Make these high protein pantry meals just with pantry staples. In that way, they’re cheaper yet full of nutrition!
Sometimes eating a healthy diet means that you just want to quickly put together some of the ingredients you can find in a pantry and make it delicious. When you’re on a high protein, making those meals can be more challenging.
Today I’m sharing with you multiple high protein meals that you can make with your pantry products. Those include beans, lentils, chickpeas, canned meats, fish, and so much more!
1. Spanish Beans with Tomatoes
Source: veggiedesserts.com
With just 7 ingredients, you can make these Spanish beans in just under 20 minutes. You can serve this dish for lunch, high protein dinner, or even just as a side dish.
This recipe requires olive oil, onion, garlic, bay leaves, smoked paprika, canned Lima beans, canned tomatoes, and spinach. Most of which can be easily found in your pantry.
The Spanish beans are packed with flavors, and they’re vegan. Since the recipe uses beans, it’s relatively high in protein and can be made with your most essential pantry products!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 125
- Fats: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Carbs: 19g
- Fiber: 6g
- Sugar: 3g
2. Mexican Three Bean Salad
Source: eatwithclarity.com
Here is a way to get creative with your salads. Increase the amount of fiber, protein, and fats by using beans! They’re so nutritious and delicious.
If you’re missing the Mexican flavors, this salad will fulfill those cravings. The good thing about this salad is that you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days and it will stay fresh.
So, you can meal prep a ton of it, and you’ll have it for days! Use glass containers like these to keep your food in the fridge, as they will keep the salad fresh for much longer.
Check out more high protein vegetarian meals!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 205
- Fats: 5.3g
- Protein: 10g
- Carbs: 31.8g
- Fiber: 9.3g
- Sugar: 4.3g
3. Hearty High-Protein Lentil, Kidney Bean, and Chickpea Chili
Source: onegreenplanet.org
Love a chilli? Well, if you’re looking for plant-based protein to get into your diet, this is the recipe.
If you’re tired of having your pantry foods cooked a similar way all the time, this recipe is a game-changer. It incorporates several spices that truly make the dish flavorful and exciting!
If you have a crockpot, you could even improvise and cook this chili in it.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 335
- Fats: 4.5g
- Protein: 21g
- Carbs: 56g
- Sugar: 12g
4. Vegan and Protein-Packed Lentil and Bean Tomato Stew
Source: furtherfood.com
I don’t know about you, but I love stews. There is nothing tastier and easier to make no matter how good of a cook you are.
As long as you have your dry pantry items, you can just throw everything into a pot and make it happen.
That’s where I like to use an Instant Pot. You can get one here for a good price!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 193
- Fats: 1g
- Protein: 13g
- Carbs: 34g
- Fiber: 10g
- Sugar: 4g
5. Soured Chickpea Lemon Curry
Source: nestandglow.com
Missing Indian flavors? Well, if curry is your favorite meal, you might want to try this recipe. The meal is full of spices that blend beautifully with lemon, tomato, and creamy chickpeas.
What I love about this particular recipe is that you only need a few ingredients such as onion, chickpeas, and chopped tomatoes. The rest of what you use is going to be spices that you can improvise with.
You don’t necessarily need to have them all to make a really good curry. So, don’t be afraid to get creative with your food.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 287
- Fats: 11g
- Protein: 15g
- Carbs: 35g
- Fiber: 9g
- Sugar: 8g
6. Low Carb Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Source: wholesomeyum.com
These protein balls are the perfect high protein snack; you can make yourself just using your pantry ingredients.
All you need is peanut butter, collagen protein powder, powdered erythritol, vanilla extract, and peanuts. All of which you can find in your pantry!
I high recommend using Perfect Keto collagen powder because it’s low in carbs and sugars. You can stock up on powdered erythritol here. It’s the healthier sweetener out there that you cannot digest. Thus, you’re not really getting any sugars into your body!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 92
- Fats: 7.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Carbs: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 0.2g
7. High Protein Chickpea Minestrone Soup
Source: skinnyfitalicious.com
Now, if you’ve had a crockpot standing around without being used, this is your time! Make this high protein soup that’s also extra nutritious.
The recipe uses ground turkey or chicken. Which you can easily find tinned, so definitely one of those foods that might be hiding in your pantry.
An interesting product you’ll want to use for this recipe is a chickpea and red lentil pasta called Chickapea pasta.
