30 Amazing TikTok Recipes for Lunch
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Bored of your weekday lunch routine? We feel you. That's why we compiled a list of some of the best lunch recipes from a surprising source: TikTok.
While TikTok is best known for viral-dance and lip-sync videos, cooking videos have also caught the attention of many. There are recipes for just about everything! Even better, they're not like the recipes you find on most cooking blogs because there's no need to read the chef's entire article before you get to the ingredients list.
TikTok recipes are fun, easy, and they get straight to the point. For a little culinary inspiration, here are 30 of the best lunch recipes TikTok has to offer.
Sweet and Savory Grilled Cheese
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Grilled cheese is always amazing, but this is one of those lunch recipes that really takes it up a notch. Copious amounts of cheese are a given, but peppery arugula, toasty caramelized onions and a drizzle of honey completely change the game.
Just look at those grill marks. Mmmm...
Find the Recipe Here
Fake Sushi Lunch
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It's possible to make sushi at home, but preparing raw fish can be daunting for the untrained chef. This fake sushi bento box looks like the real thing, but it's way harder to accidentally give someone food poisoning with ingredients like these.
Fresh banana and jam make up the rolls, with slivered carrots, avocado, rice and peas completing the spread. The recipe is intended for kids, but who says adults can't enjoy it, too?
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Microwave Mac and Cheese
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Love mac and cheese, but hate it from the box? This amazing TikTok recipe teaches you how to make classic mac in less than five minutes with a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in the pantry.
Toss the dry ingredients in a bag and bring it along with your favorite mug for a quick and easy hot lunch at work.
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5-Minute Quesadilla Hack
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This lunch hack has been making the rounds on TikTok for awhile now. You start with a tortilla and place a different ingredient in each quadrant. Then, make a cut from the center of the tortilla to the middle of the bottom edge. From there, fold the tortilla into quarters, sandwiching each ingredient into layers.
Grill it, wrap it and eat it on the go. Easy.
Find the Recipe Here
Low-Carb Bacon Weave Burrito
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To the tortilla-averse among us, this low-carb burrito is a lifesaver. It's just as hearty as a regular burrito, but it's keto-friendly. Crunchy shredded lettuce, heart-healthy avocado, shredded chicken for a protein boost and a dash of lime for flavor.
The best part? There's still a tortilla, except it's made of hot, crispy bacon.
Find the Recipe Here
Fried Merienda Bites
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Of all the TikTok recipes on this list, this one is one of the least healthy. It's more of a snack than a meal, though, so we'll let it slide.
A merienda translates to a light meal, but the portion size is the only thing light about it. It's basically a small, crispy, fried sandwich covered in breadcrumbs and stuffed with melted cheese and tuna. It's super fun to make, too.
Find the Recipe Here
Low-Carb Bell Pepper Sandwiches
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To balance out the less nutritious TikTok recipes, we felt compelled to throw this one in the mix. While there's been plenty of controversy about going gluten-free, it's safe to say that eating buckets of white bread isn't great for your health.
These "sandwiches" use bell peppers instead of bread. Is it the same as a regular sandwich? No, it isn't. But give it a try anyway. It's surprisingly tasty and won't leave you feeling lethargic after.
Find the Recipe Here
Butter Chicken
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Oh yes, you read that right. Butter. Chicken. Two of the best things combined in a single, incredible lunch recipe. This Indian-inspired dish is a labor of love. It involves making your own sauce with multiple different spices, cooking the chicken just right and making perfectly cooked white rice to complement the dish.
If you have time, it's totally worth it. Don't forget the naan!
Find the Recipe Here
Vegan Coconut Crab Cakes
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There are a surprising number of vegan recipes on TikTok, and this is one of them. There are pros to making vegan crab cakes even if you're not vegan. They're much cheaper to make than real crab cakes, and you can microwave them at work without igniting the rage of all your coworkers. Ever tried to get the smell of microwaved seafood out of a lunchroom? Spoiler: You can't.
This recipe uses jackfruit and hearts of palm in place of crab. If you have doubts about how tasty that can really be, visit the comment section of this TikTok video to see for yourself.
Find the Recipe Here
Vegan Sushi Bowl
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Another plant-based TikTok recipe, this one features crisp cucumber, baked tofu, sliced avocado, rice, carrots and a special seasoning to top it all off. It's both filling and fresh.
Plus, it's easy to bring with you on the go.
Find the Recipe Here
Spicy Broccoli Pasta
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Pasta is a universal crowd-pleaser, but spaghetti and meatballs get old. The Pasta Queen has graced the internet with dozens of mouthwatering pasta recipes on TikTok, including this spicy broccoli creation.
With hot chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, rigatoni pasta, broccoli and a dash of sea salt, your lunch box just got a whole lot tastier. As an added bonus, it only takes about 15 minutes to make.
Find the Recipe Here
Vegan Sushi Sandwich
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TikTok recipes aren't always convenient to carry with you to school or work, but this one is. It's also one of the healthiest and easiest to make. It takes the quesadilla hack in a new direction, layering rice, avocado, slivered veggies, sesame seasoning and sauce on top of a crispy seaweed base.
It's high in omega-3s and even higher in tastiness.
Find the Recipe Here
Easy and Healthy Lunch Wrap
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Lunch wraps are nothing new, but some lunch recipes really pump up the flavor. Designed by a vegan chef, this wrap features fresh spinach, rich avocado hummus, chickpeas and plenty more.
Roll it up and toss it in your lunch bag for an easy, high-protein, plant-based lunch. It's filling, too!
Find the Recipe Here
Baked Sushi
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Does baked sushi count as sushi? We'd normally say no, but considering this is one of the tastiest-looking TikTok recipes, we'll let it slide.
