Vegetarian Sources of Protein
I’ve been spending a lot more time in the gym lately, with a focus on strength training. So it should come as no surprise that I’ve turned my attention to the amount of protein I’m consuming each day. While I plan to spend a lot of time on the details of that amount in an upcoming post, I wanted to share some of the research I did concerning vegetarian sources of protein.
I’m not a vegetarian, but I also don’t typically cook meat at home, either.
I consider myself “meat lite.” This makes eating a bunch of protein seem difficult at first, because what do you think of when you think about protein? Meat and eggs.
But let’s dispel the myth that protein = meat with this list of some vegetarian protein sources and meal ideas:
Veggie + Plant Protein Heroes
| Food | Protein per serving | Ideas to try |
|---|---|---|
| Peas | 8g per cup | Make a pea pesto instead of a side dish |
| Edamame/soybeans | 8.5g per ½ cup | Black bean, corn & edamame salad |
| Broccoli | 8g per cup | Broccoli salad with feta + almonds |
| Sunflower seeds | 7g per ¼ cup | Eat plain or bake into carrot muffins |
| Nuts | 5–6g per oz | Go raw/plain; don’t fear the healthy fats |
| Quinoa | 8g per cup | Mexican quinoa with veggies & spices |
| Beans | 26g per 2 cups | Indian spiced bean + tomato soup |
| Chickpeas | 7g per ½ cup | Fresh chickpea salad (not just hummus!) |
Don’t Forget Dairy
If you keep an eye on the fat, calories and sodium you’re consuming, cheese and friends can actually be great protein boosters.
| Dairy Food | Protein | Calories | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feta cheese (½ cup crumbled) | 21g | ~200 | Salty, so watch sodium |
| Cottage cheese (1 cup, 2% low-fat) | 28g | ~163 | Super protein-dense (might need to learn to love it!) |
| Low-fat yogurt (1 cup) | 14g | ~150 | Check labels — sugar can sneak in fast |
Final Thoughts
There are way more options for getting protein than just meat and eggs. From beans to broccoli to cottage cheese (yes, really), the vegetarian world is packed with choices that can fuel strength training and muscle repair without requiring a steak at every meal.
So next time someone asks “But where do you get your protein?” you can casually point at your quinoa bowl, your chickpea salad, or your trusty tub of cottage cheese and say: “Right here, thanks.”