It’s the key to keeping this soup high in protein because, unlike regular pasta, it has a ton of protein.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 395
- Fats: 8g
- Protein: 37g
- Carbs: 52g
- Fiber: 13g
- Sugar: 10g
8. Salmon Fishcakes
Source: lovecannedfood.com
Now you’d initially think that salmon fishcakes would be one of the options when it comes to your pantry, but it certainly is. This recipe requires canned peas, canned potatoes, and canned salmon with a bit of flour and eggs.
They are an amazing source of protein because of the fish and peas. Also, when you get bored of eating beans, chickpeas, it’s definitely a nice change to your regular meals.
This is a perfect high protein freezer meal.
Per Serving (Calculated):
- Calories: 308
- Fats: 13g
- Protein: 25g
- Carbs: 24g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Sugar: 3.5g
9. Easy Thai Chicken Salad with Canned Chicken
Source: lowcarbyum.com
Bring Thai flavors into your home with this chicken salad. It’s quick, easy, and budget-friendly, which we can all appreciate.
Once again, here we’re going to be using canned chicken, which you can easily store long-term. The dressing is truly the key to the recipe. A combination of coconut aminos and peanut butter will make it extra special.
If you’re not allergic, you can also just use soy sauce, which tastes wonderfully! Check out more high protein low carb recipes like this here.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 181
- Fats: 12g
- Protein: 9g
- Carbs: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 2g
10. White Bean Chicken Chili
Source: allrecipes.com
Now, that’s a slightly different take on chili. This white bean chicken chili can be easily made in your slow cooker.
Just throw all the ingredients and let them do the job. Great if you’re feeling lazy and don’t really want to do the cleanup afterward.
Who does, anyway? Here is a good quality slow cooker I recommend.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 220
- Fats: 6.1g
- Protein: 20.1g
- Carbs: 21.2g
- Fiber: 6g
- Sugar: 4g
11. High Protein Chicken & Quinoa Skillet
Source: bulkbites.com
Quinoa is one of those seeds that are extra high in protein, fats, and fiber. All of which are essential for building muscle, staying healthy, and keeping your digestion active.
This skillet is perfect comfort food that’s quite cheap but does for a fancy dinner. So, when you’re in need of something a little special and want to make sure that your protein intake is high, this is the recipe to try!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 485
- Fats: 9g
- Protein: 52g
- Carbs: 51g
- Fiber: 12.72g
- Sugar: 6.84g
12. Mediterranean Roasted Mackarel
Source: rootandrevel.com
Now, mackerel is an excellent source of protein and, on top of it, is a good source of omega-3s. What I love about it is that it can stay fresh for a long time as long as it’s canned well.
That’s why it’s essential to try to incorporate it into your meals. This recipe goes particularly well with a bit of whole grain rice or sweet potatoes.
You can have it for lunch or dinner!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 211
- Fats: 14.3g
- Protein: 14g
- Carbs: 8.9g
- Fiber: 3.3g
- Sugar: 37g
13. Easy Cranberry Chicken
Source: bellyfull.net
Using berries to flavor our meats is one of those things we don’t do enough. I think to give the meat a bit of a sweeter taste, always makes it so much better.
Especially when it’s chicken that’s so bland on its own. Now, the recipes use chicken thighs, but if you want to get creative, you can easily use canned chicken.
As long as you have your cranberry sauce, the recipe will turn out great!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 461
- Fats: 15g
- Protein: 37g
- Carbs: 43g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 37g
14. Easy Tuna Casserole with Egg Noodles
Source: unsophisticook.com
Up for a casserole? If you’re craving for a comforting high protein meal, this is the recipe you should try.
It’s so easy to make and will impress quite a few. If you want to lower the number of carbs in this recipe, use crushed pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs.
You could also use almond flour, which is high in protein and fats but not carbs. You can stock up on pork rinds here and almond flour here.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 268
- Fats: 9.2g
- Protein: 15.3g
- Carbs: 29.9g
- Fiber: 4.3g
- Sugar: 5g
15. Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup
Source: recipethis.com
Comfort yourself with a nice bowl of soup that’s also high in protein. It’s also vegan!
Thus, a great option if you’re looking to introduce more high protein vegan meals into your diet while still stay on a high protein diet.
