What Plants Are Highest in Protein?

December 3, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Food and Nutrition Board, the average sedentary adult needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, and many plants can easily meet these needs. This guide will detail exactly what plants are highest in protein, helping you build a comprehensive and nutritious plant-based diet.

Quick Summary

This article explores the most protein-rich plant-based foods, including soy products, legumes, nuts, seeds, and specific grains. It covers the nutritional benefits, provides a comparative table, and offers practical tips for combining sources to ensure you get a complete protein profile.

Key Points

Soy is a Complete Protein: Foods like tofu, tempeh, and edamame contain all nine essential amino acids, making them excellent, high-protein plant sources.
Legumes Offer High Protein and Fiber: Lentils, chickpeas, and beans are affordable and versatile, providing significant protein plus fiber, iron, and folate.
Seeds are Potent Protein Sources: Hemp hearts are a top complete protein, while pumpkin and chia seeds also offer high protein and other nutrients like omega-3s.
Combine Incomplete Proteins: Eating a variety of plant proteins throughout the day, like rice with beans or hummus with pita, ensures you get all essential amino acids.
Certain Grains and Veggies Contribute: Quinoa and seitan are notable for their high protein, while even some vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts add to your daily intake.
Nutrient-Dense and Heart-Healthy: Plant proteins often come with extra health benefits, including fiber, antioxidants, and lower saturated fat, supporting heart and digestive health.

Top Protein-Rich Plant Foods

Meeting your daily protein needs is completely achievable on a plant-based diet, thanks to a wide array of protein-dense options. While animal products are known for high protein, many plants contain significant amounts, often accompanied by extra fiber, vitamins, and minerals that benefit overall health. The key lies in understanding which plants pack the most protein and how to combine them effectively.

Soy Products

Soy is one of the most celebrated plant-based protein sources because it is a "complete protein," meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. This makes soy-based foods a powerful component of any vegan or vegetarian diet.

Tofu: Made from condensed soy milk, tofu is incredibly versatile and absorbs flavors well. Firm or extra-firm tofu can contain around 16.5 grams of protein per 100 grams, making it a staple for stir-fries, scrambles, and bakes.
Tempeh: Created from fermented soybeans, tempeh has a firmer, nuttier texture than tofu. It offers an impressive 20.7 grams of protein per 100 grams and is rich in probiotics due to the fermentation process.
Edamame: These young, green soybeans are a great snack or salad topping. A half-cup serving provides nearly 10 grams of protein and plenty of fiber.
Soy Milk: A simple way to add protein to your day, one cup can provide about 8 grams, similar to cow's milk.

Legumes

Beans, lentils, and peas are the cornerstone of a protein-rich plant-based diet. They are inexpensive, versatile, and packed with fiber and nutrients.

Lentils: A cup of cooked lentils offers a substantial 18 grams of protein. They are also rich in fiber, iron, and folate, and cook quickly.
Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas provide about 15 grams of protein per cooked cup. They are excellent in salads, roasted for a crunchy snack, or blended into hummus.
Black Beans: A versatile legume used in many cuisines, one cooked cup contains approximately 15 grams of protein.
Peas: The humble green pea is surprisingly high in protein, with around 8 grams per cooked cup, along with a good dose of fiber and vitamins.

Nuts and Seeds

Don't underestimate the protein power of nuts and seeds. These nutrient-dense foods are easy to incorporate into your diet as snacks or as additions to meals.

Hemp Seeds (Hemp Hearts): One of the most potent plant protein sources, delivering 10 grams of protein in just three tablespoons. They are also a complete protein and a good source of omega-3s.
Pumpkin Seeds: A quarter-cup serving of pumpkin seeds can provide up to 6 grams of protein, making them an excellent salad topper or snack.
Peanuts: Technically a legume but nutritionally a nut, peanuts offer around 7 grams of protein per quarter-cup serving. Peanut butter is a convenient protein boost, but check labels for added sugars.
Almonds: A one-ounce serving of almonds contains about 6 grams of protein, plus healthy fats and vitamin E.
Chia Seeds: These tiny seeds are powerhouse additions to smoothies or puddings, with about 4.7 grams of protein per ounce.

Protein-Rich Grains and Vegetables

While typically known for carbohydrates, several grains and vegetables offer a valuable protein contribution.

