Your Go-To Guide For The Best Vegan Protein Sources

These Are The Best Vegan Protein Sources

Seitan: ~200 g protein / cup

The texture of vital wheat gluten, or seitan, has been deemed the most meat-like vegan protein source, and it offers quite a bit of protein per cup. But, because of its low content of the essential amino acid lysine, it’s not a complete protein: the body only absorbs about 35 grams of seitan protein per meal. It is high in iron, though it's also slow to absorb.

• Cut seitan into deli slices for vegan sandwiches
• Cook ground seitan into stir fries

Hempseed: 75 g protein / cup

Hempseed is impressively up there in terms of protein count. Hempseed contains all 21 known amino acids, including the nine essentials: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. The small seeds can be ground into a meal, sprinkled on top, sprouted, made into powder, or consumed raw.

• Add hempseeds on top of smoothie bowls
• Blend into smoothies
• Drink hemp milk with your coffee

Nuts + Nut Butters: 65 g protein / cup

On top of being a great source of healthy fats and fiber, nuts are big on protein — but the list is extensive. Some of the most prominent high-protein nuts include peanuts (38 grams / cup), almonds (30 grams), and pistachios (25 grams). You can get creative and incorporate them into your meals as toppers, or simply toss back a handful as a healthy snack!

Don't forget nut butters for making delicious PB&Js or breakfast toasts, either! Peanut butter (65 grams) and almond butter (52 grams) are great bases, although they do typically contain more added sugar if they're refined. If you're concerned with eating clean and getting the most benefit from these butters, try to shop nut butters with minimal ingredients.

• Make your very own Reese's cups with PB + dark chocolate
• Mix up a batch of high-protein puppy chow using peanut butter and protein powder (we love this Orgain plant-based protein powder the most)

Chickpeas: 39 g protein / cup

Also known as garbanzo beans, these strapping little gems pack about 39 grams of protein per cup. Chickpeas are also high in fiber, which makes them a smart, balanced snack or addition to meals. Chickpeas can be enjoyed whole in salads and curries, air fried to crispy perfection, or blended up into homemade falafel and hummus!

• Add chickpeas to your shakshuka (our fave cheap meal for breakfasts or dinners)
• Master our yummy chickpea curryrecipe
• Make a chickpea salad (a la chicken salad)

Chia Seeds: 37 g protein / cup

Despite their micro size, chia seeds dish up a good amount of protein. Sprinkle them onto yogurt bowls, add them into your overnight oats, or blend a few spoonfuls into fruit smoothies for a protein boost. If you’re looking for a high-protein dessert, you can even make chia pudding.

• Make this Cosmic Brownie protein smoothiewith added chia seeds
• Add on top of fruit or yogurt for an easy breakfast

Tempeh: 31 g protein / cup

Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh gives a whopping 31 grams of protein per cup. It has a fairly hearty and thick texture, perfect for making tacos, rice bowls, and even sandwiches since you can slice it thin.

• Stir-fry some tempeh pieces with teriyaki sauce to eat with noodles
• Cook ground tempeh with taco seasoning for a high-protein taco filling

Seeds: ~30 g protein / cup

Much like nuts, the list of protein-rich seeds is quite lengthy. But the ones that are most gainful by the protein-to-calorie ratio are pumpkin (39 grams), sunflower seeds (29 grams), sesame seeds (26 grams), and flax seeds (31 grams). Seeds like these made excellent additions to cereal bowls, salads, and homemade dips.

• Add sunflower seeds to salads or salad dressings
• Sprinkle sesame seeds over your next homemade Chinese dish
• Roast some pumpkin seeds in the oven for a quick high-protein snack

Tofu: 20 g protein / cup

Also referred to as bean curd, tofu is made from coagulated soy milk (trust us, it tastes way better than it sounds). Tofu is the most widely recognized sub-in for meat in vegetarian and vegan diets. Plus, it's a complete protein (has all nine essential amino acids) with 20 grams of protein per cup!

• Add soft, plain tofu to smoothies
• Make our unbeatable crispy tofu to top salads + add to wraps
• Make tofu scramble for breakfast
• Pan-fry cubes of tofu in the wok to go with noodles or rice bowls

Edamame: 17 g protein / cup

These bright green beans delivers 17 grams of protein per cup! The dish is simply a preparation of immature soybeans in (or out of) the pod, and it’s so delish, you can simply enjoy them steamed with a hint of flaky sea salt.

• Sprinkle cooked, shelled edamame on top of salads
• Make fresh rice paper spring rolls with edamame inside (with a peanut sauce on the side for more protein)
• Incorporate into any kind of Asian noodle recipe

Beans: 16 g protein / cup

Beans are known to be magical, and it’s probably because they pack loads of protein — approximately 16 grams per cup! In addition to hearty burritos, you can add any kind of bean to soups, dips, chilis, salads, or even make delish veggie burger patties out of them.

• Whip up these tasty bean tostadas
• Serve these black bean burgers to the fam

Quinoa: 8 g protein / cup

This grain packs in all nine essential amino acids to nourish your bod, all while offering 8 grams of protein per cup. Quinoa pairs awesomely with pretty much anything, so you can easily add more of your fave proteins to it for a hearty protein-packed meal. It's especially great with salmon, in wraps, or as a base in grain bowls. Hot tip: try cooking it with chicken or beef broth for a higher dose of protein!

• Pair quinoa with baked salmon
• Make thisSweetgreen Harvest Bowl
• Add it as an easy salad topper

Green Peas: 8 g protein / cup

Though green peas don’t pack as hefty of a protein punch as the other plant-based options, they’re still worth considering. Including a little extra protein doesn’t hurt after all, and peas are perfect in soups, stir-fries, and chilis. Per cup, you’ll get approximately 8 grams of protein.

• Stir in green peas into a vegan casserole
• Serve as a side dish
• Blend into a vegan pasta sauce

Non-Dairy Milk: 5-7 g protein / cup

Some non-dairy milks are considered to be a solid source of protein (soy milk with 7 grams per cup, hemp milk and oat milk with 5 grams), however, other popular choices are not. Almond milk, cashew milk, and rice milk deliver little to no protein, so shop smart if you're aiming to eat more protein every day.

• Make an oat milk latte
• Add soy milk to your smoothies
• Swap regular milk for high-protein non-dairy milk in everyday recipes

Leafy Greens: ~1 g protein / cup

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, and collard greens are very light sources of protein. Including them in your diet can only increase your intake of protein and other vitamins, but remember that legumes, seeds, and nuts are much more beneficial and practical vegan protein sources. Incorporating greens and another source in one meal is ideal!

• Blend spinach into a smoothie (you won't even notice it!)
• Air fry some halved Brussels sprouts tossed in olive oil + spices
• Make a hearty vegan spinach dip
• Mix up a kale Caesar salad