30 High-Protein Recipes That Require Zero Cooking

WE GET IT: The act of cooking three square meals (and, honestly, sometimes even one) from scratch can be a time-sucking pain and beyond the realm of reality most days.

But before you rifle through that drawer where you keep all your takeout menus “organized,” consider that you have another option. Instead of not cooking for yourself, you can just not cook.

In other words, you can assemble. You can put together ingredients without switching on your oven, broiler, or grill.

The 30 recipes that all follow that format—meaning you could theoretically plan out month’s worth of delicious, high-protein, nutrient-rich, no-cook meals. And that’s pretty awesome for months when it’s too hot to cook or times when you’re just flat-out tied of cooking.

And emphasis on “delicious,” too. Here’s a sample:

Blueberry Muesli Pudding

In a blender, puree ¼ cup milk, ½ cup plain Greek or Skyr yogurt, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, ½ cup blueberries, 1 tsp honey, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Transfer to a medium bowl, stir in 3 Tbsp chia seeds, and chill overnight. In the morning, top with some muesli, sliced almonds, and fresh blueberries.

To-Go Bistro Box

In a divided sealable container, arrange 3 oz roast beef slices, 1 halved hard-boiled egg, ⅓ cup cubed jack cheese, ⅓ cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup green beans, ⅓ cup grapes, 3 Tbsp roasted almonds, 2 cornichons, and 2 Tbsp pitted olives.

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Sauce

In a large bowl, toss 6 oz frozen and thawed cooked shrimp, ¾ cup diced mango, ½ cup canned black beans, ½ cup chopped red bell pepper, 1 sliced green onion, ⅓ cup cilantro, the juice of ½ lime and ¼ tsp salt. In a blender, puree ¼ cup sour cream, ½ avocado, the juice of ½ lime, 1 tsp chili powder, and a pinch of salt. Divide the shrimp mixture among corn tortillas and top with avocado sauce and some shredded red cabbage.

See?

Minimal-effort dishes, from morning to night, to keep your muscles full and your stove untouched. Welcome to the joy of (not) cooking.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Food styling by Jamie Kimm.