✅ Recipes for protein salads

Protein salad

Protein salad comes in different forms, even a vegetarian option.
But no matter what combination it is in, it always performs its main function - to saturate. The basis for such a salad is always protein. Then you need to supplement it with nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds. Proteins are one of three types of energy sources for humans. Essentially, they are the building material for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood, and are also an important part of the production of enzymes and hormones. With 20 grams (or more) of protein from the salad, you can stay full until lunch thanks to nutritious ingredients like chicken, pork tenderloin, whole grains, salmon and beans.

In such salads, you should avoid any proteins that are deep-fried and the use of large amounts of sauces, which can be very rich in sugar.

The combination of grilled chicken, crunchy sliced almonds and blue cheese creates a powerful source of protein. Also, such a dish can be stored for a long time if it contains starchy vegetables. For example, cabbage and sweet potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for some time and combined with protein foods, so this salad can be prepared in advance and for the whole week.

Salads for weight loss: the best recipes and useful tips

Dietary nutrition is aimed at combating excess weight and is based on the inclusion of vegetables, fruits, and lean meats in the diet. From this set of ingredients you can create many healthy and low-calorie dishes, such as salad. Products allowed during the diet are combined in various combinations using a variety of dressings. The article will offer the best recipes for dietary salads, as well as useful tips for preparing them.

Combination rules

To prepare a salad intended for dietary nutrition, it is important to understand the rules for combining foods. By combining different ingredients together, you can get dishes that are rich in useful elements and taste.

An incorrect combination of components threatens not only a spoiled dish, but also unpleasant sensations, as well as unwanted weight gain. The salad must meet all dietary requirements and contain only the permitted amount of calories. Products containing large amounts of starch can only be combined with fruits or fresh vegetables. These include pumpkin, avocado, and boiled corn.

If it is necessary to heat an ingredient, it should be boiled or baked. It is prohibited to fry foods, especially using various vegetable oils. For a mixture of fresh vegetables, it is recommended to additionally use nuts and dried fruits. The combination of these products will be perfect and the taste will be piquant. However, excessively high-calorie foods in combination with vegetables should be avoided.

When preparing fruit dishes, it is not recommended to combine sour and sweet fruits. The taste of the mixture will be spoiled, as the fruits will interrupt each other.

Tips for selection and preparation

The process of losing weight should be as comfortable and easy for the body as possible. There should be no bad mood or aversion to the food offered. Experts recommend following a number of recommendations, and then a diet that includes salads will give the desired result.

Tips for choosing and preparing dietary salads:

You need to choose a dish based only on personal taste preferences. Food should be eaten with pleasure. If you have a good mood and a positive attitude, the possibility of breaking the diet is significantly reduced.
You need to buy only seasonal fruits and vegetables. Thus, you will be able to reduce the cost of the dish and protect yourself from nitrates that the food may contain. Also, seasonal products contain the maximum amount of vitamins and other useful elements.
For an ideally composed menu, it is recommended to eat only vegetable salads in the morning, vegetable dishes are allowed for lunch, and protein dishes with vegetables are allowed for dinner.
The best dressing for a vegetable or protein salad is lemon juice or cold-pressed vegetable oils. Components can also be combined. It is important not to add too much dressing so as not to overwhelm the flavor of the ingredients. The purpose of the sauce is to highlight the flavor of the main ingredients.
You can add sesame, flax seeds, pumpkin, sunflower seeds or fiber to your salads as additional healthy ingredients.
Adding salt and sugar to dishes is not recommended.
Vegetables, if possible, should be fresh and not cooked. Such products will be more beneficial.
Green vegetables, as well as sour fruits, can be consumed in any quantity.
You need to add greens to a vegetable salad, choose them according to your taste.

Simple protein salad

This easy protein salad with vegetarian ingredients delivers 30 grams of complete protein per serving thanks to quinoa, beans, chickpeas and edamame.

Ingredients:

Roasted almonds – 100 g
Smoked paprika – ½ tsp.
Chili - 1/2 tsp.
Mixed greens – 300 g
Quinoa – 70 g
Edamame – 70 g
Beans – 70 g
Chickpeas – 70 g
Red onion – ½ pc.
Olive oil

Preparation:

Fry almonds with oil and spices.

Mix greens, quinoa, beans and onions with oil.

This salad is truly versatile—you can combine quinoa with any other grain (like rice or wheat), or substitute any type of bean listed in the recipe.

Multi-ingredient protein salad

This popular dish in Los Angeles contains only healthy ingredients and is a great option for a full lunch.

