Healthy Recipes Cooking Methods Quick & Easy Healthy, Quick & Easy Lunch Recipes 15 High-Protein, High-Fiber Lunches in Less Than 15 Minutes By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 9, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Photo: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickeyt, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Looking for a nutritious lunch to help you get through your day? You’re in the right place! These easy lunches take no more than 15 minutes to make, so they’re perfect for busier weekdays when you need a quick meal. Each serving also has at least 15 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. Adequate protein intake can help you stay energized and maintain muscle and bone strength, while fiber can help support digestion and healthy weight maintenance. Try options like our Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Chicken & Fresh Berries and Chicken Caprese Sandwich for a healthy lunch that will help you feel your best. 01 of 15 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. View Recipe 02 of 15 Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Chicken & Fresh Berries Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickeyt, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless 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. View Recipe 03 of 15 Chicken Caprese Sandwich Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely This chicken caprese sandwich has all the classic flavors of a caprese salad with an added boost of protein from grilled chicken. Using store-bought grilled chicken makes assembly quick and easy. This sandwich for one is made in a skillet, but would work equally well in a panini press if you have one on hand. View Recipe 04 of 15 Chopped Salad with Chicken & Creamy Chipotle Dressing Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Melissa Gray / Kay Clarke This chopped salad with chicken is smoky and zesty thanks to the creamy chipotle dressing. Cilantro adds a pop of freshness to each bite. View Recipe 05 of 15 3-Ingredient Brie & Jam Wrap Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco Grab your favorite-flavor jam and pair it with melted Brie cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla for a sweet and savory lunch. Reheating the wrap once it’s fully assembled can get messy, so we recommend enjoying the wrap cold if you’re taking it on the go. View Recipe 06 of 15 Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich Brie Passano When you boil eggs ahead of time, it's easy to create a lickety-split and delightful lunchtime egg salad. And using the flavorful leafy carrot tops in it is like getting herbs for free. View Recipe 07 of 15 Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad Greg DuPree Avocado adds creaminess while sunflower seeds provide texture and crunch in this easy tuna-spinach salad. View Recipe 08 of 15 Tomato & Cucumber Sandwich with Bacon Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf This refreshing, tangy sandwich is easy to pull together when you're short on time. You can lightly toast the bread if you want to add a little crunch. Fresh dill adds a grassy flavor. Make it a vegetarian sandwich by skipping the bacon and adding sliced cheese or an extra slice of tomato instead. View Recipe 09 of 15 Get Your Greens Wrap Sara Haas This healthy, quick wrap is packed with plenty of green vegetables—cucumber, sprouts and lettuce add crunch, avocado lends creaminess and edamame provides some plant-based protein. View Recipe 10 of 15 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. View Recipe 11 of 15 Pasta Salad with Vinaigrette Lunchbox Diana Chistruga Pasta salad is a great take-along lunch with tons of opportunity to make it your own. Want to make it vegetarian? Pack olives in place of salami. Don't love peppers? Try tomatoes instead! View Recipe 12 of 15 Salmon Couscous Salad This healthy and easy salad is designed to be made with precooked or leftover salmon. To quickly cook salmon, lightly brush with olive oil, then roast in a 450°F oven until the fish is opaque and firm, 8 to 12 minutes. View Recipe 13 of 15 Avocado Tuna Salad Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless Jazz up a can of tuna with this easy avocado tuna salad recipe. Silky avocado adds creaminess that's cut with a hit of acidity from lemon and a briny punch from feta cheese. Romaine hearts and cucumber offer refreshing crunch. View Recipe 14 of 15 Turkey Meatball Wrap Lunchbox Diana Chistruga Wraps are quick to make in the morning, especially if you have leftover meatballs on hand! A layer of whipped cream cheese creates a barrier that prevents the wrap from getting soggy—even if you make it the night before. View Recipe 15 of 15 Quick Greek Chopped Salad with Chicken Carson Downing Make lunch in a pinch with this healthy Greek salad recipe, ready in just 10 minutes. It's packed with protein and fiber, to help keep you full for longer. View Recipe Medically reviewed by Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit