The question every vegan gets at dinner has a boring answer: plants have plenty of protein, it's just distributed differently. The skill is building meals around the plants that carry it.
Short answer: build vegan meals on soya, lentils, beans or chickpeas. A 100g portion of soya mince has 16.6g of protein and 100g of cooked green lentils has 8.8g, according to the British Dietetic Association, so one legume-centred meal carries a real share of your day's protein. Ten meal ideas, a protein table and the label rules are below.
Updated November 2026 by the fiid team. Protein figures for everyday foods come from the British Dietetic Association (BDA); fiid figures come from our printed nutrition panels. Sources at the end.
The plant protein hierarchy
The heavy lifters
Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, edamame, tofu, tempeh, seitan. Build the meal on one of these.
The supporting cast
Whole grains, quinoa, oats, nuts and seeds add protein alongside their main job.
The trap
A vegan meal of pasta, vegetables and bread is delicious but light on protein. The legume is not optional.
How much protein is in common vegan foods?
These are the BDA's figures for typical portions. Use them to see how quickly a legume-based meal adds up.
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Soya mince (chilled or frozen) | 100g | 16.6g |
| Soya beans, boiled | 100g (4 tbsp) | 14.0g |
| Roasted edamame or soya nuts | 28g (small handful) | 10.8g |
| Baked beans | 200g (small can) | 10.0g |
| Peanut butter | 40g (thickly spread on 2 slices) | 9.1g |
| Green or brown lentils, boiled | 100g (4 tbsp) | 8.8g |
| Chickpeas, canned and drained | 100g (4 tbsp) | 7.2g |
| Red kidney beans, canned and drained | 100g (4 tbsp) | 6.9g |
| Split red lentils, boiled | 100g (4 tbsp) | 6.9g |
| Quinoa, weighed raw | 40g | 5.5g |
| Hummus | 60g (2 tbsp) | 4.1g |
| Falafel | 60g (2 falafel) | 3.8g |
Tofu and tempeh are strong sources too, but their protein varies a lot by brand and firmness, so check the pack.
Ten high-protein vegan meals
- Lentil dal with rice.
- Black bean chilli (recipe on the blog).
- Tofu stir fry with edamame.
- Chickpea curry with quinoa.
- Soya mince bolognese or chilli: 100g of soya mince gives 16.6g of protein before you add any beans.
- Baked beans on wholegrain toast: a small 200g can gives 10g.
- Peanut butter on toast with fruit: 40g of peanut butter gives 9.1g.
- Green lentil soup with a roll: 8.8g of protein per 100g of cooked lentils.
- A hummus, falafel and quinoa box: about 13g between 60g of hummus, two falafel and 40g of quinoa.
- A legume-based ready bowl when cooking isn't happening: every fiid bowl is built on beans or lentils, high in protein and fibre, ready in 90 seconds.
The same idea, without the cooking
If the legume is the point, here is where each fiid bowl sits. The Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry is 40% lentils, the closest thing to a dal in a pouch. The Smoky Black Bean Chilli is 36% black beans and does the job of number two on the list. The Sundried Tomato & Lentil Ragu is 30% lentils over pasta. The Golden Curry House Special is 22.5% cannellini beans with coconut. All four are 275g, take 90 seconds, and keep 18 months in a cupboard.
Here is how much of each bowl's energy comes from protein, worked out from the nutrition panel on each pack:
| Bowl (275g) | Protein | Energy | Energy from protein | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoky Black Bean Chilli | 13g | 245kcal | 21.2% | 11g |
| Golden Curry House Special | 11g | 215kcal | 20.5% | 12g |
| Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry | 9.4g | 187kcal | 20.1% | 7.7g |
| Sundried Tomato & Lentil Ragu | 9.1g | 149kcal | 24.4% | 6.6g |
All four clear the 20% line for a "high protein" claim, explained below. The Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry only just does.
How to check a "high protein" label
In the EU and UK, "high protein" is a regulated claim: at least 20% of the food's energy must come from protein. For "source of protein" the bar is 12%. So the phrase on a pack means something. To check it yourself, multiply the grams of protein by 4 (each gram supplies 4kcal) and divide by the calories. Still glance at the per-portion grams and, more telling, whether legumes sit high in the ingredients list.
FAQ
How much protein do you need a day?
UK guidance for adults is 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day (BDA), which works out at about 52g for someone who weighs 70kg. Spreading it across your meals is easier than loading it all into dinner.
Which vegan foods have the most protein?
Of everyday foods, soya leads: soya mince has 16.6g per 100g and boiled soya beans 14g. Lentils, beans and chickpeas follow at roughly 7 to 9g per 100g cooked.
How do vegans get enough protein?
By making legumes, tofu or tempeh the centre of most meals rather than a garnish. Variety across the week covers the amino acid spread.
Are high-protein vegan ready meals worth it?
The good ones are legume-based real food. Judge them like any meal: ingredients first, marketing second.
Which fiid bowl has the most legumes?
The Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry, at 40% lentils by weight. The Smoky Black Bean Chilli has the most protein, at 13g a bowl.
Sources
- British Dietetic Association, One Blue Dot: other sources of protein (protein per portion; 0.75g per kg body weight)
- European Commission, Nutrition claims (conditions for "high protein" and "source of protein")
- legislation.gov.uk, Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, Annex (the same conditions in UK law)
- fiid product nutrition panels, per 275g pouch
Try one of each for EUR 14 with the Starter Box, or browse the high-protein plant bowls, ready in 90 seconds.