High protein vegan foods
The most protein per serving among vegan foods comes from lentils (17.9 g per 1 cup, 36% DV), then white beans (17.4 g per 1 cup, 35% DV) and natto (17 g per 1/2 cup, 34% DV). 15 of the 108 vegan foods we compared give 20% of the Daily Value or more per serving.
High protein vegan foods, ranked per serving
| # | Food | Serving | Protein | Calories | Protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lentils (cooked) | 1 cup (7 oz, 198 g) | 17.9 g (36% DV) | 230 calories | 9 g |
| 2 | White beans (cooked) | 1 cup (6.3 oz, 179 g) | 17.4 g (35% DV) | 249 calories | 9.7 g |
| 3 | Natto | 1/2 cup (3.1 oz, 88 g) | 17 g (34% DV) | 185 calories | 19.4 g |
| 4 | Tempeh | 1/2 cup (2.9 oz, 83 g) | 16.8 g (34% DV) | 159 calories | 20.3 g |
| 5 | Split peas (cooked) | 1 cup (6.9 oz, 196 g) | 16.3 g (33% DV) | 231 calories | 8.3 g |
| 6 | Pinto beans (cooked) | 1 cup (6 oz, 171 g) | 15.4 g (31% DV) | 245 calories | 9 g |
| 7 | Kidney beans (cooked) | 1 cup (6.2 oz, 177 g) | 15.3 g (31% DV) | 225 calories | 8.7 g |
| 8 | Black beans (cooked) | 1 cup (6.1 oz, 172 g) | 15.2 g (30% DV) | 227 calories | 8.9 g |
| 9 | Lima beans (cooked) | 1 cup (6.6 oz, 188 g) | 14.7 g (29% DV) | 216 calories | 7.8 g |
| 10 | Chickpeas (cooked) | 1 cup (5.8 oz, 164 g) | 14.5 g (29% DV) | 269 calories | 8.9 g |
| 11 | Mung beans (cooked) | 1 cup (7.1 oz, 202 g) | 14.2 g (28% DV) | 212 calories | 7 g |
| 12 | Pigeon peas (cooked) | 1 cup (5.9 oz, 168 g) | 11.4 g (23% DV) | 203 calories | 6.8 g |
| 13 | Spelt (cooked) | 1 cup (6.8 oz, 194 g) | 10.7 g (21% DV) | 246 calories | 5.5 g |
| 14 | Fava beans (raw) | 1 cup (4.4 oz, 126 g) | 10 g (20% DV) | 111 calories | 7.9 g |
| 15 | Teff (cooked) | 1 cup (8.9 oz, 252 g) | 9.8 g (20% DV) | 255 calories | 3.9 g |
| 16 | Hemp seed | 1 oz (28 g) | 8.9 g (18% DV) | 157 calories | 31.6 g |
| 17 | Pumpkin seeds | 1 oz (28 g) | 8.5 g (17% DV) | 146 calories | 29.9 g |
| 18 | Quinoa (cooked) | 1 cup (6.5 oz, 185 g) | 8.1 g (16% DV) | 222 calories | 4.4 g |
| 19 | Peas (raw) | 1 cup (5.1 oz, 145 g) | 7.9 g (16% DV) | 117 calories | 5.4 g |
| 20 | Peanuts | 1 oz (28 g) | 6.9 g (14% DV) | 166 calories | 24.4 g |
Per 3.5 oz (100 g) the order changes: hemp seed has 31.6 g, but a usual serving is 1 oz (28 g), which puts it at number 16 per serving. We rank by serving because that is what you eat.
Per calorie the leaders are different: tempeh (10.6 g of protein per 100 calories), natto (9.2 g of protein per 100 calories) and fava beans (9 g of protein per 100 calories). That matters if you are counting calories.
What changes the number
The same food can rank very differently raw, cooked or dried, because water leaves or is added and the serving changes size, and reduced-fat or lower-sodium versions change it again.
- Lentils: 17.9 g per 1 cup as listed (cooked), 47.3 g per 1 cup dry, before cooking (USDA FDC 172420).
- White beans: 17.4 g per 1 cup as listed (cooked), 47.2 g per 1 cup dry, before cooking (USDA FDC 175202).
- Pinto beans: 15.4 g per 1 cup as listed (cooked), 41.3 g per 1 cup dry, before cooking (USDA FDC 175199).
- Kidney beans: 15.3 g per 1 cup as listed (cooked), 41.5 g per 1 cup dry, before cooking (USDA FDC 173744).
- Black beans: 15.2 g per 1 cup as listed (cooked), 41.9 g per 1 cup dry, before cooking (USDA FDC 173734).
The vegan foods with the least protein
- Apricot: 0.34 g (1% DV) per 1 apricot (1.2 oz, 35 g)
- Fig: 0.38 g (1% DV) per 1 medium (1.8 oz, 50 g)
- Passion fruit: 0.4 g (1% DV) per 1 fruit (18 g)
- Plum: 0.46 g (1% DV) per 1 fruit (2.3 oz, 66 g)
- Apple: 0.47 g (1% DV) per 1 medium (6.4 oz, 182 g)
What counts as high or low
- Protein: we show the share of the 50 g Daily Value per serving and do not mark FDA's “high protein” or “good source” label terms.
Keep exploring
Sources
Nutrients and household weights: USDA FoodData Central (FoodData Central, April 2026 release, accessed 2026-10-14). One USDA entry per food, as it is usually eaten and without added salt where USDA has such an entry:
- Lentils (cooked): Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 172421
- White beans (cooked): Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 175203
- Natto: Natto, FDC ID 172443
- Tempeh: Tempeh, FDC ID 174272
- Split peas (cooked): Peas, split, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 172429
- Pinto beans (cooked): Beans, pinto, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 175200
- Kidney beans (cooked): Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 175194
- Black beans (cooked): Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 173735
- Lima beans (cooked): Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 174253
- Chickpeas (cooked): Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 173757
- Mung beans (cooked): Mung beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 174257
- Pigeon peas (cooked): Pigeon peas (red gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 172437
- Spelt (cooked): Spelt, cooked, FDC ID 169746
- Fava beans (raw): Beans, fava, in pod, raw, FDC ID 168574
- Teff (cooked): Teff, cooked, FDC ID 168918
- Hemp seed: Seeds, hemp seed, hulled, FDC ID 170148
- Pumpkin seeds: Seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw, FDC ID 2515380
- Quinoa (cooked): Quinoa, cooked, FDC ID 168917
- Peas (raw): Peas, green, raw, FDC ID 170419
- Peanuts: Peanuts, all types, dry-roasted, without salt, FDC ID 173806
- Apricot: Apricot, with skin, raw, FDC ID 2710815
- Fig: Figs, raw, FDC ID 173021
- Passion fruit: Passion-fruit, (granadilla), purple, raw, FDC ID 169108
- Plum: Plums, raw, FDC ID 169949
- Apple: Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), FDC ID 171688
% Daily Value: FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, adults and children 4 and older (FDA, page updated 2024-03-05, checked 2026-09-15).
- 21 CFR 101.54, nutrient content claims for “good source” and “high”. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.54 (eCFR text as of 2026-09-16)
How we build the list: each food's nutrients per 3.5 oz (100 g) from USDA, scaled to a usual US serving that USDA weighed for that food (nuts and cheese 1 oz, cottage cheese and ricotta 1/2 cup, meat and fish 4 oz or one slice or link for bacon and sausages, cooked beans and grains 1 cup, fruit one medium piece or 1 cup, dried fruit 1/4 cup or 1 oz). Mixed dishes, brands and sweetened or salted versions are left out. How we verify.