Top 10 Beans and Legumes Highest in Protein
Beans and legumes are an inexpensive and heart-healthy food popular all around the world. In addition to being high in protein, beans and legumes are also a good source of fiber, iron, and potassium.
The current daily value (DV) for protein is 50 grams per day and is a target meant for most people. Most beans provide between 29-36% of the DV for protein per cup cooked. Boiled soybeans (or edamame) provide a whopping 63% DV.
Beans and legumes high in protein include soybeans, lentils, white beans, cranberry beans, split peas, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, and limas. The list below is ranked by the most protein per cup cooked. For bean products like tofu and hummus see the extended list of beans and bean products high in protein.
List of High Protein Beans
1 Boiled Soybeans (Edamame)| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 31.3g (63% DV) | 18.2g (36% DV) | 21.2g (42% DV) |
2 Lentils| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 17.9g (36% DV) | 9g (18% DV) | 15.6g (31% DV) |
3 Large White Beans| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 17.4g (35% DV) | 9.7g (19% DV) | 14g (28% DV) |
4 Cranberry (Borlotti) Beans| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 16.5g (33% DV) | 9.3g (19% DV) | 13.7g (27% DV) |
5 Split Peas| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 16.3g (33% DV) | 8.3g (17% DV) | 14.1g (28% DV) |
6 Pinto Beans| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 15.4g (31% DV) | 9g (18% DV) | 12.6g (25% DV) |
7 Kidney Beans| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 15.3g (31% DV) | 8.7g (17% DV) | 13.7g (27% DV) |
8 Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) | Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 15.2g (30% DV) | 8.9g (18% DV) | 13.4g (27% DV) |
9 Navy (Haricot) Beans| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 15g (30% DV) | 8.2g (16% DV) | 11.8g (24% DV) |
10 Lima (Butter) Beans| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 14.7g (29% DV) | 7.8g (16% DV) | 13.6g (27% DV) |
See All 77 Beans and Lentils High in Protein
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More Bean and Bean Products High in Protein
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Firm Tofu | per cup | 87% DV (43.5g) |
| 2 Tempeh | per cup | 67% DV (33.7g) |
| 3 Lupin Beans | 1 cup | 52% DV (25.8g) |
| 4 Adzuki Beans | per cup | 35% DV (17.3g) |
| 5 Great Northern Beans | per cup | 29% DV (14.7g) |
| 6 Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) | per cup | 29% DV (14.5g) |
| 7 Mung Beans | per cup | 28% DV (14.2g) |
| 8 Unsweetened Soymilk | per 16oz glass | 28% DV (14g) |
| 9 Mungo Beans | 1 cup | 27% DV (13.6g) |
| 10 Broad Beans (Fava) | per cup | 26% DV (12.9g) |
| 11 Peanut Butter | per 2 tblsp | 14% DV (7.1g) |
| 12 Peanuts (Dry Roasted) | per oz | 14% DV (6.9g) |
| 13 Falafel | 1 falafel | 5% DV (2.3g) |
| 14 Miso Paste | 1 tblsp | 4% DV (2.2g) |
| 15 Hummus | 1 tblsp | 2% DV (1.2g) |
About the Data
Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.
You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.
Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.
About Nutrient Targets
Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.
Some of the most popular targets include:- Daily Value (%DV) - The %DV is a general guideline for everyone and accounts for absorption factors. It is the most common target in the U.S. and is the target on the nutrition labels of most products. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5 percent) healthy individuals and is specific to age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
- Adequate Intake (%AI) - Sets a target for Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. The Adequate Intake is also set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. It represents a number to ensure adequacy but lacks the same level of evidence as the Reference Dietary Intake. In short, the number is less accurate than the RDI.
- Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, and is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.
Want to set your own targets? Sign up for an account and set custom targets in the daily meal planner.From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
- Foods High in Protein
- Foods Low in Protein
- Vegetables High in Protein
- Fruits High in Protein
- Vegetarian Foods High in Protein
- Nuts High in Protein
- Grains High in Protein
- Beans High in Protein
- Dairy High in Protein
- Breakfast Cereals High in Protein
- Fast Foods High in Protein
View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
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