High Protein Meals to Help You Build Muscle

The right foods can help you achieve your fitness goals. Protein is the most common choice for muscle gain, so you need meals rich in that nutrient.

Diet foods do not have to be bland. The right recipes can help you whip up tasty and healthy high-protein meals. Fortunately, you can find many of them online for free.

This article will discuss some of the best high-protein meals for muscle gain. They will cover the day’s three meals, snacks, and some desserts.

1. Tuna ‘Superfood’ Salad Sandwich
2. Turkey Parmesan Burgers
3. Spicy Egg, Cucumber, and Avocado Toast
4. Steamed Salmon & Veggie Rice Bowl
5. Steak Burrito Bowl
6. Easy protein pancakes
7. Savory Mediterranean Yogurt Parfait

1. Tuna ‘Superfood’ Salad Sandwich

Let us start with something simple. This “superfood” sandwich contains salmon and tuna that boost your omega-3 fats, selenium, and protein. 

It is up to you whether to use whole-grain bread or whole-wheat pita. Nevertheless, it is one of the most convenient high-protein meals. Prepare the following ingredients: 

• 5 oz. canned tuna
• 5-6 oz. canned wild salmon
• Three medium celery stalks, diced
• Two tablespoons of lightly chopped capers
• One-fourth cup of diced red onion
• Two tablespoons of lemon juice
• Three tablespoons of mayonnaise
• Two to three tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt
• Eight slices of 100% whole-wheat bread

Start by emptying the salmon and tuna into a medium bowl, then break them apart with a fork. Then, add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.

Scoop a fourth of that tuna salad onto a slice of bread and top it with a second slice. Now, you can enjoy two pieces of the superfood salad! Store leftovers in the fridge for later.

2. Turkey Parmesan Burgers

Perhaps you recently bought a new grill scraper and other outdoor cooking equipment. In that case, you could try sizzling this high-protein meal.

It contains cheese and ground turkey that contain branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) for muscle gain. Begin by prepping these ingredients:

• A pound of lean ground turkey
• Six tablespoons of marinara sauce divided
• A clove of minced garlic
• Two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
• Half a teaspoon of dried oregano
• One-fourth teaspoon of dried thyme
• One-fourth teaspoon of kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• One-eighth teaspoon of black pepper
• Two teaspoons of olive oil
• Fresh basil leaves
• Half cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Four whole-grain hamburger buns

Mix the marinara sauce, cheese, garlic, oregano, thyme, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, and marinara sauce in a large bowl. Next, shape them into four patties.

Cook each side for four to five minutes until they reach 165 F°. You will need a meat thermometer for this step. 

Add a couple of tablespoons of shredded cheese to each patty during the last minute of cooking. Next, cover them to melt the cheese.

Afterward, place the patties on toasted hamburger buns. Top each burger with a tablespoon of marinara sauce and basil leaves. Cap them with another bun and serve.

3. Spicy Egg, Cucumber, and Avocado Toast

The stereotypical millennial brunch could work as one of your high-protein meals. It contains important ingredients like eggs and avocados and is easy to make. 

Eggs contain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, while avocado provides healthy fats. You could make two if one slice is not filling enough. Here are the ingredients:

• A toasted slice of whole-grain bread 
• One-fourth avocado, mashed
• 3 cucumber slices
• A hard-boiled egg, sliced
• One-fourth teaspoon of chili oil
• Salt and pepper 
• Lime zest

Start by spreading the mashed avocado on toast. Then, top it with cucumber and egg slices. Drizzle with chili oil and season with salt, pepper, and lime zest. 

4. Steamed Salmon & Veggie Rice Bowl

Some high-protein meals can adjust to the vegetarian diet. For example, this rice bowl could become vegetarian-friendly if you use toasted pine nuts and chopped spring onions.

You may also remove the salmon if it does not fit your current regimen. This rice bowl requires the following ingredients:

• 200g pak choi or bok choy
• 200g brown rice
• 100g green beans
• Four 100g salmon fillets
• Juice from three limes
• A red chili, deseeded and chopped
• Four tablespoons of kecap manis or sweet soy sauce
• A tablespoon of rice vinegar
• A tablespoon of golden caster sugar
• Four spring onions, finely chopped
• Four tablespoons of sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds
• Chopped pickled ginger (optional)

Mix the kecap manis, lime juice, red chili, caster sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Next, boil the rice in water for 15 minutes and drain it when cooked.

