Vegan Protein Table

Low-Calorie High-Protein Vegan Foods

These vegan foods have fewer than 150 calories per 100 g. The table is filtered for you; check the last column to see how many calories it takes to get 20 g of protein from each one.

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.

16 of 34 foods
Firm tofucalcium-set
17.3 g
 144 2.8 g 8.7 g 116 g · 166 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
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.

Light vegan foods with the most protein

With the low-calorie filter on, 16 foods remain. Ranked by protein per 100 g:

  1. Firm tofu: 17.3 g protein, 144 kcal
  2. Edamame: 11.9 g protein, 121 kcal
  3. Lentils: 9 g protein, 116 kcal
  4. Black beans: 8.9 g protein, 132 kcal
  5. Kidney beans: 8.7 g protein, 127 kcal
  6. Split peas: 8.3 g protein, 118 kcal
  7. Black-eyed peas: 7.7 g protein, 116 kcal
  8. Mung beans: 7 g protein, 105 kcal
  9. Silken tofu: 6.9 g protein, 62 kcal
  10. Whole wheat pasta: 6 g protein, 149 kcal
  11. Green peas: 5.4 g protein, 84 kcal
  12. Quinoa: 4.4 g protein, 120 kcal
  13. Soy milk: 3.3 g protein, 33 kcal
  14. Spinach: 3 g protein, 23 kcal
  15. Brown rice: 2.7 g protein, 123 kcal
  16. Broccoli: 2.4 g protein, 35 kcal

The number that matters: calories per 20 g of protein

Per-100 g numbers can mislead you. A food might be low in calories simply because it is mostly water, which means you would need a huge portion to get meaningful protein. The last column of the table fixes that. It shows how much of each food gives you 20 g of protein and how many calories come along with it.

For example, 20 g of protein from firm tofu takes about 116 g of tofu and roughly 166 calories. Getting the same protein from peanut butter costs about 539 calories. Sort by that column to see which foods need the fewest calories for 20 g of protein.

Eating more while eating less

Many low-calorie plant foods are bulky. Cooked lentils, beans and vegetables hold a lot of water, so a large bowl has modest calories.

The tradeoff is volume: you have to eat more food by weight to reach a protein target. If that is hard for you, mix in denser options like tofu and seitan, which pack more protein into a smaller portion.

Building a lighter, high-protein plate

If you are trying to lose weight quickly, have a history of disordered eating, or have a medical condition, get guidance from a doctor or registered dietitian rather than cutting calories on your own.

Questions people ask

What is the lowest-calorie vegan protein?

Tofu, edamame and lentils stay under 150 calories per 100 g and still give useful protein. Seitan is just above that line, but it gives even more protein for its calories. Leafy greens are very low in calories but contain only small amounts of protein.

How do nuts compare on calories?

Nuts are calorie-dense. To get 20 g of protein from peanut butter you would eat about 539 calories, compared with about 166 calories from firm tofu.

What counts as low calorie in this table?

Foods with fewer than 150 calories per 100 g as eaten. It is a simple threshold for comparing foods, not an official definition.

More ways to compare