45 Sweet & Savory High-Protein Snacks That Make It Easier To Hit Your Goals
These will save you from that mid-day slump.
Here at Delish, we're BIG fans of salty snacks, sweet snacks, and everything in between. There’s always something fun to try in our office and test kitchen—whether we’re trying out new Girl Scout cookie flavors or are ranking all the best potato chips—but when we’re snacking to help get us through our day, we know we can’t be so mindless about our noshing. Instead, we turn to high-protein options that will keep us feeling fuller and won’t give us a sugar crash. Check out our 45 high-protein snack recipes for ideas, then prep a big batch—when you’ve got these ready to go ahead of time, you’ve practically already won against any mid-afternoon hunger strike.
When it comes to high-protein foods, there are a few stand-outs that are perfect for turning into snacks, whether you’re looking for a mini meal to hold you over or something you can eat by the handful. It’s a no-brainer that there’s tons of protein-packed options available, from things like chicken, fish (canned tuna, we love you), Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, and eggs. Our Cobb egg salad, our cottage cheese bark, our curried chicken salad, our tofu nuggets, and our soy marinated eggs are just a few examples of ways to turn those proteins into snack foods.
Even if you’re avoiding animal products (or just don’t want to be that person smelling up the office, sorry tuna), you’ve got options. Nuts and seeds are also high in protein (and often fiber, antioxidants, and plant-based omega-3s too!). Check out our chia pudding, our homemade almond butter, our curry-lime cashews, or our peanut butter protein balls for ideas.
Finally, you really can’t beat the convenience of a can of beans for a high-protein snack. And not just straight out of the can (we’re not monsters 😉)—instead, turn canned chickpeas or black beans into something like our chickpea “tuna” salad, our cowboy caviar, or our roasted chickpeas. They’re fun, flavorful, and ripe for improvisation, so change ‘em up with whatever you like.
Want more health-conscious snack ideas? Check out our best high-fiber snacks, our top healthy snacks for work, and our favorite healthy snacks to buy too.
Cowboy Caviar
Some call it Cowboy Caviar; others call it Texas Caviar. Different names, same idea, and lots of variations—we love ours for how delicious and health-supportive it is. Black-eyed peas contain vitamin K, black beans aid in lowering blood pressure, and avocados contain omega-3 fatty acids. 😍
Get the Cowboy Caviar recipe.
Cottage Cheese Bark
By blending cottage cheese until it’s smooth, drizzling it with peanut butter, jelly, granola, and freezing it, we’ve created a healthy snack that will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. Packed with protein, this cottage cheese bark is like a bowl of yogurt that you can hold in your hand.
Get the Cottage Cheese Bark recipe.
Kibbeh-Spiced Lamb Skewers
The grated onions in the lamb mixture make for an extra tender kebab, and the orange zest adds an unexpected flavor combination that accompanies the spiced meat perfectly. Cooking these on the grill gives a nice char to the meat, but apartment dwellers can nix the charcoal and use a broiler or skillet.
Get the Kibbeh-Spiced Lamb Skewers recipe.
Cosmic Brownie Protein Bites
Need a little sweet something at 4 p.m. to carry you until dinner? Cosmic brownie protein bites are here for you. Made with a handful of pantry ingredients plus your favorite protein powder, these simple stir-together protein bites will become as integral to your adult snacking life as their namesake was to your childhood.
Get the Cosmic Brownie Protein Bites recipe.
Tofu Nuggets
Soggy baked tofu nuggets are a thing of the past with this one-ingredient upgrade. These bite-sized beauties get irresistibly crispy in the oven, making them the perfect vehicle for a dunk in ranch dressing or curry ketchup.
Get the Tofu Nuggets recipe.
Avocado Chicken Salad
This isn't your mom's chicken salad—this recipe is packed with diced avocado, corn, fresh cherry tomatoes, red onion, mango, and a simple herby dressing that ties everything together. It comes together in just 30 minutes too!
Get the Avocado Chicken Salad recipe.
Chicharrones
Deep-fried pork should be an official love language. Here, garlic-, sour orange-, and oregano-marinated cubes of pork belly are boiled until tender then fried until deep golden brown, crunchy, and insanely juicy. Topped with a sprinkle of flaky salt and a squeeze of lime, these are the perfect two-bite snack.
Get the Chicharrones recipe.
Egg Salad
Classic egg salad should be easy to make, and ours is a classic BBQ side and a quick high-protein lunch you can rely on. It centers around just 6 core ingredients; use it as a base for creative mix-ins and variations, or enjoy as is for a truly classic recipe.
Get the Egg Salad recipe.
High-Protein Mousse
You don’t need any protein powder to make this high-protein
chocolate mousse, only one staple, protein-packed ingredient (that we turn to again and again): cottage cheese. Depending on the brand of cottage cheese you buy, this recipe hits about 30 grams!
Get the High-Protein Mousse recipe.
Soy Marinated Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are great, but they can be a little one note. Instead, these eggs are first soft boiled to jammy perfection, then marinaded off the heat in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and rice wine vinegar for an extra flavorful, high-protein snack.
Get the Soy Marinated Eggs recipe.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
When we're hungry for more than a light snack, sometimes I like to bulk things up, just like in this Mediterranean-inspired chickpea salad. Thanks to the chickpeas, this salad will keep you full for hours, and is satisfying in a way that leafy greens never could be (sorry not sorry, kale).
Get the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad recipe.
Warm Figs With Greek Yogurt
Juicy, sweet figs pair flawlessly with the zesty orange here, creating a heavenly flavor combination. It's a stunning sweet treat that's simple yet elevated, and it’s ready in just 15 minutes! You also only need 5 ingredients to make it, including the figs.
Get the Warm Figs With Greek Yogurt recipe.
Scotch Eggs
We didn’t think a jammy egg could get any better—until we tried Scotch eggs. Featuring a layer of sausage wrapped around a boiled egg, battered, and deep-fried, this popular British snack is our new favorite thing to eat for breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon snack... and any meal in between.
Get the Scotch Eggs recipe.
Carbonara Deviled Eggs
If deviled eggs had a classy Italian cousin, she would be these carbonara deviled eggs. Loaded with cheese and topped with crispy pancetta bits, these carbonara deviled eggs had a little extra something to the classic snack.
Get the Carbonara Deviled Eggs recipe.
Smoked Salmon Dip
Lox lovers—this smoked salmon dip is about to be your new go-to. Smoked salmon, spicy horseradish, bright lemon, and finely chopped dill all get mixed into a cream cheese and Greek yogurt base for the creamiest savory dip imaginable.
Get the Smoked Salmon Dip recipe.
Creamy White Bean Dip
Love hummus, but want to expand your horizons a bit? You've gotta try this white bean dip! It's just as easy and creamy (tip: roast your garlic ahead of time), and might just have you getting creative with all the canned beans you've got in your pantry.
Get the Creamy White Bean Dip recipe.
Tempeh Buffalo “Wings”
Quicker to make and easier to eat than Buffalo chicken wings, this plant-based version swaps chicken for snackable triangles of tempeh to mimic the crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Get the Tempeh Buffalo “Wings” recipe.
Steamed Edamame
Simple, steamed edamame is an amazing good-for-you snack that is nutritious and comes together really quickly. The little soybeans are endlessly poppable and are a fun, hands-on hors d'oeuvre (especially with the addition of our homemade chicken-salt).
Get the Steamed Edamame recipe.
Curried Chicken Salad
Traditional chicken salad is great—but stir in some curry powder, toasted cashews, and cilantro, and you have one of the most satisfying snacks EVER.
Get the Curried Chicken Salad recipe.
