Easy 30-Minute High-Protein Meals

Four no-fuss meals that actually take 30 minutes

Whenever I used to Google "30-minute meals”…

I usually ended up scrolling for 30 minutes instead, constantly saying: “Nope. Nope. Nope.”

Not because “nope” is my favorite word, but rather because half of what I saw didn’t give me that I really want to try this feeling.

And for the recipes I actually liked, I discovered after reading the directions that the only universe where the recipe takes 30 minutes is one where I had the knife skills of a professional chef.

By the time I finished searching for and figuring out a recipe, the 30 minutes I had to cook were long gone.

Nowadays, I don’t even bother searching for fast, high-protein recipes anymore.

I just make faster versions of these high-protein meals I actually want to eat like a pancake platter, loaded baked potato, lower-calorie cheesesteak, and bbq sausage with fries.

Each one saves you time by starting with pre-cooked proteins, allowing for things to be cooked simultaneously, and using frozen shortcuts.

After 30 minutes, you’ll be searching for the plates to put your food on instead of wondering what’s going on your plate.

The next time you’re hungry, tired, or just don’t want to overthink cooking, give these a shot.

Make sure to adjust calories and macros based on your personal goals!

Want more protein-packed recipes to keep you on track all year? Go paid and unlock:

• 📓 A digital cookbook with 100+ high-protein recipes (plus free lifetime updates)

• 🤖ChatGPT meal plan generator using recipes from the cookbook.

• 🎁 Bonus high-protein recipes each month.

• 🔓 Today's bonus recipes: Lower-calorie Cheesesteak + BBQ Sausages

---

Pancake Platter

Macros: 61g Protein | 19g Fat | 39g Carbs | 602 calories

That place with the arches sure knows how to put together a breakfast. They also know how to nuke an entire day’s worth of macros in one shot. A perfect example is their signature breakfast platter with a whopping 1300 calories. I know it’s delicious, but not that delicious. So we’re making a lightened-up version that gets close to the experience without the damage. The only things you’ll need to make from scratch are the cottage cheese pancakes and the eggs. Everything else is just warming up pre-made items. Just FYI, the calorie count includes either a biscuit or a hashbrown, not both. I figured you may not be able to easily find biscuits that are 100 calories a piece, but they do exist. Also, if you can find them, I highly recommend these cauliflower hashbrowns for this meal. Pick the biscuit or hashbrown to keep the calories in the same ballpark as above. Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

Protein pancakes

• 1 1/3 cups of protein pancake mix

• 1 cup nonfat cottage cheese

• 1 cup milk

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp zero-calorie sweetener

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)

Platter Components

• 8 turkey sausage patties

• 1 carton of eggs

• 1 carton of egg white

• Frozen hashbrowns or biscuits

• Sugar-free maple syrup

• Light whipped topping (optional)

• Avocado oil spray

Cooking instructions:

1. Preheat the oven according to the package directions of the biscuits or hashbrowns.

2. While the oven preheats, whisk 12 egg whites and 4 eggs together. Season with salt & pepper, then set aside.

3. To a blender, add all the ingredients for the protein pancake and blend until smooth.

4. Place 4 hashbrowns or biscuits in the oven and bake according to package directions.

5. Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly spray with avocado oil. Add the turkey sausage patties and cook on each side until golden brown. Cover them with foil to keep warm.

6. Clean the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and coat with avocado oil spray. Add 1/4 cup of the pancake batter to the pan and form into small pancakes with a spoon. Cook until bubbles form on the top, then flip and cook for 30 more seconds. Repeat until you have 8 small pancakes.

7. Wipe the pan clean. Preheat to medium heat and coat lightly with oil. Add the eggs and scramble until light and fluffy.

8. Take the hashbrown or biscuits out of the oven.

9. Plate 2 pancakes, 2 turkey sausage patties, 1/4 of the eggs, and your choice of hashbrown or biscuit. Top the pancakes with sugar-free syrup and whipped topping. Enjoy!

---

Chicken Baked Potato

Macros: 62g Protein | 12g Fat | 61g Carbs | 612 calories

I used to almost never eat baked potatoes years ago. Probably because I only saw them as a boring steakhouse side, that needed a pile of fatty toppings to taste good. Now I know better. Not only are they not boring, but they’re one of the best diet weapons out there if you use them right. I like to treat them as a meal starter and fill them up with tons of protein. We’ve stuffed them up before with steak cooked from scratch, but this time, we’re making things even faster by using rotisserie chicken, bacon, Greek yogurt, cheese, and green onions. For how little effort it takes, the payoff doesn’t get much better than this. Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 3 lb rotisserie chicken, roughly chopped

• 4 large russet potatoes

• 1 pack Sunday or center-cut bacon

• 1 container non-fat Greek yogurt

• 1 cup light shredded cheese

• Buffalo or lemon pepper seasoning

• Green onions, chopped

Instructions:

1. Poke each potato 4–5 times with a fork. Microwave on high for 6-7 minutes, flip, then cook for another 2 minutes until soft. Remove and set aside.

2. Microwave 4 slices of center-cut bacon between two paper towels for 60–90 seconds or until crispy.

3. In a bowl, add 4 cups of pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken. Season with buffalo or lemon pepper seasoning. Microwave for 1–2 minutes, or until heated through.

4. Slice each potato open and fluff the inside with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup of light shredded cheese into each potato until creamy.

5. Top with the seasoned chicken, crispy bacon, and chopped green onions. Then dig in!

---

Lower-Calorie Cheesesteak

Macros: 55g Protein | 10g Fat | 52g Carbs | 504 calories

Cheesesteak needs no introduction, but it definitely needs a reduction. Especially, when you’re talking 800-900 calories for a sandwich. Choosing a lean cut of steak helps, but there’s still a mountain of cheese whiz to deal with. After playing with cottage cheese and a few other ingredients, I think I found a cheese sauce that feels like it actually belongs in a cheesesteak. How do I know? I didn’t want any mayo or ketchup when I ate it, which is a surefire sign at least for me, that it’s comparable to the real thing. Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs quick-cook steak or thinly sliced sirloin steak

• 4 steak rolls (200 calories or less)

• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped