ParrotPalHigh-protein vegetarian meals: easy ideas, and where the protein comes from
Which vegetarian foods carry the most protein, 14 everyday meals with 20 to 35 g each, and a simple way to build a day that reaches your number.
Vegetarian protein sources: the chart
Protein and calories for a usual portion of each food. Eggs and dairy are included; foods with a tick are vegan-friendly too.
| Food, per portion | Protein | kcal | Per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein shake, ready to drinkVegan only if plant-based | about20 g | about130 | 15 g |
| Firm tofu, 150 gVegan-friendly | 19 g | 180 | 11 g |
| 0% Greek yogurt, 170 g pot | 17 g | 95 | 18 g |
| Skyr, 150 g | 16 g | 95 | 17 g |
| Cottage cheese, 150 g | 15 g | 120 | 12 g |
| Quorn mince, 100 gContains egg, so not vegan | 14 g | 105 | 13 g |
| Two medium eggs | 13 g | 150 | 9 g |
| Quark, 100 g | 12 g | 65 | 18 g |
| Light mozzarella, 60 gLook for the vegetarian symbol | 11 g | 100 | 11 g |
| Semi-skimmed milk, 300 ml | 11 g | 140 | 8 g |
| Red lentils, 40 g dryVegan-friendly | 10 g | 130 | 8 g |
| Edamame beans, 80 gVegan-friendly | 9 g | 100 | 9 g |
| Baked beans, half a tin (200 g)Vegan-friendly | 9 g | 160 | 6 g |
| Reduced-fat cheddar, 30 gLook for the vegetarian symbol | 8 g | 95 | 8 g |
| Roasted chickpeas, 30 gVegan-friendly | 6 g | 120 | 5 g |
| Peanut butter, 15 gVegan-friendly | 4 g | 90 | 4 g |
Approximate, from typical UK supermarket labels. Brands vary, so check the label. “Per 100 kcal” is grams of protein for every 100 calories: the higher it is, the more protein you get for the calories.
Build a vegetarian day
Tap Change to pick a breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack from the meals on this page. The day adds up as you go.
Example target: 90 g of protein a day. Work out your own and this page will use it.
Your vegetarian day
Per day- BreakfastQuark porridge28 g
- LunchEgg and cottage cheese salad28 g
- DinnerQuorn chilli with cheddar32 g
- SnackSkyr, 150 g16 g
Meets a 90 g day · about 1,050 kcal
14 high-protein vegetarian meals
Each one has 20 to 35 g of protein, from everyday UK supermarket food.
| Meal | Protein | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Quark porridgeCook 40 g oats in 300 ml semi-skimmed milk, then stir in 100 g quark off the heat. | 28 g | 355 |
| Skyr with peanut butter and berriesStir 15 g peanut butter into 150 g skyr and top with berries. | 20 g | 185 |
| Greek yogurt overnight oatsThe night before, mix 40 g oats into a 170 g pot of 0% Greek yogurt with a splash of water. Top with 15 g peanut butter in the morning. | 26 g | 335 |
| Eggs and cottage cheese on toastScramble two eggs, fold in 150 g cottage cheese and pile onto a slice of wholemeal toast. | 32 g | 360 |
| Tofu scramble on toastCrumble 150 g firm tofu into a hot pan with turmeric, black pepper and spinach. Serve on a slice of wholemeal toast. | 23 g | 270 |
| Protein shake overnight oatsSoak 40 g oats overnight in a ready-to-drink protein shake. Use a plant-based shake to make it vegan. | 25 g | 280 |
| Mozzarella omeletteMake a two-egg omelette with 60 g torn light mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. Serve with salad. | 24 g | 250 |
| Cheesy beans on toastHeat half a tin of baked beans, spoon over two slices of wholemeal toast and top with 30 g grated reduced-fat cheddar. | 25 g | 435 |
| Egg and cottage cheese saladBoil two eggs for 8 minutes, halve them and serve with 150 g cottage cheese, salad leaves and cucumber. | 28 g | 270 |
| Red lentil soup with crunchy chickpeasSimmer 40 g red lentils and 80 g edamame in vegetable stock with chopped tomatoes for 20 minutes. Scatter 30 g roasted chickpeas on top. | 25 g | 350 |
| Red lentil dahl with toastSimmer 80 g red lentils with onion, garlic, curry spices and chopped tomatoes. Serve with a slice of wholemeal toast. | 24 g | 350 |
| Quorn chilli with cheddarBrown 100 g Quorn mince, simmer with 40 g red lentils, chopped tomatoes and chilli, then top with 30 g grated reduced-fat cheddar. | 32 g | 330 |
| Tofu and edamame stir-fryStir-fry 150 g cubed firm tofu with 80 g edamame and mixed vegetables in soy sauce and garlic. | 28 g | 280 |
| Baked tofu satayBake 150 g cubed firm tofu, then toss in 15 g peanut butter loosened with soy sauce, lime and hot water. Serve with greens. | 23 g | 270 |
Protein and calories are approximate, from typical UK labels, and count the foods given with an amount. Vegetables, herbs, spices, stock and sauces add a little. Check the label.