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce – 200 g
Radicchio = 200 g
Boiled egg – 1 pc.
Grilled chicken breast – 1 pc.
Cherry tomatoes – 10 pcs.
Chickpeas, boiled – 70 g
Green onions - 2 sprigs
Blue cheese – 50 g
Red vinegar – 1 tbsp.
Olive oil – 2 tbsp.

Preparation:

Combine chopped egg, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, radicchio, romaine, green onions, chickpeas and blue cheese in a bowl.

Mix with red vinegar and oil and season.

Let's cook simply!

Boil the eggs, cool and peel. Then cut into cubes or three on a grater coarsely - whichever is more convenient for you.

Boil the breast (if there is a bone, take it out and peel the meat from the skin). Attention: cook the fillet for this protein salad recipe for no more than 15-20 minutes from the moment of boiling. If you overcook, the meat will become tough. But if you undercook it, it will be raw and pinkish inside. So keep it parity.

Chicken meat - we hope it turned out soft and tender - let it cool.

Then there are 2 options: you can take it apart into fibers, or you can cut it into cubes. In principle, it doesn't really matter what you do.

But it’s better to grate a piece of hard cheese rather than cut it. This will give the protein salad extra airiness.

Place all ingredients in a deep bowl and mix gently with a wooden spatula.

Season the dish with yogurt. Literally a few spoons are enough, so that you get a shape-forming homogeneous mass, and not a mush that spreads throughout the container. Salt and pepper to taste. You can, in principle, do without this step.

Now arrange the protein salad with breast into portions. You can decorate with leaves of fresh herbs. This dish is an excellent option for a hearty protein breakfast.

Protein salad with squid

The original taste of the dish will be appropriate on any table, and is a healthier alternative to traditional hearty winter salads.

Ingredients:

Squids - 2 pcs.
Eggs - 3 pcs.
Salad onion - 1 pc.
Corn, canned – 50 g
Sour cream

Preparation:

Boil squid and eggs.

Soak chopped onions in water and add spices.

Chop squid and eggs.

Mix all ingredients.

Egg salad

This salad, rich in easily digestible protein, is very filling and is good for toast and lunch breaks when you just want a snack rather than a full meal. It is worth saying that celery is very useful for diabetes, improves mental activity, and is also very good for the cardiovascular system.

Ingredients

5 large eggs
3 pieces of celery
olive oil
greens (parsley, cilantro, arugula)
natural mayonnaise or garlic sauce
salt, pepper and spices to taste

Cooking Instructions

Boil the eggs hard. Cool and peel them.
Chop the celery finely and the eggs more coarsely.
Mix celery and eggs, then mix mayonnaise and olive oil in a 1 to 1 ratio.
Season the salad and mix well, add salt and spices to taste. Sprinkle herbs on top.

Vegan Protein Salad

This high protein salad is made with only vegan proteins.

Ingredients:

Canned green beans - 400 g
Canned lentils – 400 g
Arugula – 100 g
Capers - 4 tbsp.
Peanut butter – 2 tbsp.
Tahini – 1 tbsp.
Balsamic vinegar – 1 tbsp.
Hot sauce – 2 tbsp.

Preparation:

Whisk all liquid ingredients in a bowl.

Mix arugula, beans, lentils and capers. Top with sauce.

Diet options

Protein diets are developed by specialists. But it is important for you to decide on your goal. Do you want to immediately build muscle mass, or do you first want to lose extra pounds?

Pierre Dukan's technique

Today, the dietary nutrition system of Pierre Dukan has become widely known among protein diets for athletes. The essence of the method is to carry out dietary nutrition over 4 stages.

Advantages and disadvantages

The diet is praised for its ability to consume large amounts of protein foods, which include low-fat dairy products, eggs, dietary meat, and seafood.

From such a sharp reduction in carbohydrates, a person quickly loses weight, which is noticeable already in the first days of following the diet, and muscle mass increases due to regular exercise.

As a result of the diet, you not only burn excess calories, but also visually improve the condition of your hair, skin, and nail plates. Metabolic processes in the body are improved.

However, many experience problems with stool, since during the attack stage the body does not receive vegetables and fruits. This can be compensated for by drinking plenty of liquid and taking a few tablespoons of bran in the morning. Since sugar should not be consumed, it is recommended to use sugar substitutes, which in large quantities can be harmful to the body.

Stages

The Dukan diet consists of three stages, the first two of which are time-limited, and the last one can be used as a template for daily eating throughout life.

"Attack"

The duration of the stage is up to 7 days. “Attack” involves eating exclusively protein foods that contain little fat and carbohydrates. They are allowed to be eaten during all periods of the diet without any special restrictions.

