High protein low carb meals: 24 recipes with 30 g of protein and 15 g of carbs or less

What counts as a high protein, low carb meal on this list?

On this list, a high protein, low carb meal has at least 30 g of protein and 15 g of carbohydrate or less in one serving, and the page checks every recipe against both. Examples are the ham and Swiss omelet with spinach, with 33.4 g of protein and 4.3 g of carbs, and the lemon butter cod with green beans, with 37.9 g and 9.1 g.

Why 30 g and 15 g? There is no official definition of a high protein, low carb meal, and most recipe collections give none either: CookUnity's and Gimme Delicious's lists of 20 state no threshold and print net carbs for a few dishes only. Levels' 18 recipes do state one: "a max of 16 grams of net carbs or fewer and at least 20 grams of protein" (read November 4, 2026). This page takes the 15 g line of the low carb recipes list, in total carbohydrate, which is stricter than 16 g of net carbs, and the 30 g floor of the high protein low calorie meals, above the 20 g of the high protein meals list. The 24 recipes are new: none repeats a recipe of those lists.

Carbs here are total carbohydrate, as USDA FoodData Central gives it: sugars, starches and fibre together. Net carbs, total carbohydrate minus fibre, are the "Net carbs" column of the table below, which lists all 24 meals, for comparison with recipes that print net carbs; the highest on this page is 10.2 g. USDA gives no fibre value for shrimp, raw either, but it carries 0 g of carbohydrate, so it changes nothing in net carbs. Calories, protein, carbohydrate and fat are added up from the grams with the values per 100 g of USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, for the generic food, not a brand. Cooking oil and butter are counted where used; salt, herbs and spices are not. Fresh meat and fish are weighed raw, canned fish drained.

The IZeat healthy check is the Recipes section definition: at least 20 g of protein and 80 g of vegetables, fruit or legumes in one serving; 17 of these 24 pass it. Tomato sauce counts as a vegetable in the check; lemon and lime juice, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and broth do not. Sodium, saturated fat and added sugar are not computed; ham, deli turkey, smoked salmon, broth and soy sauce carry most of the salt.

IZeat wrote these recipes and computed their figures from USDA values; creators' tested versions will replace them as they are published.

Which breakfasts are high in protein and low in carbs?

These 6 breakfasts reach 30 g of protein with eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, smoked salmon, turkey or tofu, and leave out bread, oats and fruit juice. Berries are the one fruit, in a small portion.

Tofu and egg white scramble with mushrooms (vegetarian) · 40.8 g of protein · 7 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the sliced mushrooms until soft.
2. Crumble in the tofu with turmeric and pepper, pour in the egg whites and stir until set.

Greek yogurt whey bowl with raspberries and almonds (vegetarian) · 34.6 g of protein · 13.9 g of carbs

1. Stir the protein powder into the Greek yogurt until smooth.
2. Top with the raspberries and the chopped almonds.

Egg white and cottage cheese scramble with spinach (vegetarian) · 33.6 g of protein · 9.9 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and wilt the spinach.
2. Pour in the egg whites and stir gently until nearly set, then fold in the cottage cheese and cook until hot.

Ham and Swiss omelet with spinach · 33.4 g of protein · 4.3 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and wilt the spinach with the diced ham.
2. Pour in the beaten eggs, cook until almost set, then scatter the grated Swiss over, fold and cook until set all the way through.

Turkey patties with fried eggs and spinach · 32.4 g of protein · 2.2 g of carbs

1. Season the ground turkey with sage and pepper, shape it into two patties and cook them in the oil until cooked through.
2. Fry the eggs in the same pan until set, wilt the spinach and serve together.

Smoked salmon scramble with cucumber · 32.2 g of protein · 4 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and scramble the beaten eggs until just set.
2. Fold in the smoked salmon in strips off the heat and serve with the sliced cucumber.

Which lunches are high in protein and low in carbs?

These 8 lunches are salads, lettuce wraps, a soup, salmon cakes and a stir-fry, built on chicken, tuna, turkey, shrimp, salmon, steak or tofu. Lettuce leaves take the place of the tortilla or the bread; the salmon cakes hold with almond flour instead of breadcrumbs.

