Every time we sit down to eat is an opportunity to fuel our bodies and infuse our life with supportive ingredients and beautiful food. And while we may have once thought that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, nutrition and wellness experts are increasingly touting a focus on lunch. In Ayurveda, it’s believed that Agni—the digestive fire—follows the patterns of the sun. What does that mean for your meals? Breakfast is prime time for a bowl of vibrant and colorful fruits, your favorite chai, or warm cereal. And when the sun sets, you’ll bookend your day with another light meal as well. Right in the middle, of course, is lunch, when your digestive fire is strongest. It’s a perfect time to focus on piling your plate with the most nutrients. That’s exactly why I’ve rounded up 12 easy wrap recipes that’ll help you get your fill of veggies, protein, and everything in between.
Armed with my w&p ceramic Porter bowl (I’ll never let millennial pink die), I’m not one to shy away from saying that my lunches are meal prep gold. On Sundays, I’ll set aside an hour, put on a playlist, and prep my veggies, grains, sauces, and proteins with an energy rivaling bliss. The result is gram-worthy lunches Monday through Friday. But even the most varied and vibrant bowls can get old. When they do, it’s the good old-fashioned wrap I turn to instead.
Full disclosure: The recipes that follow are not your health-halo, heavy-on-the-mayo wraps. These easy wrap recipes not only make it simple to hold a rainbow of vitamin-packed ingredients in the palm of your hand but they can be assembled in a mere matter of minutes. So whether your office is a car ride away or a few feet from your kitchen, you can feel confident in the wrap that’s waiting for you come 12 p.m. Keep scrolling for the recipes that’ll blow your lunch-lovin’ mind. P.S. If it’s lettuce wraps you’re craving, we’ve got all the recipes you need here.
Vegetarian Wraps
Veggie Wraps from Tastes Better from Scratch
Why We Love It: Green, green, and more green. I’m all about creating meals that are just as beautiful as they are tasty, and this one delivers on all counts. My taste buds go wild for all the verdant veggies wrapped up inside. Be sure to spread the hummus to offset the filling’s crunch with an addictingly creamy bite.
Hero Ingredient: Don’t miss your chance to add a little fruity flavor with a drizzle of olive oil.
Healthy Lunch Wraps from Love & Lemons
Why We Love It: While some wraps can be a (delicious) bomb of heavy ingredients, this recipe lightens things up with a healthy dose of all the veggies you could dream of. There’s nothing more satisfying than picking up a dense wrap right before taking a bite. And when your sandwich is filled with goodness in the form of greens, avocado, and perfectly-seasoned chickpeas, well, just know that you’re in for a treat.
Hero Ingredient: The creamy and bright avocado takes your standard chickpea salad wrap to new heights.
Vegan Wraps
Spinach Wraps With Cashew Cheese from Bianca Zapatka
Why We Love It: Moment of appreciation for the beauty that is these wraps. From start to finish, they only take a total of ten minutes to make. And while a wrap that’s all about the spinach might not seem the most appetizing, the leafy green is laced with a healthy serving of homemade cashew cheese. Plus, these wraps are about as portable as portable can be. Your adult lunch box will thank you.
Hero Ingredient: The nutritional yeast not only makes the cashew cheese super… cheesy, but it’ll also pack your lunch with plenty of hard-to-get B Vitamins.
Napa Cabbage Wraps
Why We Love It: Antioxidants, vitamins, and a rainbow of anti-inflammatory veggies, oh my! Every single ingredient in these light but filling wraps will color your lunch with goodness. They’re salty, crunchy, and thanks to the peanut dipping sauce, perfectly sweet. I’ll take five.
Hero Ingredient: Crispy tofu takes these wraps from salad status to a deliciously satisfying meal.
Spicy Lentil Tahini Wraps from Feasting At Home
Why We Love It: Let me read that back to you: Spicy. Lentil. Tahini. Lentils are the darling of the plant-based protein world. They give amazing texture to any recipe they touch (seriously, swap out the ground beef in your chili for lentils and prepare to be blown away). And if you haven’t picked up on it already, when it comes to wraps, I’m all about the sauce. After making this recipe, I officially can’t have a wrap without sriracha-laced tahini sauce on the side.
Hero Ingredient: I love the warming, slightly sweet flavor that cumin gives the lentils. And because they fill my favorite legume with a kick of flavor, this whole recipe benefits.
