Easy Meals with 30 Grams of Protein {Minimal Cooking}

Tired of cooking all the time but trying to reach a higher overall protein intake? Here are some easy meal ideas with 30 grams of protein that require minimal to no cooking at all. Most of these recipes are quick and on the table in less than 15 minutes.

Most physically active, healthy women should aim for 30 grams of protein per meal. This assists with feeling full and satisfied while also promoting a higher protein diet – say, 100 grams of protein per day.

It’s so hard to keep up with all the “recommendations” to live a healthier life and even I (someone who preaches this stuff on my site) have a difficult time with it. As a mom, I totally understand that sometimes you just don’t really feel like cooking at all. I have many patients who are older who are just tired of cooking as well.

These quick and easy high protein meals are great options when it feels like it’s impossible to meet those expectations. It’s also for the people who don’t love to cook but still want to eat healthier. Quick, easy, no cook high protein meals can be a lifesaver when you’re tired, lazy, or don’t have much time to meal prep.

It’s actually one of my New Year’s “resolutions” to try and reach a higher protein and fiber intake. I’ve got a whole plan in mind and it includes many of these ideas!

Tips to Easy, High Protein Meals

When it comes to creating easy meals that prioritize protein we can either 1) choose meals that require minimal to no cooking at all or 2) prep some components ahead of time. A rotisserie chicken comes in handy because it requires no cooking at all. Low sodium frozen chicken or frozen edamame is convenient as well.

However, also setting aside a day where you cook crockpot taco meat or roasted chicken can really come in handy and allow you to control the flavors and sodium content. You don’t have to cook an entire meal just components that will make putting these quick and easy meals together a lot easier.

It allows you to have more options to choose from. For example, choose one day where you cook a large amount of quinoa or rice so it is already prepared for the week. This works for chicken, too – which can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days or even frozen for 3 months.

30 Grams of Protein Meal Ideas with Minimal Cooking

Breakfast options are list first on this list because in order to reach a higher overall protein intake it’s important to actually prioritize breakfast. I have a whole post on 30 Grams of Protein Breakfasts for more inspiration. I break down different options to building each meal while also providing recipes ideas, too.

1. Yogurt Bowls

A well-balanced yogurt bowl is just so easy to throw together – no cooking required at all! Plus, it’s relatively easy to reach 30 grams of protein.

One cup of Fage Greek yogurt has 24 grams of protein. To reach that 30 grams, it’s all about what we add to it. Some options include hemp hearts which have 10 grams of protein per 3 tablespoons. Peanut butter, which has 8 grams of protein per two tablespoons. Or, an ounce of chopped nuts for some crunch (about 5 grams of protein).

Another idea? Whisking in one scoop of protein powder, providing well over the 30 grams of protein. The best part about yogurt bowls is that there are so many flavor variations. For ideas, check out my post on Building Healthy Yogurt Bowls with 6+ Recipes.

2. Overnight Oats

Similar to a yogurt bowl, overnight oats are easy to prep and come in so many flavor variations. Most recipes take just 5 minutes of prep time, refrigeration, and they’re ready to go! I like to mix protein powder into my overnight oats – like these Berry Cheesecake Overnight Oats (shown above) with 37 grams of protein.

Adding Greek yogurt to the base of an overnight oats recipe can increase the protein content without protein powder. Similar to the yogurt bowl, peanut butter, chopped nuts, and hemp hearts are great additions to increase the protein content as well. For more ideas, I do have a post with 20+ Easy Overnight Oats Recipes.

3. High Protein Oatmeal

Oatmeal takes just a few minutes to cook in the microwave but one cup only has 6 grams of protein. There are a few options to try to increase the protein content: 1) whisk protein powder into it, 2) use a higher protein milk like Fairlife 3) top with peanut butter, 4) top with Greek yogurt for some extra creaminess, and 5) add in some chopped nuts or hemp hearts.

For a recipe idea, try this High Protein Vegan Oatmeal (shown above) from Bites with Blair with 30 grams of protein! Total prep and cook time is just 5 minutes. Pro-tip: raspberries are one of the highest fiber foods – so top your oatmeal with them to increase fiber content.

4. Egg Salad with Greek Yogurt

One egg has about 6-7 grams of protein. So, if you have two eggs + 3/4 cup of yogurt that comes to about 30 grams of protein! If you make a sandwich with whole wheat bread (about 5 grams of protein per slice), the whole meal would total 40 grams of protein. You could also eat it on a whole wheat wrap or with whole grain tortilla chips.

Yes, boiling and peeling the eggs requires a little bit of time. However, hard-boiled eggs stay fresh in the fridge for up to one week. Make a bunch of eggs and you will have easy meals all week! Then, just add some of your favorite seasonings for flavor.

5. Smoothies

While smoothies are not the most filling meals, they are a fast and nutritious option for meals and snacks. It’s pretty easy to create an antioxidant-filled, high protein and fiber smoothie. Protein staples for smoothies include protein powder, nut butters, hemp or flaxseeds, milk, yogurt or even cottage cheese.

Lately, I have been making smoothies for lunch because I prefer a savory breakfast and a high protein smoothie helps me reach an overall higher protein intake (plus, increase my daily fruit and vegetable consumption). One scoop of protein powder has about 25 grams of protein. By adding Greek yogurt or milk, you can easily reach over 30 grams of protein.

