Having a diet that includes a healthy amount of protein is incredibly important if you want to live a long and happy life. Protein is an essential nutrient that helps the body with a range of important functions, most notably helping you to maintain muscle mass.
But when protein comes to mind, people automatically think of meats, like chicken or steak. And while they’d be correct – both types of meat do contain ample grams of protein – what happens when you’re vegan, vegetarian, or simply just looking to cut down on your meat intake?
Well, not to worry, because you do have other options, and all of them plant based. Each will provide you with the recommended amount of protein your body needs, and they are all unbelievably good for you. What’s not to love?!
And the high protein vegetables listed below are also super versatile – you can enjoy them as a side dish, alone, or in an array of meals suited to all palettes. Just remember that the amount of protein you consume will vary depending on the portion size and how you prepare each meatless option. So, with that, let’s chat high protein vegetables and their health benefits, along with some recipe inspo sprinkled in there for good measure…
What Vegetable is Highest in Protein?
First up, it’s edamame.
1. Edamame
Edamame is a vegetable with origins in East Asia. They are young, immature soybeans that are harvested before they harden or become ripe. They’re available in many different forms, including in the pod, shelled, fresh, or frozen, and are a popular plant based food amongst the vegan and vegetarian community.
Amount of protein: 18.46 grams per cup (frozen)
Recipes to try:
Spicy Garlic Ginger Edamame
Ingredients:
- 1lb of frozen edamame still in the pods
- 1 tbsp of neutral oil (avocado, safflower, grape seed, etc.)
- 1 tbsp of minced galric
- 1 tbsp of minced fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp of tamari or soy sauce
- 2-3 tbsp of sugar, honey, or maple syrup
- 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 – 1 tbsp of sriracha
Method:
(To cook the edamame)
- Microwave or stove – your choice. But we’ll talk you through both ways.
- To microwave, put the edamame in a safe dish with a pinch of salt and 1/4 of a cup of water. Microwave on a high heat until the veggies are heated right through and present with a bright green color. Depending on your appliance, this can take between 3 to 5 minutes.
- To boil, heat up a large pot of water and add a teaspoon of salt. Add in the veggies and let it boil again. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the edamame is bright green and again, heated through.
(To make the sauce)
- Grab a medium sized pan and heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds until they are fragrant. (Make sure you remove them before they turn brown.)
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the syrup, soy sauce, oil of your choice and sriracha.
- Take and adjust to your preference before tossing the edamame with the sauce and serving.
Crispy Edamame
Ingredients:
- 1 12oz pack of frozen edamame (shelled)
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1/4 a cup of grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Rinse your edamame under cold water in a colander and drain.
- Spread your edamame onto a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and add some salt and pepper for seasoning.
- Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and crispy.
2. Green Peas
Green peas are multi-talented veggies because as well as being protein rich, they’re also packed with other goodies, including plenty of vitamin K, vitamin A, iron, potassium, carbohydrates, and fiber.
Amount of protein: 17.86 grams per cup (boiled)
Recipes to try:
Pea Soup With Mint
Ingredients:
- Frozen green peas
- Potatoes (1)
- Onion
- Veggie broth
- Mint leaves
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- Sauté the onions in olive oil.
- Add the potatoes and veggie broth and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the peas and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the mint, blend, and serve.
Green Peas and Pasta
Ingredients:
- Fresh or frozen peas
- Pasta of your choice
- Parmesan cheese
- Onion
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Vegetable broth
Method:
- Dice the onion and sauté in olive oil for around 5 minutes.
- Stir in your peas.
- Add in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
- Now it’s time to cook the pasta. Add salt and water to your pan and cook gently.
- Once it’s cooked, add some grated Parmesan and stir well.
- Serve with a seasoning of black pepper, some olive oil, and if you fancy, a sprinkling of extra cheese.
3. Spinach
In pop culture, whenever you think of spinach, you think of the cartoon character Popeye. Famous for eating spinach for strength, the protein content of this vegetable is up there with the best of them. It’s also super tasty, and even easier to cook.
Amount of protein: 5.35 grams per cup
Recipes to try:
Spinach Pancakes (Yep, you heard it right the first time)
Ingredients:
- 125 grams of self-raising flour
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp of sugar
- 1 tbsp of melted butter
- 50 grams of washed and chopped baby spinach leaves
- 100ml of milk
- Berries
- Maple syrup
Method:
- Blend the flour, baking powder, eggs, sugar, milk, butter, and spinach until you get a bright green, smooth batter.
- Heat some more butter in a non-stick frying pan and put on medium heat. Add 2-3 dollops of the batter to the pan at a time. Cook for 2 minutes until bubbles start to rise and the edges look set, then flip and cook again for around 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with a drizzle of syrup and some fresh berries.
Spinach and Halloumi Salad (Halloumi is a great source of protein, too)
Ingredients:
- 250 grams of halloumi
- 200 grams of spinach
- 2 large oranges
- 1 bunch of mint leaves
Method:
- Slice up the halloumi and put on the griddle for 3-4 minutes. Make sure each side is charred, then set aside.
- Tip half of the mint and the spinach onto a large platter, and segment the oranges. Pour any remaining juice into a bowl and squeeze the leftover oranges for any last bits. Then, scatter the pieces of oranges over the spinach.
- Chop up the leftover mint and mix with the orange juice, and add 2 tbsp of olive oil and some seasoning.
