16 Gluten-Free Low-Calorie Meals That Fill You Up

A common health misconception is that following a low-calorie diet will leave you constantly hungry.

That is not at all how things are!


As an example, which would you choose to eat—a bag of Cheetos or a bowl of broccoli?

Broccoli may not be your favorite food, but you already know that fiber makes you feel full!

You can run for hours on end with a full tank if you add some lean protein—without gaining weight!

The real hurdle is to make healthy ingredients taste amazing—because no one wants to eat basic chicken and broccoli forever, right?

I mean, I completely get the "food is just fuel" crowd, but I also realize that most people will find it difficult to maintain any kind of diet if they feel like the fun and flavor of their food has been taken away from them at every meal.

Fortunately for us, there are a ton of amazing home cooks out there who have developed mouthwatering, calorie-conscious, gluten-free dishes!

We’ve collected 16 of our favorite meals that will fill you up without filling you out—and we promise they’re not all salads!

So let’s dive in so we can get eating, shall we?

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1. Spinach Avocado Quinoa Balls Recipe

This recipe combines the nutty flavor of quinoa with the creaminess of avocado, plus it has plenty of protein and fiber.

Not only is it gluten-free and low in calories, but it's also vegan!


You can mix the balls into salads, gluten-free pasta, wraps, or even use them as a vegetarian burger!

Grab the recipe here.

2. Hearty Vegan White Bean Soup

Soup's versatility is one of its greatest qualities. Basically anything may be added to a tomato sauce or broth foundation to make soup.

White beans, spinach, quinoa, onions, garlic, vegetable stock, and lemon juice are the ingredients in this one.

Grab the recipe here.

3. Stuffed Butternut Squash

Just three flavorful ingredients make up this roasted butternut squash filling: goat cheese, spicy Italian sausage, and quinoa.

It makes enough to serve the family and is loaded with fiber and protein!

Grab the recipe here.

4. Instant Pot Beef Fajitas

Who doesn’t love fajitas? The sizzle. The smell. I’m hungry just thinking about them!

These beef fajitas are a snap to fix in an instant pot with onion, peppers, spices, and slices of beef steak. Then serve on gluten-free corn tortillas, or over a bed of lettuce for a fajita salad.

Grab the recipe here.

5. Vegetarian Cabbage Soup

Can you believe that each portion of this dinner just contains 150 calories? I promise you, when prepared properly, soup is a dieter's best buddy!

Dinner is ready when you combine cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and seasonings in a pot of vegetable broth.

Grab the recipe here.

6. Easy Instant Pot Meatballs

For these meatballs, either beef or turkey works well.

All members of the family will enjoy these delicious meatballs whether they are served over gluten-free pasta or eaten on their own!


Please pass the cheese, Parmesan!

Grab the recipe here.

7. Vegan Teriyaki Chickpea Bowl

The best thing about satisfying, low-calorie meals like this is that they're usually simple and quick to prepare.

Working long hours in the kitchen? No one has time for that, it seems!


With just a few simple ingredients, this vegan teriyaki chickpea bowl can simply be turned gluten-free by replacing the soy sauce with tamari. It feeds a family of four.

Grab the recipe here.

8. Spicy Prawn Mango Summer Salad

Sweetheart Under the sea, where it is wetter, is better! Couldn't resist the urge. This spicy mango salad with prawns makes me think of the ocean.

This supper is so simple—just seven ingredients—that it's ocean-easy!

Grab the recipe here.

9. Raw Spiralized Thai Salad

Waiting for the mixture to marinade in the fridge before breathing it in will be the most difficult aspect of this recipe.

However, it's ideal to let it sit so the tastes can seep into the vegetables and enhance the flavor even further.

Grab the recipe here.

10. Easy Rainbow Summer Rolls

"Tasting the rainbow" takes on a whole new meaning with these rolls!

Although they seem almost too beautiful to eat, you will want to.


What's not to love about a rainbow of vegetables, spicy peanut sauce, and vermicelli rice noodles?

Grab the recipe here.

11. Red Lentils Pasta with Tuna and Aubergines Sauce

Calorie-dense tuna noodle dish, get over it! The community now has a new sheriff.

This recipe is just as comforting without being overly caloric.


Ricotta cheese, eggplant, tuna, red lentil pasta, and spices combine to make this creamy, low-calorie version of a beloved recipe.

Grab the recipe here.

12. Unstuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

This quick and simple "unstuffed" pepper casserole has all the flavor of stuffed peppers without requiring a lot of preparation—it can be prepared in just 35 minutes!

By replacing the rice with crumbled cauliflower, you can reduce the dish's calorie count to just 110 per serving.


So feel free to have seconds!

Grab the recipe here.

13. Creamy Protein Oatmeal

I had to provide a breakfast choice. In theory, though, I suppose you could eat it anytime of the day.

This recipe uses egg whites to boost the protein content of your oatmeal, as opposed to the usual method of adding protein powder, which can occasionally be a little gritty or too sweet!


You'll have a tasty, high-protein breakfast that will keep you going for hours if you add a handful of your favorite nutritious toppings, like fruit or nuts!

Grab the recipe here.

14. Cauliflower Fried Rice

With this cauliflower fried rice ready in less than 20 minutes, who needs takeout?

Using cauliflower instead of rice significantly reduces the amount of calories, and you may increase the protein by including lean proteins like tofu or chicken.

Grab the recipe here.

15. Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet

Five ingredients, fifteen minutes of preparation, twenty-five minutes of cooking, and presto! With this comfort food skillet recipe, you can feed four people for dinner.

All you need is extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella cheese, sweet potatoes, and broccoli florets.


Who said dieting was difficult?

Grab the recipe here.

16. Gluten Free Lasagna Soup Instant Pot Recipe

You were expecting me to finish this list with one last soup, didn't you?

Although tasty, lasagna isn't exactly diet-friendly.


I appreciate that this low-calorie alternative allows me to enjoy the same flavors without feeling guilty.

All the standard ingredients are there: cheese, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and ground beef.

Replace those annoying lasagna noodles with gluten-free fusilli pasta, then combine all the ingredients in a vegetable-rich beef broth.

Have you have any food yet? Yes, I certainly am!

Grab the recipe here.

Kick Your Weight Loss into High Gear

So now that you’re a firm believer that low calorie doesn’t mean your meals will be tiny or flavorless, it’s time to take a look at how you fuel your body every day.

And if you’re like many of our readers, you have probably tried more diets, pills, fixes, workout plans, and “magic solutions” than you can count.

And yet, those stubborn pounds are STILL hanging on for dear life!

We created our 21 Day Fat Loss Challenge for people exactly like you—people who feel like they’ve tried everything under the sun, but just can’t shed the weight or keep it off.

Our challenge provides a step-by-step plan to help you lose up to 21 lbs in just 21 days, with far less effort than you may think!

Tons of our clients have turned it into a lifestyle diet and have lost as much as over 100 pounds with the challenge!

The best part? Besides just losing weight, the 21 Day Fat Loss Challenge was designed to heal your gut, rebalance your hormones, and retrain your tastebuds—so you’ll actually be able to keep the weight off!

And in case you were wondering, YES—the challenge is totally gluten free!

If you’re ready to make some changes in your life, this is the ONLY place you should start.  We’ll teach you exactly how to make the necessary changes in your diet and lifestyle, and how to keep them “beyond the diet.”

Take control of your life and start your 21 Day Fat Loss Challenge TODAY!

Leave a comment below if you enjoyed this article on gluten free and low calorie meals that fill you up, or if you have any questions!