Protein has become an obsession. A wide range of products are boasting about the grams of protein they contain on the front of the package, from high-protein pasta sauce and chicken chips to protein-spiked sodas and candy to Khloe Kardashian-created protein popcorn.
In the rush to boost protein intake, many people are bypassing real food in favor of protein powders, bars and ultra-processed protein-fortified products. Yet whole foods are the best and healthiest way to get all of your protein needs.
And while animal products such as red meat, poultry and fish are excellent sources of protein, it’s entirely possible to meet all your protein needs without consuming meat or other animal products. Plant-based proteins offer health benefits — and are lighter on the planet.
If you’re vegan, vegetarian, following a plant-based diet or just trying to eat less meat, here’s how to get enough protein without turning to processed foods.
[Read: Vegan Protein Powder Review.]
Whole Sources of Plant-Based Protein
A high-protein diet is the most common diet Americans say they’re following, and a “good source of protein” is the top criteria to define a healthy food, according to the International Food Information Council’s 2025 consumer survey on protein.
Meat may be the iconic flagship for protein, but plant foods, including beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains and soy products can hold their own among their protein compatriots.
If you’re concerned about plants being an “incomplete” protein that requires combining different amino acids, the building blocks of protein, you can put that worry to rest. When you eat a variety of plant foods, the overall mix of amino acids is not substantially different from animal protein.
In fact, varying your protein sources is actually healthier. Most Americans get enough protein from meat, poultry and eggs, but do not meet recommendations for seafood, nuts, seeds and soy products.
Increasing the proportion of your plate to favor more plants, like the eating patterns of the Mediterranean diet or a flexitarian approach, can help you maintain a healthier weight and reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes.
Relying more on plant-based proteins over meat can also be more affordable and climate-friendly.
[READ: 12 Health Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet.]
Plant-Based Proteins
— Legumes, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas
— Peanut butter and other nut butters
— Nuts and seeds
— Tofu
— Tempeh
— Hummus
Whole grains, dairy and eggs can also help you add protein, especially:
— Quinoa
— Kamut
— Wild rice
— Eggs
Rather than completely avoiding meat, most people are just trying to eat less meat. If you’re looking to reduce the amount of meat you eat, here are ways to add more whole-food proteins that do not involve meat.
[READ: Protein Rich Snacks to Keep You Satisfied]
Power Up With Pulses
Pulses are the nutrient-dense edible seeds of legumes, including dry peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas. Affordable, sustainable and incredibly versatile, pulses not only provide protein, but they’re packed with other nutrients like fiber, folate, potassium and magnesium.
Protein content of pulses
| Pulse | Serving size | Protein amount (grams) |
| Lentils | 1/2 cup cooked | 9 |
| Kidney beans | 1/2 cup cooked | 8 |
| Pinto beans | 1/2 cup cooked | 8 |
| Split peas | 1/2 cup cooked | 8 |
| Black beans | 1/2 cup cooked | 8 |
| Black-eyed peas | 1/2 cup cooked | 7 |
| Chickpeas | 1/2 cup cooked | 7 |
Easy ways to enjoy pulses
— Mix cooked green lentils or chickpeas into your salad and grain bowls.
— Make a pulse-based soup or stew, including split pea soup, lentil soup, a three-bean vegetarian chili or a hearty Mediterranean-style chickpea stew.
— Replace shredded pork or ground beef with black beans in tacos, burritos and tostadas.
— Use mashed pinto beans for half or all of the ground beef when making burgers.
— Try pulse-based snacks such as roasted chickpeas and lentil chips.
— Make dips like hummus or black bean dip to serve with vegetables or as a spread on sandwiches and wraps.
— Use pulse flour like chickpea flour to make bread, muffins, pancakes and other baked goods.
— Add canned cannellini beans to your favorite pasta dish and check out the varieties of higher-protein pulse pastas that are now widely available, including chickpea, lentil and pea pasta.
[See: Highest Protein Fruits.]
Eat More Nuts and Seeds
Do not underestimate the value of nuts and seeds as a protein source. These tiny-but-mighty foods deserve more attention.
“I always keep jars of different nuts and seeds lined up in my fridge,” says registered dietitian and cookbook author Katie Morford. “It’s a daily reminder to use them in my cooking. They’re delicious for starters and full of fiber, healthy fats, protein and good-for-you phytonutrients.”
