High-protein breakfast ideas: 7 healthy recipes

What is a high-protein breakfast?

Foods high in protein help you feel fuller for longer, so choosing a high-protein breakfast can reduce the temptation to snack before lunch.

Many breakfast cereals are made from refined grains that are low in protein and fibre but high in added sugars, which can leave you feeling tired and hungry by mid-morning.

And although traditional breakfast foods like bacon and sausages, or their vegetarian alternatives, do contain protein, they’re also high in saturated fat, which can lead to high cholesterol levels.

Instead, up your morning protein intake with unprocessed whole foods, such as poached or boiled eggs, wholegrains, low-fat yogurt, nuts, oily fish and baked beans.

Getting more protein in your breakfast can also help you reach the recommended daily amount of protein.

This is 0.75g per kg of body weight per day for an adult with a healthy weight – about 45g a day for a 60kg (9st 6lb) woman, or 55g a day for a 75kg (11st 11lb) man.

• Read more about high-protein foods and how much you need per day.

Is a protein shake a good breakfast?

It might be tempting to make a protein shake for a quick breakfast if you're in a rush.

However, shakes made from protein powder often lack fibre, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Plus, many powders are high in calories and have lots of added sugar.

Instead, if you're short on time in the morning, you could prep a high-protein breakfast beforehand, such as overnight oats with 0% fat Greek yogurt or hard-boiled eggs.

Or, you can try one of our recipes below for a protein-rich breakfast made from nutritious whole foods.

7 high-protein and lower-calorie breakfast ideas 

1. Protein porridge

Plain porridge or overnight oats made with water are a good source of fibre and contain some protein on their own.

But you can easily add more protein by making porridge with skimmed milk and topping it with 0% fat Greek yogurt, nuts or nut butter, and seeds.

If you'd rather use a plant-based milk, the best alternative to dairy is unsweetened soya milk, which has a similar amount of protein as cow's milk.

Get started with our recipe for Bircher muesli you can make the night before, which contains 11g of protein.

• Read more about the health benefits of porridge.

2. Scrambled eggs or scrambled tofu

If you prefer a savoury breakfast, eggs are a good source of protein and other nutrients.

Try our Indian-spiced scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast for an easy breakfast or lunch with 16g of protein that you can make in less than 15 minutes.

You could even try mixing in a couple of tablespoons of cottage cheese with your eggs for 3g of extra protein.

If you do not eat eggs, scrambled tofu on toast can work just as well.

Roughly mash around 100g of tofu per person using a fork, then fry in a pan with 2 tsp of vegetable oil for 5 minutes. Add spices like turmeric and ground cumin, if liked.

Serve on 2 slices of wholegrain toast for a plant-based breakfast with around 16g of protein.

3. Baked beans

Baked beans on wholegrain toast are another classic breakfast with plenty of plant-based protein and fibre.

Ready-made baked beans often come with added salt and sugar, so make sure to choose no-added-salt or sugar beans.

You can even make your own with our 20-minute recipe for baked beans and garlicky mushrooms that contains 6g of protein.

• Read more about why baked beans are good for you.

4. Poached eggs

Unlike fried or scrambled eggs, poached eggs do not need to be cooked with oil, so they're lower in calories.

They go particularly well with smashed avocado. Try our recipe for avocado and poached egg on toast for a 15-minute breakfast with 11g of protein.

5. Kedgeree

Kedgeree is a traditional breakfast dish that's high in protein and can be enjoyed at any time of day.

Try our recipes for trout kedgeree with 48g of protein, or salmon kedgeree with 32g of protein.

Although kedgeree is traditionally made with haddock, our versions use oily fish instead as they contain more heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

6. Frittata

Frittatas are an easy meal you can make ahead of time to prep healthy breakfasts for the next few days. They're also a good way to use up leftover vegetables.

Get our recipes for a Mediterranean vegetable frittata, which has 15g of protein, or our mushroom and cauliflower frittata, which contains 18g of protein.

7. Baked eggs

Instead of a weekend fry-up, why not try baking eggs for brunch instead?

Get our recipe for baked eggs with mushrooms (10g of protein) or bake eggs with tomatoes and other vegetables to make a shakshuka (20.9g of protein).

You could even add lentils for an extra boost of protein and fibre, like in our Spanish-style lentils with eggs recipe, which comes with 21g of protein.

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