Lunch is one of the most awkward meals of the day to cater to. You don’t always have the same amount of time and resources as you do at dinner and can often fall into the trap of making the same lunches day after day.
This problem only becomes worse if you need to eat gluten-free. There are so many foods that you can’t eat if you’re gluten-free, such as bread, and this will limit your lunch options even further.
That’s why we’ve created this article. We have 33 easy gluten-free lunch ideas that will keep you full.
We have a variety of different recipes for you to choose from so there’s sure to be something for everyone.
Some can be made in a few moments, others can be made in advance, and we also have several vegan options.
Let’s get started!
1. Baked Vegan Spring Rolls
Our first gluten-free lunch idea is some vegan spring rolls. They’re based on Chinese spring rolls and they are perfect for a light lunch, but can also work as appetizers or side dishes.
The wrappers are made from scratch and are gluten-free of course, so you can eat these spring rolls without any guilt. You can make them a few days in advance as well to save you time.
2. BBQ Chickpea Salad With Avocado Ranch
This salad looks beautiful and is made from a variety of different colors. It also tastes great, of course!
For the BBQ sauce, you can make your own from scratch or use your favorite store-bought version. The salad also includes carrots, scallions, tomatoes, and sweetcorn.
The recipe includes directions for the avocado ranch dressing but you can switch this for a dressing of your choice if you wish.
3. Bean And Beef Slow-Cooked Chili
We love chili and it’s a versatile dish that can be eaten for lunch or dinner.
This is made in a slow cooker so it will take around 6 to 8 hours to cook, but it can be prepared in advance and frozen. Then, all you need to do is defrost the chili and heat it in a saucepan.
The main ingredients are black beans, pinto beans, tomatoes, ground beef, and a variety of seasonings.
4. Burrata With Sweet And Sour Spring Veg
Burrata is a delicious Italian cheese that is made from mozzarella and cream and this recipe makes great use of it to make a delicious gluten-free lunch.
The burrata is served on a bed of spring vegetables such as carrots, asparagus, and rocket.
The recipe includes a pickling liquid to add some flavor to the dish as well. If you can’t source burrata, then any creamy cheese will be a good substitute.
5. Cauliflower Fried Rice
Cauliflower rice is a popular alternative to rice and similar foods and this recipe adds several different delicious ingredients to it. Mixed in the cauliflower rice are scallions, carrots, celery, red bell peppers, and peas.
6. Ceviche-Stuffed Avocados
Stuffed fruits and vegetables are always a great idea for lunch and these stuffed avocados filled with ceviche are no different.
Ceviche is a Latin American dish that consists of fish cured in lime juice and in the case of this recipe, it’s shrimp that is being used.
The combination of shrimp, cucumber, jalapeño, tomato, and citrus juices is delicious!
7. Chicken Quinoa Bowl With Olives & Cucumber
Quinoa is always a great option for anyone that is eating gluten-free as it is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different recipes.
This quinoa bowl is a delicious mix of flavors that is sure to keep you full and motivated during the day. It’s chicken, quinoa, red peppers, almonds, olives, cucumber, and feta cheese mixed together in a bowl.
8. Chick-Fil-A Gluten-Free Chicken Sandwich
This is a mock recipe that copies the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich, only with a gluten-free twist.
For the breaded chicken, you will need to use gluten-free all-purpose flour and the recipe also requires gluten-free hamburger buns.
The recipe uses a variety of ingredients and flavorings to make this a delicious lunch option.
9. Chickpea And Vegetable Coconut Curry
Curry is a great option for both lunches and dinners so having a few tasty and gluten-free options in your recipe book is always a good choice!
This is a Thai-inspired curry and it can be made in around 30 minutes so it shouldn’t take you too long.
It includes a lot of vegetables but these are flexible as you can leave any out and add any others in.
10. Crustless Quiche With Spinach
We love eating quiche for lunch as it’s an easy dish that can be made in advance and then served either chilled or warm, depending on your tastes.
Without the usual crust, this quiche becomes gluten-free but no less delicious! The main filling of the quiche is spinach and it’s best made with frozen spinach.
11. Egg Muffins
These egg muffins are a little similar to the crustless quiche that we just included, but they’re individual servings and a great option for all of the family.
They’re best made with frozen spinach instead of fresh, and other ingredients include cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, roasted red peppers, a variety of herbs, and eggs.
12. Firecracker Chicken With Rice
Why is this called “firecracker” chicken, you might be asking?
