17 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 28, 2023 Reviewed by Dietitian Annie Nguyen, M.A., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Annie Nguyen, M.A., RD Annie Nguyen is a Registered Dietitian who manages EatingWell's Pinterest page. Before EatingWell, she worked with other dietitians to write nutrition blog posts, develop recipes and create social media content. Annie went to the University of Oklahoma to complete her B.S. in Health and Exercise Science. She went on to get her M.A. in Dietetics and finish her dietetic internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Credit: Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely With these quick recipes, making a high-protein lunch is a breeze. In just 5 minutes and without turning on any cooking equipment, you can prep or pack a delicious salad, sandwich, smoothie and more. Plus, each recipe has at least 15 grams of protein per serving, making them a satisfying and energizing pick-me-up for the afternoon. Recipes like our Caprese Sandwich and 3-Ingredient Chicken Salad Tostadas are easy, flavorful and nutritious lunches you can make even on the busiest of days. Love any of these recipes? Tap "Save" to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell. 01 of 17 Caprese Sandwich View Recipe Save Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely 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. 02 of 17 Berry-Kefir Smoothie View Recipe Save Ana Cadena Get a probiotic boost at breakfast when you add kefir to your smoothie. Feel free to use any berries and nut butter you have on hand in this healthy smoothie recipe. 03 of 17 3-Ingredient Chicken Salad Tostadas View Recipe Save Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN For this three-ingredient dinner, a premade salad kit is the perfect shortcut because it has everything you need in one bag, including the dressing. Swap in canned black beans for the chicken to make this vegetarian. 04 of 17 Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna View Recipe Save This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender. 05 of 17 Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich View Recipe Save In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread. 06 of 17 Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie View Recipe Save Ali Redmond Peanut butter and banana is a classic combo that's even more delicious with the addition of tangy probiotic-rich kefir. Plus, this peanut butter banana smoothie helps you up your veggie servings for the day with a bit of mild-flavored spinach mixed in. 07 of 17 Shrimp, Avocado & Feta Wrap View Recipe Save This easy wrap makes a great healthy lunch to pack for work. Buy cooked shrimp in the seafood department at most supermarkets and grocery stores, or check the freezer section for tailed and deveined shrimp that are easy to thaw and steam. Salty feta and chopped fresh vegetables keep this easy lunchtime wrap flavorful and satisfying. 08 of 17 Blackberry Smoothie View Recipe Save Fred Hardy This blackberry smoothie has plenty of fresh berry flavor and sweetness from banana and honey. And with only 5 minutes from start to finish, it's the perfect breakfast for busy mornings. If fresh blackberries aren't available, feel free to use frozen in this easy and healthy smoothie. 09 of 17 Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad View Recipe Save Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied. 10 of 17 Avocado Toast with Burrata View Recipe Save Burrata (cream-filled fresh mozzarella cheese) takes this avocado toast recipe to the next level for a decadent, yet weekday-friendly breakfast. 11 of 17 Chocolate-Banana Protein Smoothie View Recipe Save Red lentils give this smoothie a plant-based protein boost. To make this smoothie vegan, try using unsweetened coconut beverage or almond milk in place of the dairy milk. 12 of 17 Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl View Recipe Save With a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keeping you feeling full and satisfied for hours. 13 of 17 Turkey BLT Wraps View Recipe Save This delicious kid-friendly twist on a classic BLT includes turkey. The extra protein makes a filling, healthy lunch to pack up for school or work. 14 of 17 Protein Bistro Lunch Box View Recipe Save Inspired by Starbucks' bistro boxes, this affordable lunch is easy to make and pack yourself. With high-protein ingredients like a hard-boiled egg, edamame and tuna, this bistro-style lunch will leave you feeling satisfied. 15 of 17 Spinach-Avocado Smoothie View Recipe Save This healthy green smoothie gets super creamy from the frozen banana and avocado. Make ahead (up to 1 day) and store it in the fridge until you need a veggie boost. 16 of 17 Chopped Cobb Salad with Chicken View Recipe Save This healthy chopped salad is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. You can reserve the remaining hard-boiled egg half for a snack. 17 of 17 Anti-Inflammatory Cherry-Spinach Smoothie View Recipe Save This healthy smoothie is not only delicious--it also boosts your daily dose of anti-inflammatory foods. It starts with a base of creamy gut-friendly kefir and includes cherries, which can lower the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein. Heart-healthy fats in avocado, almond butter and chia seeds deliver additional anti-inflammatory compounds to the body, while spinach offers a mix of antioxidants that sweep up harmful free radicals. Fresh ginger adds zing, plus a compound called gingerol, which preliminary studies suggest may improve inflammatory markers of heart disease if consumed daily. 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