Vibrant Collard Green Wraps With Green Curry Tahini Sauce from Minimalist Baker
Why We Love It: Collards are the hardy, leafy green that, in my book, make the best low-carb, grain-free substitute for your go-to tortilla. The mise en place of these wraps is unreal—beets, carrots, red bell peppers, and avocado give your cutting board an inspiring rainbow-like hue. Fresh, crunchy, and fully customizable? A crave-worthy lunch awaits.
Hero Ingredient: These wraps are nothing without the nutty, spicy Green Curry Tahini Sauce.
Protein Wraps
Lettuce Wrapped Thai Chicken Burgers
Why We Love It: Summer is the prime-time burger-grilling season, but there are a few recipes I’ll work into my year-round rotation. These lettuce wraps are famous for taking a lightened-up approach to your favorite burger. The leaner chicken is made all the more flavorful with garlic, cilantro, mint, and curry powder. And while these might be more appropriate for a work-from-home lunch, if you pack up the burger ingredients separately, they’re easy to assemble at the office.
Hero Ingredient: When it comes time to wrap things up, don’t you dare skip out on the sliced avocado.
Easy Mediterranean Chicken Wraps from The Forked Spoon
Why We Love It: There’s a reason the Mediterranean diet has risen in popularity. Of course, it’s known to promote longevity and decrease the risk of heart disease. But along with all of that, because of its emphasis on flavorful ingredients (avocados, olives, plenty of legumes, and a medley of nuts), it’s the furthest a diet can get from feeling restrictive. These wraps do it justice, combining briny artichokes and black olives with feta’s salty punch. Cherry tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, and crispy romaine ensure you’re getting your veggies. Thinking you might still be hungry? Chicken breast and hummus keep you satisfied. Wrap it all up in a fluffy pita, and get ready to be amazed.
Hero Ingredient: Pepperoncini isn’t for everyone, and if that’s the case for you, I’d highly recommend giving the sweet little peppers another try. I can say with plenty of confidence that this recipe will make you a believer.
Turkey Ranch Club Wraps from Life in the Lofthouse
Why We Love It: If you eat meat and are wanting a wrap that’s a bit more indulgent, here you go. These are simple and satisfying, and they make for a quick dinner or easy, on-the-go lunch. I also love prepping these before setting out on a weekend hike—they’re hearty and perfect for when I need to refuel with protein.
Hero Ingredient: There’s a long list of foods that people think pair best with ranch on the side. You’ll never catch me dipping my pizza in the sauce. But in this recipe, the creamy, herby ranch gives a refreshing coolness that balances out the other, slightly-on-the-saltier-side-of-things, ingredients. This recipe lets you take the store-bought route, but if you want to make your own, this is the ranch recipe I always recommend.
Caesar Chicken Collard Wraps from The Defined Dish
Why We Love It: I’ll forever defend wraps as one of the easiest lunch options out there. Some recipes, however, admittedly aren’t the best to make ahead. Keep a sauce-heavy wrap in the fridge for anything longer than a few hours, and the result is likely to be a sad, soggy tortilla. Solution? Collard greens. It amazes me how well they stand up to any mix of ingredients. You can double this recipe, and prepare a few wraps for the week ahead, letting you grab and go as you please. To seal the deal on this recipe, I’ll add this: They’re high protein, low-carb, and undeniably delicious.
Hero Ingredient: This Whole30-friendly, Caesar Salad Dressing makes the meal.
Gluten-Free Wraps
Gluten-Free Veggie Wraps With Hummus from Bianca Zapatka
Why We Love It: I’m a passionate proponent of making meals that inspire and engage you beyond taste alone. These wraps rely on a star-studded list of veggies for flavor and crunch. But more than that, the greens, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and bell peppers (the list goes on), bring a beautiful mix of color that’s truly a sight to behold. So many veggies, vitamins, and nutrients, all brought together in so little time.
Hero Ingredient: Not gonna lie, I was a little skeptical about dowsing my veggies in ketchup, so I opted for the suggested sriracha instead. The slight heat is just what these sandwiches need.
Gluten-Free Zucchini Flatbread Sandwich Wraps from Perry’s Plate
Why We Love It: Sometimes when you’re trying to make a grain-filled recipe gluten-free, the result (literally) doesn’t hold up. That definitely isn’t the case for these zucchini flatbreads. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they make an amazing paleo substitute for your classic wrap. If you’re familiar with lavash-style flatbreads, that’s what you can expect to find here. Make your wrap, and when it comes to filling it up, proceed with a choose-your-own-adventure style approach. Trust me, any ingredient you’re craving will finish off these flatbreads beautifully.
Hero Ingredient: Believe what they say: Zucchini really can do it all.
Which wraps will you add to your lunchtime rotation?
