17 High-Protein Dinners From Beef Chili to Shrimp Tacos

Chicken is not the only way to get a high-protein dinner on the table. Pick beef chili when a bowl sounds right, shrimp tacos when dinner could use seafood, or a casserole when you want something hot to scoop. Use one for a regular dinner, a weekend meal, or a plate that needs to feel filling.

Close-up of a shrimp taco with avocado, tomato, red onion, and a drizzle of sauce in a toasted tortilla. — Shrimp Tacos. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Beef Chili

Two bowls of chili with kidney beans, meat, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and cilantro. A black spoon in one bowl. Additional chili flakes in a small dish nearby. — Beef Chili. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Thick and deeply seasoned, Beef Chili simmers for 1 hour 15 minutes and makes eight servings. Ground beef and kidney beans cook with fire-roasted tomatoes, broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and a small amount of cocoa powder for added depth. The generous batch works well when dinner needs to feed several people or leave enough for another meal. Serve each bowl with avocado, cheddar, scallions, cilantro, sour cream, or tortilla chips.
Get the Recipe: Beef Chili

Spicy Lasagna Soup

Close-up of a plate of pasta topped with a red tomato-based sauce, grated cheese, and garnished with chopped parsley. — Spicy Lasagna Soup. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Steamy bowls of Spicy Lasagna Soup bring the structure of lasagna into a 35-minute one-pot dinner that serves six. Spicy Italian sausage, broken lasagna noodles, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, milk, mozzarella, and Parmesan create a substantial soup without layering a baking dish. It is a useful choice when pasta sounds good but oven time does not. Add extra Parmesan at the table and serve with bread or a simple salad.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Lasagna Soup

Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Foil Packet

Chunks of cooked beef and roasted potatoes served in an open aluminum foil packet, garnished with herbs. — Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Foil Packet. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Wrapped into individual portions, Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Foil Packet cooks in 45 minutes and makes four servings. Cubed sirloin, quartered baby potatoes, pearl onions, melted butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder cook together inside the foil. The packets keep the main dish and side in one tidy package, which helps with cookouts, camping meals, or low-cleanup dinners. Finish with parsley and open each packet carefully so the steam can escape.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Foil Packet

Copycat Honey Baked Ham

Close-up of seasoned and roasted meat with crispy edges. — Copycat Honey Baked Ham. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Glossy caramelized edges give Copycat Honey Baked Ham its centerpiece look after 2 hours 10 minutes in the oven. A 10-pound spiral ham serves 12 and gets coated with honey, butter, Dijon mustard, paprika, pumpkin spice, white sugar, and brown sugar. The large yield makes it better suited to holiday dinners or planned leftovers than an ordinary weeknight. Slice it thinly and add vegetables, rolls, or potatoes to complete the plate.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Honey Baked Ham

Sloppy Joe Casserole

A golden-brown baked dish with melted cheese and chopped herbs, being served with a spoon from an oval white casserole dish. — Sloppy Joe Casserole. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Tangy, cheesy layers make Sloppy Joe Casserole a 45-minute dinner that serves six without the loose filling and dripping buns. Ground beef and onion simmer with ketchup and yellow mustard before a Bisquick-and-milk batter and shredded cheddar go over the top. The baked format makes portioning easier for a family dinner or potluck. Let it stand for a few minutes before cutting so the biscuit layer and beef filling hold together better.
Get the Recipe: Sloppy Joe Casserole

Salmon Patties

Crisp edges and a tender center give Salmon Patties plenty of texture in a 25-minute recipe for two. Fresh salmon is mixed with breadcrumbs, green onion, garlic, basil, dill, egg, paprika, lemon zest, and lemon juice before the patties cook until golden. The small batch works well for a quick dinner or lunch without producing a large pan of leftovers. Serve with sour cream, lemon wedges, fresh herbs, and a vegetable side.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Patties

Hamburger Casserole

Burger-night flavors show up in Hamburger Casserole, a 40-minute baked dinner that makes four servings. Elbow pasta, ground beef, onion, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and cheddar form the base, while mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pickles, and lettuce reinforce the burger theme. The casserole format turns those familiar flavors into fork-friendly portions for weeknights or casual sharing. Add extra diced pickles or a green salad when serving.
Get the Recipe: Hamburger Casserole

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Sliced roast beef served on a plate with cooked carrots, potatoes, and herbs, placed on a checkered cloth. — Corned Beef and Cabbage. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Slow, deliberate preparation gives Corned Beef and Cabbage its firm slices and deeply seasoned broth. The recipe serves eight and includes a 10-day brine before 3 hours 30 minutes of cooking, so it needs advance planning rather than last-minute timing. Beef brisket cooks with pickling spices, carrots, red potatoes, and cabbage for a complete one-pot dinner. Set it aside for a weekend or holiday when the long brining schedule can fit easily.
Get the Recipe: Corned Beef and Cabbage

