High-protein fish dinners
The short answer
Most fish carry a lot of protein for very little else. Tuna, cod, haddock and other white fish are lean and protein-dense, giving you a lot of protein with almost no fat. Salmon, trout and mackerel carry slightly less protein by weight but add omega 3. A typical 150g fillet gives you somewhere between 25 and 40 grams of protein depending on the fish.
Which fish carry the most protein
These are honest typical figures for a raw 150g portion, which is a normal fillet at the counter. Cooking concentrates protein a little as water is lost, so a cooked portion often reads higher per 100g.
| Fish | Protein per 150g raw (typical) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuna | 36 to 40g | Very lean, dense, high protein per calorie |
| Cod | 26 to 30g | Lean white fish, mild and flaky |
| Haddock | 26 to 30g | Similar to cod, slightly sweeter |
| Sea bass | 27 to 30g | Lean, delicate |
| Halibut | 30 to 33g | Firm, meaty white fish |
| Prawns (150g cooked) | 30 to 36g | Lean, quick, easy to add to anything |
| Salmon | 28 to 33g | Oily, high in omega 3 |
| Trout | 30 to 33g | Oily, close to salmon |
| Mackerel | 28 to 30g | Oily, strong flavoured, rich in omega 3 |
Numbers vary with the exact cut and the season. Treat them as a guide rather than a label.
Lean versus oily, and which to pick
- Lean white fish (cod, haddock, sea bass, halibut, tuna) give you the most protein for the fewest calories. Choose these if you are counting calories or building a high-protein low-fat plate.
- Oily fish (salmon, trout, mackerel) give you a little less protein by weight but add omega 3 fatty acids, which support heart and brain health. Choose these two or three times a week for the fats as much as the protein.
Quick high-protein dinners
Each of these lands 30 grams or more of protein on the plate and takes under twenty five minutes.
- Seared tuna steak with greens. One to two minutes a side in a very hot pan, rested pink. The leanest big-protein hit on this page. Buy tuna.
- Baked cod with lemon and a bean salad. Bake at 180C for twelve to fifteen minutes. The beans push the protein higher again. Buy cod.
- Air-fryer salmon fillet. 180C for eight to ten minutes, skin-side down. Protein and omega 3 with no added fat. Buy salmon.
- Garlic prawns. Pan-fried in a couple of minutes, served with rice or wilted spinach. Fast and very lean. Buy prawns.
- Grilled mackerel on toast. Two minutes a side, plenty of protein and omega 3, ready in the time the grill takes to heat.
How to get more protein from the same fish
- Ask us to cut a thicker portion at the counter. Protein scales with weight, so a 200g fillet gives you more than a 120g one.
- Add a second lean protein: prawns through a pasta, or a soft-boiled egg on a fish salad.
- Keep the cooking lean. Grilling, baking, steaming and air frying add protein-free heat rather than oil.
Buy it cut to the weight you want
We price by weight and cut to order, so you can ask for an exact portion size and we will fillet, skin and pin-bone it by hand at no charge. That makes it simple to hit a protein target without guessing. Order at the counter or have it delivered.
Frequently asked questions
Which fish has the most protein? Tuna is one of the highest, with around 36 to 40 grams of protein in a 150g portion. Halibut, cod, haddock and prawns are also very high and very lean.
How much protein is in a salmon fillet? A typical 150g salmon fillet carries around 28 to 33 grams of protein, along with a good amount of omega 3.
Is fish better than chicken for protein? They are close. Lean white fish and skinless chicken breast carry a similar amount of protein per gram. Fish adds omega 3 that chicken does not, and oily fish especially so.
What is a good low-fat high-protein fish? Lean white fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass and tuna give you a lot of protein with very little fat. Prawns are in the same group.
Does cooking change the protein? Cooking does not add or remove much protein, but it drives off water, so a cooked portion reads a little higher per 100g than a raw one. The total on your plate stays roughly the same.
How much fish should I eat for a high-protein diet? A 150 to 200g portion delivers 25 to 40 grams of protein, which is a solid amount for one meal. Two to three fish meals a week is a common target, with at least one oily fish for the omega 3.
Featured photograph by Xemenendura, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