"Alternation"

Duration – 7 days for each extra kilogram.

A very important part of the entire diet, since here the desired weight is achieved and muscle mass is built. Now you need to alternate protein days with vegetable days.

For example, on Monday you need to eat only protein foods, on Tuesday – proteins with vegetables, and so on.

Vegetables and protein foods are not limited in quantity, and in order for the stool to be normal, you need to eat 2 tbsp every day. l. oat bran. At this stage, pasta, cereals, legumes and potatoes are prohibited.

Consolidation of results

The stage lasts 10 days. In the menu of this stage of the protein diet for athletes, you can add 1 fruit per day, a piece of low-fat hard cheese. Several times a week you are allowed to eat a portion of fried pork and lamb. Bran – 2.5 tablespoons per day.

By fruit we mean medium-sized specimens; it can also be a cup of berries, a slice of watermelon or melon. All newly introduced fruits should not contain a lot of sugar, for example, grapes, bananas, cherries. It is important to keep one protein day during the week.

The body does not experience much stress, since both protein foods and vegetables are allowed in unlimited quantities. Once the results are achieved, they need to be consolidated and stabilized.

If you have lost 5 kg, then this stage should last at least 50 days. Upon returning to a normal lifestyle, do not forget about protein days, limiting sweets and starchy foods, and an active lifestyle.

Kim Protasov's method

This method of weight correction and muscle building has been known since the late 90s, when the consumption of protein foods increased.

Kim Protasov has developed a special nutrition system for athletes and those who want to lose weight, which would not harm the body.

The essence

From the experience of many people, it is clear that maintaining such a regime is not at all difficult, a person does not feel severe hunger or exhaustion, and can engage in active exercises, since during the day one is allowed to eat different foods at any time, regardless of their calorie content.

The principle of Kim Protasov's diet is to reduce the amount of fat consumed. To replace it, the body will consume energy from proteins and complex carbohydrates. A prerequisite is to consume at least 2 liters of water per day, as this helps to quickly burn excess calories.

Protein is necessary for the human body; if this substance is lacking, it is taken from the brain and other organs, so memory noticeably deteriorates, exhaustion and constant irritation are felt. The amount of protein consumed per day should be about 100 grams.

Complex carbohydrates activate metabolic processes. Unlike getting pleasure from chocolate, now the body will have to break down complex carbohydrates, so it will have no time to relax and store fat deposits.

Stages

The first stage lasts exactly 2 weeks, the second - until the end of the fifth. At the first stage, you need to eat a lot of raw vegetables, leaning on white cabbage. The fat content of fermented milk products should be no more than 5%, these are: kefir, yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese. In addition, it is allowed to eat one chicken egg per day and green apples, no more than 2 pieces.

This set of products can be eaten at any convenient time. At the same time, fasting should not be allowed, otherwise the body will simply break down and will not be able to cope with all the complex carbohydrates. You can make salads from vegetables, add a little salt and season with yogurt.

To add flavor, it is recommended to use more greens and lettuce leaves.

At the second stage of the diet, lean meat and fish are introduced into the diet - 300 grams per day. Thus, the changes after the second week of the diet are not too big, and excess weight is already actively starting to leave the body, giving way to muscle mass.

Prohibited Products

Sausage and flour products, pure sugar, semi-finished products, and juices are prohibited. Salads should not be seasoned with oil and vinegar, and vegetables for them should not be cut raw, without steaming or boiling.

Thus, the body will stock up on the vitamins and minerals it needs. Drinking milk in its pure form is undesirable, but many athletes claim that 300 grams per day does not have a negative effect on the results.

Drying diet

The period of drying the body is an opportunity to give relief to the muscles by removing subcutaneous fat deposits. Nutrition must be organized so that the body receives fewer calories than it expends during training.

Diet options:

Breakfast – grapefruit;
Second breakfast – fruit salad;
Lunch – toast with butter, vegetable salad, a glass of freshly squeezed juice;
Afternoon snack – tea with crackers;
Dinner – a portion of baked fish, vegetable salad, spinach, rosehip broth.

Before bed - a glass of low-fat kefir. You can stick to this diet for no more than a week, so as not to worsen your overall health. Muscles should not lack protein, and therefore athletes are recommended to use special nutritional supplements - protein to replenish protein reserves in the body.

Protein salad with quinoa and kale

A salad with onions, quinoa and cabbage will keep you full for a long time and help you recover after the most intense workouts.

