4 High-Protein Dinners for Weight Loss (With Exact Gram Weights)

1. Lean Turkey Burger with Crispy Sweet Potato Fries — 485 calories, 38g protein (serves 2)

This is the recipe that convinces people volume eating is not a diet. A proper burger with fries at under 500 calories per person — not because it is a sad miniaturised version, but because lean turkey mince and baked sweet potato fries are genuinely lower in calorie density than their traditional counterparts without sacrificing flavour or satisfaction.

Burger ingredients (serves 2):

• 300g lean ground turkey 93/7
• 40g whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 30ml egg white (approximately 1 large)
• 15ml low-sodium soy sauce
• 10g Worcestershire sauce
• 5g garlic powder
• 120g whole wheat burger buns (2 × 60g)
• 40g tomato slices, 30g red onion, 20g lettuce
• 15ml low-fat mayonnaise, 10g mustard

Sweet potato fries:

• 400g sweet potatoes — weighed raw before cutting
• 15ml olive oil
• 2g paprika, 2g garlic powder, salt and pepper

How to make it: Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut sweet potatoes into fries and toss with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile, combine turkey mince with breadcrumbs, egg white, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Form into 2 patties. Cook in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat, 5-6 minutes per side. Build burgers with your toppings.

Scale tip: Weigh sweet potatoes at 400g raw. Sweet potato loses approximately 20% of its weight during roasting — if you weigh it after cooking, you will over-estimate. The raw weight is what matches the calorie data in the app.

2. Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus — ~310 calories per serve, 32g protein (serves 2)

This is the fastest recipe on the list at 22 minutes total and one of the lowest in calories. Shrimp (prawns) are one of the best protein sources for volume eating — at 99 cal/100g with 24g protein, they are leaner than chicken breast by calorie. The asparagus adds enormous volume at just 20 cal/100g.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 350g large shrimp/prawns, peeled and deveined
• 300g fresh asparagus spears
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• 30ml olive oil
• 30ml fresh lemon juice
• 40g onion, sliced
• 18g garlic (6 cloves), minced
• 30g fresh parsley, chopped
• 10g fresh dill, chopped
• 50g low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to make it: Preheat oven to 200°C. Trim asparagus into 5cm pieces and toss with half the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast 4-5 minutes. In a bowl, combine prawns with remaining olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Add prawns and cherry tomatoes to the baking sheet. Roast for a further 6-8 minutes until prawns are pink and cooked through. Remove from oven, scatter with feta, parsley, and dill. Serve immediately.

Scale tip: Weigh the olive oil at 30ml total — it is the primary fat source in this recipe. The shrimp and asparagus are both naturally low-calorie, so the oil is where the majority of the fat calories come from.

3. Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta — ~420 calories per serve, 44g protein (serves 2)

Traditional Tuscan chicken pasta uses heavy cream and can reach 700-900 calories per serve. This version replaces the cream with non-fat Greek yoghurt, which provides the same creamy texture and richness but with a fraction of the fat and significantly more protein. Whole wheat pasta adds fibre that extends satiety compared to regular pasta.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 300g chicken breast, cubed
• 160g whole wheat pasta, dry weight
• 150g fresh spinach
• 80g sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed (drain off the oil before weighing)
• 200ml low-sodium chicken broth
• 150g non-fat Greek yoghurt
• 50g onion, diced
• 30g mushrooms, sliced
• 40g parmesan, grated
• 15ml olive oil
• 12g garlic (4 cloves), minced
• 10g fresh basil, chopped
• Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning

How to make it: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Cook chicken 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and stir in Greek yoghurt (do not boil after adding — it will curdle). Add cooked pasta and parmesan. Toss to combine. Top with fresh basil.

Scale tip: Weigh the sun-dried tomatoes AFTER draining off the oil they are packed in. Sun-dried tomatoes in oil are around 213 cal/100g, but the drained tomatoes themselves are about 100 cal/100g — a significant difference if you weigh them without draining first.

4. Lean Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry — ~340 calories per serve, 35g protein (serves 2)

This is the volume eating version of a takeaway classic. A restaurant beef and broccoli can easily be 700-900 calories with thick starchy sauce and a generous oil base. This version uses lean beef sirloin, a measured amount of sesame oil, and a cornstarch-thickened soy-ginger sauce — delivering the same flavour profile at less than half the calories.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 300g lean beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
• 400g fresh broccoli florets
• 100g red bell pepper, sliced
• 100g yellow onion, sliced
• 50g snap peas
• 30ml low-sodium soy sauce
• 15ml sesame oil
• 10ml rice vinegar
• 20ml beef broth
• 15g ginger, minced
• 15g garlic (5 cloves), minced
• 10ml cornstarch + 20ml water (mixed into a slurry)
• 30g sesame seeds

How to make it: Heat sesame oil in a large wok or pan over very high heat. Add beef in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring to get a good sear. Remove beef and set aside. In the same pan, stir-fry broccoli, bell pepper, onion, and snap peas for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Return beef to the pan. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and beef broth. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 minute until sauce thickens. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

Scale tip: 400g of broccoli is the volume foundation of this dish — at only 34 cal/100g it contributes just 136 calories while filling most of the plate. Weigh the sesame oil precisely as it is the highest-calorie-density ingredient at 884 cal/100g.

How These Dinners Fit Your Daily Targets