Highest Protein NAYA Bowl: How to Build It

If you're eating at NAYA and trying to hit a protein target, the menu works in your favor. Lean proteins, a grain base that actually adds protein, toppings like hummus and feta that each contribute a few grams — it stacks up well against most fast-casual options.

Here's how to build a high protein NAYA bowl, with real numbers from NAYA's published nutrition data.

Start With the Right Protein

Protein choice is the biggest variable. Here's how the options compare:

Beef shawarma is the top pick at 31g — more protein than chicken shawarma with only 59 extra calories. Chicken kebab is worth considering if calories are tight: 20g of protein for 150 calories is the best protein-to-calorie ratio on the menu.

Falafel is a decent vegetarian option but falls well short of the meat proteins. Cauliflower is essentially zero protein.

Worth knowing: NAYA launched a Balanced Protein Bowl in early 2026 built around double chicken shawarma — 46g of protein from the chicken alone. If you want max protein without building from scratch, it's on the menu.

Pick the Right Base

Most people default to greens, but brown rice with lentils adds meaningful protein:

Brown rice with lentils adds 11g of protein before you've added anything else. The trade-off is 450 calories for the base alone. If you're watching total intake, seasonal greens with beef shawarma gets you close to the same protein total for far fewer calories.

Use Toppings to Push Protein Higher

Most NAYA toppings are near-zero protein, but a few are worth adding:

Feta is the best calorie-to-protein trade here — 4g of protein for 70 calories. Red pepper hummus edges out regular hummus on protein (6g vs. 5g) but both come with a fat hit. Lemon tahini and cucumber yogurt add small amounts of protein without much calorie impact.

The High Protein Bowl

48g of protein, 869 calories. Beef shawarma does most of the work, brown rice with lentils adds 11g on top, feta pushes it a bit further. Sumac onions and pickled turnips add almost nothing calorically — they're here because a bowl with just rice, meat, and cheese isn't worth ordering.

The Lean High Protein Build

If 869 calories is more than you want, swap the base:

40g of protein for 414 calories. Swapping rice for seasonal greens cuts 455 calories from the bowl. You lose 8g of protein from the base but still come out well ahead on calories. This is the build if you're tracking both protein and total intake.

The Chicken Shawarma Build

Beef isn't for everyone. Chicken shawarma at 23g protein and 200 calories is the most popular protein on the menu for a reason:

39g protein, 900 calories. Hummus adds 5g of protein but also 20g of fat — it's calorie-dense. To trim here, swap hummus for cucumber yogurt or lemon tahini. You lose a few grams of protein but save 160–195 calories.

Watch the Sauces

The toppings that do the most damage are the ones that feel light:

Pomegranate vinaigrette at 270 calories adds more than a full serving of chicken shawarma. Toum is easy to overdo. Lemon tahini and cucumber yogurt are the lighter options if you want something on the bowl without a big calorie hit.

Build Your Own

Every build here is a starting point. Use the NAYA Macro Calculator to plug in your exact order and see the numbers before you go.