Ingredients:

Apple cider vinegar – 30 ml
Olive oil – 2 tbsp.
Lemon juice
Honey – 2 tsp.
Dijon mustard – 1 tsp.
Vegetable broth – 500 ml
Quinoa – 300 g
Rapeseed oil
Onion – 1 pc.
Young cabbage – 300 g
Chicken, boiled – 300 g
Apple – 1 pc.

With Chinese cabbage

Ingredients

300 g chicken breast
2 eggs
0.5 fork Chinese cabbage
1 cucumber
3 tbsp. l. natural yogurt
salt, pepper to taste

Preparation

To prepare this protein salad with eggs and cabbage, coarsely chop the cucumber and chop the pekinka.
Boil the eggs, peel and chop.
Boil the chicken fillet. Tear the cooled meat into fibers or chop coarsely.
Season all ingredients with salt, pepper and natural yogurt.

Protein bean salad

Eating legumes lowers cholesterol. Therefore, this unusual bean salad with an unusual dressing will help with weight loss.

Ingredients:

Green beans – 200 g
Tomatoes - 1 pc.
Carrots - 1 pc.
Apple cider vinegar - 1 tbsp.
Onion - ½ pc.
Soy sauce - 3 tbsp.
Flax seed oil - 2 tbsp.
Honey - ½ tbsp.

Preparation:

Chop the tomatoes and grate the carrots.

Pour oil, vinegar, soy sauce and honey over chopped onions.

Mix all ingredients.

Protein salad with chicken and quinoa

This hearty salad with chicken, quinoa and creamy avocado is packed with flavor and perfect for dinner.

Ingredients:

Quinoa – 200 g
Black beans – 100 g
Green onions – 2 sprigs
Cherry tomatoes – 4 pcs.
Lime – 1 pc.
Coriander – 1 bunch
Chicken thighs – 200 g
Ground cumin
Avocado – 1 pc.
Arugula – 150 g
Sriracha sauce

Preparation:

Rinse black beans.

Chop green onions and tomatoes.

Grate the lime zest and chop the coriander. Squeeze the juice from the lime.

Mix chopped chicken with cumin. Fry the meat in a frying pan.

Slice the avocado. Mix avocado, quinoa, tomatoes, arugula, onion and meat. Drizzle with a mixture of lime juice, zest and coriander. Finally add Sriracha sauce.

For a more piquant taste, before cooking quinoa, you can soak it in water with cumin for a couple of hours.

With shrimps

Ingredients

200 g shrimp
1 cucumber
1 tomato
1 bell pepper
lemon juice to taste
salt, pepper to taste

Preparation

Cook shrimp in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and let the water drain.
Wash the vegetables. Cut into large pieces.
Season the protein salad with shrimp with lemon juice, pepper and salt.

If you're having a hard time curbing your sweet tooth, you can make a light fruit dessert. Skip bananas and grapes, instead leaning on apples and pears topped with natural yogurt or low-fat kefir. We hope that protein salad recipes will help you not only lose weight, but also cleanse your body of harmful accumulations .

Protein salads for weight loss

The norm of protein in the diet is determined by a nutritionist when preparing a diet, based on the person’s goals and the state of the body. As practice shows, people often undereat protein, preferring foods high in carbohydrates and fats.

How to balance your diet and eat deliciously? A varied diet is the key to health and a successful diet without breakdowns. If you are watching calories and the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in your daily diet, then we offer recipes for protein salads to maintain muscle tone.

Learn how to count calories correctly here

Tuna - well done!

Tuna is rich in protein - 100 g of canned meat accounts for 20.2 g of protein. Fish salad will significantly diversify your diet menu.

Salad with tuna and apple

Ingredients:

Canned tuna natural – 150 g
Celery – 100 g
Apple – 150 g
Teaspoon of olive oil

Preparation:

Carefully drain the juice from a can of canned tuna, transfer the fish meat to a salad bowl and mash with a fork. Do not use tuna in oil - this will significantly increase the calorie content of the salad. Wash the celery stalk and cut into small pieces. Wash the apple, remove the stem and seeds and cut into slices the size of celery pieces. Season with olive oil.

Not boring chicken

One of the leaders in protein content in the product is chicken breast. 23.6 g protein per 100 g steamed meat.

Almost Caesar

Ingredients:

Iceberg lettuce – 70 g
Cherry tomatoes – 100 g
½ avocado – 50 g
Low-fat yoghurt 1.5% – 50 g
Steamed chicken breast – 100 g
Garlic salt, Provençal herbs - to taste

Preparation:

Salt the chicken breast, rub with Provençal herbs and steam. Leave to cool slightly. Wash the lettuce leaves and tear into small pieces and place in a bowl. Wash the cherry tomatoes, cut into halves, add to the lettuce. Wash the avocado, cut into two halves, peel one half and remove the pit. Cut the avocado into cubes and add to the rest of the ingredients.

