Blog
15+ Heart-Healthy Lunch Recipes
Get excited for lunch every day with these delicious recipes that are easy to take on the go. These packable meals, like our Cucumber-Hummus Wrap or our Herb-Marinated Veggie & Chickpea Salad, fit our parameters for a heart-healthy meal, meaning they are low in saturated fats and sodium. With heart-healthy ingredients like leafy greens, legumes and fish, these recipes are not only delicious, but can help lower your risk of heart disease!
Love any of these recipes? Tap “Save” to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell.
Cucumber-Hummus Wrap
Photographer: Ali Redmond.
This cucumber-hummus wrap is a crisp, refreshing lunch packed with veggies. Shredded green cabbage adds a satisfying crunch, while the creamy dressing, flavored with pickle juice (but no pickles), adds tang without excess sodium. Hummus provides a creamy base that pairs perfectly with the fresh crispy vegetables. For a shortcut, swap in pre-shredded coleslaw mix instead of shredding your own cabbage.
Herb-Marinated Veggie & Chickpea Salad
Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek.
This herb-marinated veggie-and-chickpea salad is a refreshing, no-cook dish packed with fresh flavors. It brings together crisp raw vegetables and fiber-rich chickpeas, all tossed in a zesty herb dressing that infuses every bite. Since it requires no stove or oven time, it’s perfect for warm days, meal prep or busy weeknights when you want something quick.
Ginger-Soy Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp
Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek.
These ginger-soy zucchini noodles with shrimp are a light, flavorful no-cook dish that’s perfect for warmer days. Thinly sliced zucchini offers a crisp and refreshing base, while the sauce, made with ginger, soy and lime juice, adds bold and bright flavors. Precooked shrimp make this meal fast and convenient—just toss everything together and serve! It’s a fresh, protein-packed bowl that comes together in minutes.
5-Ingredient Avocado & Chickpea Salad
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco.
This avocado-and-chickpea salad is a fresh, flavorful dish that comes together in minutes. Made with just five ingredients, it’s as simple as it is satisfying. Creamy avocado pairs perfectly with hearty chickpeas for a filling, plant-based meal. With no cooking required and minimal prep, it’s a perfect quick lunch or dinner.
High-Protein White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
This white bean salad with feta and lemon-garlic vinaigrette is quick and requires no stove time. White beans bring plant-based protein and fiber to help keep you full. Creamy feta cheese provides a tangy, salty contrast to the bright vinaigrette. Tossed with fresh herbs and toasted walnuts, this salad is perfect for a light lunch.
Pickled Tuna Salad
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
This pickled tuna salad gets its flavor from chopped dill pickles and uses the pickle brine to enhance the flavor. Serve it on a slice of toasted whole-wheat bread, on crackers or with crisp veggies for an easy snack.
Green Goddess Sandwich
This green goddess sandwich is fresh and satisfying. The dressing packs a flavorful punch with capers and lemon juice. The cucumber and sprouts add nice crunch, and the seasoned avocado brings in the creaminess.
Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ali Redmond
These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving.
Anti-Inflammatory Beet & Avocado Wrap
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Packed with fiber and monounsaturated fats, avocados are one of the best foods to eat to fight inflammation. Combined with raw beets, which contain their own inflammation-fighting phytochemicals, you’ll get a lunch that packs a healthy punch. The tahini-lemon mixture adds brightness and a nutty flavor to the wrap. To julienne beets, cut them into thin rounds, then slice the rounds into matchsticks. Or to save time, simply grate the beets on the largest holes of a box grater.
Lemon Shrimp & Orzo Salad
Consider making a double batch of this easy pasta salad—it’s delicious the next day. The orzo will absorb the dressing as it sits, so add a little more olive oil and lemon juice if you’d like.
Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Ali Redmond
Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!
Salmon Salad–Stuffed Avocado
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Addelyn Evans
Good-quality canned salmon is high in protein and brain-loving omega-3 fatty acids. Mix it with pesto-spiked yogurt and pile it old-school style into a halved avocado for a quick healthy lunch.
Chicken, Spinach & Feta Wraps
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco
This chicken, spinach and feta wrap recipe is elevated by the convenience of rotisserie chicken and the scrumptious flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. Whisk together the easy dressing, toss with the chicken, add spinach and wrap it all together for a delicious lunch or dinner. Using rotisserie chicken speeds up the process, but you can also reach for this recipe if you have leftover cooked chicken on hand.
Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls
Ali Redmond
A bold, smoky marinade elevates roasted cauliflower in this meal-prep version of our popular Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos by Carolyn Malcoun. To cut down on prep time for these healthy taco bowls, look for precut cauliflower in the produce department. You can also save time by using microwaveable quinoa pouches (you’ll need one 8-ounce pouch for this recipe) instead of cooking quinoa.
Broccoli & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
We’ve loaded this healthy pasta salad with vegetables and bright flavors. Sun-dried tomatoes and a touch of lemon zest jazz up the dressing, while tender-crisp broccoli florets cook alongside the pasta, making assembly (and cleanup!) a breeze.
High-Protein Pasta with Peas
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This one-pot pasta with peas is packed with plant-based protein and a healthy dose of fiber. The chickpea pasta is cooked with vibrant green peas and tossed with fragrant basil and a rich pesto sauce for fresh flavor in every bite. Nutty toasted pine nuts provide the perfect crunch, adding depth and texture.
Dill-Pickle Pasta Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
If you’re a fan of pickles, this easy pasta salad will become your go-to. If you want to give it some extra kick, an additional teaspoon or two of hot sauce will do the trick. Pair it with anything hot off the grill or pack it up for a picnic. It can also easily translate from a side dish to an entree by adding a can of flaked tuna or shredded chicken.
