The short answer: the best plant based protein sources are soy foods (tempeh, tofu, edamame), seitan, lentils, split peas, beans, peanuts and seeds.
- Most per serving: tempeh at about 34 grams per cup
- Cheapest: dried beans, at about 34 cents per 20 grams of protein
- Complete proteins: tofu, tempeh, edamame and quinoa
- Next step: Plan your meatless week with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99). Free download: the daily food log (we email it to you).
Protein numbers are from USDA FoodData Central and the bean price is the BLS U.S. average for September 2026, checked November 5, 2026.
Our picks for plant based protein sources
Starter pickPrintables
Meal Planner & Grocery List
Weekly meals, a grocery list sorted by aisle, and pantry and freezer inventories so you shop once and waste less.
Printables
Family Recipe Binder
Section dividers, four recipe page layouts with room for the family story, 4x6 and 3x5 cards and a conversion chart - print it or type into the fillable version.
Save 33%Bundles
Family Life Admin Bundle
Baby logs, chore charts, pet records, meal plans and family recipes in one tidy set.
Plant based protein sources are foods from plants that give you a real amount of protein, mainly soy foods, seitan, lentils, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. Tempeh, firm tofu, seitan, edamame and lentils lead the list with 18 to 34 grams per serving. Below you will find all 30 ranked, with calories, fiber and an easy meal idea for each, plus how to pair them and a full day of vegan meals with about 110 grams of protein.
30 plant based protein sources, ranked
Values are rounded from USDA FoodData Central. Brands vary, so check your labels. If you only want vegetables, see the high protein vegetables chart with grams per cup.
| Rank | Food | Serving | Protein | Calories | Fiber | Easy meal idea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tempeh | 1 cup | 34 g | 319 | n/a | Crumble into tacos. |
| 2 | Firm tofu | 1/2 cup | 22 g | 181 | 3 g | Pan fry for a stir-fry. |
| 3 | Vital wheat gluten (seitan) | 1 oz | 21 g | 104 | 0 g | Make seitan strips for sandwiches. |
| 4 | Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 18 g | 230 | 16 g | Simmer into lentil soup. |
| 5 | Edamame, cooked | 1 cup | 18 g | 188 | 8 g | Toss into a grain bowl. |
| 6 | Split peas, cooked | 1 cup | 16 g | 231 | 16 g | Cook a pot of split pea soup. |
| 7 | Black beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g | 227 | 15 g | Fill burrito bowls. |
| 8 | Chickpeas, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g | 269 | 13 g | Mash into a sandwich spread. |
| 9 | Pinto beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g | 245 | 15 g | Stir into chili. |
| 10 | Navy beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g | 255 | 19 g | Bake into savory beans. |
| 11 | Lima beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g | 216 | 13 g | Add to vegetable stew. |
| 12 | Great Northern beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 g | 209 | 12 g | Simmer with greens and garlic. |
| 13 | Black-eyed peas, cooked | 1 cup | 13 g | 200 | 11 g | Serve over rice. |
| 14 | Refried beans, canned | 1 cup | 13 g | 227 | 9 g | Spread inside quesadillas. |
| 15 | Roasted soybeans | 1 oz | 12 g | 126 | 2 g | Snack on them by the handful. |
| 16 | Spelt, cooked | 1 cup | 11 g | 246 | 8 g | Use in place of rice. |
| 17 | Teff, cooked | 1 cup | 10 g | 255 | 7 g | Cook as a warm porridge. |
| 18 | Silken tofu | 1/2 cup | 9 g | 76 | 0 g | Blend into smoothies. |
| 19 | Hemp seeds | 3 tbsp | 9 g | 166 | 1 g | Sprinkle on oatmeal. |
| 20 | Pumpkin seeds | 1 oz | 8 g | 157 | 2 g | Top a salad. |
| 21 | Peanut butter powder | 2 tbsp | 8 g | 52 | 3 g | Stir into oatmeal. |
| 22 | Soy milk | 1 cup | 8 g | 131 | 2 g | Pour over cereal. |
| 23 | Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 8 g | 222 | 5 g | Build a quinoa bowl. |
| 24 | Green peas, cooked | 1 cup | 8 g | 125 | 7 g | Add to fried rice. |
| 25 | Whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked | 1 cup | 8 g | 209 | 6 g | Top with lentil marinara. |
| 26 | Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | 7 g | 191 | 2 g | Spread on toast. |
| 27 | Peanuts, dry-roasted | 1 oz | 7 g | 164 | 2 g | Add to peanut noodles. |
| 28 | Almond butter | 2 tbsp | 7 g | 196 | 3 g | Dip apple slices. |
| 29 | Brussels sprouts, cooked | 1 cup | 6 g | 65 | 6 g | Roast with olive oil. |
| 30 | Almonds | 1 oz | 6 g | 162 | 4 g | Pack for a snack. |
Plant proteins that are complete
A complete protein has all nine essential amino acids in useful amounts. Soy foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk) and quinoa qualify. Beans and lentils run low in methionine, while grains run low in lysine. You do not need to pair them at the same meal. Eating a mix across the day does the job.
| Pair this | With this | Example meal |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Rice | Black beans and rice with salsa |
| Lentils | Whole grains | Lentil soup with whole-wheat bread |
| Peanut butter | Whole-wheat bread | Peanut butter toast |
| Chickpeas | Pita or couscous | Hummus plate or chickpea couscous salad |
| Split peas | Barley | Split pea and barley soup |
The cheapest plant based protein
Dried beans are the budget winner. The BLS U.S. average price for dried beans was $1.669 a pound in September 2026. A pound of dry pinto beans has about 97 grams of protein, so 20 grams costs about 34 cents ($1.669 ÷ 97 × 20). Canned beans cost more per gram, but they save time. For dinner ideas that keep the whole plate cheap, see our cheap vegan meals.
