21 High Calorie Meal Recipes for Weight Gain, Athletes, and Energy Boost
High-calorie foods can help you gain weight, build muscle, or fuel your active lifestyle. Whether you’re a hard worker, bodybuilder, athlete, or someone recovering from an illness, these calorie-dense, nutritious foods are perfect for your body’s energy needs and overall health. Here are 21 high calorie meal recipes that are not only delicious but also packed with the healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates your body needs.
These recipes are perfect for those on a weight-gain diet plan, preparing muscle-building meals, or simply trying to increase their calorie intake without consuming junk food or empty calories. Best of all, they’re made with healthy ingredients like avocado, nut butter, whole grains, full-fat dairy, and lean meats to help you bulk up the healthy way.
🍽️ What Are High Calorie Meals?
High calorie meals are dishes that provide a substantial amount of energy—typically over 500 calories per serving. These meals are rich in healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and protein, making them ideal for individuals looking to gain weight, build muscle, recover from illness, or fuel intense physical activity.
🔍 Key Characteristics of High Calorie Recipes
- ✅ Energy-dense ingredients like avocados, nuts, seeds, and oils
- ✅ Complex carbs from quinoa, brown rice, oats, and legumes
- ✅ High-quality protein sources such as chicken, salmon, eggs, and tofu
- ✅ Often includes full-fat dairy or coconut-based sauces
- ✅ Larger portion sizes to maximize calorie intake
💡 Why Choose High Calorie Meals?
For athletes, bodybuilders, or anyone struggling with hunger, adding these High Calorie meals can support their health and fitness goals. Unlike empty-calorie fast foods, these foods are designed to be nutrient-dense and balanced.
💪 Tip: High calorie meals for weight gain, muscle building, and recovery should always prioritize whole food ingredients for optimal health.
🔥 Benefits of High Calorie Recipes
Adding High Calorie Meals to your daily routine can boost energy, aid weight gain, and enhance overall well-being—especially for an active lifestyle and recovery. Here’s how.
💪 Supports Healthy Weight Gain
If you’re underweight, recovering from illness, or a hard-gainer, calorie-dense foods help increase your daily intake without needing to eat excessively large portions.
⚡ Boosts Energy for Active Lifestyles
Athletes and fitness enthusiasts need energy-boosting meals to power workouts, aid recovery, and maintain performance. High calorie recipes offer sustained energy and fuel.
🏋️ Builds Lean Muscle Mass
Combining protein and healthy fats, muscle building meals are ideal for bulking phases, strength training, or post-workout recovery to support muscle growth.
🧠 Enhances Mental Focus & Mood
A high calorie diet rich in omega-3s, complex carbs, and quality fats can stabilize mood, reduce fatigue, and enhance mental clarity throughout the day.
🛌 Aids in Recovery and Healing
During injury or illness, the body needs more nutrients and energy. High calorie meals can accelerate healing and replenish lost nutrients.
Whether you’re looking to gain healthy weight or fuel your body for performance, these meals can help you hit your goals deliciously and effectively.
💡 Tips to Make Any Meal High Calorie
-
🥑 Add Healthy Fats
Boost calories with healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Just 1 tbsp of olive oil adds 120 calories! Perfect for drizzling over salads, rice, or pasta.
-
🥜 Use Nut Butters
Peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter are calorie-rich spreads packed with healthy fats and protein. Add to smoothies, oatmeal, or use as a dip.
-
🧀 Include Full-Fat Dairy
Swap out low-fat versions for full-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, and cream. These not only add calories but also calcium and protein to your meals.
-
🍠 Add Calorie-Dense Carbs
Choose complex carbohydrates like brown rice, sweet potatoes, oats, quinoa, and whole grain pasta. These provide lasting energy and are perfect for high-calorie meal prep.
-
🍳 Top with Extra Protein
Add more protein-rich foods like eggs, grilled chicken, beef, tofu, or tempeh. Use high-calorie sauces or marinades for flavor and energy.
-
🥤 Boost with Smoothies & Shakes
Create high-calorie protein smoothies using banana, oats, nut butter, full-fat yogurt, and whey protein. They’re great as meal replacements or calorie boosters.
Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Calories: ~800 per serving
A classic comfort dish made with butter, heavy cream, garlic, parmesan, and tender chicken breast over fettuccine. Perfect for post-workout recovery or a filling dinner. This high calorie pasta dish can take you about 20 minutes to prepare. The most interesting thing about this recipe is the sliced boneless chicken breast that is arranged on top. This is one of the best creamy chicken recipes.