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

A bowl of egg noodles topped with creamy beef and mushroom stroganoff, garnished with chopped herbs. — Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Rich sauce and tender beef make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff a hands-off dinner for six after 6 hours 10 minutes. Cubed stewing beef or chuck roast cooks with onion, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings before sour cream is stirred in. Egg noodles are cooked separately and added when serving. Start it in the morning for an evening meal that needs little work during the busiest part of the day.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Cheeseburger Soup

A bowl of soup with ground meat, peas, carrots, cauliflower, shredded cheese, chopped herbs, and bacon pieces, served with a napkin on the side. — Cheeseburger Soup. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Creamy and loaded with familiar burger flavors, Cheeseburger Soup takes 50 minutes and serves six. Lean ground beef, onion, garlic, potatoes, mixed vegetables, beef broth, milk, Worcestershire sauce, cheddar, and crisp bacon build a thick one-pot dinner. The vegetables and potatoes give each bowl more substance than a plain cheese soup. Ladle it into deep bowls and keep extra bacon or shredded cheddar nearby for anyone who wants a fuller topping.
Get the Recipe: Cheeseburger Soup

Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

A close-up of a casserole dish featuring tater tots, creamy sauce, ground beef, corn, and garnished with chopped parsley. — Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

With most of the work handled slowly, Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole cooks for 5 hours 10 minutes and makes six servings. Browned ground beef, corn, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, cheddar, onion, garlic powder, and frozen tater tots form the layered dish. It is useful on days when dinner needs to stay out of the way until late afternoon. Serve straight from the slow cooker with a crisp salad or steamed green vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

Swedish Meatballs (Ikea Copycat)

A close-up of Swedish meatballs covered in a creamy sauce, piled in a wooden bowl. — Swedish Meatballs (Ikea Copycat). Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Small enough for easy serving, Swedish Meatballs (Ikea Copycat) come together in 45 minutes and make four portions. Lean ground beef is combined with onion, egg, breadcrumbs, pepper, and nutmeg, then paired with a sauce of butter, flour, beef stock, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce. The creamy gravy keeps the meatballs substantial enough for dinner rather than a small appetizer. Spoon them over noodles or place a simple vegetable side beside them.
Get the Recipe: Swedish Meatballs (Ikea Copycat)

Beef and Broccoli

Fast stovetop cooking keeps Beef and Broccoli within 30 minutes while producing four servings. Thinly sliced flank steak and broccoli cook with a sauce made from soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, fresh ginger, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. The short cooking time makes this one of the easiest choices in the collection for a busy evening. Serve it over rice so the sauce has something to soak into.
Get the Recipe: Beef and Broccoli

Spatchcock Turkey

Close-up of sliced roasted chicken with crispy skin, garnished with herbs. — Spatchcock Turkey. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Flattening the bird helps Spatchcock Turkey roast evenly in the 2-hour-30-minute time listed on the recipe card, and it serves 12. A 12- to 14-pound turkey is brined with apple cider, salt, sugar, oranges, onion, celery, juniper berries, thyme, bay leaves, water, and white wine. The brine needs at least 24 hours, so plan a day ahead. Slice it for a holiday table with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Spatchcock Turkey

Loaded Taco Pizza

A close-up of a loaded flatbread pizza topped with avocado slices, diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, seasoned meat, black beans, and a drizzle of creamy sauce. — Loaded Taco Pizza. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Two familiar dinner formats meet in Loaded Taco Pizza, a 30-minute recipe that serves six. Pizza dough carries seasoned ground beef, refried beans, salsa, Mexican-blend cheese, and sliced olives, with tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, or red onion available as toppings. The sturdy slices make it useful for game day, a casual family dinner, or a night when tacos sound good but plates need to stay simple. Cut into wedges and add toppings after baking.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Taco Pizza

Homemade Lasagna

Close-up of a delicious slice of lasagna, showcasing layers of pasta, ground meat, tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, and garnished with chopped basil. — Homemade Lasagna. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Designed as a faster route to a layered dinner, Homemade Lasagna uses the 30-minute total time listed on the recipe card and serves four. Pre-cooked lasagna noodles are layered with ground beef, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, ricotta, Parmesan, basil, and Italian seasoning. The meat-and-cheese combination gives the dish enough weight to stand on its own. Serve with a green salad or roasted vegetables to balance the rich layers.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Lasagna

Shrimp Tacos

Bright, spicy flavor arrives quickly with Shrimp Tacos, a 15-minute dinner that makes four servings. Shrimp cooks with cayenne, paprika, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, and cilantro before going into tortillas. Avocado, red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and more cilantro can be added at the table. The short cooking time makes these especially useful when dinner needs to happen fast without relying on another beef-based dish. Serve immediately while the shrimp is hot.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Tacos