Quinoa: This seed is frequently treated as a grain and is a complete protein, containing about 8 grams per cooked cup.
Seitan: Made from wheat gluten, seitan is one of the most protein-dense plant foods, with 17 grams per 2-ounce serving.
Spelt: This ancient grain contains a respectable 5 grams of protein per half-cup when cooked.
Brussels Sprouts: With 3 grams of protein per cooked cup, these sprouts add valuable protein to your plate.
Broccoli: A cup of cooked broccoli provides about 4 grams of protein, along with vitamins K and C.

Comparison Table: High-Protein Plants

To help visualize your options, here is a comparison of some of the highest-protein plants per standard serving size.


Plant Food	Serving Size (approx.)	Protein (grams)	Key Benefits
Hemp Hearts	3 Tbsp	10	Complete protein, Omega-3s, magnesium
Tempeh	½ cup	17	Complete protein, probiotics, firmer texture
Tofu	½ cup (firm)	16	Complete protein, versatile, calcium-rich
Lentils	1 cup (cooked)	18	High fiber, iron, folate, cooks quickly
Chickpeas	1 cup (cooked)	15	Fiber, versatile for snacks, salads, hummus
Edamame	½ cup	10	Complete protein, fiber, lower LDL cholesterol
Seitan	2 ounces	17	High protein density, meaty texture
Quinoa	1 cup (cooked)	8	Complete protein, gluten-free, versatile
Pumpkin Seeds	¼ cup	6	Magnesium, zinc, healthy fats
Almonds	1 ounce	6	Vitamin E, healthy fats, antioxidants
Peanut Butter	2 Tbsp	8	Convenient, energy-dense, healthy fats

How to Create Complete Proteins

While some plants like soy, quinoa, and hemp are complete proteins, many are considered incomplete, meaning they lack sufficient quantities of one or more essential amino acids. This is not a cause for concern, as the body pulls from a reserve of amino acids throughout the day. By simply eating a variety of plant proteins over the course of a day, you can get all the essential amino acids you need. Many traditional dishes already follow this practice, such as:

Beans and rice: Beans are typically low in methionine, while rice is high in it, and vice versa for lysine.
Hummus and whole-grain pita: Chickpeas provide ample lysine, and whole-grain pita offers methionine.
Peanut butter on whole-wheat bread: Another classic combination that completes the amino acid profile.

Conclusion: Building Your High-Protein Plant Diet

Answering "what plants are highest in protein?" reveals a wealth of options that allow for a robust and flavorful diet. From the versatility of soy products like tofu and tempeh to the affordability of legumes such as lentils and chickpeas, there are countless ways to boost your protein intake. Nuts, seeds, and certain whole grains also contribute significantly. By incorporating a variety of these sources, you can easily meet your nutritional needs, ensuring a complete amino acid profile throughout the day. A well-planned, plant-based diet is not only high in protein but also comes with the added benefits of fiber, antioxidants, and a lower environmental footprint. For those seeking reliable, whole-food plant sources of protein, the options are plentiful and delicious.

To learn more about the nutritional science behind plant proteins, consult resources like the consensus academic search engine, which aggregates data on the topic. Consensus Academic Search Engine

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, it is entirely possible to meet all your protein needs with a plant-based diet. By consuming a variety of protein-rich plants such as legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products, you can easily get the required daily intake.

While seitan and soy products offer very high protein content per ounce, watercress is notable for being exceptionally high in protein per calorie. It is a very nutrient-dense option for boosting protein without many calories.

Some plant proteins like soy, quinoa, and hemp seeds are complete, containing all nine essential amino acids. Most others are incomplete, lacking one or more. However, by eating a varied plant-based diet, you naturally combine different sources to get all essential amino acids over the course of the day.

Vegetarians and vegans can get sufficient protein by focusing on a variety of sources throughout the day, such as legumes (lentils, chickpeas), nuts and seeds, soy products (tofu, tempeh), and whole grains (quinoa). Combining different plant foods, like rice and beans, helps ensure all essential amino acids are consumed.

Yes, soy protein powder is a complete protein and has been shown to be effective for muscle growth and recovery. Vegan protein powders often combine sources like pea and rice to create a complete amino acid profile.

No, that is an outdated concept. Your body maintains a pool of amino acids throughout the day. As long as you eat a variety of plant protein sources over the entire day, you will get all the essential amino acids you need.

Tempeh, which is fermented, tends to have a slightly higher protein content than tofu. Tempeh provides around 20.7 grams of protein per 100 grams, while firm tofu offers about 16.5 grams for the same amount.