10 High-Protein Dinners Under 500 Calories
A high-protein dinner under 500 calories is easy when lean protein and vegetables fill most of the plate and oil is measured, not poured. The ten dinners below have 413 to 493 kcal and 23 to 45 g of protein each, from chicken stir-fry to a vegan lentil bolognese.
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In short
- All ten dinners are 413 to 493 kcal, calculated from the grams shown.
- Eight have 30 g of protein or more. The vegan ones have 23 and 30 g.
- Lean protein plus a full plate of vegetables leaves room for a measured portion of rice, pasta or potatoes.
- Oil and sauces are where dinners quietly double. Measure them.
Why protein helps at dinner
Meals with about 25 to 30 g of protein tend to be more filling than lower-protein meals (Leidy et al., 2015 (opens in a new tab)). The effect is modest, so do not expect a miracle, but it helps on the evenings when the snack drawer calls. Every dinner here has at least 23 g, most have 30 g or more.
Want to know how much protein you need per day? The protein calculator works it out from your weight and goal. The app shows protein, fat and carbs for every meal next to the calories, with a suggested daily target.
The 10 dinners
Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with rice
- kcal
- 486
- Protein
- 45 g
Why it fills you up: Lean chicken breast alone gives about 35 g of protein, and a full pan of vegetables keeps the rice portion small.
Ingredients: Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with rice Ingredients Amount kcal Chicken breast, raw 150 g 164 White rice, dry 45 g 158 Broccoli 100 g 35 Red pepper 80 g 29 Carrot 50 g 20 Soy sauce 15 g 8 Rapeseed oil 8 g 72 Total 448 g 486 How to make it
Cook the rice. Stir-fry the sliced chicken in the oil, add the vegetables, finish with soy sauce.
Lean chili con carne
- kcal
- 450
- Protein
- 45 g
Why it fills you up: Lean mince and beans together give over 40 g of protein, and the beans add plenty of fiber.
Ingredients: Lean chili con carne Ingredients Amount kcal Lean beef mince, raw 125 g 144 Kidney beans, cooked 120 g 155 Canned tomatoes 200 g 38 Onion 60 g 20 Red pepper 80 g 29 Rapeseed oil 5 g 45 Skyr, plain 30 g 19 Total 620 g 450 How to make it
Brown the mince and onion in the oil, add pepper, tomatoes, beans and spices, simmer for 20 minutes, top with skyr.
Chicken quinoa salad with feta
- kcal
- 488
- Protein
- 42 g
Why it fills you up: A warm or cold salad with over 40 g of protein. Quinoa makes it a full meal, not a side.
Ingredients: Chicken quinoa salad with feta Ingredients Amount kcal Chicken breast, raw 130 g 142 Quinoa, dry 50 g 181 Cucumber 100 g 16 Tomatoes 100 g 22 Lamb's lettuce 40 g 7 Feta 20 g 57 Olive oil 7 g 63 Total 447 g 488 How to make it
Cook the quinoa, grill or pan-fry the chicken, slice it and toss everything with olive oil, lemon and herbs.
Cod with roasted vegetables and couscous
- kcal
- 481
- Protein
- 41 g
Why it fills you up: Cod is very lean: 180 g has about 32 g of protein for under 150 kcal, which leaves room for olive oil on the vegetables.
Ingredients: Cod with roasted vegetables and couscous Ingredients Amount kcal Cod fillet, raw 180 g 142 Courgette 150 g 33 Red pepper 100 g 36 Tomatoes 100 g 22 Olive oil 10 g 90 Couscous, dry 45 g 158 Total 585 g 481 How to make it
Roast the vegetables with the oil for 20 minutes at 200 °C, add the cod for the last 12 minutes, soak the couscous in hot water.
Shrimp and courgette pasta
- kcal
- 472
- Protein
- 39 g
Why it fills you up: Shrimp are almost pure protein, so 150 g adds about 28 g of it for 130 kcal. Courgette makes the pasta portion look bigger.
Ingredients: Shrimp and courgette pasta Ingredients Amount kcal Wholemeal pasta, dry 60 g 214 Shrimp, raw 150 g 131 Courgette 150 g 33 Tomatoes 100 g 22 Olive oil 8 g 72 Total 468 g 472 How to make it
Cook the pasta. Fry garlic, courgette and tomatoes in the oil, add the shrimp for 3 minutes, toss with the pasta and lemon.
Beef burrito bowl
- kcal
- 493
- Protein
- 38 g
Why it fills you up: Everything you like in a burrito without the tortilla. Skyr stands in for sour cream and adds protein.
Ingredients: Beef burrito bowl Ingredients Amount kcal Lean beef mince, raw 100 g 115 Brown rice, dry 40 g 144 Kidney beans, cooked 80 g 103 Tomatoes 80 g 18 Romaine lettuce 50 g 7 Avocado 40 g 53 Skyr, plain 40 g 26 Rapeseed oil 3 g 27 Total 433 g 493 How to make it
Cook the rice. Brown the mince with taco spices, then build the bowl with beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado and skyr.
Baked salmon, potatoes and green beans
- kcal
- 470
- Protein
- 32 g
Why it fills you up: A classic plate with about 32 g of protein. Salmon is a fattier fish, so the portion stays at 125 g.
Ingredients: Baked salmon, potatoes and green beans Ingredients Amount kcal Salmon fillet, raw 125 g 225 Potatoes, peeled 200 g 166 Green beans, cooked 150 g 42 Butter 5 g 37 Total 480 g 470 How to make it
Boil the potatoes, bake the salmon for 15 minutes at 200 °C, cook the beans and toss them in the butter.
Chickpea and tofu curry with spinach
- kcal
- 413
- Protein
- 30 g
Why it fills you up: Tofu and chickpeas together make a vegan dinner with about 30 g of protein. A little coconut milk is enough for a creamy sauce.
