I have a running theory that Bowls are the Millennial version of casseroles. Here me out: casseroles were the ultimate “toss everything in a dish” growing up. A protein, carb, maybe some veggies, almost always a special sauce, baked together. We’re doing the exact same thing, just in bowl form.
And judging by the number of bowl recipes on APOP, I think my theory holds up. The formula is nearly identical to casserole baking; the presentation just got an upgrade. This is home base for any and all high protein bowl recipes I develop.
The Best High Protein Bowl Recipes (all in one place)
Protein bowls (or Power Bowls as some have dubbed them) have become the modern go-to for meal prep or weeknight dinners. Think about it: they often require minimal prep, they endlessly customizable, and always packed with flavor.
Instead of layering everything together and baking, we are prepping, assembling, and bringing it together with a yummy sauce!
In this round up, I’ve gathered all of my favorite high protein power bowls, organized by protein source so you can easily find what you’re craving: Chicken, Ground Meat, Seafood, and Vegetarian.
Now, if you’re not quite ready to let go of casseroles (no one is saying you should), add my Chicken Taco Casserole, Pizza Gnocci Bake or Big Mac Casserole Recipe to your list!
Bowls by Protein
Chicken
When I see chicken breasts in the refrigerator, my mind automatically goes to these Hot Honey Chicken Bowls or Better than Take Out Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli. Quite simple, packed with flavor, and both covered in a drinkable sauce.
Ground Meat
I love how interchangeable ground meat is in recipes. Sometimes I have a preference based on the other flavor profiles in the bowl, but essentially ground beef, turkey, chicken, or even pork/lamb can be used in these recipes! We make Deconstructed Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe all the time!
Seafood
Using fish always lightens up the bowl a bit. Take a flaky, buttery fish that pairs well with sticky rice, pickled vegetables/slaw, and sweet spicy sauce. These bowls lean bright and zesty, making them a great option when you want a refreshing, protein-packed meal.
Vegetarian
Serving suggestions
If I ever build a bowl and think “Hmm, this needs something…” I will scoop a huge dollop of cottage cheese into it (not a surprise as I have many High-Protein Cottage Cheese Recipes on the blog). Needing a one-pot meal instead?! Try my Meghan Markle Pasta Recipe, One Pot French Onion Pasta, or Baked Ziti for an easy option.
Build-A-Bowl Tips
Like I said, there are endless ways to make a power bowl to your liking. Their customization is why people gravitate towards them. I often follow a standard “formula” for bowl building and it goes something like this:
- Start with a base: a solid foundation like white rice, quinoa, beans, or lettuce (if it’s not for meal prep)
- Add your protein: the mvp of most bowls. It needs to be flavorful and filling, like diced chicken, ground beef/turkey, seafood smothered in sauce, air fried tofu, shelled edamame…the list goes on and on.
- Load up on the veggies: adds color, texture, and nutrients. Think of them as a necessary accessory to any bowl (roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, homemade salsa, carrots, etc)
- Add texture: absolutely critical to any bowl, we don’t want mush! Wonton strips, pickled veggie slaw, crispy chickpeas, toasted nuts…these can take your bowl from good to great.
- Get Saucy: deemed essential to any dish, this ties it together, the glue of the foundation, insert any other applicable metaphor here. Point is do not skip! Drizzle spicy mayo, tzatziki, chili oil, hot honey, homemade big mac sauce, creamy buffalo sauce…the list goes on and on because with no sauce, there is no bowl.
More Recipes You’ll Love
That’s a wrap on my high protein bowl recipes round up. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved, something that you think it might need, or just say hi!
more of our favorite Bowl Recipes…
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