10+ Heart-Healthy Lunch Recipes to Make Forever

Lunchtime just got tastier thanks to this collection of recipes. From salads to sandwiches, these lunches have four- and five-star ratings from EatingWell readers. Plus, each recipe is low in sodium and saturated fat, so they easily align with a heart-healthy eating pattern. Recipes like our Green Goddess Tuna Salad and Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls are so delicious, you’ll want to make them every week.

Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.

Green Goddess Tuna Salad

Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco

Canned tuna makes this recipe convenient and pantry-friendly while also offering an impressive punch of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, sardines or mackerel would work just as well in this quick recipe. Use the remaining herb sauce as a dressing for salads or grain bowls, as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip for vegetables. This recipe is easily doubled to make a big batch to meal-prep for the week. Serve on bread or in a wrap, over a bed of greens or scooped up with your favorite chips, crackers or cucumber slices.

Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD

These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast.

Black Bean-Queso Wraps

These easy wraps are filled with black beans, corn, red pepper and creamy queso. They cook up quickly in a panini press.

Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls

Brimming with colorful roasted vegetables, these plant-based meal-prep lunch bowls are high in fiber to keep you full through the afternoon. Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus to cut down on prep time, or make a batch of your own. You can also sub in an 8-ounce microwaveable quinoa pouch to minimize cooking.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens

For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we’ve replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.

Broccoli & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

We’ve loaded this healthy pasta salad with vegetables and bright flavors. Sun-dried tomatoes and a touch of lemon zest jazz up the dressing, while tender-crisp broccoli florets cook alongside the pasta, making assembly (and cleanup!) a breeze.

Chicken, Spinach & Feta Wraps

Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco

This chicken, spinach and feta wrap recipe is elevated by the convenience of rotisserie chicken and the scrumptious flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. Whisk together the easy dressing, toss with the chicken, add spinach and wrap it all together for a delicious lunch or dinner. Using rotisserie chicken speeds up the process, but you can also reach for this recipe if you have leftover cooked chicken on hand.

Smoked Salmon Salad Niçoise

This twist on a classic Niçoise salad uses smoked salmon in place of tuna and adds extra vegetables in place of hard-boiled eggs and olives.

Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.

Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

Robby Lozano

It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!

Chicken Avocado BLT Wrap

Who doesn’t love a BLT? In this tasty version, we’ve added chicken and avocado and wrapped it in a tortilla, making it easy to eat.

Chopped Cobb Salad

This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.

Green Goddess Sandwich

Victor Protasio

This green goddess sandwich is a fresh and satisfying sandwich. The dressing packs a flavorful punch with capers and lemon juice. The cucumber and sprouts add nice crunch, and the seasoned avocado brings in the creaminess.

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