Protein content of nuts and seeds
| Nuts and seeds | Serving size | Protein amount (grams) |
| Hemp seeds | 3 tablespoons | 10 |
| Peanut butter | 2 tablespoons | 8 |
| Peanuts | 1 ounce | 7 |
| Tahini | 2 tablespoons | 6 to 7 |
| Chia seeds | 2 tablespoons | 6 |
| Almonds | 1 ounce | 6 |
| Pistachios | 1 ounce | 6 |
| Flaxseeds | 3 tablespoons | 6 |
| Almond butter | 2 tablespoons | 4 to 6 |
| Walnuts | 1 ounce | 4 |
| Cashews | 1 ounce | 4 |
Easy ways to enjoy nuts and seeds
Morford offers these ideas to bump up your use of nuts and seeds:
— Add a few tablespoons of hemp, chia or flax seeds to smoothies. Three tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 10 grams of protein, plus heart-healthy omega-3s and other nutrients.
— Spread nut butter on whole-grain toast, then sprinkle seeds on top, and finish it with berries or sliced fruit. It’s a quick meal with about 12 grams of protein.
— Use nut and seed flours in baked goods. You can seamlessly substitute out about one-quarter of the all-purpose flour in most recipes, such as chocolate chip cookies, cakes, muffins and quick breads. To make your own flour, run nuts or seeds through a food processor or blender.
— Top any hot or cold cereal with chopped nuts or toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds. A ¼ cup serving of pumpkin seeds has 10 grams of protein.
— Scatter toasted nuts or seeds (or both) on a salad. Morford uses four different types of seeds in her super seed salad, which adds flavor, crunch and protein.
— Use ground nuts, such as pecans or almonds, as a coating for baked or pan-fried fish and chicken cutlets, much like you would use panko or breadcrumbs.
— Add nuts and seeds to homemade granola or other snack bars, like these snack bars with nut butter, seeds and nuts.
[ALSO: Eggs: Safety, Health Benefits, Substitutes and Easy Recipes]
Enjoy Eggs Beyond Breakfast
For ovo-vegetarians, or people just looking to cut down on their meat intake, eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein and provide other essential nutrients like choline, lutein, vitamin B12 and iodine. Eggs are also more versatile than you may think.
Protein content of 1 egg
— Jumbo egg = 8 grams
— Extra-large egg = 7 grams
— Large egg = 7 grams
— Medium egg = 6 grams
— Small egg = 5 grams
“As a registered dietitian and mom of two grown boys (who are always hungry), eggs are a regular part of our diets,” says Liz Weiss of Liz’s Healthy Table. “Sure, we eat them for breakfast scrambled and in omelets, but we also include them in other meals and snacks.”
Easy meals and snacks with eggs
Here are some of Weiss’s ideas for adding eggs to meals beyond the morning:
— Make egg salad. Mash hard-boiled eggs with light mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and some shredded carrot (for an extra burst of vitamin A) and use as a filling for sandwiches and wraps, or scoop on top of a green salad.
— Buy store-bought hard-boiled eggs or make them yourself and grab for a quick, on-the-go snack.
— Turn eggs into muffins. Whisk eggs with shredded cheese and chopped, cooked veggies (bell peppers, baby spinach, green onions), scoop into muffin tins and bake. Check out her recipe for egg and kale dinner muffins.
— Omelets are a classic breakfast dish that also can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Set up a build-your-own omelet bar with an assortment of fillings, including shredded cheese, sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper strips or baby spinach, black beans, salsa, chopped green onion and diced avocado.
— Make egg tacos. Scramble a few eggs and serve in crunchy taco shells with black beans, salsa, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese and guacamole.
— Enjoy an easy frittata for dinner. This egg-based dish is like a crustless quiche. Load up with chopped vegetables, including broccoli, asparagus, spinach, red peppers or cherry tomatoes.
— Add sliced or grated hard-cooked eggs to salads, grain bowls and avocado toast.
[SEE: 10 Cheap Plant-Based Meals]
Choose Higher-Protein Grains
Grains may be an overlooked source of protein, but they can help contribute significant amounts of protein to a plant-forward diet, says registered dietitian and author Sharon Palmer, the Plant-Powered Dietitian. Grains in their whole form, such as cooked oats, quinoa, brown rice and farro, are a valuable source of not only protein, but fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
Protein content in whole grains
The amount of protein in grains can vary. Here’s a comparison of the protein content of whole grains, based on dry or uncooked amounts.
