25 High-Protein Lunch Ideas That Will Keep You Going All Day

We get it: Sometimes when you try to eat healthy, you just end up being beyond hungry an hour or so later. No more! Thanks to these healthy high-protein lunches, you'll be staying full and focused for whatever your day throws at you. Because why shouldn't your lunch work as hard as you do? From hearty steak grain bowls to protein-packed salads and lettuce wraps, we've got you covered on all the lunches you'll be looking forward to all day long.

Grain bowls are one of our favorite ways to fill up during lunchtime. Whether you start with a base of rice, quinoa, or even cauliflower "rice" as your grain substitute, the options for topping are endless. We love these jerk tofu grain bowls, ahi poke bowls, and spicy salmon bowls for all the flavors and textures that keep our tastebuds so very happy and satisfied.

Salads might seem like light fare, but we love how quickly they can become a full and satisfying meal, thanks to adding protein (like tuna, chicken, beans, and yes, cheese!). Need more proof? Try our classic Niçoise salad, vegan taco salad, fried halloumi salad, and shrimp & mango salad. Serving up any salad with a side of crusty bread will really round it out. And don't sleep on the deliciousness that is Snoop Dogg's BBQ chicken Cobb salad!

Looking for more healthy recipe inspiration? Take a look at our favorite healthy dinners, healthy late night snacks, and healthy breakfasts to start your day off right.

This filling salad has smoky, sweet, and sticky BBQ chicken, homemade blue corn tortilla strips (Snoop's brilliant addition; they give every bite some salty crunch and help tie the whole salad together), and most important, the world's curliest and crispiest bacon, cooked Snoop's way.

Get Snoop Dogg's BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad recipe.

Poke bowls are healthy, and offer plenty of opportunity for customization and creativity. Add some crunchy fried onions or shallots and a drizzle of spicy mayo for the true restaurant experience.

Get the Ahi Poke Bowls recipe.

A double-purpose chimichurri acts as a marinade for the steak and a finishing sauce for the bowls; the not-too-spicy jalapeño sauce provides a tangy, creamy counterpoint—plus, its versatility means it can go on anything and everything. If you have extra, use it on some black bean tostadas.

Get the Steak Grain Bowls recipe.

If you're a fan of crispy savory egg rolls, then you might consider this unwrapped version your dream lunch. Without the need to wrap or fry, this veggie-packed meal comes together in well under an hour. Garnish with crispy raw scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and plenty of sriracha or chili oil.

Get the Egg Roll Bowls recipe.

Using cooked rotisserie chicken, frozen corn, and sweet cherry tomatoes, you can have a summer chowder in under an hour, served in a crispy-tender zucchini boat. While bacon isn’t totally crucial in this dish, rendering it provides a salty, flavorful fat you can use to make this stuffed zucchini extra delicious.

Get the Chicken Chowder Stuffed Zucchini recipe.

This vegan grain bowl recipe is a bit of a culinary road trip through some Jamaican staples: sweet fried plantains, aromatic rice and peas, and tofu in a jerk marinade. To add a touch of crunch, acidity, and color, we top it all off with a simple red cabbage and carrot slaw that is just as delicious on its own as it is in the bowls.

Get the Jerk Tofu Grain Bowls recipe.

Grain bowls are magic because all of the components are great on their own, but once they're tossed together, they somehow become even better. This spicy salmon bowl has all of our favorite things, like quick pickles, spicy red onion, and creamy avocado. Want more? Try our buddha bowl next!

Get the Spicy Salmon Bowl recipe.

Like most summery salads, this one is ripe for improvisation. Raw, thinly sliced Napa cabbage is exceptionally crunchy and sweet, but sliced romaine is a perfectly good replacement. Chopped toasted peanuts are a crucial final addition, but can be replaced with toasted sunflower or sesame seeds for a similar effect.

Get the Shrimp Mango Salad recipe.

Sweet, sour, and salty, these lettuce cups are ripe for improvisation and can be served with all sorts of accompaniments. Crunchy raw vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots can add heft, and a drizzle of chili oil is a must for spice lovers. And if lettuce isn’t cutting it, a heaping spoonful of rice is a perfect pairing.

Get the Caramelized Tofu Lettuce Cups recipe.