How much protein do vegetarians need?
The same as anyone else. The UK reference nutrient intake for adults is 0.75 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, and it's set to prevent deficiency. If you're losing weight or want to keep your muscle, more helps: a review of 49 trials found that, with strength training, the extra muscle from more protein levelled off at around 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day (Morton et al., 2018, British Journal of Sports Medicine). That's an average: some people do better on more, up to about 2.2 g per kg, so treat it as a target to reach rather than a ceiling.
ParrotPal uses 1.6 g per kg, counting your weight only up to a healthy weight for your height, rounded to 5 g. In practice that means about 25 to 30 g of protein at each meal. The protein calculator works out your number.
High-protein vegetarian meals for weight loss
- Protein first. Build each plate around one protein food, then add vegetables and a smaller portion of bread, rice or potatoes.
- Spread it out. Three meals of about 25 to 30 g, plus a protein snack, is easier than one big dinner.
- Use the “per 100 kcal” column. Foods near the top give the most protein for the calories.
- Keep strength training in. When you eat less, protein and strength work together help you keep muscle, so more of what you lose is fat.
Low-fat, high-protein vegetarian foods
Quark, 0% Greek yogurt and skyr give the most protein for their calories in the chart, with cottage cheese, Quorn mince and light mozzarella not far behind. They work at breakfast, as a snack, or stirred into savoury dishes. Peanut butter and roasted chickpeas are handy, but they carry more calories for their protein, so treat them as toppings.
Vegan-friendly options
Tofu, edamame, red lentils, baked beans, roasted chickpeas and peanut butter are vegan. A plant-based protein shake is too; whey shakes aren't. Quorn mince contains egg, so it isn't vegan. Some cheeses, especially mozzarella and some hard cheeses, are made with animal rennet, so look for the vegetarian symbol. Most wholemeal bread is vegan, but check the label. Without eggs and dairy it takes more planning: a vegan day built from this page lands at about 75 to 85 g of protein, or more with a plant-based shake as the snack.
What's your own protein number?
The example day above aims for 90 g. Your target depends on your height and weight; the calculator works it out in 10 seconds, and this page will show it against your day.
Work out my protein High-protein snack ideas Free LeanShield scoreQuestions people ask
How do vegetarians get enough protein?
Build each meal around one protein food: eggs, Greek yogurt, skyr, quark, cottage cheese, tofu, Quorn, lentils or beans. Aim for roughly 25 to 30 g of protein at each meal and add a protein snack such as skyr or edamame. Eggs and dairy make it easier. Vegans lean on tofu, lentils, beans and edamame. Plant proteins are a little less well digested than animal ones, so if you eat no animal foods at all, aim about 10 to 20% above your target.
What vegetarian food has the most protein?
Per portion in our chart, a ready-to-drink protein shake has about 20 g, then firm tofu (19 g in 150 g), 0% Greek yogurt (17 g in a 170 g pot) and skyr (16 g in 150 g). For protein per calorie, quark, 0% Greek yogurt and skyr lead, at about 17 to 18 g of protein per 100 kcal. Values are approximate, so check the label.
Is Quorn or tofu higher in protein?
Per usual portion, tofu has more: 150 g of firm tofu has about 19 g of protein, and 100 g of Quorn mince about 14 g. Gram for gram they are close, about 13 g per 100 g for tofu and 14 g for Quorn mince. Quorn mince gives more protein per calorie: about 13 g per 100 kcal against about 11 g for tofu. Quorn mince contains egg, so it isn't vegan. Tofu is.
What are good high-protein vegetarian meals for weight loss?
Pick meals with plenty of protein for their calories, such as quark porridge (28 g of protein, 355 kcal) or a tofu and edamame stir-fry (28 g, 280 kcal), and spread protein across the day. When you eat less, protein and strength training help you keep muscle, so more of the weight you lose is fat. You don't need special diet foods.
Do I need a protein shake as a vegetarian?
No. Eggs, dairy, tofu, Quorn, lentils and beans can cover it. A shake (about 20 g of protein) is a handy extra on busy days or when your appetite is small. Use it alongside food rather than instead of it.
Also from ParrotPal
Please read. This page is general information, not medical advice. It isn't tailored to you and doesn't replace advice from your GP or a dietitian. If you have kidney disease, diabetes, a history of disordered eating or any other medical condition, check with them before changing how you eat. Protein and calorie counts are estimates.
Quorn® is a registered trademark of Marlow Foods Ltd, Wegovy® of Novo Nordisk and Mounjaro® of Eli Lilly and Company. ParrotPal isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any of them. LeanShield™ is ParrotPal's muscle protection score: it rates the habits linked to protecting muscle, is not a medical device and doesn't measure muscle.