25 High Protein Dinner Ideas

High Protein Dinner Ideas that are all around delicious. Hitting your protein goals can be just as tasty and fun as making any other meal, and these recipes are sure to please everyone. We’ve got everything from chicken and beef, to fish and even vegetarian recipes!

teriyaki meatballs with high protein dinner ideas graphic

By now you probably know that we love a good indulgent meal as much as anyone. But there’s a time and a place for everything, and you might be surprised to learn that a lot of our recipes are not all for cheat days!

There’s a common misconception that healthy dinners are boring, or flavorless. That couldn’t be further from the truth! In reality, a lot of healthy dinners are just as full of flavor as their unhealthy counterparts. It’s all about finding the right recipes that will excite your taste buds, while still making your body feel good. 

What Makes a Recipe High Protein?

While we aren’t nutritionists, we do have a good amount of knowledge that comes from our own personal goals. Of course everyone’s protein goals are going to be different, but in gathering a basic amount of knowledge from different influencers, we’ve found that trying to hit 30-40 grams of protein per meal is a great place to start.

  • Load Up On Vegetables. It’s cliche to say, but eating your vegetables is an important part of having a well balanced diet. There are some vegetables like peas, spinach and asparagus that are higher protein than others, but loading up on veggies is never a bad idea.
  • Lean proteins. Most dinners are built around protein, and typically we opt for lean proteins. We’re big fans of chicken, turkey, and fish (especially salmon). Eggs also work very well as the base protein, and when we use something less lean, like beef or pork, we opt for small portions. 
  • Beans and Legumes: If meat isn’t on the table for you, there are many ways to add more protein to your meals. We love using all kinds of beans and legumes in our recipes, or even as a side dish. Chickpeas are a family favorite so we make this chickpea salad often.

Tips for Eating Better

Eating healthier meals isn’t always easy. Here are a few of our favorite tips for incorporating some healthier habits into your dinners. 

  • Make enough for leftovers. One of the easiest ways to eat healthier is to make leftovers anytime you make a high quality dinner. That way, when you’re feeling hungry you have a good option to choose from.
  • Cook your greens. If you want to get extra mileage out of some healthy ingredients, cook your greens. If you wilt spinach, you can eat a whole bag in just a few bites, while still getting almost the exact same nutritional benefit. 
  • Keep healthy ingredients around. We like to make sure that our fridge and pantry are stocked with healthy ingredients, like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and legumes. That way when you’re looking for a fun, high protein dinner idea, you’re more likely to already have the ingredients you need to make it.
Hamburger Lettuce Wraps are a low carb dinner recipe

Hamburger Lettuce Wraps

This delicious, low carb hamburger recipe is perfect for lunch, dinner or even snacks!

Ground Beef and Broccoli on white rice

Ground Beef and Broccoli

This Ground Beef and Broccoli recipe is SO addicting! Our kids absolutely love this dinner, and they always want seconds. Using ground beef makes this recipe a little easier and a lot more affordable.

An oval serving tray filled with beef chow fun, with chopsticks in the platter and scallions next to it

Beef Chow Fun

Beef chow fun is a Chinese takeout staple. This recipe is an easy version that you can make at home, that’s just as delicious as what you’ll get in a restaurant.

beef tips and gravy on mashed potatoes with bread and butter

Slow Cooker Beef Tips

Slow Cooker Beef Tips turn out super tender and satisfying, with just minutes of prep! Serve over mashed potatoes for an easy dinner recipe that everyone is sure to love!

Teriyaki Meatballs in a bowl with red napkin

Teriyaki Meatball Recipe

This Teriyaki Meatball Recipe is one of our favorite, easy to make dinners! Oven baked, flavorful meatballs tossed in a store-bought teriyaki glaze!

ground beef taco meat in skillet with serving spoon

Ground Beef Taco Meat

Our Ground Beef Taco Meat recipe eliminates those dry seasoning packets from the store! Done in less than 15 minutes, this taco meat is sure to become a family favorite recipe!

Ground chicken recipe served over spaghetti

Ground Chicken Parmesan

This delicious Ground Chicken Parmesan is on the table in just 15 minutes! Serve over spaghetti or angel hair pasta for an easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love.