Dish recipes

Try recipes for sports protein diet dishes - they are tasty and healthy.

Chicken fillet in kefir: chop one hundred grams of chicken fillet, season with fresh herbs, pepper and salt, pour in half a liter of kefir. After the meat has been in the cold for three hours, fry for five seconds on each side.
Baked fish: pour the juice of two lemons over the fish, season with spices and herbs and place in a preheated oven for twenty minutes.
Chicken fillet in lemon juice: beat the chicken fillet, marinate in the juice of two lemons for 2 hours, fry in a frying pan without using oil.
Polish-style fish: boil the fish, separate from the bones, place in a low bowl, add two raw whites, and top with grated boiled egg and herbs, simmer for five minutes, covering with a lid.
Fish cutlets: grind fish fillet and half an onion in a meat grinder or blender, add one egg to the resulting mass, form cutlets and fry in a frying pan without adding oil. Season with a sauce of a quarter cup of low-fat yogurt, mustard, and dry basil.
Roast pork: pour lemon juice over the pork, season with pepper, ground bay leaf and salt, place in a preheated oven for twenty minutes. While cooking, pour the resulting sauce over the meat. Serve with soy sauce, fresh vegetables and sauerkraut.
Spinach puree soup: boil turkey meat without skin, then remove from broth and cool. Cook the spinach in the turkey broth for five minutes. Then add the chopped meat to it and cook for another five minutes. After this, use a blender to grind the ingredients until you obtain a puree soup, add half a glass of milk, garlic, spices, and boil again.

This diet does not pose a danger to the body, as it was developed by professional nutritionists. The diet is contraindicated for diseases of the digestive system and impaired renal function. It is advisable to accompany a protein diet with consultations and supervision by a nutritionist.

Salad with arugula and chicken

Arugula is not just an exotic green, it is a nutritious food with a rich taste and a long list of beneficial properties. Arugula is low in calories, but high in folic acid, vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals like iron and copper. The peppery aroma of arugula gives the dish an amazing taste, and this is what I love to cook with it!

1 tablespoon olive oil
finely chopped mini carrots (10 pcs.)
half a cup shredded red cabbage
glass of arugula
230-250 g chicken fillet, cut into large cubes
2 teaspoons sunflower seeds

Fry the chicken in olive oil, preferably in a non-stick pan. Set aside and let the meat cool.
Chop mini carrots and red cabbage.
Place arugula, carrots and red cabbage in a large salad bowl.
Place the chilled chicken in a salad bowl and sprinkle the dish with sunflower seeds.
Drizzle with your favorite dressing, bon appetit!

Salad with tuna and apple

I know what you're thinking: tuna and apple, you're crazy! I assure you, both in texture and taste, apple goes perfectly with tuna. The best part about this salad is its versatility: eat it with a fork, spread it on bread, or wrap it in lettuce. Whichever option you choose, you won't be disappointed.

2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 cans of tuna in its own juice
1 tablespoon sweet sauce
½ apple, diced
pinch of garlic powder
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

Drain the liquid from the cans and place the tuna in a salad bowl.
Chop the celery and apple well and add them to the tuna.
Mix thoroughly, adding garlic powder, sweet sauce and mayonnaise.

Salad with almonds and spinach

Spinach and almonds are a great combination! The taste is amazing, and it’s very good for your health. But I wanted to up the ante a little, so I added broccoli, a great source of vitamin A, protein-packed eggs, and basil leaves for even more flavor.

1½ cups mini spinach (baby spinach)
½ cup chopped broccoli
1 small romaine tomato, chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs
1 tablespoon crushed almonds
fresh basil leaves

Place spinach in a large salad bowl.
Chop the broccoli, tomato and hard-boiled eggs and add it all along with the spinach.
Sprinkle with crushed almonds and fresh basil leaves.
Drizzle with your favorite dressing or try the juice of half a lemon with olive oil.

Salad with quinoa, mint and lemon

I love quinoa. The taste is amazing, the protein is a cart and a small cart, and also goes well with any food. That’s why I often include this salad in my menu as a main dish, although it also works well as a side dish. Next time, take it to a barbecue or take-out dinner and I guarantee you it will be devoured!

3 cups boiled quinoa
½ cup pine nuts
10 chopped mint leaves
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon basil oil (optional)

Mix mint leaves with boiled quinoa.
Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Add pine nuts, salt and oil to the salad bowl.
Enjoy alone or treat your close friends!