Per Serving (Calculated for 5 servings):
- Calories: 213
- Fats: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Carbs: 42g
- Fiber: 15g
- Sugar: 11g
16. Alaskan Salmon with Black Quinoa and Spinach
Source: bevcooks.com
Did you know that salmon goes so beautifully with quinoa, both of which are high in protein? Add a bit of spinach, onion, and cayenne chili, and here you have a meal that’s delicious and nutritious.
A bit of lemon and chili truly makes the flavor palette pop. It’s a delicacy for sure but a cheap one!
Per Serving (Calculated):
- Calories: 559
- Fats: 25g
- Protein: 23g
- Carbs: 63g
- Fiber: 8.8g
- Sugar: 2.6g
17. Easy and Creamy Pesto Keto Meatballs
Source: lighterkitchen.com
These pesto meatballs are simply something else! If you’re on a low carb diet and want to eat more protein, it’s a perfect high protein low carb dinner idea.
Pesto actually makes canned chicken or turkey extra delicious. With a bit of almond flour, which is low carb, and garlic, you can take these meatballs to a whole new level.
Pesto is the key here. It gives the meatballs a wonderful flavor and color!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 314
- Fats: 23g
- Protein: 21g
- Carbs: 6g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 2g
18. Black Bean Quinoa Soup
Source: dinner-mom.com
Now, if you’re looking for a thick soup that’s packed with protein and fiber, this is a lovely recipe to try. This one will quickly become a favorite amongst the family: whether it’s the kids or the adults, the soup is too good not to like!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 423
- Fats: 4g
- Protein: 23g
- Carbs: 74g
- Fiber: 22g
- Sugar: 5g
19. Moroccan Turkey and Chickpea Skillet
Source: reciperunner.com
Who said you could not bring Moroccan flavors into your kitchen? You don’t have to be in Morocco to do that cheaply!
I know many love skillet meals anyway, so this is just an excellent way to use some of those pantry products and eat a high protein diet at the same time.
The skillet is filled with savory and sweet flavors, which offer a perfect balance to keep your tummy full and soul happy.
Per Serving:
-
- Calories: 439
- Fats: 9g
- Protein: 48g
- Carbs: 46g
- Fiber: 10g
- Sugar: 16g
20. One-Pot Cheesy Mexican Lentils with Black Beans and Rice
Source: reciperunner.com
Now, I’ve probably left the most delicious meal for the end! This one-pot cheesy Mexican lentil, black bean, and rice meal is truly something else.
If you love Mexican flavors. The recipe does include cheese that has an expiration date, but otherwise, this recipe is pantry-friendly!
Per Serving:
- Calories: 498
- Fats: 14g
- Protein: 30g
- Carbs: 65g
- Fiber: 18g
- Sugar: 11g

20 High Protein Pantry Recipes You'll Love
Have some food in your pantry? Make these delicious High Protein Pantry Recipes that taste absolutely awesome.
Ingredients
- 1. Spanish Beans with Tomatoes
- 2. Mexican Three Bean Salad
- 3. Hearty High-Protein Lentil, Kidney Bean, and Chickpea Chili
- 4. Vegan and Protein-Packed Lentil and Bean Tomato Stew
- 5. Soured Chickpea Lemon Curry
- 6. Low Carb Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- 7. High Protein Chickpea Minestrone Soup
- 8. Salmon Fishcakes
- 9. Easy Thai Chicken Salad with Canned Chicken
- 10. White Bean Chicken Chili
- 11. High Protein Chicken & Quinoa Skillet
- 12. Mediterranean Roasted Mackarel
- 13. Easy Cranberry Chicken
- 14. Easy Tuna Casserole with Egg Noodles
- 15. Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup
- 16. Alaskan Salmon with Black Quinoa and Spinach
- 17. Easy and Creamy Pesto Keto Meatballs
- 18. Black Bean Quinoa Soup
- 19. Moroccan Turkey and Chickpea Skillet
- 20. One-Pot Cheesy Mexican Lentils with Black Beans and Rice
Instructions
- Scroll up to get a bunch of easy, yummy, and delicious recipes. Don't be afraid to get creative with the ingredients, you might discover a flavor you didn't know you liked.
- Get your shopping list going and make sure you've got all the ingredients.
- Get cooking and make your next High Protein Pantry Recipe!
Notes
Which one of these recipes was your favorite? Let me know in the comment section or on Pinterest!