There’s a misconception that plant-based diets are lacking in protein, but these recipes show how easy it is to get enough while eating scrumptious foods. Ingredients like soybeans, quinoa, and pulses are loaded with it. Because some people worry that these foods lack all of the amino acids needed to consider it a complete protein (like animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs), try these recipes which combine different sources of protein like whole grains, beans, and nuts. Keep reading to discover vegetarian dinner recipes that will do the trick.
1. Beet Hummus Bowl: Once you see how stunning this recipe can be, you’ll want to make it for dinner on the regular. Nothing makes eating your veggies more appealing than dip!
Vegan Three-Bean Sriracha Chili
Three types of beans add heft to this vegan chili. Serve it with a whole grain (like brown rice or a side of cornbread) for a complete meal.
Spicy Chickpea and Lentil Soup
Red lentils are cooked in a spicy tomato broth until tender, then pureed with chickpeas to make a creamy, protein-packed soup.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Corn and sweet potatoes help balance out the earthy savoriness of black beans and chiles in this recipe. Add a scoop to a bowl of quinoa then dollop with cashew cream and you’ll be all set.
Colorful Quinoa Bowls
A combination of quinoa, roasted veg, and a fried egg with charge you up.
Jackfruit and Black Bean Burrito Bowls
Topping a bowl of brown rice with a flavorful mixture of jackfruit, black beans, corns, salsa, and onions gives you all the flavors of your favorite burrito, without the anxiety that comes from trying to properly fold your tortilla around so much goodness.
Kidney Bean and Walnut Veggie Burgers
The key to a memorable veggie burger is the texture. Kidney beans make these patties have a mostly-creamy interior, while walnuts add a hearty, subtle crunch.
Baked Falafel Patties
Bake up a tray of falafel patties, which get nice and crisp in the oven, and add them to your meals all week. Tuck them into a whole-grain pita, then slather with tahini, spritz with lemon juice, and pair with some vibrant greens.
Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry
You’ll want a hearty serving of brown rice to accompany this easy vegan chickpea curry. That’ll make it easier to scoop up every last bit of the creamy coconut sauce left in your bowl.
Pressure Cooker Bean and Quinoa Chili
Sometimes simmering a big pot of chili on the stove just isn’t a possibility. On those busy nights, bust out the pressure cooker and make a batch of bean and quinoa chili.
Fall Quinoa Salad
Add walnut halves to a vibrant quinoa salad made with pomegranate arils (or a seasonal fruit), green onions, and parsley to add both crunch and an extra protein and Omega-3 boost.
12. Mermaid Veggie Sushi Bowls: These customizable rice bowls will be a hit with whoever you’re cooking for. Must-have toppings include avo, marinated tofu, sprouts, and tropical fruit.
Single-Serving Enchilada
If you live solo, forgo the frozen food for this stacked enchilada for one.
Indian-Spice Couscous Bowl
The flavors of India infuse this nutritious bowl with sweetness and spice. Whole wheat couscous and grilled tofu bring protein to the table, while garam masala produces the appeal.
15. Southwestern Black Bean Salad: If Chipotle is your go-to for a quick vegetarian meal, then you’re in luck. Beans, corn, and avocado combine for a salad you can make in minutes.
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Justina Huddleston
Justina Huddleston is a food writer living in Los Angeles. When she's not busy writing, she spends her time in the kitchen creating both virtuous and decidedly junky vegan food. Buffalo chickpea pizza, anyone? She's also been known to eat a plain block of tofu or beans straight out of the can for lunch, but somehow those culinary adventures don't make it to her Instagram. You can follow Justina on Twitter or see what's cooking in her kitchen on her blog, A Life of Little Pleasures.
FAQs
Whole grains with beans (beans and rice; hummus and pita bread; bean-based chili and crackers; refried beans and tortillas) Beans with nuts or seeds (salad with chickpeas and sunflower seeds)
How to get 30 grams of protein per meal vegetarian? ›
3 meal options with 30 grams of protein
- Quinoa and lentil salad. Both quinoa and lentils are loaded with protein. ...
- Scrambled tofu and veggie bowl. This vegan meal option can also offer a variety of nutrients along with enough protein. ...
- Masoor dal kebabs. Masoor dal is commonly used in Indian households.
If you're considering a vegetarian diet, here are 20 high-quality sources of protein to get you started.
- Lentils. Lentils may be red, green, black, or brown. ...
- Edamame. Edamame are soybeans harvested before they mature. ...
- Beans. Beans are a delicious plant source of protein. ...
- Split peas. ...
- Tofu. ...
- Peanut butter. ...
- Oats. ...
- Quinoa.
How to get protein without the meat
- Pulses. Pulses are an inexpensive protein choice, are high in fibre and a source of iron. ...
- Soya beans. ...
- Quinoa. ...
- Nuts. ...
- Seeds. ...
- Cereals and grains. ...
- Quorn™ ...
- Dairy.
No. Potatoes are particularly poor of proteins. What you need is pulses (not just beans, also lentils, chickpeas, fava beans, etc.) and grains (rice, wheat, corn etc., aka pasta, rice, polenta, bread, tortilla, etc.)
What two vegetables make complete proteins? ›
Together, rice and beans contain all nine essential amino acids to form a complete source of protein.