Salmon cakes with a cucumber yogurt sauce · 47.3 g of protein · 7.1 g of carbs

1. Mix the drained, flaked salmon with the beaten egg and the almond flour and shape into small cakes.
2. Cook them in the oil in a non-stick pan until golden and hot all the way through.
3. Stir the grated cucumber into the Greek yogurt and serve it with the cakes.

Tofu, edamame and bok choy stir-fry (vegan) · 44 g of protein · 13.6 g of carbs

1. Cube the tofu, pat it dry and brown it in the sesame oil in a wok.
2. Add the halved bok choy and the edamame with a splash of water and stir-fry until tender.
3. Stir in the soy sauce.

Tuna and egg salad lettuce wraps · 40.9 g of protein · 4.5 g of carbs

1. Mix the drained tuna with the chopped egg, the Greek yogurt and the finely chopped celery.
2. Spoon it into the lettuce leaves and roll them up.

Grilled chicken and feta salad with cucumber · 40.2 g of protein · 8.2 g of carbs

1. Brush the chicken with a little of the oil and grill or pan-cook it until cooked through, then slice it.
2. Toss the chopped cucumber and tomatoes with the rest of the oil and the lemon juice, and top with the chicken and the crumbled feta.

Chili lime shrimp with cabbage slaw · 38.8 g of protein · 8.9 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the shrimp with chili powder until pink and opaque all the way through.
2. Toss the shredded cabbage with the Greek yogurt and lime juice and serve the shrimp on top.

Sirloin, spinach and tomato salad with parmesan · 38.1 g of protein · 6.7 g of carbs

1. Sear the steak in a hot pan until cooked to at least 145°F inside, rest it and slice it.
2. Toss the spinach and halved tomatoes with the oil and top with the steak and the shaved parmesan.

Lemon chicken and spinach soup · 37.7 g of protein · 5.4 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a pot and soften the chopped celery.
2. Add the broth and the diced chicken and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Stir in the spinach until it wilts and finish with the lemon juice.

Turkey and cheddar lettuce roll-ups · 31.7 g of protein · 8.7 g of carbs

1. Lay each lettuce leaf flat and cover it with slices of turkey and cheddar.
2. Add a few sticks of cucumber and roll them up tightly.

Which dinners are high in protein and low in carbs?

These 10 dinners pair a protein food with one or two non-starchy vegetables: fish, shrimp, chicken, turkey, steak or pork with green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach or asparagus. Cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles replace rice and pasta; the crustless spinach and cottage cheese quiche is the meatless one.

Chicken parmesan without breading, with spinach · 47.8 g of protein · 7 g of carbs

1. Brown the chicken in the oil in an ovenproof pan.
2. Spoon the tomato sauce over, top with the mozzarella and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted.
3. Wilt the spinach in the pan juices and serve together.

Sirloin steak with mushrooms and asparagus · 43 g of protein · 7.9 g of carbs

1. Sear the steak in a hot pan until cooked to at least 145°F inside, then rest it.
2. Melt the butter in the same pan and cook the sliced mushrooms and the asparagus until tender.

Shrimp scampi with zucchini noodles · 42.5 g of protein · 11.5 g of carbs

1. Melt the butter in a large pan and cook the shrimp with the garlic until pink and opaque all the way through.
2. Add the spiralized zucchini and toss for a minute until just warm.
3. Finish with the lemon juice and the grated parmesan.

Pork tenderloin with roasted cauliflower and parmesan · 42.4 g of protein · 11.3 g of carbs

1. Toss the cauliflower florets with the oil and roast until golden, then scatter the grated parmesan over.
2. Roast the pork tenderloin beside them until cooked through, then rest it and slice it.

Chicken thighs with mushrooms and spinach · 40.3 g of protein · 5.4 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a pan and brown the chicken thighs on both sides, then cook until cooked through and set them aside.
2. Cook the sliced mushrooms in the same pan until golden, then wilt the spinach and serve with the chicken.

Sirloin and broccoli stir-fry over cauliflower rice · 39 g of protein · 13.3 g of carbs

1. Grate the cauliflower into small grains and cook it in a covered pan with a splash of water until tender.
2. Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the sliced steak until browned, then add the broccoli and garlic with a splash of water.
3. Cook until the broccoli is tender, stir in the soy sauce and serve over the cauliflower.