This recipe gets its fiery name from the sauce that is used for the chicken, which is made from sriracha and red pepper flakes. It’s a delicious sauce that really raises the flavor of the chicken.
The recipe only takes 30 minutes to make and works great for both lunch and dinner.
13. Fish Florentine
If you like fish served with a creamy sauce, then you are sure to love this recipe. It’s quick and easy to make and is bursting with delicious flavors.
You can use a filet of any boneless white fish, such as halibut, cod, or sea bass. It’s then served on a bed of spinach, red bell peppers, and a creamy cheese sauce.
14. Garlic Sesame Noodles
The noodles used in this recipe are Explore Cuisine’s chickpea spaghetti noodles, which are bean-based and entirely gluten-free.
They’re served with carrots, broccoli, onions, and sesame seeds as well as a delicious garlic sauce. The entire recipe will only take you about 20 minutes to cook as well!
15. Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
Here’s another recipe for stuffed vegetables but it’s very different from the last.
It uses the more traditional bell peppers and stuffs them with a delicious combination of Greek yogurt, chicken, celery, scallions, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Make sure the chicken is already cooked first ( you can use a store-bought cooked chicken) and this is a quick and easy recipe to make.
16. Kale Quinoa Salad
This is another recipe that uses quinoa only this time, it’s part of a healthy and delicious salad.
If you’re looking for a healthy and light lunch then salads are always a great option. It can also be served as a side dish as part of a larger meal as well, if you wish!
As well as cooked quinoa, the salad always includes kale, chickpeas, shallots, bell peppers, and carrots. However, like many salads, you can add or remove any ingredients you wish.
17. Lentil Salad With Feta
This is our second salad recipe in a row but it couldn’t be more different from the previous salad! The salad is filled with protein thanks to the inclusion of black beluga lentils.
These are cooked in vegetable broth and then served with a salad full of many healthy ingredients. You can easily make the salad vegan by leaving out the feta cheese.
18. Mango Chicken Curry
Next, we have another curry, only this curry is based on a popular Indian recipe. It’s a very sweet curry due to the addition of mango but this is a natural sweetness and not one that comes from added sugar.
Chicken thighs are the best option for the curry but you can also use chicken breast if you have this instead.
19. Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Unlike the other salads we’ve included in this list, this salad doesn’t require any ingredients to be cooked first so it can be assembled and mixed in only a few moments.
The salad uses canned tuna and you can add some more saltiness to your salad by including some capers as well.
As well as the fish, the salad also has shallots, red bell pepper, cucumber, and a dressing made from Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar.
20. Quick Black Bean And Corn Salad
It’s yet another salad but it’s quick and easy to make and doesn’t even require any chopping! You can make this salad in five minutes and it’s a simple dump-and-stir recipe.
The ingredients are black beans, corn, and store-bought pico de gallo. Mix the three together, season with a little salt and olive oil, and you’re finished!
21. Quinoa & Black Bean Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are one of the most common but delicious warm lunches that you can make.
They can also be used as appetizers as well, making this a great and versatile dish to master. There’s no meat in this recipe either, so it’s suitable for vegetarians.
The bell peppers are stuffed with quinoa, salsa, black beans, and cheese.
22. Rainbow Collard Wraps With Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
This is a great lunch to share with friends, family, or colleagues. It’s perfect for a group of people sitting around a table and sharing food and lively conversation.
The crunchy filling is made from hummus, carrots, cucumber, avocado, and red cabbage, and this is all wrapped in collard green leaves. The recipe also gives you a recipe for a dipping sauce that everyone can share.
23. Roasted Butternut Squash With Goat Cheese
You can serve this dish for lunch, dinner, or as a side dish. The combination of butternut squash and pomegranate seeds makes it the ideal side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
You will need to roast the butternut squash in the oven first before adding some walnuts and baking for a further 5 to 10 minutes. Add some pomegranate seeds and cheese for the final touches.
24. Shrimp Avocado Salad
Shrimp and avocado make a great pairing and this salad makes great use of them. The shrimp is mixed with tomatoes, onions, jalapeno pepper, serrano peppers, and lime juice.
You will need to refrigerate the mixture for around an hour to allow the flavors to mix. Stir in your avocados and then serve in lettuce leaves.
25. Spring Roll Bowls
These bowls look amazing and if you’re looking for a gluten-free lunch that will impress someone special, this recipe is for you.
The bowls do have noodles in them, but as they’re rice stick noodles you can be sure that they’re gluten-free. The bowl also contains chicken, lettuce, carrots, scallions, avocado, and sesame crackers.
