skip Step 1.

This turkey pesto sandwich features fresh mozzarella cheese, which melts beautifully, creating a gooey, cheesy bite. Serve for lunch or dinner alongside a bowl of soup for a filling meal.

Meaty portobello mushrooms have just the right amount of earthy, savory flavor and the perfect texture to replace beef in these vegetarian French dip sandwiches.

This variation of a classic sandwich uses mayonnaise, but not where you think! Mayo is brushed on the outside of the sandwich in place of butter to make the sandwich golden and crispy as it heats in a skillet. Plain Greek yogurt takes mayo's place in the salad—along with crunchy celery, roasted red bell peppers and scallions—for a satisfying lunch with less saturated fat.

This sandwich is a specialty at Dad's Luncheonette in Half Moon Bay, California, where chef-owner Scott Clark makes it with local maitake mushrooms. Using ghee to cook the sandwich components imparts a nutty flavor you wouldn't get by using butter.

Be sure to carefully cut out the thickest part of the center rib and stem of the collard greens so the wraps can be tightly rolled up. Serve with extra hot sauce for those who like a little kick.

Tossing the smoked tofu in cornstarch then pan-frying makes it super-crispy. Drizzle with hot honey or your favorite hot sauce to spice it up a little.

When you boil eggs ahead of time, it's easy to create a lickety-split and delightful lunchtime egg salad. And using the flavorful leafy carrot tops in it is like getting herbs for free.

This mushroom melt has both Gruyère and Swiss cheeses that work together with earthy mushrooms to create a delicious ooey-gooey vegetarian grilled cheese. Balsamic vinegar helps lighten the sandwich, and the thin slices of rye bread help keep the sodium in check.

It's called a grilled cheese, so why not make it on the grill? Multiply this recipe by the number of people you're serving, then set out all the toppings and let everyone make their own creations.

This turkey-avocado sandwich is the perfect way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers. Packed with leftover turkey, bacon, cranberry sauce and more, this sandwich is sure to satisfy. If you really want to do this sandwich up, chef Hugh Acheson suggests searing a slice of stuffing or bread pudding until it's nice and crispy and putting it between the turkey and avocado.

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.

Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy chicken lunch recipe low-calorie (and lower in carbs!). If you can't find lacinato (aka Tuscan) kale, try cabbage for your wrap.

In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.

Tossing the smoked tofu in cornstarch then pan-frying makes it super-crispy. Drizzle with hot honey or your favorite hot sauce to spice it up a little.