19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (2024)

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.

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Caprese Sandwich

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (1)

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.

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Berry-Kefir Smoothie

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (2)

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.

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3-Ingredient Chicken Salad Tostadas

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (3)

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.

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Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (4)

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.

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Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

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Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (6)

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.

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Shrimp, Avocado & Feta Wrap

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (7)

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.

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Blackberry Smoothie

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (8)

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.

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Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (9)

Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied.

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Avocado Toast with Burrata

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (10)

Burrata (cream-filled fresh mozzarella cheese) takes this avocado toast recipe to the next level for a decadent, yet weekday-friendly breakfast.

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Chocolate-Banana Protein Smoothie

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (11)

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.

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Fruit & Cheese Bistro Lunch Box

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (12)

This fruit, cheese and cracker box inspired by Starbucks' bistro boxes is a fun and healthy alternative to your standard sandwich. It's the perfect personal-size cheese plate to pack for a work lunch or a picnic in the park.

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Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (13)

With a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keeping you feeling full and satisfied for hours.

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Turkey BLT Wraps

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (14)

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.

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Protein Bistro Lunch Box

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (15)

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.

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Spinach-Avocado Smoothie

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (16)

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.

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Pork Wrap with Lime-Jalapeño Slaw

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (17)

A leftover cooked pork cutlet and coleslaw from earlier meals make this lunch a breeze to put together.

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Chopped Cobb Salad with Chicken

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (18)

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.

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Anti-Inflammatory Cherry-Spinach Smoothie

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19 High-Protein No-Cook Lunches Ready in 5 Minutes (19)

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.