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!
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
This delicious, low carb hamburger recipe is perfect for lunch, dinner or even snacks!
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.
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.
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 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
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 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.
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!
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
This salmon salad is made with fresh, baked salmon (great for leftovers!) but you can swap out canned salmon too in a pinch!
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!
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
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
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!
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!
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!
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!
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
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!
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!
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 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 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
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.