26. Sweet Potato, Bacon, And Broccoli Egg Muffins
Egg muffins are a great choice for breakfast, brunch, and light lunches. They’re also gluten-free of course, so you can enjoy them without any guilt.
These muffins are stuffed with bacon, sweet potato, broccoli, and coconut milk. As the recipe uses nutritional yeast instead of cheese as well, this recipe is also dairy-free.
27. Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad With Peanut Dressing
This is another recipe that makes great use of sweet potato, making it a great light lunch for fall.
This salad not only includes sweet potatoes, but also kale, chicken breast, and unsalted peanuts. It is served with a peanut dressing and the recipe includes a link to make this from scratch as well.
28. Turkey Meatballs With Zucchini Noodles
If you’ve been eating a gluten-free diet for a while, you’ve no doubt become accustomed to the versatility and deliciousness of zoodles.
Zucchini noodles can be used in the place of spaghetti in many different recipes and this is no different.
The zoodles are served with turkey meatballs that are seasoned with parsley and garlic, as well as marinara sauce.
29. Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls
Don’t worry about the word “grain” in the title of this recipe as it truly is a gluten-free recipe that’s also vegan, low calorie, low sodium, and high in fiber.
The grains included in this bowl are quinoa and hummus and they’re served with kale, baby beets, edamame, avocado, and sunflower seeds. This dish is as delicious as it is healthy.
30. Vegetables, Steak, And Eggs
Steak may seem a little decadent for lunch, but as this recipe only takes 30 minutes to cook, we think it makes for a great lunch idea.
It uses either skirt steak or flank steak that is seasoned and served with zucchini, summer squash, red pepper, and baby spinach. Serve with a fried egg and some parmesan cheese.
31. Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Soup is an often overlooked idea for lunch but it’s one that we love indulging in occasionally.
Most split pea soups have some ham in them, but this one instead uses liquid smoke to ensure that the recipe is vegetarian. The base of the soup is vegetable broth and it also includes carrots and garlic.
32. Zucchini Noodle Stir Fry With Shrimp
We’re back to zucchini noodles with this recipe for noodle stir fry. We love stir fry as it’s a quick and easy way to make a warm and filling meal and requires less cleanup than many other dishes do, too!
The stir fry is flavored with lime juice, peanut butter powder, tamari, and sriracha sauce to ensure it has a mix of delicious flavors.
33. 3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Our final recipe is a simple salad that only requires three ingredients. These are chicken, celery, and flavored mayonnaise.
By using a store-bought rotisserie chicken your prep time is cut to almost zero and the salad can be kept in the fridge for up to four days as well, allowing you to prep this in advance.
Are any of the Wednesday Night Dinner Ideas gluten-free?
Looking for quick and easy dinner recipes that are gluten-free? Wednesday Night Dinner Ideas have got you covered! With a wide range of delicious options, you can find plenty of gluten-free meals to satisfy your taste buds. From flavorful salads to mouthwatering stir-fries, these recipes ensure everyone can enjoy a fantastic gluten-free dinner.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we listed 33 easy gluten-free lunch ideas that will keep you full. We included a wide variety of different lunch dishes so no matter what you want to eat for lunch, there should be a recipe here for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s now look at some of the most commonly asked questions about gluten-free side dishes.
If you’re living a gluten-free lifestyle then you undoubtedly already know what gluten is and what it means to be gluten-free.
However, if you can eat gluten but are tasked with cooking food for someone who can’t, or you need to begin eliminating gluten from your diet, you may not be as certain about what gluten-free really means.
Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat and other similar grains. This means that it is included in many common foods such as bread, pasta, and cereal.
This can make following a gluten-free lifestyle very difficult as it is in so many popular foods that we eat every day.
Thankfully, gluten-free alternatives are becoming increasingly popular and easy to find. In many cases, people can continue to eat the same dishes as long as they look for gluten-free ingredients.
Many supermarkets now have a gluten-free range and it is easy to find these products online.
There are a variety of reasons why people need to avoid gluten. Around one percent of Americans have celiac disease and eating too much gluten can cause intestinal damage in these cases.
Some people that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome will find that their symptoms are made worse by consuming gluten and will need to avoid it for these reasons.
Allergies to wheat and other types of cereal grain are also very common and are a good reason to avoid gluten as it is usually the gluten that causes the allergy.
If you think you may have an allergy to gluten you should keep a food diary to see if your symptoms line up with eating foods containing gluten.
33 Easy Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas To Keep You Full
Ingredients
Directions
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- Click the recipe name and visit the website
- Collect the ingredients and cook the food
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Recipe Video
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