Ingredients: Chickpea and tofu curry with spinach Ingredients Amount kcal Firm tofu 100 g 115 Chickpeas, canned, drained 120 g 163 Canned tomatoes 150 g 29 Spinach 100 g 18 Onion 60 g 20 Coconut milk 30 g 68 Total 560 g 413 How to make it
Soften the onion with curry paste, add tomatoes, chickpeas and cubed tofu, simmer, stir in spinach and coconut milk.
Shakshuka with feta and wholemeal bread
- kcal
- 477
- Protein
- 28 g
Why it fills you up: Eggs poached in a big pan of tomato sauce: about 28 g of protein, lots of volume and one slice of bread for the sauce.
Ingredients: Shakshuka with feta and wholemeal bread Ingredients Amount kcal Egg 120 g 162 Canned tomatoes 250 g 48 Red pepper 100 g 36 Onion 50 g 17 Olive oil 5 g 45 Feta 30 g 85 Wholemeal bread 40 g 84 Total 595 g 477 How to make it
Soften onion and pepper in the oil, add tomatoes and cumin, make two hollows, crack in the eggs, cover until set, crumble feta on top.
Red lentil bolognese with wholemeal pasta
- kcal
- 484
- Protein
- 23 g
Why it fills you up: Red lentils cook down into a thick sauce and bring more protein than the pasta itself. Wholemeal pasta adds fiber.
Ingredients: Red lentil bolognese with wholemeal pasta Ingredients Amount kcal Wholemeal pasta, dry 60 g 214 Red lentils, dry 45 g 150 Canned tomatoes 200 g 38 Onion 50 g 17 Carrot 50 g 20 Olive oil 5 g 45 Total 410 g 484 How to make it
Soften onion and carrot in the oil, add lentils and tomatoes, simmer for 15 minutes, serve over the pasta.
All ten side by side
| Meal | kcal | Protein | Time | Diet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with rice | 486 | 45 g | 20 min | Meat |
| Lean chili con carne | 450 | 45 g | 35 min | Meat |
| Chicken quinoa salad with feta | 488 | 42 g | 25 min | Meat |
| Cod with roasted vegetables and couscous | 481 | 41 g | 30 min | Fish |
| Shrimp and courgette pasta | 472 | 39 g | 20 min | Fish |
| Beef burrito bowl | 493 | 38 g | 25 min | Meat |
| Baked salmon, potatoes and green beans | 470 | 32 g | 30 min | Fish |
| Chickpea and tofu curry with spinach | 413 | 30 g | 25 min | Vegan |
| Shakshuka with feta and wholemeal bread | 477 | 28 g | 25 min | Vegetarian |
| Red lentil bolognese with wholemeal pasta | 484 | 23 g | 25 min | Vegan |
The hidden extras: oil, sauces and dressings
The recipes measure the oil. At home, most people pour. One extra tablespoon of oil adds 90 kcal, and a generous splash of pesto or dressing can turn a 450 kcal dinner into a 650 kcal one without the plate looking any different.
| Extra | Amount | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Olive or rapeseed oil | 1 tablespoon (10 g) | 90 kcal |
| Butter | 10 g | 75 kcal |
| Pesto | 1 heaped tablespoon (30 g) | 163 kcal |
| Mayonnaise | 1 tablespoon (15 g) | 113 kcal |
| Vinaigrette | 2 tablespoons (30 g) | 86 kcal |
| Coconut milk | 100 g | 227 kcal |
| Parmesan, grated | 10 g | 39 kcal |
| Ketchup | 1 tablespoon (15 g) | 15 kcal |
| Soy sauce | 1 tablespoon (15 g) | 8 kcal |
Calculated from BLS 4.0 and the Swiss Food Composition Database.
- Measure oil with a spoon, not straight from the bottle. A spray bottle or a brush helps even more.
- Choose low-calorie flavor: soy sauce, lemon, vinegar, mustard, herbs and spices add a lot of taste for almost nothing.
- Thin creamy sauces with yogurt, skyr or some cooking water instead of more cream or coconut milk.
Eating out instead? Restaurant kitchens add even more, as the research in restaurant meals have more calories than the menu says shows.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good high-protein dinner under 500 calories?
Lean protein with plenty of vegetables and a measured portion of carbs. From this list, the chicken stir-fry and the lean chili have the most protein (about 45 g each) at 486 and 450 kcal.
Which dinners here are vegan or vegetarian?
The chickpea and tofu curry (413 kcal, 30 g protein) and the red lentil bolognese (484 kcal, 23 g) are vegan. The shakshuka with feta (477 kcal, 28 g) is vegetarian. For a full vegan list, see the 10 vegan dinners under 500 calories.
Are the weights raw or cooked?
Raw or dry, as you weigh them before cooking. 45 g of dry rice is about 130 g cooked, 60 g of dry pasta about 150 g cooked.
Does the app count protein?
Yes. Next to calories, AI Calorie Count shows protein, fat and carbs for each meal and suggests daily targets (protein 1.6 g per kg of body weight). Like the calories, they are estimates you can correct.
Can I meal prep these?
Yes, the chili, curry, bolognese and stir-fry keep in the fridge for 3 days and freeze well, except the vegetables in the stir-fry, which get soft.
Sources
- Leidy et al. (2015): The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr
- Max Rubner-Institut (2025): Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0
- Swiss Food Composition Database 7.1 (FSVO, 2026)
Meal calories are calculated from the grams shown and the Federal Food Code (BLS 4.0) or the Swiss Food Composition Database. Herbs, spices and water are left out.
Published · Updated
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, have a medical condition or an eating disorder, talk to a doctor before changing how you eat.