How can a vegetarian hit 100 grams of protein? ›
For vegetarians, 100 grams of protein might look like:
- Four eggs (24 grams of protein)
- ½ cup of rolled oats (5 grams)
- Two tablespoons of peanut butter (7 grams)
- One tablespoon of hemp seeds (4 grams)
- ¼ cup of protein granola (10 grams)
- One scoop of plant-based protein powder (20 grams)
- Two snack cheeses (10 grams)
Here are some tips to help you reach 150 grams of protein through vegetarian foods:
- Incorporate a variety of protein sources in your diet, such as legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
- Use high-protein vegetarian substitutes, such as tofu, tempeh, and seitan, in place of meat in your favorite recipes.
Some plant-based foods, such as soybean products, seitan, beans, and lentils contain high amounts of protein. You can also find protein in nuts, whole grains like quinoa and amaranth, and hemp seeds.
What are 5 protein rich foods vegetarian? ›
Whole soy foods, such as edamame, tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy nuts, are great sources of lean protein. Unlike most vegetarian proteins, soy is a complete protein, providing all the essential amino acids for optimal use by your body.
6 Best Protein Sources for Vegetarians
- Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
- Amaranth (Rajgira)
- Yellow Split Pigeon Peas (Toor Dal)
- Soybean.
- Flax seeds (Alsi)
- Peanuts (Mungphali)
The following healthful, plant-based foods have a high-protein content per serving:
- Tofu, tempeh, and edamame. Share on Pinterest Soy products such as tofu, tempeh, and edamame are among the richest sources of protein in a vegan diet. ...
- Lentils. ...
- Chickpeas. ...
- Peanuts. ...
- Almonds. ...
- Spirulina. ...
- Quinoa. ...
- Mycoprotein.
Beans, peas, and lentils include kidney beans, pinto beans, white beans, black beans, lima beans, fava beans, soybeans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, split peas, lentils, and edamame. These plant-based foods are excellent sources of protein as well as fiber, folate, potassium, iron, and zinc.
How can vegetarians meet their protein needs without eating meat? ›
Vegetarian protein options include: Beans and lentils – chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans. Soy products – tofu, edamame, tempeh, seitan. Whole grains – quinoa, oatmeal, couscous.
What does 30g of protein look like for vegetarians? ›
Tofu can often be a staple source of protein for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet: 1 1/2 cups of cooked tofu can provide 30 grams of protein along with some healthy fat. Because tofu is made from soybeans, it's considered a complete protein even though it's from plants.
How can vegetarians make a complete protein? ›
We point out that protein-rich foods, such as traditional legumes, nuts and seeds, are sufficient to achieve full protein adequacy in adults consuming vegetarian/vegan diets, while the question of any amino acid deficiency has been substantially overstated.
What are 3 vegetarian proteins? ›
What is a good source of protein that isn't meat? Some plant-based foods, such as soybean products, seitan, beans, and lentils contain high amounts of protein. You can also find protein in nuts, whole grains like quinoa and amaranth, and hemp seeds.
What foods are a complete protein? ›
Complete proteins.
- Fish.
- Poultry (chicken, duck, or turkey)
- Eggs.
- Dairy products (milk, yogurt, or cheese, for example)
- Beef or pork.
- Soy products, such as tofu and edamame.
Protein sources from the protein foods group for vegetarians and vegans include beans, peas, and lentils; nuts, seeds, and soy products such as tofu and tempeh and eggs (for ovo-vegetarians).
Three types of beans add heft to this vegan chili. Serve it with a whole grain (like brown rice or a side of cornbread) for a complete meal.
Red lentils are cooked in a spicy tomato broth until tender, then pureed with chickpeas to make a creamy, protein-packed soup.
Corn and sweet potatoes help balance out the earthy savoriness of black beans and chiles in this recipe. Add a scoop to a bowl of quinoa then dollop with cashew cream and you’ll be all set.
A combination of quinoa, roasted veg, and a fried egg with charge you up.
Topping a bowl of brown rice with a flavorful mixture of jackfruit, black beans, corns, salsa, and onions gives you all the flavors of your favorite burrito, without the anxiety that comes from trying to properly fold your tortilla around so much goodness.
The key to a memorable veggie burger is the texture. Kidney beans make these patties have a mostly-creamy interior, while walnuts add a hearty, subtle crunch.
Bake up a tray of falafel patties, which get nice and crisp in the oven, and add them to your meals all week. Tuck them into a whole-grain pita, then slather with tahini, spritz with lemon juice, and pair with some vibrant greens.
You’ll want a hearty serving of brown rice to accompany this easy vegan chickpea curry. That’ll make it easier to scoop up every last bit of the creamy coconut sauce left in your bowl.
Sometimes simmering a big pot of chili on the stove just isn’t a possibility. On those busy nights, bust out the pressure cooker and make a batch of bean and quinoa chili.
Add walnut halves to a vibrant quinoa salad made with pomegranate arils (or a seasonal fruit), green onions, and parsley to add both crunch and an extra protein and Omega-3 boost.
If you live solo, forgo the frozen food for this stacked enchilada for one.
The flavors of India infuse this nutritious bowl with sweetness and spice. Whole wheat couscous and grilled tofu bring protein to the table, while garam masala produces the appeal.