One of the main complaints I have with most “high protein” vegan recipes is that they have a lot of protein…
…but also a ton of calories.
Most protein sources like legumes come with slightly more carbs than protein, even if you don’t count the fiber.
That being said, there are still plenty of vegan recipes with relatively low calories overall. They mostly incorporate foods from this list of high protein low calorie vegan food sources.
I’ve compiled a database of over 150+ high protein vegan recipes here. If you’re on a desktop, click the “calories” column header, and you can sort the recipe from low calories to high calories.
Here are 5 of the top recipes, but you’ll find many more good ones if you go check the entire list for yourself.
1. Amaranth & Red Lentil Patties
These small patties are lentil-based. In case you didn’t know, lentils have one of the best nutritional profiles of all legumes.
They have a solid ratio of protein to carbs, and virtually no fat, which makes them perfect for low calorie, but high protein meals.
You can eat these patties themselves, or wrap them in lettuce to make a quick burger.
2. Protein-Rich Mushroom Patties Recipe
This is another patty recipe which is mainly made of mushrooms and hemp seeds.
Mushrooms are one of the highest protein vegetables, and hemp seeds are the best seed when it comes to protein.
3. Cinnamon Vanilla Breakfast Protein Bites
Each of these “bites” are low calorie and have a decent amount of protein in them (feel free to add vegan protein powder for extra protein).
The issue is that they taste really good and you might end up eating a ton of them, somewhat defeating the original intention.
But if you have more willpower than I do, they’re a great low calorie snack.
4. The Easiest Protein Pancakes
Need protein for breakfast, but don’t want too many calories? Protein pancakes to the rescue.
These are simple protein pancakes to make, but have a great texture.
5. Chana Masala
While there are other ingredients, chana masala is basically just chickpeas and tomatoes, so not a ton of calorie dense ingredients.
It might be just because I love tomatoes, but this is one of my favorite vegan recipes overall, and I’ve made it multiple times. Highly recommended.
