vegochef.com/guides/high-protein-meals/High-protein meals: 30 easy meat-free ideas
By the Vegochef team · Editorial standards · Last checked · 7 min read
You don't need meat to eat high-protein meals. Lentils, beans, chickpeas, soy and seitan carry most of the load, with eggs and dairy for vegetarians. Below are 30 easy meals, including 15 recipes from the Vegochef app. Recipes marked (vegan) are fully plant-based.
The meat-free protein foods to build on
| Food | Serving | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Seitan | 100 g | 20–25 g |
| Tempeh | 100 g | 20 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Edamame, cooked | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Greek yogurt, non-fat | 170 g pot | 17 g |
| Chickpeas or black beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g |
| Firm tofu | 100 g | 10–16 g |
| Eggs | 2 large | 13 g |
| Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 8 g |
Values from USDA FoodData Central. More detail: lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame and Greek yogurt.
Breakfast
Cheesy Mushroom Omelette
White Shakshuka
Poached Eggs, Avocado and Feta Toast
White Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Cheesy mushroom omelette: eggs, cheddar, mushrooms and garlic.
- White shakshuka: eggs baked in butter beans, mushrooms and spinach.
- Poached eggs, avocado and feta toast on sourdough.
- White chocolate overnight oats: oats with Greek yogurt and pea protein.
- Tofu scramble with spinach and wholegrain toast (vegan). See how to cook tofu.
- Greek or soy yogurt bowl with hemp seeds, oats and berries.
- Soy milk smoothie with oats, peanut butter and frozen fruit (vegan).
Lunch
- Lentil salad: lentils, tomatoes, avocado and basil in 10 minutes (vegan).
- Black bean and avocado salad: no cooking, 15 minutes (vegan).
- Fried halloumi salad: halloumi on lentils, cucumber and mint.
- Roasted eggplant and chickpea salad (vegan).
- Edamame and quinoa bowl with a soy-ginger dressing (vegan). See how to cook quinoa.
- Chickpea salad sandwich: mashed chickpeas with Greek or soy yogurt, mustard and herbs.
- Hummus and falafel wrap with salad (vegan).
- Smoky tempeh strip sandwich with lettuce and tomato (vegan). See what is tempeh.
Dinner
- Chickpea curry with spinach and basmati rice (vegan).
- Red lentil curry with coconut and peanut butter (vegan).
- Chili sin carne: pinto and black beans, topped with cheddar and sour cream.
- Caramelised onion butter beans with crusty bread (vegan).
- Jamaican lentil curry with potatoes and carrots (vegan).
- Curried red lentil and tomato soup (vegan).
- Broccoli steak with chimichurri on a butter bean purée.
- Tofu and edamame stir-fry with rice or noodles (vegan).
- Lentil bolognese with wholewheat spaghetti (vegan). See how to cook lentils.
- Seitan and broccoli in a garlic-ginger sauce (vegan).
- Tempeh tacos with slaw and avocado (vegan).
- Black bean burrito bowl with rice, salsa and cheese or avocado.
- Wholewheat pasta with ricotta, peas and spinach.
- Stuffed sweet potatoes with black beans and Greek or soy yogurt.
- Dal and rice with a spoon of yogurt.
Five ways to add protein to any meal
- Double the legumes: add a can of beans or lentils to soups, stews, salads and sauces.
- Swap the base: lentil or chickpea pasta instead of regular pasta; quinoa instead of rice.
- Top it: hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, toasted chickpeas, nutritional yeast or a little cheese.
- Use Greek or soy yogurt instead of sour cream or mayonnaise.
- Keep ready-to-eat protein in the fridge: cooked lentils, baked tofu, boiled eggs.
How much protein do you need?
Healthy adults need at least 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight a day; active people and those building muscle or losing weight often aim for 1.2–1.8 g. Find your number with the protein calculator, and see high-protein snacks for between meals. For diet-specific lists, see high-protein vegan meals and high-protein vegetarian meals.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make a meal high in protein without meat?
Use two protein foods per meal, for example lentils and Greek yogurt, tofu and edamame, or beans and cheese, plus whole grains such as quinoa, which add a little more.
What are the highest-protein foods without meat?
Seitan (about 20–25 g per 100 g), tempeh (20 g), firm tofu (10–16 g), edamame (12 g), and for vegetarians Greek yogurt (10 g per 100 g) and eggs (13 g per 2 eggs). Per cooked cup, lentils give about 18 g.
How much protein should a meal have?
Many adults do well with about 20–40 g per meal, spread over three meals. Use the protein calculator to find your daily target.
Are plant-based meals as filling as meat?
Yes. Legumes bring protein and fibre together, which makes meals built on beans and lentils very filling.
Recipes to try
Related guides
See your protein for every meal
Plan these meals in Vegochef and see the protein in each, next to 29 vitamins, minerals and lipids, against targets for your age, sex and goal.
Try it free for 7 days
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: protein in legumes, soy foods, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds and grains (fdc.nal.usda.gov)
- National Academies of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes for protein
From vegochef.com: meal planner and nutrition tracker for vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians. Free for 7 days on the App Store.