USDA-derived rankings
Vegan foods high in protein
Protein is the macronutrient your body uses to build and repair muscle, skin, enzymes and hormones.
Who this is for: Useful if you are building muscle, eating in a deficit, or just find meals are not keeping you full.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. Ranked per typical serving against the fixed adult reference of 56 g a day.
The clear number one
Tempeh
One serving (100g) gives you 20 g of protein, around 36% of the daily reference in one go.
See the full nutrition score for tempehThe ranking
Ranked by what a typical serving covers, because nobody eats 100g of everything. The badge shows per-100g density: high means at least 30% of the daily reference per 100g, source means at least 15%.
| # | Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tempeh | 20 g36% of daily reference | 20 ghigh |
| 2 | Lentils (cooked) | 18 g32% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 3 | Soybeans | 16 g29% of daily reference | 18 ghigh |
| 4 | Black Beans (cooked) | 15 g27% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 5 | Chickpeas (cooked) | 15 g26% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 6 | Red Lentils | 14 g26% of daily reference | 24 ghigh |
| 7 | Tofu (firm) | 13 g24% of daily reference | 11 gsource |
| 8 | Cannellini Beans | 13 g23% of daily reference | 10 gsource |
| 9 | Pinto Beans | 12 g21% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 10 | Pasta (cooked) | 12 g21% of daily reference | 6 g |
| 11 | Kidney Beans | 11 g20% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 12 | Bagel | 11 g20% of daily reference | 11 gsource |
| 13 | Butter Beans | 10 g18% of daily reference | 8 g |
| 14 | Baked Beans | 10 g18% of daily reference | 5 g |
| 15 | Edamame | 10 g17% of daily reference | 12 gsource |
| 16 | Hemp Seeds | 9 g17% of daily reference | 32 ghigh |
| 17 | Pumpkin Seeds | 8 g15% of daily reference | 30 ghigh |
| 18 | Peanuts | 7 g13% of daily reference | 26 ghigh |
| 19 | Almonds | 6 g11% of daily reference | 21 ghigh |
| 20 | Sunflower Seeds | 6 g10% of daily reference | 21 ghigh |
Foods with any animal-derived tag (meat, fish, eggs, dairy, honey) are excluded.
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How this list is built
Every number comes from Nutrigate's USDA-derived generic food table, the same data behind the food nutrition scores. The daily reference for protein is 56 g, an evidence-based adult amount; the app personalises it to you. Serving sizes are typical household portions, shown in grams so you can judge them.