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13 High-Fiber Recipes Plus Best Ingredients

By Holly Darnell, RD

September 26, 2024

It’s becoming common knowledge: Most of us (up to 95 percent of Americans) don’t get enough fiber in their daily diet. Okay, easy solution, right? Just eat more high-fiber foods.

Well, it’s not that simple, as many of these fiber foods are not what many want to eat by themselves in their raw form. Instead, there’s a need for high-fiber recipes.

We are here to serve, as here are the best high-fiber ingredients to use alongside many high-fiber recipes, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or desserts.

Fiber is essential to our health, including regulating our normal bowel functions, helping us stay full and manage a healthy weight, plus assisting in maintaining overall healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

High-Fiber Ingredients

In order to get to the fiber goal of 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men (according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), you will need plenty of high-fiber ingredients.

Here are some of the best fiber ingredients to add to your smoothies, salads, soups, snacks and desserts:

• Broccoli

• Legumes, including black beans, lentils and chickpeas

• Apples and pears

• Berries

• Sweet potato

• Coconut

• Avocados

• Bananas

• Seeds, like chia seeds, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds

• Oats

• Almonds, higher in fiber than other nuts

• Figs

High-Fiber Breakfast

1. Pancakes or waffles with high-fiber grain

If you go with regular flour, your pancakes or waffles won’t have much fiber. But if you use a Paleo-style flour with almond flour and coconut flour, for instance, along with some seeds (like chia seeds or ground flaxseed), those flapjacks will be loaded with protein.

Our coconut chia protein pancakes contain 8 grams of fiber per serving (and 29 grams of protein). Our pumpkin spice waffles contain 3 grams of fiber per serving.

2. Oatmeal

Oats aren’t just high in fiber but contain a special type of fiber called beta-glucan, which helps support healthy levels of cholesterol.

Our collagen overnight oats contain a whopping 17 grams of fiber per serving while our gingerbread overnight oats contain 16 grams. Both include chia seeds to help push that fiber content to such an impressive level.

3. Smoothies with seeds or greens

A fruit smoothie by itself will include some fiber, but when you add some seeds or greens, you’ll get a true high-fiber smoothie. (Also consider adding Ancient Nutrition's Organic Fiber powder, which is 5 grams of fiber per serving.)

Our smoothie by that name includes banana, avocado, spinach and chia seeds — all high-fiber foods. It also includes Ancient Nutrition’s Plant Protein Vanilla, which contains some fiber as well. As a result, this smoothie contains 14 grams of fiber per serving.

Otherwise, our pumpkin spice smoothie and green smoothie both contain around 4 grams of fiber per serving.

4. Chia seed puddings and smoothie bowls

As you just learned, chia seeds are a terrific high fiber food. In fact, just two tablespoons include 10 grams of fiber, which is approximately 35 percent of the Daily Value.

Our warm pumpkin chia seed protein pudding contains 7 grams of fiber per serving and our chia seed smoothie bowl — with bananas and berries, too — contains 10 grams of fiber.

High-Fiber Lunch and Dinner

5. Green and cruciferous vegetables

Green as well as cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and green beans, are loaded with antioxidants and fiber, too.

Just one stalk of broccoli, for example, contains 9.2 grams of fiber in just 98 calories. As a result, our broccoli slaw (8.5 fiber grams per serving) and broccoli soup (15 fiber grams!)) are great fiber recipes.

Mashed cauliflower contains 3 grams of fiber per serving while our green bean casserole includes 5 grams.

6. Bean dips and dishes

Beans are not just a great plant-based protein but are also full of fiber. Just one-third of a cup of canned black beans, for example, contains 7 grams of fiber.

As a result, use black beans in soups, burritos and even as a plant-based burger. Similarly, chickpeas are an easy high-fiber addition to meals, such as salads or Indian meals.

You can also make up a classic hummus recipe with chickpeas. This recipe contains 4 grams of fiber per serving. Meanwhile, our version of 7-layer bean dip with black beans contains 4 grams of fiber as well.

Of course, any kind of chili is also high-protein, whether it’s with beans or even lentils.

7. Quinoa recipes

Known as an “ancient grain,” it is technically a seed and a rare plant food that is actually a complete protein source. That means it contains all 20 amino acids. It’s also fiber-rich, with 5.2 grams of fiber per one cup serving.

Make a quinoa bowl, for example. Our version contains nearly enough fiber for an entire day: 24 grams of fiber per serving. Our kale quinoa cakes contain 4 grams per serving.

8. Avocado

Avocado is one of those superfoods that also surprises with its fiber content. One serving contains over 3 grams of fiber in a modest 83 calorie serving, for example.

Try our avocado toast on Ezekiel bread, for example. It boasts 14 grams of fiber per serving.

9. Sweet potato

Known for being high in vitamins A and C, the sweet potato is also the most fiber-rich tuber. One medium-sized sweet potato contains 3.7 grams of fiber and just 103 calories.

Try our sweet potato casserole at 3.6 grams of fiber per serving or this winter sweet potato bowl at a whopping 14.6 grams of fiber.

High-Fiber Snacks and Desserts

10. Banana and zucchini breads

Bananas are easy to digest but also high in fiber, with one medium banana containing around 3 grams of fiber for its 105 calories. It’s also high in prebiotic fibers that help feed the good bacteria in the gut.

While you can toss into your breakfast (such as in any of our protein shakes that contain at least 7 grams of fiber), a protein banana bread is another great way to use bananas. One slice contains 5.3 grams of fiber.

Speaking of a snack bread, also start making zucchini bread, as zucchini is also a relatively high-fiber veggie. One medium-sized zucchini contains around 2 grams of fiber.

11. Figs

An overlooked fruit, fresh figs are a great fiber food, with a near perfect balance of soluble and insoluble fiber. Two figs contain around 3 grams of fiber and just around 74 calories.

Our protein fig bars contain 3.6 grams of fiber per serving.

12. Apple desserts

A favorite Fall fruit, the apple is also high in fiber. Among many apple recipes, our apple pie contains an impressive 6 grams of fiber per serving.

13. Homemade protein bars

Want to make your own sports bar? It’s a good idea, for the store-bought ones can be lower in overall nutrients.

Our homemade chocolate protein bar is balanced in macronutrients and includes a decent amount of fiber. It contains 15 grams of carbs (including 3.3 grams of fiber), 14 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein.

Recipe developed by Holly Darnell, RD. Holly is a registered dietitian nutritionist who unlocked self-love at the intersection of exceptional food and practical solutions for healthy living. She’s passionate about helping others make simple, positive lifestyle changes on their individual path to healing.