USDA-derived rankings
Vegetarian 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
Pizza (cheese)
One serving (214g) gives you 24 g of protein, around 42% of the daily reference in one go.
See the full nutrition score for pizza (cheese)The 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 | Pizza (cheese) | 24 g42% of daily reference | 11 gsource |
| 2 | Whey Protein | 23 g42% of daily reference | 75 ghigh |
| 3 | Tempeh | 20 g36% of daily reference | 20 ghigh |
| 4 | Lentils (cooked) | 18 g32% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 5 | Greek Yogurt | 17 g31% of daily reference | 10 gsource |
| 6 | Soybeans | 16 g29% of daily reference | 18 ghigh |
| 7 | Black Beans (cooked) | 15 g27% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 8 | Chickpeas (cooked) | 15 g26% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 9 | Red Lentils | 14 g26% of daily reference | 24 ghigh |
| 10 | Tofu (firm) | 13 g24% of daily reference | 11 gsource |
| 11 | Mozzarella | 13 g24% of daily reference | 22 ghigh |
| 12 | Cannellini Beans | 13 g23% of daily reference | 10 gsource |
| 13 | Eggs | 13 g23% of daily reference | 13 gsource |
| 14 | Cottage Cheese | 12 g22% of daily reference | 11 gsource |
| 15 | Pinto Beans | 12 g21% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 16 | Pasta (cooked) | 12 g21% of daily reference | 6 g |
| 17 | Kidney Beans | 11 g20% of daily reference | 9 gsource |
| 18 | Bagel | 11 g20% of daily reference | 11 gsource |
| 19 | Butter Beans | 10 g18% of daily reference | 8 g |
| 20 | Baked Beans | 10 g18% of daily reference | 5 g |
Meat and fish are excluded; eggs and dairy stay in.
Narrow it to your way of eating
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.