Place the fish and the veggies in a large steamer in two layers. Then, steam the fish for five to eight minutes and the vegetables for four to five minutes. 

Wait until both ingredients cook well. Then, scoop the rice and place it in bowls. Top them with steamed vegetables and fish, then add spring onions as a dressing.

You could turn this dish into a vegetarian meal by taking out the salmon. Also, you may add chopped pickled ginger to add some spice and flavor.

5. Steak Burrito Bowl

This next entry could be for you if you prefer meaty high-protein meals. The Steak Burrito Bowl is a hearty lunch that you can prep in ten minutes. Here are the ingredients:

• 250g fillet steak
• A sachet of fajita seasoning
• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• Two roasted red peppers, sliced
• ½ small pack of parsley, chopped
• 250g of Mexican-style rice pouch
• Yogurt

Start by covering the steak with the fajita seasoning and a tablespoon of olive oil. Then, heat a frying pan over high heat and place the steak. 

Cook for two minutes on each side until medium rare. Next, remove the steak from the pan and set it aside. Turn down the heat to medium and pour the remaining oil and seasoning.

Add the red peppers and rice, then stir until well mixed. Cook for two minutes until thoroughly hot. Pour some water if the mixture starts sticking to the pan.

Add lemon juice and parsley. Then, cut the steak into strips, place the rice into bowls, and top them with the steak and yogurt. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and add a lemon wedge.

6. Easy protein pancakes

Who said high-protein meals couldn’t satisfy your sweet tooth? These pancakes use milk, oats, eggs, and protein, making it an ideal choice after a workout. Here are the ingredients:

• A banana
• 75g oats
• Three large eggs
• Two tablespoons of milk
• A tablespoon of baking powder
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Two tablespoons of protein powder
• Coconut oil
• Berries, nut butter, or maple syrup

Mix the oats, eggs, milk, cinnamon, baking powder, banana, and protein powder in a blender until smooth. Continue mixing the batter until the oats have broken down.

Heat a drizzle of coconut oil in a pan. Then, scoop two to three batter rounds until bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden.

Flip the pancake over for another minute until thoroughly cooked. Then, transfer it to a warmed oven and cook the remaining batter. Lastly, serve in stacks topped with maple syrup, fruit, and nut butter.

7. Savory Mediterranean Yogurt Parfait

The last entry could replace ice cream for dessert. This parfait uses Greek yogurt with walnuts, olives, and parsley to mimic the sweet treat. Here are the ingredients:

• Two cups of cooked quinoa
• A cup of finely diced cucumber
• ½ cup of loosely packed sun-dried tomatoes
• A tablespoon of red wine vinegar
• Two tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
• Pinch of salt
• Three cups of plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• Two cloves of garlic, minced
• A cup of sliced California black ripe olives
• One-fourth cup of chopped walnuts

Begin by combining sun-dried, place cucumber, red wine, vinegar, quinoa, salt, and parsley, then set aside. Meanwhile, mix yogurt with minced garlic in a separate bowl.

Layer about one-third cup of yogurt, two tablespoons of sliced black olives, and half a cup of the quinoa mixture in a parfait cup. Then, repeat this step with another ⅓ cup of yogurt.

Top it with two tablespoons of black olives and sprinkle a tablespoon of chopped walnuts. Keep it in the fridge if you will not eat it immediately.

Conclusion

These high-protein meals can adjust your diet for muscle building. As mentioned, they could cover your daily meals, snacks, and even desserts. Feel free to substitute or remove specific ingredients. For example, you could remove the salmon from the Veggie Rice Bowl if you are a strict vegetarian.

These high-protein meals can adjust your diet for muscle building. They could cover your daily meals, snacks, and even desserts. Feel free to substitute or remove specific ingredients. For example, you could remove the salmon from the Veggie Rice Bowl if you are a strict vegetarian.

You may also try dried mango and apricot recipes for your cheat days. Moreover, you could check out more Inquirer USA articles while enjoying these meals.

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