EASY One Pot Burrito Bowl Recipe
Calories: ~850 per bowl
Ground beef, black beans, avocado, cheese, rice, and sour cream come together for this calorie-packed Mexican-inspired bowl. My uncle loves this beef burrito bowl. Beef, black beans, avocado, cheese, rice, and sour cream come together in this calorie-packed Mexican-inspired bowl. You can make this high calorie meal in just 35 minutes.
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
Calories: ~650 per bowl
Start your morning with this high-energy breakfast made with rolled oats, whole milk, peanut butter, banana, and chia seeds. This high calorie breakfast need 15 minutes to prepare and the taste is damaging and also can keep you full for longer. This is one of the best and most healthy weight gain recipes.
Homemade Pasta Carbonara with Bacon
Calories: ~780 per serving
A rich Italian classic made with eggs, cheese, pancetta or bacon, and pasta. Easy to make and packed with protein and fat. This calorie-dense pasta takes 35 minutes to make. This is one of the best Italian high calorie recipes for muscle-building carbs.
Easy Thai-Style Chickpea Curry with Coconut Rice.
Calories: ~700 per bowl
This Thai recipe is one of the best vegetarian high calorie meals on the list. Creamy coconut milk and chickpeas are served with warm spices over white or jasmine rice to boost the vegetarian calories.
Bacon Mac and Cheese
Calories: ~950 per bowl
You're sure to love this mac and cheese. Loaded with cheddar, cream, pasta, and crispy bacon bits - it's the ultimate comfort food for healthy weight gain. Ready in 30-40 minutes.
Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet Recipe
Calories: ~700 per bowl
This clean weight gain food is ready in 27 minutes. A balanced one-pan meal made with lean turkey, sweet potatoes, spinach, olive oil, and spices.
Salmon with Mango Salsa
Calories: ~780 per serving
This omega-3-rich meal is made with salmon, mango, avocado, red pepper, lemon, etc. It is a delicious balanced dish rich in omega-3, healthy fats, and slow-digesting carbohydrates. So you can use this mango salsa with quinoa and salmon to weight gain.
Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Sausage
Calories: ~850 per serving
This is one of my favorite hearty pasta recipes. Cheesy, meaty, and satisfying - this high-calorie baked pasta dish is great for meal prep and freezing. This sausage pasta bake recipe is one of the best calorie-dense dinners.
Thai Peanut Noodles
Calories: ~720 per bowl
If you are looking for a Thai peanut butter recipe, try this one. The rice noodles, vegetables, and rich peanut sauce will give you plenty of calories and flavor. This is one of my favorites and an easy stir-fry for weight gain.
Garlic Butter Shrimp and Grits
Calories: ~780 per bowl
Southern-inspired creamy grits topped with sautéed shrimp in butter and garlic.
Cheesy Baked Egg and Potato Casserole
Calories: ~800 per serving
If you are looking for a perfect muscle-building breakfast, I recommend this one. A high-calorie vegetarian option made with whole eggs, cheddar, hash browns, and sour cream. It is also one of the best high-fat breakfast ideas that takes 40-50 minutes to prepare and is very easy.
Creamy Mushroom Parmesan Risotto
Calories: ~700 per serving
I love cheesy mushroom dishes and this recipe is truly amazing. In this calorie-dense vegetarian meal, Arborio rice simmered with broth, mushrooms, and loads of parmesan and butter.
Perfect and Easy Classic Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
Calories: ~850 per bowl
Tender beef is served in a creamy mushroom sauce with buttery egg noodles. This is one of the best beef meals for weight gain. You can make this recipe in 30 minutes. I can assure you that once you try this recipe, you will fall in love with its taste.
Protein Berry Smoothie Bowl
Calories: ~650 per bowl
You will definitely love this smoothie for weight gain. Made with protein powder, nut butter, oats, banana, full-fat Greek yogurt, and flax seeds, it is one of the best energy-rich snacks.
Chicken Caprese Pesto Panini
Calories: ~700 per sandwich
This chicken pesto panini is just awesome. Grilled chicken, pesto, mozzarella cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes pressed on sourdough. If you love sandwiches, then this recipe will be your favorite one. This is one of my favorite lunch ideas for gain weight.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Slaw
Calories: ~900 per sandwich
Every housewife needs a calorie-rich comfort food after a long day at work. In this recipe, you will find juicy pork with sweet barbecue sauce, on a bun made with creamy coleslaw. Awesome and one of the best pork sandwich recipes I have ever seen.