| Grain | Serving size (dry) | Protein amount (grams) |
| Whole-wheat pasta | 2 ounces | 8 |
| Kamut | 1/4 cup | 7 |
| Wild rice | 1/4 cup | 7 |
| Quinoa | 1/4 cup | 6 |
| Teff | 1/4 cup | 6 |
| Farro | 1/4 cup | 6 |
| Buckwheat | 1/4 cup | 6 |
| Millet | 1/4 cup | 5 |
| Sorghum | 1/4 cup | 4 |
Tips to use whole grains as a protein sourcePalmer recommends these ideas to increase whole grains:
— Plug in your rice cooker or instant pot and cook up a different whole grain every night of the week. Ancient grains like amaranth, barley, quinoa, millet, teff, farro, kamut and bulgur can be cooked with water according to package directions and served in place of rice, pasta or potatoes.
— Add whole grains, such as quinoa, brown rice or farro, to a grain bowl as the foundation, layering in beans, vegetables and a flavorful sauce.
— Fold whole grains into baked goods, like millet, oats and wheat berries into bars, bread, cookies, muffins and pancakes
— Serve whole grains, such as kamut, brown rice and quinoa as a side to dishes like curry, stir-fry and ratatouille.
— Stir quinoa, millet, teff or other whole grains into soups, stews and chilis.
— Add whole grains, like oats, quinoa or farro to veggie burgers, lentil patties and nut loaves.
— Include whole grains as a side dish, such as wild rice pilaf, farro with olive oil and garlic and Spanish brown rice.
Add High-Protein Dairy
Dairy foods, including milk, yogurt and cheese, are not technically in the protein foods group, but they can be a hard-working stand-in for meat. Dairy not only offers protein, but other essential nutrients that are often in short supply including calcium and vitamin D.
Fortified soy milk and soy yogurt are also part of the dairy group because their nutrient content is comparable to dairy milk and yogurt. Other plant-based milks like almond, oat, rice and coconut milks are not included because they lack the same nutrition profile. Even if fortified, the protein content is less than one gram per serving.
Protein content of dairy foods
| Dairy option | Serving size | Protein amount (grams) |
| Cottage cheese | 1/2 cup | 14 |
| Ricotta cheese | 1/2 cup | 14 |
| Yogurt | 1 cup | 8 to 12 |
| Greek yogurt | 1 cup | 16 to 23 |
| Parmesan cheese | 1/4 cup grated | 11 |
| Dairy milk | 1 cup | 8 |
| Ultra-filtered milk | 1 cup | 13 to 30 |
| Soy milk | 1 cup | 7 to 8 |
| Cheddar cheese | 1 ounce | 6 |
| American processed cheese | 1 ounce | 3 |
Tips to use dairy as protein source
Stock up on cottage cheese, which is a favorite of registered dietitian Marina Chaparro, founder of Nutrichicos. “I love cottage cheese because you can make it sweet by adding fruit or savory by adding dip mix, herbs or spices. It goes great on top of salads, too,” she says.
— Make whipped cottage cheese toast for breakfast. Blend cottage cheese until smooth and spread it on toast. Top with sliced strawberries, honey and chia seeds, or go savory with sliced tomato and avocado.
— Add cottage cheese to pancake and muffin batter for a protein boost and extra moisture.
Greek yogurt is another versatile dairy food. Chaparro recommends using yogurt in smoothies and savory dips like tzatziki for vegetables. She also suggests adding yogurt to pancakes and baked goods for additional protein and calcium.
— Make the TikTok trendy frozen yogurt bark. Mix Greek yogurt with berries and nuts, freeze in thin sheets and break into pieces
Consider options for incorporating cheese into your meals.
— Enjoy a Caprese sandwich layered with sliced tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil instead of a burger or turkey sandwich.
— Add small dollops of burrata or cubes of fresh mozzarella to pasta instead of meatballs.
— Swap ricotta or cottage cheese for ground beef in lasagna.
— Skip the meat when making enchiladas and quesadillas and fill with part-skim mozzarella and beans.
— Top salads and grain bowls with grilled halloumi or paneer instead of grilled chicken.
Rather than stressing about grams and ratios of “macros,” aim for eating a variety of real, whole food sources of protein, including beans, whole grains, nuts, dairy, eggs, seafood and lean meats.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
Protein is essential to help maintain muscle mass, increase satiety and more. To find out how much protein you need, try our protein calculator:
Protein calculator
While it’s good to know how much protein is recommended for you, the source matters just as much as the quantity.
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How to Get Enough Protein: the Best Protein Sources for Vegans, Vegetarians and Plant-Forward Eaters originally appeared on usnews.com
