Top 10 Complete Vegetarian Protein Foods with All the Essential Amino Acids
Protein is necessary for the proper growth, development, and repair of the human body.
Vegetarian foods can be a great source of protein, and contrary to popular belief, most plant-based sources of protein contain all the essential amino acids. When quantities of particular amino acids, like methionine and lysine are low, combining pulses with grains balances their amino acid content and makes them "complete". For example, combining lentils with rice or hummus with wholewheat bread.
This list provides the top 10 complete vegetarian protein foods and assumes vegetarians eat dairy and eggs. If you are "pure vegetarian" or vegan, just leave these animal foods out.
Vegetarian foods high in protein include tofu, beans, lentils, yogurt, milk, cheese, green peas, nuts, seeds, whole grains, peanut butter, eggs, and white button mushrooms. The current daily value (DV) for protein is set at 50 grams per day and is meant as a general target for most people. People should eat 0.36g of protein per pound of body weight, and more if they are active.
Below is a list of vegetarian protein foods ranked by common serving size, for more vegetarian protein food ideas see the articles on high protein beans, high protein nuts, and protein rich vegan foods.
Vegetarian Foods High in Protein
1 Firm Tofu| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 43.5g (87% DV) | 17.3g (35% DV) | 24g (48% DV) |
More Tofu High in Protein
- 20g (40% DV) per cup of medium soft tofu
- 18g (36% DV) per cup of soft tofu
- 34g (67% DV) per cup of tempeh (fermented tofu)
Note: The amount of protein in tofu can range between 4.8g (10% DV) to 17.3g (35% DV) per 100 gram serving (or a little less than 1/2 cup).
See the nutrition comparison of 10 common tofu brands. To find more, use the detailed nutrient ranking of all vegan foods high in protein.
Looking for a brand with this much protein? Try House Foods Tofu.
2 Lentils| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 17.9g (36% DV) | 9g (18% DV) | 15.6g (31% DV) |
More Beans High in Protein
- 17.4g (35% DV) per cup of large white beans
- 16.3g (33% DV) per cup of split peas
- 15.4g (31% DV) per cup of pinto beans
- 15.2g (30% DV) per cup of black beans
- 15g (30% DV) per cup of navy beans
- 14.7g (29% DV) per cup of large lima beans
- 14.5g (29% DV) per cup of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
See more beans and legumes high in protein.
3 Low-Fat Yogurt| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 14g (28% DV) | 5.7g (11% DV) | 20.5g (41% DV) |
- 15g (30% DV) protein per 16oz glass on unsweetned soymilk
- 15g (30% DV) protein per 16oz glass of low-fat milk
4 Cottage Cheese| Protein per 1/2 Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 11.8g (24% DV) | 10.5g (21% DV) | 25.8g (52% DV) |
Other Cheese High in Protein
- 10.2g (20% DV) per oz of grated parmesan
- 9.3g (19% DV) per 1/2 cup of ricotta
- 9g (18% DV) per oz of non-fat cheddar
See the list of cheese high in protein.
5 Green Peas| Protein per Cup Cooked | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 8.6g (17% DV) | 5.4g (11% DV) | 12.8g (26% DV) |
See more vegetables high in protein.
6 Squash and Pumpkin Seeds| Protein per 1oz Handful | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 8.5g (17% DV) | 29.8g (60% DV) | 10.4g (21% DV) |
Other Nuts and Seeds High in Protein
- 6.9g (14% DV) per 1 oz handful of peanuts
- 6g (12% DV) per 1 oz handful of almonds
- 6g (12% DV) per 1 oz handful of pistachios
- 5.5g (11% DV) per oz of sunflower seeds
- 5.2g (10% DV) per oz of flax seeds
- 4.7g (9% DV) per oz (~2 tbsp) of chia seeds
- 4.3g (9% DV) per oz of cashews
7 Quinoa| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 8.1g (16% DV) | 4.4g (9% DV) | 7.3g (15% DV) |
Other Whole Grains High in Protein
- 9.8g (20% DV) per cup of kamut
- 9.8g (20% DV) per cup of teff
- 7g (14% DV) per cup of whole wheat pasta
- 5.9g (12% DV) per cup of oatmeal
- 4.4g (9% DV) per cup of grits
See the list of whole grains high in protein.
8 Peanut Butter| Protein 2 Tblsp | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 7.7g (15% DV) | 24.1g (48% DV) | 8.2g (16% DV) |
9 Eggs| Protein in 1 Large Egg | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 6.3g (13% DV) | 12.6g (25% DV) | 16.2g (32% DV) |
- 1 egg white provides 7% DV
- 1 cup of hard boiled eggs provides 34% DV
10 Mushrooms| Protein per Cup Cooked | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 3.9g (8% DV) | 3.6g (7% DV) | 27.5g (55% DV) |
More Mushrooms High in Protein
- 4g (8% DV) per cup of cooked portobello
- 3.5g (7% DV) per cup of cooked shiitake
- 3g (6% DV) per cup of oyster mushrooms
- 2g (4% DV) per cup of morels
- 2g (4% DV) per cup of cremini
- 1.5g (3% DV) per cup of enokis
Note: Cooking reduces the water content of mushrooms, allowing you to eat more mushrooms and more protein per cup.
See the curated list of vegetables high in protein.
See All 200 Vegetarian Foods High in Protein
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More Complete Protein Rich Foods for Vegetarians
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Soy Protein Isolate | 100 grams | 177% DV (88.3g) |
| 2 Spirulina | 100 grams | 115% DV (57.5g) |
| 3 Toasted Wheat Germ | 100 grams | 58% DV (29.1g) |
| 4 Tempeh | 100 grams | 41% DV (20.3g) |
| 5 Cocoa Powder | 100 grams | 39% DV (19.6g) |
| 6 Natto (Fermented Soybeans) | 100 grams | 39% DV (19.4g) |
| 7 Falafel | 100 grams | 27% DV (13.3g) |
| 8 Whey Powder | 100 grams | 26% DV (12.9g) |
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 daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. 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. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
- 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.
- Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is also set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake has not yet been scientifically determined.
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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