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10+ High-Protein Anti-Inflammatory 15-Minute Lunch Recipes
Refresh your lunchtime routine with these quick and easy lunches that are ready in just 15 minutes. These meals have at least 15 grams of protein per serving and are loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients like dark leafy greens, fish, deep orange vegetables and legumes. These foods are great for combatting inflammation-related symptoms like aches and pains, digestive discomfort and higher cholesterol levels, to name a few. Recipes like our Chickpea Grain Bowl with Feta & Tomatoes and our High-Protein Tuna & Chickpea Salad Sandwich are a convenient and satisfying way to fuel your body and meet your nutrition goals.
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Salmon Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
This salmon salad combines flaky canned salmon with tangy capers and fresh, fragrant dill. This versatile salad can be enjoyed piled onto toast, stuffed into a pita or served over greens for a light, satisfying meal.
Chickpea Grain Bowl with Feta & Tomatoes
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Shannon Goforth, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali.
This chickpea-farro grain bowl is a hearty dish that’s packed with plant-based protein, fiber and tons of fresh flavor. Farro, a whole grain with a nutty taste and chewy texture, forms the base and pairs perfectly with tender chickpeas and veggies. If you don’t have farro on hand, you can easily swap in quinoa, brown rice or barley.
High-Protein Caprese Chickpea Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This caprese chickpea salad is a fresh, protein- and fiber-packed, plant-based twist on the classic Italian favorite. It combines creamy mozzarella pearls, juicy cherry tomatoes and fragrant fresh basil with hearty chickpeas for a satisfying dish. A simple balsamic vinaigrette ties everything together with a tangy-sweet finish. It’s quick to prepare, colorful and bursting with summery flavor.
Strawberry Caprese Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This strawberry caprese salad is a fruity twist on the classic Italian dish, with juicy, ripe strawberries standing in for tomatoes. The sweet-tart flavor of strawberries goes beautifully with fresh mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This colorful salad is perfect as an appetizer, side dish or light lunch. To make it a main dish, top it with roasted chicken or add white beans.
Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This avocado tuna salad sandwich is the mash-up you’ve been waiting for! It takes classic tuna salad and adds a creamy twist with ripe avocado for a fresh, buttery flavor and texture. It’s the ideal upgrade to your usual tuna salad, and it’s sure to become your new favorite lunchtime sandwich for work or home.
Cucumber-Chicken Green Goddess Wrap
Brie Passano
This quick and easy wrap rolls up for a casual stationary lunch or a meal on the go, with protein from chicken to keep you going. The green goddess dressing is creamy with cheese and avocado and bright from lemon and herbs. Cucumber and carrots add color and crunch to this healthy, robust whole-wheat wrap.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Photographer: Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It’s got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.
Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.
Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad
This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can’t find it, you can use romaine instead.
Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna
This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the kale with dressing and then letting it stand in the jar softens it enough that you don’t need to massage or cook it to make it tender.
High-Protein Tuna & Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This zesty tuna sandwich gets an extra boost of protein from chickpeas. Smashing some of the chickpeas into the tuna enhances the texture and helps hold the filling together. The combo of garlic and Sriracha adds a delightful kick, but feel free to opt for an alternative hot sauce of your preference or skip it altogether for a milder flavor.
Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Chicken & Fresh Berries
If you’re packing this grain bowl for work, combine the dressing ingredients in a small container. When you’re ready to eat, shake the dressing well, add it to the salad and toss. If you don’t have time to make a homemade dressing, use 3 tablespoons of store-bought olive oil vinaigrette. Keep prep time short by using rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken) and a pouch of microwavable quinoa.
Lemon-Dill Tuna Salad
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower
This lemon-dill tuna salad packs plenty of protein and gets a boost of flavor from sumac, a spice used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and North African cooking that adds a citrusy touch, enhancing the lemon flavor without overshadowing the other ingredients. Serve this between two pieces of whole-wheat bread as a sandwich, or by itself with tender Bibb lettuce or crunchy celery sticks.