Tostadas have all the delicious crunch of a tortilla chip but act as a vehicle for whatever delicious toppings you like. Here, that means creamy refried beans and a chile-spiked shredded chicken topping. To make this recipe go more quickly, you'll use rotisserie roast chicken, canned refried beans, and store-bought tostadas, though you're welcome to homemake everything too.

Get the Chicken Tostadas recipe.

Whenever we're craving a salad, it usually mean we want something super fresh and crisp with lots of flavor. This gorgeous salad is hearty enough to be dinner. While the salmon is cooking, you can get all of your veggie chopping done too, and it'll all come together in less than 30 minutes.

Get the Greek Salmon Salad recipe.

We love scooping up ceviche with tortilla chips—they add great crunch and saltiness!—and here we’ve taken it one step further by piling the ceviche on top of crispy corn tostadas so it becomes a great portable snack. Don't forget the spicy mayo spread: We love its creaminess and the extra hit of spice it brings!

Get the Shrimp Ceviche recipe.

In our attempt to copy the fan favorite from P.F. Chang's, we flavored ground chicken with hoisin sauce (a fermented bean paste that gives the chicken the quintessential Chinese-American flavor), soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sriracha, and sesame oil. Water chestnuts add a nice crunch here, too.

Get the Copycat Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe.

We love this salad served on top of greens as much as we love it between two slices of sourdough bread. If you can't find a good ripe mango, pineapple would be delicious as well!

Get the Avocado Chicken Salad recipe.

With this curried chickpea salad recipe, you have a simple, fast, meatless way to satisfy your craving for tuna or curried chicken salad. Instead of the raisins you might find in a standard curried salad, we added fresh red bell pepper and red onion for some vegetal sweetness and a bit of bite. You can eat this salad as is, but we love it spread on some toasted bread and topped with butter lettuce and juicy tomato slices.

Get the Curried Chickpea Salad recipe.

This versatile chickpea salad is a great side dish (hello, potlucks!) but can easily be a full lunch on its own. Adding a spoonful of Dijon mustard to your red wine vinaigrette makes it creamier in both taste and body—consider it your secret weapon in making a classic dressing just that much better.

Get the Antipasto Chickpea Salad recipe.

One of our favorite make-ahead meals, you can roast and assemble the sweet potato boats ahead, and just top with sour cream and hot sauce when ready to eat.

Get the Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe.

Minimal dishes and maximum flavor? Grab your slow cooker and cozy on up with this chili.

Get the Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili recipe.

We think it's due time that halloumi, the brined Cypriot cheese, got its moment in the spotlight. Besides the delightfully squeaky texture (where the cheese curd lovers at?) and the tangy, salty flavor, the high melting point is really what makes this cheese stand out—when heat is applied, it develops a delicious golden crust that is so delightful in this salad.

Get the Halloumi Salad recipe.

Traditional French salade niçoise is a protein-packed meal made with tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, anchovies, and a nice drizzle of olive oil. Our version doesn’t use anchovies, but if you’re a fan, we won’t stop you from putting a couple in your bowl.

Get the Niçoise-Style Chopped Salad recipe.

Our favorite taco salad got a vegan makeover. Filled with grains and two different types of beans, it's a filling salad worthy of your dinner table. The spicy dressing brings tons of flavor and is our favorite part of the salad. Top it will all of your favorites like cherry tomatoes and tortilla chips for a little crunch!

Get the Vegan Taco Salad recipe.

It wouldn’t be an orzo soup without orzo, but if you’re looking to use up another small pasta like ditalini or orecchiette, we certainly won’t stop you. In fact…you didn’t hear it from us, but pretty much any pasta would do the trick. Just know that cook times will vary from shape to shape.

Get the Lemony Chicken & Orzo Soup recipe.

Tofu can be a hard sell. There are many complaints about its bland texture and flavor, but trust us—when given this special treatment, a transformation takes place. We've put our favorite veggies into this recipe, but feel free to substitute whatever hearty vegetables you have on hand!

Get the Tofu Stir-Fry recipe.

This simple dish of meatballs and zoodles is low-carb, gluten-free, and won't weigh you down. We'll be making this on repeat this summer, maybe with some added grilled vegetables like sweet corn or eggplant.

Get the Garlic Butter Meatballs & Zoodles recipe.

Everything you love about a burrito, minus the tortilla. This low-carb lunch screams summer, with zucchini noodles, fresh cherry tomatoes, and sweet corn.

Get the Burrito Zoodles recipe.