16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (2024)

These grain bowls make it easy for you to enjoy summer produce while meeting your protein intake goals. You'll get at least 15 grams of protein per serving from any of these nutritious recipes, thanks to lean proteins, whole grains and veggies. Plus, these healthy meals help you enjoy seasonal flavors with ingredients like herbs, avocado, cucumber and tomato. Recipes like our Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl and Southwestern Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp & Avocado Crema will help you feel full, satisfied and ready to tackle anything the day throws your way.

01of 16

Fish Taco Bowls with Green Cabbage Slaw

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (1)

Fresh salsa verde, green cabbage and avocado all contribute to the vibrant green color of this light and bright fish taco bowl. We love the mild flavor and firm, meaty texture of halibut but any firm white fish like mahi mahi or tilapia will work well in its place. We garnish this flavorful taco bowl with cilantro, but if you want to take it a step further, try toppings like sprouts or watermelon radishes for even more bright green color.

02of 16

Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (2)

It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!

03of 16

Southwestern Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp & Avocado Crema

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (3)

These healthy Southwestern cauliflower rice bowls, topped with black beans, corn and smoky chipotle shrimp, get a cool-down from homemade avocado crema and take just 30 minutes to make.

04of 16

Salmon Rice Bowl

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (4)

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this salmon rice bowl makes for a tasty lunch or dinner. With healthy ingredients like instant brown rice, salmon and veggies, you'll have a flavorful meal in just 25 minutes.

05of 16

Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (5)

This pesto chicken quinoa bowl is packed with herbs from the basil pesto and the Italian spice mix and gets a slight kick of heat from the red pepper. If you enjoy the flavor profile, this dish can also be made with orzo in place of quinoa.

06of 16

Tuna Poke

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (6)

Poke (pronounced poke-ay), a Hawaiian word meaning "to chop" or "to cut," refers to a traditional Hawaiian salad of diced raw fish in a simple, soy-based sauce with punchy seasonings like toasted sesame and chopped scallion greens. These tuna poke bowls feature seasoned brown rice and fresh veggies for a healthy, satisfying meal packed with protein and fiber.

07of 16

Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (7)

This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.

08of 16

Chicken-Quinoa Bowl with Strawberries & Pecans

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (8)

This simple chicken grain bowl makes a perfect family dinner. Let everyone customize their meal by portioning the greens and grains into bowls, then serving the remaining ingredients buffet-style so eaters can pick and choose what they want to top theirs with.

09of 16

Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (9)

This cilantro-lime shrimp bowl has tons of flavor and texture. The cilantro-lime shrimp is tangy and fresh, with brown rice and creamy avocado to balance the flavor. The two-chile cream sauce is easy to make and brings all the flavors of this bowl dinner together.

10of 16

Meal-Prep Chili-Lime Chicken Bowls

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (10)

Skip takeout and whip up these equally delicious and easy-to-make burrito bowls at home. They're great for a fast and easy dinner or a healthy meal to pack for work throughout the week.

11of 16

Brown Rice Shrimp Bowl with Tomatoes & Avocado

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (11)

This quick and easy bowl pairs brown rice with cooked shrimp, tossed in a ginger-soy-sesame sauce, to create a flavorful dish in no time. Topping with tomatoes and avocado adds color and nutrients. Use leftover brown rice or pick up a package of pre-cooked brown rice from the grocery store to keep this meal no-cook.

12of 16

Buffalo Chicken Grain Bowl

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (12)

Get the flavors of spicy Buffalo chicken wings, without frying, in this nutritious couscous bowl loaded with protein and crisp veggies.

13of 16

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (13)

This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

14of 16

Salmon Sushi Grain Bowl

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (14)

Get all the delicious flavors of sushi without the time-consuming rolling with this quick grain bowl recipe. All you need is 15 minutes to get this healthy dinner on the table or to pack it up for lunch at work.

15of 16

Breakfast Bowl with Egg, Spinach & Feta

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (15)

This breakfast bowl with eggs, spinach and sesame-crusted feta is absolutely delicious. The sesame seeds add nuttiness and crunch to the feta, while the inside remains soft and creamy. If you're in a pinch for time, you can skip the step of cooking the feta, and use toasted sesame and crumbled feta as a garnish instead.

16of 16

Green Goddess Farro Bowl

View Recipe

16 High-Protein Grain Bowl Recipes For Summer (16)

Farro and vegetables with a thick green goddess dressing pack this grain bowl with plenty of flavor. Finish it off with chicken, or use white beans as a plant-based protein alternative. (To make this bowl completely vegetarian, omit the anchovy paste from the dressing.) If you can't find fava beans, try thawed frozen lima beans or edamame in their place.