Egg salad sandwich on a white plate

Best Egg Salad Recipe

Serve this Egg Salad Recipe on your favorite bread for a sandwich or with crackers for a light meal or snack! Creamy, rich, perfectly seasoned egg salad is always a hit!

spoons in a bowl of lentil soup

French Lentil Soup

This delicious and cozy French Lentil Soup is ready to serve in just 30 minutes. Enjoy this veggie-packed soup and night of the week for a healthy, protein packed meal!

Salmon salad Recipe is a salmon recipe with mayonnaise, dill and celery

Salmon Salad Recipe

This salmon salad is made with fresh, baked salmon (great for leftovers!) but you can swap out canned salmon too in a pinch!

haddock covered in a parmesan and breadcrumb topping

Parmesan Crusted Haddock

Parmesan Crusted Haddock tastes like it came from your favorite seafood restaurant! Tender, flaky haddock with a parmesan cheese and bread crumb topping!

black platter with pistachio crusted salmon and bok choy

Pistachio Crusted Salmon

This Pistachio Crusted Salmon recipe is ready to serve in just 20 minutes! An easy date night at home recipe or a delicious seafood dinner for your family.

salmon rice bowl with chopsticks in the middle

Salmon Rice Bowl

This Salmon Rice Bowl is bursting with flavors from crunchy vegetables to tender, flakey salmon! Meal prep the ingredients ahead of time and this rice bowl can be a 5 minute lunch or dinner!

tuna cakes stacked on plate with parsley

Tuna Cakes

These tasty Tuna Cakes are packed with flavor and cook up with very little effort! Think of a carb cake, but way less expensive. These are delicious with a side salad or potatoes, even on a bun!

breakfast burritos cut in half and stacked

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

These Freezer Breakfast Burritos make mornings a breeze! Filled with cheese, sausage, potatoes and eggs, it’s a delicious, hearty, portable breakfast on the go!

chicken burrito with teriyaki glaze on a plate

Teriyaki Chicken Burritos

These easy to make chicken burritos can be on the table in just 15 minutes! Minus the time for marinating the chicken, all you need to do is bake and assemble!

teriyaki chicken sliced on platter with pineapple

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

This Grilled Teriyaki Chicken recipe tastes just like it came from a restaurant! Tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs with an addicting teriyaki glaze!

chicken meatball on a fork

Baked Chicken Meatballs

These juicy chicken meatballs are a staple at our house! Super easy to make and they only need about 15 minutes in the oven. Serve these meatballs for dinner or for appetizers!

Asian chicken wings on a red platter with sesame seeds and scallions

Asian Chicken Wings

These sticky Asian Chicken Wings have the most addicting glaze and are super easy to make! A great recipe for appetizers, dinner and large crowds!

taco chicken in a bowl with cheese and avocado

Slow Cooker Taco Chicken

This Slow Cooker Taco Chicken is one of our kids favorite dinner recipes! They love it in taco shells or wrapped up int tortillas, or serve it in a bowl with avocado for a low carb meal!

close up of ground beef chili in bowl with cheese

Ground Beef Chili Recipe

Our Ground Beef Chili recipe is loved by all! Not too spicy with big, bold flavors. Make a big batch for the week because the leftovers are even better!

pork stir fry in a bowl with sauce and chop sticks

Pork Stir Fry Recipe

This Pork Stir Fry Recipe is always a crowd pleaser! Crispy, seared pork with crunchy vegetables and our famous homemade stir fry sauce! An easy dinner recipe for any night of the week!

steak fajitas from the top with napkin and limes

Steak Fajita Recipe

You don’t need to head out to a restaurant to make delicious Steak Fajitas right at home! The marinade for the steak is one of our favorites, and after marinating this dinner recipe can be on the table in 15 minutes!

sesame ground chicken in a bowl with rice and chopsticks

Sesame Ground Chicken

Our Sesame Ground Chicken is a #1 recipe for good reason. It’s on the table in 15 minutes, packed with lean protein and has a flavor that everyone loves! Serve with rice or ramen noodles on the side to soak up all of the delicious, sweet sesame sauce.

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