How much protein you need
The adult RDA is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, about 54 grams a day for a 150-pound person. Harvard's Nutrition Source notes that plant proteins such as beans, nuts and whole grains come with fiber and other nutrients. Ask your doctor or a dietitian for your own number. To fit these foods into a calorie target, see this plan for weight loss with a 7-day menu and swaps.
If you eat no animal foods, plan for vitamin B12 too. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements explains that B12 is found naturally in animal foods, so vegans usually rely on fortified foods or a supplement.
A day of vegan meals with about 110 grams of protein
| Meal | What to eat | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1/2 cup oats cooked in 1 cup soy milk, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 3 tbsp hemp seeds | about 29 g |
| Lunch | Lentil soup with 1 1/2 cups lentils and a slice of whole-wheat bread | about 31 g |
| Snack | 1 cup shelled edamame | about 18 g |
| Dinner | Stir-fry with 1/2 cup firm tofu, 1 cup broccoli, over 1 cup quinoa | about 34 g |
| Total | about 112 g |
Tips for cooking plant proteins
- Press tofu for 15 minutes before cooking so it browns instead of steams.
- Cook dried beans in a big batch and freeze them in 1 1/2 cup portions, about one can's worth.
- Rinse canned beans to cut some of the sodium.
- Keep lentils on hand, since they cook in about 20 minutes without soaking.
- Toast nuts and seeds in a dry pan for more flavor.
More meatless ideas live in our vegetarian meal prep ideas and high protein meals.
Want full meals built on these proteins? Our 106 easy vegan recipes list protein, cook time and cost for each one.
Plan it on paper
Cook it next: tofu recipes with 40 easy meals.
Write one plant protein next to each dinner in the [Meal Planner & Grocery List](Budget high-protein dinners: lentil recipes.
/products/meal-planner-grocery-list/) ($3.99), then add the beans, tofu or lentils to the aisle-sorted list. Keep the recipes that work in the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99), or get both in the Family Life Admin Bundle ($15.99, $23.95). See all our printables and bundles.
Easy way to eat more chickpeas: chickpea salad.
If you already have an appropriate daily calorie target, the macro calculator converts a chosen carbohydrate, protein and fat split into grams; it does not measure the nutrients in a recipe.
Meal Planner & Grocery List
Weekly meals, a grocery list sorted by aisle, and pantry and freezer inventories so you shop once and waste less.
$3.99 · Instant download. Print at home or fill it in on screen. Or browse the full Home & Organizing collection.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best plant based protein sources? The best plant based protein sources are tempeh, firm tofu, seitan, edamame, lentils, split peas, beans, roasted soybeans, peanuts, hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds. Tempeh has about 34 grams of protein per cup and firm tofu about 22 grams per half cup, according to USDA FoodData Central.
Which plant based food has the most protein? Tempeh has the most protein per typical serving on our list, at about 34 grams per cup. By weight, vital wheat gluten, the base of seitan, is even higher, with about 21 grams in a single ounce of the dry flour.
Are plant proteins complete proteins? Soy foods such as tofu, tempeh and edamame, plus quinoa, contain all nine essential amino acids. Most other plant proteins are low in one or two, but eating a mix of beans, grains, nuts and seeds over the day covers them.
Can you get enough protein on a plant based diet? Yes, most people can get enough protein from plants by including a bean, soy, lentil or seed food at every meal. The sample day on this page reaches about 110 grams of protein using everyday grocery store foods.
What is the cheapest plant based protein? Dried beans are the cheapest plant based protein we found, at about 34 cents per 20 grams of protein using the September 2026 BLS U.S. average of $1.669 a pound. Lentils and split peas are also low cost staples.
Do vegans need supplements besides protein? Many vegans need a reliable source of vitamin B12, because it is found naturally only in animal foods. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists fortified foods and supplements as the options, so ask your doctor what you need.
What plant based protein is good for weight loss? Lentils, beans, split peas, edamame and tofu are filling choices because they combine protein with fiber for a moderate number of calories. Nuts and seeds are nutritious too, but they are calorie dense, so measure the portion.
How can I plan plant based meals for the week? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. has a weekly meal grid and an aisle-sorted grocery list, so you can pick a bean, tofu or lentil dinner for each night and shop once.
Where can I keep my vegan recipes? The Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. has fillable recipe pages and dividers, so your lentil soups, tofu stir-fries and bean chilis stay organized in one binder.
Can I get the planner and recipe binder together? Yes, you can get the planner and recipe binder together. The Family Life Admin Bundle ($15.99, $23.95 bought separately) from HomeBase Paper Co. includes the Meal Planner & Grocery List, the Family Recipe Binder and three more household printables.
Free printable
Save the family favorites: get the free recipe book pages
Printable recipe pages and a recipe request card to send to relatives, so the dishes everyone loves end up in one book. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with easy meal planning ideas and family recipe tips.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central fdc.nal.usda.gov
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Protein nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B12 ods.od.nih.gov
- BLS average price data: Beans, dried, per lb data.bls.gov