- Put the halloumi slices on top of the salad and pour over the dressing.
- Serve either as a side dish or pair with some warm flatbreads.
4. Sweetcorn
You either love it or you hate it, but you can’t deny that sweetcorn is high in protein. It can be eaten off the cob, in a salad, or even from a tin, and it’s a versatile little veggie that makes a great addition to many recipes.
Amount of protein: 4.7 grams per cup.
Recipes to try:
Baked Corn on the Cob
Ingredients:
- 100g of softened butter
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 1 tbsp of chopped parsley
- 4 corn on the cob
Method:
- Heat your oven to 200°C, then mash your garlic, butter, and parsley and add seasoning.
- Cut up four pieces of tin foil and place one cob on each piece. Top them with butter and seal their edges so they look like parcels.
- Either on the BBQ, or in the oven, bake or cook them for 30-35 minutes until they’re tender.
Corn Cakes & Avocado Salsa
Ingredients:
- 50g of self-raising flour
- 1 beaten egg
- 200g frozen or canned sweetcorn
- 1 bunch of trimmed and finely chopped spring onions
- 1 avocado cut into small chunks
- 1 lime – juice half and cut the rest up into 4
- 1 handful of chopped coriander leaves
- 1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil
Method:
- Put the egg, flour, corn, half of the onions and some seasoning in a bowl and mix well. With the remaining onions, mix the avocado, lime juice, coriander and seasoning.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Then, drop some of the corn mixture (1 tbsp at a time) into the pan and smooth them down so they’re flat cakes.
- Cook them for about 2-3 minutes on each side on a medium heat.
- Once they’re cooked, serve them hot with your avocado salsa and some lime wedges.
5. Asparagus
Asparagus always gives off a super elegant vibe, don’t you think? But while it looks like a luxury veg, it’s actually really accessible, and even tastier. It’s also a great source of protein.
Amount of protein: 4.3 grams per cup.
Recipes to try:
Asparagus Omelette
Ingredients:
- Large bunch of asparagus sliced lengthways in half.
- 6 large eggs
- 145 grams of fresh pesto
Method:
- Put your grill on a high heat.
- Toss all of the asparagus in olive oil and season it. Then, cook until soft in a frying pan.
- Mix the eggs with half of the pesto.
- Remove half of the asparagus from the pan and spread the rest out.
- Pour over half of the egg mixture.
- Cook on the hob for a few minutes before finishing the omelette under the grill.
- Fold it over, and then repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Drizzle the rest of the pesto over the omelettes.
Asparagus, Lemon and Pea Spaghetti
Ingredients:
- 150g of wholemeal spaghetti
- 160g of asparagus – trim their ends and cut into lengths
- 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil
- 2 leeks cut into lengths and then thin strips
- 1 finely chopped and deseeded red chilli
- 1 finely grated garlic clove
- 160g of frozen peas
- 1 zested and juiced lemon, plus wedges to serve
Method:
- Boil the spaghetti for around 12 minutes and add the asparagus for the last 3.
- In a large pan, heat the oil and add the chili and leeks to cook for 5 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic, peas, lemon juice and zest and cook for an extra few minutes.
- Drain the pasta and put in a pan with 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Then, toss everything together and make sure it’s well mixed.
- Serve into bowls and add a lemon wedge for squeezing.
6. Brussels Sprouts
Another vegetable that people either love or hate. Brussels sprouts are a member of the Gemmifera cultivar group of cabbages, together with broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, turnips, bok choy and mustard. They’re also packed with protein and can be used in many different dishes.
Amount of protein: 4 grams per cup
Recipes to try:
Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
- 600g of halved Brussels sprouts
- 50g of melted butter
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 50g of breadcrumbs
- 25g of finely grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative
Method:
- Heat the oven to 200°C.
- Pour the melted butter in a bowl, add the garlic and season.
- Toss the sprouts and make sure they’re well coated in the butter before adding the breadcrumbs and parmesan. Then, toss again.
- Put the brussels sprouts onto a baking tray and make sure they’re spaced apart so they roast and don’t steam.
- Roast them for 25 to 30 minutes until they’re crispy and golden.
Smashed Sprouts Mash with Chestnuts
Ingredients:
- 600g of halved Brussels sprouts
- 50g of butter
- 100ml of double cream
- Half a grated nutmeg
- 200g pack of roughly chopped vacuum-packed chestnuts
Method:
- Place the sprouts into a big pan and cover them with boiling water. Cook them for around 8 to 10 minutes or until they’re tender.
- Then, drain them and leave them to steam-dry for a couple of mins. Put them back into a saucepan and mash the sprouts until they’re chunky in texture.
- Next, add the cream, butter, and nutmeg, and season well before cooking for an extra 2 minutes.
- Mix in half of the chestnuts and sprinkle over the rest to serve.
What vegetables have more protein than meat?
It might be hard to believe, but broccoli actually contains more protein per calorie than steak does. Plus, protein per calories in spinach is equal to fish and chicken, too. Granted, you’ll have to eat way more of these veggies to get the same amount of calories you do from meat, but it’s super interesting to know, regardless.
High Protein Vegetables
When it comes to healthy eating, ensuring you get enough protein in your diet is essential. And for those who follow a plant based diet, vegetables are a great source for getting nutrients into your body. So, with these recipe recommendations, and protein amounts, you’ve already got a super headstart! Ready, steady, cook!