Try this Peanut Paradise Tropical Smoothie by PCOS Nutritionist Alyssa (shown above), combining both protein powder and Greek yogurt with 39 grams of protein per serving.

6. Wraps and Sandwiches

Always read nutrition labels and compare different products – even when it comes to bread and wraps. Below are some breakdowns of different high protein sandwiches or wraps. For a dairy-free substitute, try a higher protein plant-based yogurt to replace the Greek yogurt.

Deli Turkey Wrap: 4 ounces sliced turkey breast (24g protein), whole wheat tortilla (5g protein), 1/4 avocado (1g protein), lettuce and tomato. This amounts to just about 30 grams of protein.

Chicken Salad Sandwich: 3 ounces canned chicken (19g protein), two slices of whole wheat bread (10g protein) and 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt (6g protein). This amounts to 35 grams of protein for just the sandwich. Make sure to pair with at least one serving of fruit or vegetables.

Tuna Salad Sandwich: one can of tuna in water (18g protein), 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt (6g protein), two slices of bread (10g protein).

7. Thrown Together Power Bowl

The “throw together” power bowl is one of my favorite tricks to a healthy, quick meal. Utilize fresh or frozen vegetables, canned beans and legumes for protein and fiber, microwavable grains, and rotisserie chicken for the ultimate easy meal.

Throw in some cheese and chopped nuts to fill in that protein gap. Adding a dollop of Greek yogurt when it makes sense (think Mediterranean or Mexican-inspired flavors) helps to increase the protein content as well. It’s a great sub for sour cream or mayo.

For example, 4 ounces of chicken (24g protein) + 1/2 cup of chickpeas (8g protein), + cucumbers + tomatoes + chopped nuts (4g protein) comes to around 36 grams of protein. Use different store-bought dressings for different flavor variations. Check out some recipes below for inspiration!

Air Fryer Greek Chicken Bowl (Make It Skinny Please)

This Greek chicken bowl comes together quickly: all you have to do is chop some tomatoes and cucumber. Then, the chicken is air-fried for 13-16 minutes. If you don’t want to cook at all, you could use a rotisserie chicken and a microwaveable rice packet. Each serving amounts to 32 grams of protein.

Mediterranean Chicken, Chickpea and Tomato Bowl

A nutritious, Mediterranean diet-inspired bowl featuring canned chickpeas, tomatoes, chopped walnuts, feta, and leftover chicken. The bowl is drizzled with Olive Garden Italian dressing for convenience. It’s so easy with fresh flavors and high in both protein and fiber. The perfect recipe to show that eating healthy doesn’t have to mean cooking elaborate meals.

Crockpot Chicken Burrito Bowls (Two Healthy Kitchens)

This meal requires some cooking but it’s all done in a crockpot! You just throw all the ingredients in and the slow cooker does all of the work for you. Each bowl is 38 grams of protein. A great recipe to top with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream!

8. Stir-Fry

Throw together a quick stir-fry using your favorite frozen vegetables and preferred protein source. Frozen edamame (18g protein per 1 cup) is a quick and easy protein source. Thin strips of steak, like flank steak, cook in less than 10 minutes. Shrimp is also a minimal cook protein source with 24 grams of protein per 4 ounces.

Even canned or rotisserie chicken works here! Stir-fries are customizable with different store-bought sauces and perfect for additions like chopped nuts or canned beans to increase the protein content.

9. Pasta Salad

Here is how to assemble a quick and high protein pasta salad: follow the package directions for a higher protein pasta noodle like Barilla Protein Plus (10g protein per serving). Add in chopped turkey (24g protein), fresh vegetables, and a quick homemade or store-bought dressing. That’s it!

Make extra to store in the fridge for easy meals all week. Try this Cavatappi Pasta Salad from The Healthy Epicurean and use a higher protein noodle. The Barilla Protein Plus cavatappi noodles are actually my favorite!

10. Salads

Salad kits are one of my favorite inventions because they require minimal prep. Grab a Caesar salad kit, top with 4 oz of rotisserie chicken (28g protein), 2 tablespoons Caesar dressing + 2 cups romaine lettuce (2g protein). Below are more easy salad ideas.

Salads are so customizable with ingredients like hard-boiled eggs, nuts and seeds, beans, and cheese to increase the protein content.

Summer Salmon Chopped Salad (Get Inspired Everyday)

A fresh and nutrient-packed salad topped with salmon, which requires less than 15 minutes of cooking time. Use canned salmon if you really don’t feel like cooking.

Spicy Southwest Salad (The Oregon Dietitian)

This copycat Chick Fil A salad features a spicy ranch dressing. The chicken is marinated and total cook time for this recipe is 20 minutes if grilling the chicken. This is a great recipe to use leftover chicken that you component cooked the day prior or rotisserie chicken.

Easy Tahini Chicken Salad (Strength and Sunshine)

This recipe utilizes frozen Tyson grilled chicken strips (19g protein) with a tahini dressing (8g protein). Total time for preparation is just 5 minutes! Eat it as is, on a sandwich, or over salad.

More Meal Ideas

It Is POssible

I hope that this list gave you some ideas and inspiration to building higher protein meals even when you just don’t feel like cooking. As long as you are aware of what you can add to increase protein, it is relatively easy to do. What is your go-to, minimal cook meal?