10 High Protein Vegan Foods
Protein is a hot topic in the vegan world. Anyone familiar with the age old question “So, where do you get your protein?” When I first went vegan I truly did wonder: where would I get my protein? Now, I can easily eat 90 grams of vegan protein per day––and could eat way more if I wanted to! Reaching protein goals on a vegan diet is actually way easier than you may think. It just takes a little more of paying attention to what foods are going to give you the most run for your money. This is my list of some vegan foods (both processed and whole plant foods––there’s no discrimination here!) that I use to hit my protein goals.
*DISCLAIMER: I am not sponsored by any of these brands. All opinions are my own.
Seitan
Seitan is one of the greatest ways to get lots of protein in with barely any carbs or fat! Made from vital wheat gluten, it’s filling and full of protein! I whip up a batch on a Sunday to use for meal prep for the week. Here’s a recipe to get you started: Sesame Seitan Salad
Tempeh
Tempeh is quick and so easy to prepare! You can find it in most grocery stores and sautéed up with some veggies it makes a great stir fry. I like to make slices and use it in tacos too! Check out my Vegan Greek Tacos with tempeh.
Protein pasta
Lemme tell you about this stuff… I’m in LOVE with protein pasta!!! Protein pasta usually made using the flour form of high protein legumes and pulses like chickpeas, lentils, or even my favorite—black beans! I love this stuff because I am a carb lover, so if I can get protein in while also enjoying the comfort of a carby food, it’s a win-win for me!
Vegan protein powder
If you love smoothies or oatmeal, using vegan protein powder is a great way to add protein to your meals. Most regular protein powders contain whey, which is a milk product. I personally use the NOW Foods soy protein isolate (vanilla flavor!). If you are wary of soy, you can also look for hemp, brown rice, or pea protein powders.
Nutritional yeast
This isn't the biggest source of dietary protein, but depending on how much you use it can add up to 4-5g of protein per meal (and I eat it sometimes twice a day!!). It is, however, considered a complete protein, since it contains the 9 essential amino acids we need to get from food. I like to think of it as an extra protein and nutrition sprinkle. :) It's cheesy-tasting and adds a nice depth of umami flavor to any dish.
Edamame
Edamame is one of the beans with the highest protein counts. It's great for snacking (buy the edamame in pods) or to put in salads or bowls (shelled). I love roasting it in the oven or my air fryer with garlic powder to make crispy garlic edamame!
Boca Vegan Turk’y Burgers
While there are a lot of vegan meat substitutes on the market, many are filled with lots of extra fat or carbs. If you're trying to increase your protein without increasing your other macros, these things are magic! In one burger there is 13g of protein, 6g of carbs, and only 1g of fat. These are so good for making cheeseburgers.
Popcorners FLEX Barbecue Protein Chips
Barbecue potato chips are honestly my favorite things in the whole world. But after eating half a bag (yeah–I know...) I don't feel too great. These have the taste of barbecue chips, but with lots of protein and way less fat! Soy protein is the first ingredient and they're crunchy and satisfying, making them the perfect snack. These were found at ALDI, but you can also find them at Whole Foods and other stores.
Lentils
Where I live, we have a fast-casual chain called CAVA that serves Mediterranean bowls with all kinds of toppings and goodness. One of the toppings you can get are black lentils. They look like beautiful beads and are strangely alluring. Also called beluga lentils, you can typically find them in the bulk bin at your local store. In 1/2 cup, there are 21 grams of protein! Pretty impressive! (This is also the case with many other varieties of lentils; I just prefer black lentils because they tend to hold their shape for putting them into salads, bowls, etc.)
Chickpeas
Like lentils, chickpeas are another pulse that pack a lot of protein. Just 1 cup contains 15 grams of protein. They're great roasted, raw, mixed into a salad, put on tacos, or even mashed into a chickpea "chkn" salad!
These are usually my go-to high protein vegan food sources. There are many others you can find, as either substitutes in the grocery store or even from whole food sources. Getting protein as a vegan is much easier than many people think! What are some of your favorite high plant protein foods? Let me know in the comments below!
