Quick answer
- The highest-protein CAVA bowl we could build is Black Lentils + double Grilled Steak: 68g protein for 705 calories.
- Grilled Steak is the leanest main: 23g protein for just 160 calories (14.4g per 100 cal).
- Black Lentils are the secret weapon. At 17g protein and 15g fiber, they have more than twice the protein of brown rice.
CAVA's own curated bowls range from 24 to 46 grams of protein. That's fine for a normal lunch, but if you're lifting, cutting, or just trying to stay full until dinner, you can push a bowl past 60 grams without blowing your calorie budget. It comes down to three choices: the base, whether you double the protein, and which dips you add.
Every bowl below is built from CAVA's own published per-serving values, and each one opens in our CAVA nutrition calculator so you can tweak it.
The 5 highest-protein CAVA bowls
1Lentil + Double Steak Power Bowl
Open in calculatorBlack Lentils · Grilled Steak (2×) · Tzatziki · Red Pepper Hummus · Tomato + Cucumber · Pickled Onions · Yogurt Dill
The protein champion. Black Lentils add 17g of protein on their own, far more than any rice, and two scoops of steak cost only 320 calories. You also get 16g of fiber, which keeps it filling.
2Double Chicken SuperGreens Bowl
Open in calculatorSuperGreens · Grilled Chicken (2×) · Tzatziki · Red Pepper Hummus · Tomato + Cucumber · Pickled Onions · Yogurt Dill
Classic cut-friendly bowl. Swapping grains for SuperGreens keeps carbs at 27g while two portions of chicken deliver most of the 64g protein. Watch the sodium: chicken carries 670 mg per scoop.
3Steak Stack Under 510 Calories
Open in calculatorArugula (½) · Baby Spinach (½) · Grilled Steak (2×) · Tzatziki · Red Pepper Hummus · Crumbled Feta · Pickled Onions · Persian Cucumber · Yogurt Dill
The best protein-per-calorie bowl on the list: 56.5g protein for 505 calories. A half-and-half arugula and spinach base adds almost nothing, and feta plus tzatziki add creaminess for very few calories.
4Chicken, Lentils + Crazy Feta
Open in calculatorBlack Lentils · Grilled Chicken · Tzatziki · Crazy Feta® · Crumbled Feta · Tomato + Cucumber · Lemon-Herb Tahini
A single scoop of chicken, but Black Lentils, Crazy Feta® and crumbled feta stack up to 55g protein with 18g of fiber. Good if you'd rather not pay for extra protein.
5Best Vegetarian Protein Bowl
Open in calculatorBlack Lentils · Falafel · Tzatziki · Crazy Feta® · Crumbled Feta · Tomato + Cucumber · Pickled Onions · Yogurt Dill
Vegetarian protein at CAVA tops out lower. Falafel has only 6g protein per serving. Lentils plus three dairy toppings get you to 33g. Vegan? See our vegan CAVA guide.
Which CAVA protein has the most protein per calorie?
Total grams only tell half the story. If you're watching calories, what matters is how much protein you get for each calorie you spend. Here's every CAVA main ranked by protein per 100 calories:
| Main | Calories | Protein | Protein / 100 cal | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled Steak | 160 | 23g | 14.4g | 260 |
| Braised Lamb | 210 | 24g | 11.4g | 240 |
| Grilled Chicken | 250 | 28g | 11.2g | 670 |
| Harissa Honey Chicken | 260 | 26g | 10g | 670 |
| Spicy Lamb Meatballs | 300 | 24g | 8g | 680 |
| Roasted Vegetables | 100 | 3g | 3g | 600 |
| Falafel | 350 | 6g | 1.7g | 810 |
Grilled Steak wins by a clear margin. Braised Lamb and Grilled Chicken are nearly tied, and Harissa Honey Chicken is close behind. Spicy Lamb Meatballs carry 22g of fat per serving, so the protein costs more calories. Falafel is really a carb-and-fat food: 6g protein against 350 calories.
Your base matters more than you think
Most people pick a base for taste and never think about its protein. But the gap between bases is big:
| Base | Calories | Protein | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|
| RightRice® | 370 | 18g | 9g |
| Black Lentils | 260 | 17g | 15g |
| Brown Rice | 310 | 8g | 5g |
| Saffron Basmati Rice | 290 | 6g | 2g |
| SuperGreens | 40 | 3g | 4g |
Black Lentils give you 17g protein for 260 calories. That's more than double brown rice (8g) and almost triple saffron basmati (6g), with fewer calories than either. If you want a grain-style base, go half lentils and half greens.
5 rules for a high-protein CAVA order
- Double the lean main. Extra steak or chicken is the fastest way to add 23–28g of protein. CAVA charges for extra protein, so the price goes up.
- Swap rice for Black Lentils, or go half lentils and half greens.
- Use dairy dips. Tzatziki, Crazy Feta® and crumbled feta each add 2–3g protein for 35–70 calories.
- Pick a light dressing. Yogurt Dill (30 cal, 2g protein) beats Garlic Dressing (180 cal, 0g protein).
- Skip pita crisps and pita chips. They add calories and almost no protein.
Source: CAVA Nutrition + Allergen Guide (Summer 2024, CAVA-MKT-GID-0524). Values are per serving as published; portions made in restaurants vary. See how we calculate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest-protein bowl at CAVA?
Using CAVA's published values, Black Lentils with a double portion of Grilled Steak, tzatziki, red pepper hummus, tomato + cucumber, pickled onions and Yogurt Dill dressing comes to about 68g protein and 705 calories.
How much protein is in CAVA grilled chicken?
One serving of CAVA Grilled Chicken has 28g protein, 250 calories, 13g fat and 670 mg sodium, according to CAVA's nutrition guide.
Is steak or chicken better for protein at CAVA?
Chicken has more total protein (28g vs 23g), but steak is far leaner: 160 calories vs 250. Per calorie, steak gives about 14.4g protein per 100 calories, compared with 11.2g for chicken.
Can you get 50g of protein at CAVA?
Yes. Doubling a lean main (steak or chicken) on a lentil or greens base gets most bowls past 50g protein. Several builds on this page reach 55–68g.