I come back to these high protein low calorie meals whenever I want lighter dinners that still keep me full. A couple of weeks of filling, lighter eating makes it SO much easier to enjoy dessert or a dinner out without stressing about it.
Every dinner here is 400 calories or less per serving with around 30 grams of protein or more, and I made a point to mix it up… lean ground beef, flank steak, shrimp, white fish, pork tenderloin, chicken thighs, and turkey. If you’re tired of plain chicken breast, you guys are going to love this list. Start with the no noodle lasagna soup (280 calories, 32 grams of protein) or the lemon ricotta shrimp zoodles with almost 38 grams of protein for under 300 calories.
Lean Beef Dinners
96/4 ground beef and flank steak are two of my favorite ways to get a LOT of protein without a lot of calories. The ground beef philly skillet is 281 calories with 33 grams of protein, and the lightened up beef stroganoff has 39 grams. Want more? My healthy ground beef recipes and flank steak recipes roundups have plenty.
(No Noodle) Easy Lasagna Soup
Macro-Friendly Ground Beef Philly Skillet
Lightened Up Beef Stroganoff
Rosemary Garlic Flank Steak
Ground Beef and Veggie Shell Pasta
Creamy Tomato Butternut Skillet Lasagna
Easy Beef and Veggie Soup
Shrimp and Fish Dinners
Shrimp and white fish are naturally lean and cook in minutes, which makes them perfect for busy weeknights. The garlicky lemon baked shrimp is 279 calories with 32 grams of protein, and the fish taco bowls give you a big, filling bowl for 389 calories and 35 grams of protein.
Fish Taco Bowls
Shrimp in Red Pepper Cauliflower Cream Sauce
Macro-friendly Spicy Shrimp Taco Bowl
Lemon Ricotta Shrimp Zoodles (or Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles)
Get the Recipe
Garlicky Lemon Baked Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Baked Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
Blackened Fish Bowls with Cilantro Pepita Sauce
Pork Tenderloin, Chicken Thighs, and Turkey
Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts out there, and the rosemary garlic pork tenderloin is just 164 calories a serving, so you have plenty of room for sides. Boneless chicken thighs, ground turkey, and lean ground chicken round things out, like the Thai basil turkey veggie skillet with 212 calories and 32 grams of protein.
Rosemary Garlic Pork Tenderloin
Pineapple Cilantro Pork Tenderloin
Pulled Pork Spaghetti Squash Boats
Herb Marinated Chicken Thighs
BBQ Soy Ginger Chicken Thighs
Thai Basil Turkey Veggie Skillet
Caesar Salad Ground Chicken Pizza
What Foods Are High in Protein but Low in Calories?
This is one of the top questions people ask, and the recipes above answer it pretty well. The leanest proteins on this list are shrimp, white fish like mahi mahi, pork tenderloin, flank steak, 96/4 lean ground beef, 99% lean ground chicken, and egg whites. Build dinner around one of those, add a big pile of veggies, and you’re most of the way there.
How I Build High Protein Low Calorie Meals
- Start with a lean protein. Pick one from the list above and weigh it raw so your macros are accurate.
- Bulk it up with veggies. Zoodles, spaghetti squash, and cauliflower stretch a meal without adding many calories. The baked ricotta spaghetti squash with shrimp is a great example.
- Add a side if you have room. A lot of these mains leave space for a side like parmesan smashed broccoli or roasted delicata squash.
- Track it once, save it forever. Here’s how to create a recipe in MyFitnessPal so your favorite dinners are one tap away.
If you want the planning done for you, my weekly meal plans drop every Thursday with macro-friendly, high-protein family dinners, a categorized grocery list, and everything preloaded into MyFitnessPal, Macros First, and Lose It (and you can try it free).
Cooking for a crowd? My macro-friendly side dishes post has options for the whole table. And if you make any of these dinners, tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