Essentially, this is a massive sushi casserole, complete with salmon, rice, finely chopped green onions and sushi seasoning. Prepare it a day early, and you can take it with you anywhere. Just wrap it in seaweed, and enjoy.
Find the Recipe Here
Pesto Eggs
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Pesto eggs aren't revolutionary, but Amy Wilichowski made this convenient tutorial to up your pesto egg game. The egg is cooked sunny side up, seasoned and plopped on top of hot toast. Add a side of fruit, and your balanced meal is complete.
Technically, it's a breakfast recipe, but who says you can't enjoy eggs at 2 p.m.?
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Tandoori Chicken Rice Bowl
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Tandoori chicken is usually something you'd order from DoorDash, but it can just as easily be made at home. The ingredients are surprisingly simple, and just look at the result. Strangely, the video comes with a horror story about what might happen if you say no to Tandoori chicken.
The obvious solution? Just say yes.
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Ah-Mazing Chicken Salad
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Easy lunch recipes don't have to be dull. This TikTok chicken salad highlights the sharp crunch of celery, spicy sriracha, creamy mayo and a winning combination of spices.
It's also keto if you eat it on its own or on top of low-carb bread.
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Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon
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Salmon is usually a dinner thing, but some TikTok lunch recipes are so good, you'll definitely want leftovers. This recipe is all about the sauce. Tomatoes, spinach and onions are cooked in a rich combo of butter and cream, which turns an enticing shade of yellow when it's ready.
It's not a low-calorie meal, but it's high in healthy fats and antioxidants.
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Chicken Rice Bowl
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Fast lunch recipes tend to leave something to be desired, but this one is a whole sensory experience. The rice is seasoned with lime, cilantro and onions, while the chicken is cooked to perfection and dressed with a sweet and savory soy-based sauce. Rice vinegar adds a pleasant tanginess, and the combination of chickpeas and feta cheese is incredible.
Toss in some edamame, and you're in for a feast.
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Homemade Tomato Soup
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There are so many tomato soup recipes out there that choosing one is almost impossible. One chef, however, has blessed the online community with some of the best TikTok recipes imaginable, including this tomato soup recipe. Instead of using canned tomatoes, this one uses freshly roasted veggies and herbs.
Blend them up, mix with heavy cream, basil and parmesan, and pour it into a thermos for a hot lunch on the go. If you have extra time, pair it with the truffle grilled cheese. Mind. Blown.
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Deluxe Club Sandwich
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Piper Labay loves making lunch for her partner in crime, and her easy lunch recipes are super convenient. Her club sandwich recipe is the heartiest sandwich we've seen, with ham, cheese, lettuce, bacon, mayo, hot pickles and an extra layer of buttered toast in the middle.
Can she make us lunch?
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Fresh Mango Ceviche
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Ceviche is often served at parties, but there's no reason you can't enjoy it on a weekday at the office. The mango adds an amazing sweetness to this signature seafood dish, and fried onions add a pleasing crunch.
All of the ingredients hold well in the fridge aside from the avocado. Just slice that up right before you chow down, and you're good to go.
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Cobb Salad
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Cobb salad is, well, cobb salad. It's not that unique, but TikTok recipes have a way of making everything look that much more appetizing than usual.
Imagine eating this salad instead of microwave noodles or takeout. It's worth the extra prep, and it's surprisingly healthy.
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Gigi Hadid's Vodkaless Pasta
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Gigi Hadid's vodka pasta recipe became an internet sensation a while back, but not everyone is able to enjoy its chili-cheese brilliance due to the included alcohol. One TikTok chef came up with a vodka-free alternative that's every bit as good as the real thing.
Fair warning: This recipe isn't for those who consider mild salsa to be "too hot."
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Shrimp Tacos
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Taco Tuesday, anyone? What about taco Monday? And Wednesday? These shrimp tacos are so good, we'd happily eat them every day of the week. The ingredients are thrown together in layers, so it's super easy to prep ahead of time.
When your stomach starts to growl, just scoop the mixture into a taco shell, drizzle on the sauce, and voila! Amazing tacos anytime you want.
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Pecan Praline Smoothie Bowl
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Picture a healthy smoothie. If you imagined a pile of fruit blended up, prepare to expand your horizons. This is one of the most creative TikTok recipes we've encountered. Frozen bananas are blended up with countless superfoods and vanilla protein powder, then topped with pecan pieces and the nut butter of your choice.
It's rich, and it'll keep you feeling full for hours.
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Best Green Smoothie
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Green smoothies get a bad rap, but after trying this one, you might change your mind. It combines frozen mango and banana with almond milk and spirulina powder. The powder is totally flavorless, so the smoothie tastes more like dessert than health food. Throw in some spinach if you're feeling brave.
The chef's toddler apparently gobbled this up, so there's a chance you'll love it, too.
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Shredded Lamb Paninis
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Go buy a panini press. We'll wait. This desi-style panini is unlike anything we've ever tried. It's made with boneless lamb, but that can easily be substituted for beef. It's seasoned with seven amazing, colorful spices and cooked in an Instant Pot. The sandwich is then assembled with layers of pepper jack, roasted bell peppers, cilantro and (of course) the seasoned meat.
Grill the panini until browned and crispy, then serve and enjoy.
Find the Recipe Here
Buffalo Fried Chicken Sandwich
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And here we have a buffalo fried chicken sandwich. Sure, you could get one from Chick-Fil-A, but making it from scratch is so much better. You know the ingredients are fresh, and you have a little more appreciation for food when you make it yourself.
Pro-Tip: Watch the TikTok recipe with the sound turned on. The ASMR experience will get your stomach growling in a second.
Find the Recipe Here
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