Vegan Protein Table

High-Protein Vegan Foods

Compare plant proteins on the same footing: per 100 g as eaten, per serving, or per 100 calories. Sort any column, filter for low carb or low fat, and see how much of each food gives you 20 g of protein.

Your daily protein target

84 g protein per day, roughly (4 portions of 20 g)

0.8 g/kg is the US Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults; 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg are ranges commonly suggested for active people. Not medical advice.

34 of 34 foods
Vital wheat glutenfor making seitandry weight
75.2 g
 370 13.8 g 1.9 g 27 g · 98 kcal
Pea protein powdertypical labelvaries by brand
72.7 g
 364 3 g 6.1 g 28 g · 100 kcal
Spirulinadried
57.5 g
 290 23.9 g 7.7 g 35 g · 101 kcal
Soy chunks / TVPtextured soy proteindry weightvaries by brand
52 g
 345 33.3 g 0.7 g 38 g · 133 kcal
Nutritional yeastflakesvaries by brand
50 g
 400 30 g 0 g 40 g · 160 kcal
Seitanstore-bought, high-protein brandvaries by brand
31.6 g
 158 8.8 g 0.9 g 63 g · 100 kcal
Hemp heartshulled hemp seeds
31.6 g
 553 8.7 g 48.8 g 63 g · 350 kcal
Pumpkin seedspepitas
30.2 g
 559 10.7 g 49 g 66 g · 370 kcal
PeanutsNuts & seeds
25.8 g
 567 16.1 g 49.2 g 78 g · 440 kcal
Chickpea flourbesandry weight
22.4 g
 387 57.8 g 6.7 g 89 g · 346 kcal
Peanut buttersmooth
22.2 g
 598 22.3 g 51.4 g 90 g · 539 kcal
AlmondsNuts & seeds
21.2 g
 579 21.6 g 49.9 g 94 g · 546 kcal
Sunflower seedsNuts & seeds
20.8 g
 584 20 g 51.5 g 96 g · 562 kcal
TempehSoy
20.3 g
 192 7.6 g 10.8 g 99 g · 189 kcal
Soybeansmature, boiled
18.2 g
 172 8.4 g 9 g 110 g · 189 kcal
Firm tofucalcium-set
17.3 g
 144 2.8 g 8.7 g 116 g · 166 kcal
Chia seedsNuts & seeds
16.5 g
 486 42.1 g 30.7 g 121 g · 589 kcal
Rolled oatsGrainsdry weight
13.2 g
 379 67.7 g 6.5 g 152 g · 574 kcal
Edamameshelled
11.9 g
 121 8.9 g 5.2 g 168 g · 203 kcal
Lentilsmasoor / green
9 g
 116 20.1 g 0.4 g 222 g · 258 kcal
Chickpeaschana
8.9 g
 164 27.4 g 2.6 g 225 g · 369 kcal
Black beansBeans & lentils
8.9 g
 132 23.7 g 0.5 g 225 g · 297 kcal
Kidney beansrajma
8.7 g
 127 22.8 g 0.5 g 230 g · 292 kcal
Split peasBeans & lentils
8.3 g
 118 21.1 g 0.4 g 241 g · 284 kcal
Black-eyed peaslobia
7.7 g
 116 20.8 g 0.5 g 260 g · 301 kcal
Mung beansmoong
7 g
 105 19.2 g 0.4 g 286 g · 300 kcal
Silken tofufirm
6.9 g
 62 2.4 g 2.7 g 290 g · 180 kcal
Whole wheat pastaGrains
6 g
 149 30.1 g 1.7 g 333 g · 497 kcal
Green peasVegetables
5.4 g
 84 15.6 g 0.2 g 370 g · 311 kcal
QuinoaGrains
4.4 g
 120 21.3 g 1.9 g 455 g · 545 kcal
Soy milkunsweetenedvaries by brand
3.3 g
 33 2.1 g 1.5 g 606 g · 200 kcal
SpinachVegetables
3 g
 23 3.8 g 0.3 g 667 g · 153 kcal
Brown ricelong-grain
2.7 g
 123 25.6 g 1 g 741 g · 911 kcal
BroccoliVegetables
2.4 g
 35 7.2 g 0.4 g 833 g · 292 kcal

Values are averages per 100 g as eaten unless marked dry weight. Items marked varies by brand use typical label values, so check your package.

How to read this table

Most protein lists mix units. One food is listed per cup, the next per tablespoon, and a third per 100 grams of the dry product. That makes them hard to compare. This table puts every food on the same scale, and you choose which scale matters to you.

The last column answers a practical question: how much of this food would you have to eat to get 20 g of protein, and how many calories come with it?

The highest-protein whole foods

Leaving out powders and dry ingredients, these foods have the most protein per 100 g as eaten:

  1. Seitan: 31.6 g per 100 g
  2. Hemp hearts: 31.6 g per 100 g
  3. Pumpkin seeds: 30.2 g per 100 g
  4. Peanuts: 25.8 g per 100 g
  5. Peanut butter: 22.2 g per 100 g
  6. Almonds: 21.2 g per 100 g
  7. Sunflower seeds: 20.8 g per 100 g
  8. Tempeh: 20.3 g per 100 g

By weight, the top of this list is seitan, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, peanuts: foods that hold little water. Cooked beans and lentils have less protein by weight because they hold a lot of water, but they are inexpensive.

Protein by weight versus protein per calorie

A food can be high in protein and still be a slow way to reach your target. Cooked chickpeas have about 8.9 g of protein per 100 g, but they also bring 27.4 g of carbs, so you get roughly 5.4 g of protein for every 100 calories. Firm tofu gives about 12 g for the same calories.

Neither view is better in every case. If you have a high protein goal and a calorie limit, switch to protein per calorie and lean on the foods at the top: seitan, spinach, firm tofu, silken tofu, soybeans.

How much protein do you need?

The standard recommendation for adults is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That is about 56 g for someone who weighs 70 kg (154 lb). People who exercise hard often aim for 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg. Use the calculator above the table to get your own number, then check how many portions of your favorite foods it takes.

If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or manage a medical condition with diet, ask a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how much protein you eat.

A simple way to hit your target

Aim for a solid protein food at each meal, then let snacks fill the gap. A cup of cooked lentils is about 18 g, a 100 g slab of tofu is about 17 g, and a handful of peanuts or pumpkin seeds adds 7 to 9 g.

Questions people ask

What vegan food has the most protein?

Among whole foods you eat as they are, seitan and hemp hearts rank highest per 100 g in this table. Dry products such as vital wheat gluten, soy chunks and pea protein powder are higher still, because they have no water in them yet.

Why does the table show protein per 100 calories?

Some foods are rich in protein but come with a lot of carbs or fat. Protein per 100 calories shows how efficiently a food delivers protein, which matters if you are trying to eat more protein without eating more calories.

Where do the numbers come from?

Whole-food values are based on USDA FoodData Central, the US government's nutrition database. Brand products such as protein powder, soy chunks and seitan vary, so those rows use typical label values and are marked.

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