20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (2024)

Amp up your midday meal with one of these nutritious lunch recipes. Highlighting seasonal ingredients like cabbage, celery, lemons and onions, these afternoon meals are well-suited for the winter months. Plus, with no more than 14 grams of carbohydrates and at least 15 grams of protein per serving, these dishes are light yet satisfying choices to keep you energized. Recipes like our Tuna Salad with Egg and Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps are great additions to your lunch routine.

01of 20

Tuna Salad with Egg

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (1)

This simple tuna salad with egg has a clean and balanced flavor. The capers and lemon bring acidity to help everything come together and chopped arugula adds a peppery kick. Enjoy it with greens or on a slice of your favorite whole-grain bread.

02of 20

Shrimp Niçoise Meal-Prep Bowls

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (2)

This low-carb meal-prep version of the classic composed salad comes together in about 10 minutes thanks to a handful of shortcut ingredients, like pretrimmed green beans and prepared olive tapenade. With a whopping 41 grams of protein per serving, these bowls will keep hunger at bay all afternoon. To switch things up, feel free to swap in canned tuna or leftover roasted salmon for the shrimp. We love going to Trader Joe's for fast shortcut ingredients--see Tip (below) for our product recommendations.

03of 20

Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (3)

Avocado makes an exceptionally creamy and healthful dressing for this chicken salad. A bit of ranch dressing with pickled jalapeño adds a tangy spin to the lunchtime classic. Serve it on a slice of whole-wheat toast for an open-face sandwich or in a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.

04of 20

Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (4)

Crispy green lettuce leaves hold the filling inside this low-carb turkey wrap. It's perfect for lunch or a quick, easy dinner on the go.

05of 20

Smoked Trout Salad with Herb & Horseradish Dressing

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (5)

This no-cook main-dish salad pairs a flavorful dressing featuring sharp horseradish and tangy crème fraîche with smoked trout.

06of 20

Arugula, Chicken & Melon Salad with Sumac Dressing

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (6)

Sweet and savory find harmony in this salad dotted with ripe melon and tossed in a lemony dressing. Melon balls are so adorable but making them leaves some fruit behind—whir up those leftovers into a smoothie.

07of 20

Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Asparagus & Chicken Sausage

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (7)

Stock the fridge with a week's worth of lunches using a handful of ingredients from your local grocery store. To save on carbs, we're swapping in riced cauliflower for regular rice and adding pregrilled asparagus, which bulks up these bowls and adds fiber. At lunchtime, just reheat to steaming then top with a bit of pesto. Try Trader Joe's for fast shortcut ingredients like these--see Tip (below) for our product recommendations.

08of 20

Chopped Power Salad with Chicken

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (8)

Enjoy this filling and colorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor.

09of 20

Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (9)

For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.

10of 20

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (10)

This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.

11of 20

Cheesesteak Salad

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (11)

Inspired by the Philly cheesesteak, this salad features the flavors of the East Coast classic without the hoagie roll. Adding Worcestershire sauce and the steak drippings to the dressing gives it even more umami.

12of 20

Chicken & Cabbage Salad Bowls with Sesame Dressing

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (12)

Everything you need (just 4 ingredients!) to prepare a week's worth of healthy, low-carb lunches can be found at your neighborhood grocery store. A bag of prechopped red and green cabbage serves as the crunchy low-carb base in these chicken salad bowls, which only require 10 minutes to assemble. Top with sesame-flavored almonds and a sesame dressing and you have one irresistible lunch you'll look forward to all week. Shopping at Trader Joe's? See Tip (below) for our product recommendations.

13of 20

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (13)

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.

14of 20

Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (14)

Inspired by the classic warm party dip, this simple salad can be served up right away or divided into small lidded containers for a week of delicious lunches. To keep the hard-boiled eggs tasting fresh, we suggest adding them to your salad just before serving or in the morning before packing your lunch to go.

15of 20

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (15)

We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve this rotisserie chicken salad recipe with whole-grain crackers.

16of 20

Avocado Tuna Salad

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (16)

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.

17of 20

Taco Lettuce Wraps

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (17)

Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe--any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.

18of 20

Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (18)

Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.

19of 20

Chicken Salad-Stuffed Avocados

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (19)

Looking for a clean, packable lunch for work? This healthy homemade chicken salad served inside an avocado instead of with bread is just the ticket. Plus, this recipe makes enough for ready-made lunches for the week! If you have leftover cooked chicken on hand, skip Step 1 and use about 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken in Step 2.

20of 20

Chicken Curry Cup of Noodles

View Recipe

20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunch Recipes for Winter (20)

Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this chicken curry zoodle (spiralized zucchini noodles) recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.