Lemon butter cod with green beans · 37.9 g of protein · 9.1 g of carbs

1. Lay the cod and the green beans on a baking tray and dot the butter over them.
2. Bake until the fish flakes and is cooked through and the beans are tender, then squeeze the lemon juice over.

Salmon with roasted broccoli and lemon · 36.9 g of protein · 10.7 g of carbs

1. Toss the broccoli florets with the oil and roast until the edges brown.
2. Add the salmon to the tray and roast until it flakes and is cooked through, then squeeze the lemon juice over.

Crustless spinach and cottage cheese quiche (vegetarian) · 35.5 g of protein · 10.6 g of carbs

1. Whisk the eggs with the cottage cheese and stir in the chopped spinach and grated cheddar.
2. Pour into a small greased baking dish and bake until set in the center.

Ground turkey and cabbage stir-fry · 34.9 g of protein · 13 g of carbs

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the turkey with the grated ginger until cooked through.
2. Add the shredded cabbage and grated carrot and stir-fry until tender, then stir in the soy sauce.

Which protein foods have no carbs?

Fresh meat and poultry, fish and shrimp carry no carbohydrate by USDA values, and neither do the canned and smoked fish used here: tuna in water, drained, canned pink salmon, drained, chicken breast, raw, top sirloin steak, lean, raw, pork tenderloin, raw, salmon, raw, shrimp, raw, chicken thigh, skinless, raw, 93% lean ground turkey, raw, smoked salmon and cod, raw all show 0 g per 100 g. Eggs, dairy, whey, soy and cured or deli meats carry some: parmesan 13.9 g, edamame, cooked from frozen 8.9 g, nonfat cottage cheese 6.7 g, whey protein powder 6.3 g, part-skim mozzarella 5.6 g, feta 3.9 g, sliced ham 3.6 g, nonfat Greek yogurt 3.6 g, cheddar 3.4 g, firm tofu 2.8 g, sliced deli turkey 2.2 g, Swiss cheese 1.4 g, hard-boiled egg, peeled 1.1 g, egg white 0.7 g and egg 0.7 g per 100 g. In these recipes, most of the carbohydrate comes from the vegetables, the sauce and the dairy.

How do you keep a high protein meal low in carbs?

1. Keep the protein food and its portion: meat, fish, eggs and tofu carry little or no carbohydrate.
2. Replace the rice, pasta, bread or potatoes with vegetables: cooked white rice has 28.2 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, raw cauliflower 5 g.
3. Weigh the sauce and the fruit: tomato sauce, soy sauce and berries add carbohydrate a gram at a time.
4. Weigh the fat too: oil and butter add almost no carbohydrate and cheese little (3.4 g per 100 g of cheddar), but all three add many calories per gram.

The cooking fat guide explains how to count the oil, and the raw-or-cooked guide which weight to use.

How do high protein, low carb meals fit into your day?

A recipe is one meal; a low-carb diet is a daily total. The low carb recipes list sets out the daily ranges Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic give, and their cautions. Low-carb diets are not recommended for everyone: Cleveland Clinic names children, pregnancy and people who exercise a lot, and asks people with diabetes to talk to their healthcare provider first. Mayo Clinic advises checking with a healthcare professional before starting a weight-loss diet, especially with diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease, and says the long-term risks of a low-carb diet are not clear (checked November 4, 2026). A varied diet with vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains suits most people; check with a doctor or dietitian before restricting a whole food group. This page gives each recipe's figures and sets no daily target.

How much protein suits you is personal too: the protein intake calculator gives a reference from your weight.

IZeat is the five-star chef calorie tracker that suggests satisfying, great-tasting meals, so you enjoy every calorie you have left. It works inside ChatGPT, Claude or any other assistant: IZeat knows your numbers for the day, which foods fill you up and what you like.

After you connect your assistant, say what you ate in one sentence. IZeat logs the meal and returns calories, protein, carbohydrate and fat for the day, with the source of each figure; with a target you chose, it shows what remains.

Where are the other high protein and low carb lists?

Recipes with at least 20 g of protein, whatever their carbohydrate, are on the high protein meals list; recipes with 15 g of carbohydrate or less, whatever their protein, are on the low carb recipes list; and meals with 30 g of protein in 300 to 500 kcal on the high protein low calorie meals. Low carb snacks are on the low carb snacks list.