High Protein Vegan Meals: 20 Ideas With 25 g+

These high protein vegan meals each provide around 25 to 45 g of protein without any animal products. The trick on a plant-based diet is to make one concentrated protein source the base of every meal, rather than hoping beans and grains add up. Below are 20 meals by time of day, the best vegan protein sources, a sample 120 g day and practical tips.

Protein values are approximate, based on USDA FoodData Central and typical labels. Brands of tofu, seitan and plant milk vary a lot.

Best vegan protein sources

More detail in tofu protein, edamame protein and lentils protein.

High protein vegan breakfasts

1. Tofu scramble with black beans — 200 g firm tofu, half a can of black beans, peppers and spinach, served with wholegrain toast. About 38 g.
2. Protein overnight oats — 50 g oats, 250 ml soy milk, 1 scoop pea protein, chia and berries. About 35 g. See high-protein overnight oats.
3. Peanut butter toast with soy yogurt — 2 slices high-protein bread, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 200 g soy yogurt. About 27 g.
4. Chickpea flour omelette — 60 g chickpea flour, vegetables and 50 g tofu crumbled in. About 22 g; add a soy latte for 30 g.
5. Vegan protein pancakes — oat flour, pea protein and soy milk; see protein pancakes. About 28 g per stack.

High protein vegan lunches

6. Tempeh grain bowl — 100 g tempeh, quinoa, roasted vegetables and tahini. About 30 g.
7. Lentil and edamame salad — 200 g cooked lentils, 100 g edamame, cucumber, herbs and lemon dressing. About 30 g.
8. Chickpea "tuna" wrap — mashed chickpeas with vegan mayo, mustard and celery in a wholegrain wrap, plus a soy milk. About 25 g.
9. Seitan sandwich — 100 g sliced seitan, hummus and salad on wholegrain bread. About 35 g.
10. Red lentil soup with tofu croutons — about 28 g per large bowl.

Pack-up ideas for the office are in high-protein lunch ideas for work.

High protein vegan dinners

11. Tofu stir-fry with edamame — 200 g tofu, 100 g edamame, vegetables, rice. About 42 g.
12. TVP chilli — 50 g dry TVP, kidney beans, tomatoes, spices. About 40 g per bowl.
13. Lentil bolognese with lentil pasta — red lentil sauce over chickpea or lentil pasta. About 38 g.
14. Seitan fajitas — seitan strips, peppers, onions, black beans, wraps. About 40 g.
15. Tempeh curry — tempeh, chickpeas and spinach in coconut-tomato sauce with rice. About 35 g.
16. Black bean and quinoa burgers with a side of edamame. About 28 g.
17. Teriyaki tofu with soba — buckwheat noodles, tofu and broccoli. About 33 g.

High protein vegan snacks

18. Roasted edamame or chickpeas — 30 to 40 g gives 10 to 14 g.
19. Soy yogurt with hemp seeds — about 15 g.
20. Pea protein shake with soy milk and banana — about 30 g.

Portable ideas in snacks with protein.

Sample day with 120 g of vegan protein

That's enough for a 70 to 80 kg person aiming for about 1.6 g per kg. Work out your own number with the protein intake calculator and set carbs and fats with the macro calculator.

Is vegan protein complete?

Soy foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, TVP) are complete proteins. Other plant proteins tend to be lower in one essential amino acid: legumes in methionine, grains in lysine. You don't need to combine them at every meal, as long as your diet includes a mix over the day. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position on vegetarian diets states that appropriately planned vegan diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate.

Plant proteins are also slightly less digestible and lower in leucine than animal proteins. A practical response is to aim a little higher in total protein and include soy or pea protein, which are high in leucine. A 2021 study in Sports Medicine found similar muscle gains with vegan and omnivorous diets when protein intake was matched and high.

Tips for hitting your protein target

• Start with the protein, then add carbs and vegetables.
• Use soy milk instead of other plant milks: 7 to 8 g per glass vs around 1 g for almond or oat.
• Swap regular pasta for lentil or chickpea pasta.
• Keep TVP and canned beans in the cupboard for quick meals.
• Press tofu for better texture and absorb more marinade.
• Batch-cook lentils, tempeh and seitan; see cheap high-protein meal prep.
• Use a protein powder if you have high needs or a small appetite.

Vegan meal prep in one hour

Cooking a few components on Sunday makes the meals above quick on weekdays:

1. Press and bake two blocks of tofu (cubed, with soy sauce and cornflour) at 200°C for 25 minutes.
2. Simmer 250 g of dry lentils while the tofu bakes; they'll be ready in about 20 minutes.
3. Cook a pot of quinoa or rice.
4. Make a TVP chilli in one large pan and portion it into four containers.
5. Roast two trays of vegetables.
6. Mix a jar of tahini-lemon dressing.

That gives you building blocks for bowls, wraps and salads for four or five days. Keep cooked food in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze the chilli. The meal prep recipe scaler helps adjust quantities for one, two or a family.

Budget vegan protein

Dry lentils, dried beans, TVP, peanuts, oats and supermarket tofu are some of the cheapest protein foods available. Seitan made at home from vital wheat gluten is also inexpensive per gram of protein. See cheap high-protein foods for cost comparisons.

Nutrients to watch on a vegan diet

High protein is only one part. Vegans should also plan for vitamin B12 (a supplement or fortified foods are essential), vitamin D, iodine, omega-3s (flax, chia, walnuts or algae oil), iron (legumes, tofu, greens with vitamin C) and calcium (calcium-set tofu, fortified plant milk). The NHS vegan diet guide covers these in more detail.

Bottom line

High protein vegan meals are straightforward once each one is built around tofu, tempeh, seitan, TVP, legumes or a pea protein shake. Aim for 25 to 40 g per meal, use soy milk and legume pasta to raise the total, and plan for B12 and other key nutrients. For vegetarian options with eggs and dairy, see high-protein vegetarian meals.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position paper on vegetarian diets (2016); Hevia-Larraín et al., Sports Medicine 2021; NHS, The vegan diet. General information, not personalised dietary advice.