Healthy Tuna Melt
Calories: ~680 per sandwich
All you need to make this delicious recipe is canned tuna, mayonnaise, cheese, and toast - easy, quick, and calorie-dense. This is one of the best tuna recipes for weight gain.
Breakfast Burrito Recipe {Freezer Friendly}
Calories: ~850 per burrito
One of the best protein-packed breakfasts you can try is this. Packed with eggs, cheese, avocado, sausage, and potatoes, this breakfast is a powerhouse. It's a great idea to keep your stomach full for longer.
Greek Style Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce
If you are looking for a pita wrap for weight gain, you can try this recipe. Juicy lamb pieces wrapped in pita bread and topped with homemade tzatziki sauce. This Mediterranean high-calorie food is truly amazing. It is also one of my favorite lamb meal ideas.
Creamy Butter Chicken
Those looking for a creamy chicken dinner can try this recipe. Indian spiced butter chicken smothered in a tomato cream sauce served with fluffy rice. Being an Indian, this is one of my favorite calorie-packed Indian recipes.
🥗 Meal Prep and Storage Tips for High Calorie Meals
Preparing high-calorie meals in advance is important for reaching your weight gain or fitness goals. These meal prep and storage tips will help you make the most of your time in the kitchen so you can increase your meal intake, maintain energy levels, or build muscle mass.
1. Use BPA-Free Airtight Containers
Invest in airtight food containers to keep your high calorie meal prep fresh and bacteria-free. Glass or BPA-free plastic containers work best for storing calorie-dense foods like pasta, rice dishes, and protein bowls.
2. Batch Cook High Calorie Recipes
Cook in bulk! Make large portions of your favorite calorie-dense meals like creamy pasta, hearty casseroles, or peanut butter oats. Store them in portions for quick, high energy meals throughout the week.
3. Freeze for Longevity
Many high calorie meal prep ideas freeze well—especially stews, chili, and protein-rich grain bowls. Label each container with the date and rotate your freezer stash regularly.
4. Store Healthy Fats Properly
Ingredients like avocado, olive oil, nut butters, and seeds are rich in calories and healthy fats. Store them separately to avoid sogginess and add just before serving.
5. Reheat Smartly
Use a microwave-safe lid or cover your meal with a damp paper towel to retain moisture when reheating. This is especially helpful for high carb, high protein meals like chicken and rice or beef pasta bakes.
With the right strategy, your high calorie meal plan can be both convenient and delicious. Try combining bulk cooking techniques with smart storage to always have a nutritious, energy-packed meal ready to go!
💡 Pro Tip: Create a rotating 7-day high calorie meal prep plan to save time and boost consistency.
FAQs About High Calorie Meals
Are high calorie meals healthy?
Yes, high calorie meals can be healthy when they are made with nutrient-dense ingredients like lean proteins, healthy fats (e.g., avocado, olive oil, nuts), and complex carbs (like brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes). Focus on whole foods instead of processed junk food to support clean weight gain and balanced nutrition.
Who should eat high calorie meals?
High calorie meals are ideal for individuals looking to gain weight, build muscle, or support intense physical activity. This includes athletes, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, and people recovering from illness or surgery who need extra energy and nutrients.
What are the best ingredients for high calorie recipes?
Ingredients that are calorie-dense and nutritious include: nut butters, cheese, full-fat dairy, avocado, coconut milk, fatty fish (like salmon), whole eggs, olive oil, sweet potatoes, and whole grains like oats and brown rice. These foods help increase calorie intake without compromising health.
How can I eat more calories without feeling too full?
To consume more calories without feeling overly full, eat smaller meals more frequently, incorporate calorie-dense snacks, add healthy fats (which are more calorie-rich per gram), and use smoothies or shakes to sneak in extra calories. Drinking your calories is often easier than eating them when you’re trying to bulk up.
Are these high calorie meals good for muscle building?
Absolutely. Meals high in calories, especially those rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs, provide the fuel and nutrients needed for muscle recovery and growth. Combine them with strength training and adequate rest for effective muscle gain results.
If you like this article about the High Calorie Meal Recipes, please share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest. Also, subscribe to my blog to get all the latest content first on your mobile.
