Vegan Protein Guide — Complete Proteins From Plants
A vegan diet can support muscle gain, fat loss and heavy training — but it is the hardest dietary pattern in which to hit a high protein target, because every protein source is a plant, and plant proteins are less concentrated and usually incomplete. That does not make it impossible; it makes planning essential. A vegan lifter who plans protein at every meal can hit 1.6–2.2 g/kg a day, but a vegan who eats 'whatever is vegan' usually lands at 0.8–1.0 g/kg, which is not enough for muscle gain.
The headline numbers are the same as for everyone: 1.6–2.2 g/kg a day for lifters and dieters (Morton et al., 2018), spread across four or five meals of 25–40 g. At 70 kg that is 112–154 g a day. The foods that make it possible are soya, legumes, seitan and protein powder — the concentrated sources — plus grains, nuts and vegetables as supporting players. This guide shows how to build a day around them.
Use the calculator
Start with your own numbers: try our protein calculator to work out your figures before applying anything on this page. The worked examples below use round numbers so you can follow the maths; the calculators use your real weight, height, age and goal.
Related reading: Vegetarian Protein Guide, Fibre and Weight Loss, Meal Prep for Beginners. You can also browse the full guides section for the rest of the series.
The key points
Soya is the most important vegan protein. Tofu, tempeh, edamame and soya milk are complete proteins with a DIAAS score around 0.9 (FAO, 2013), close to eggs and dairy. Tempeh is the most concentrated at about 19 g per 100 g, tofu about 10 g per 100 g, edamame about 11 g per 100 g. A vegan diet without soya is much harder to make high-protein; a vegan diet built on soya is straightforward.
Legumes are the second pillar. Lentils, beans and chickpeas provide 15–18 g per 200 g cooked portion, plus fibre and iron. They are low in methionine, so they work best alongside grains, nuts or soya across the day. A lentil curry with rice, or beans on toast, covers the amino acid profile between them — and the combination does not need to be in the same meal, just the same day.
Seitan is the most concentrated plant protein. Made from wheat gluten, seitan provides about 25 g of protein per 100 g — comparable to chicken — but it is low in lysine, so it should be eaten with legumes or other lysine-rich foods. It is also unsuitable for anyone with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity, which is a real limitation.
Protein powder is a practical necessity for many vegans. A scoop of pea, soya or rice protein adds 20–25 g for about 120 kcal, and it is the simplest way to close the gap between what food provides and what the target requires. Blends of pea and rice protein have a better amino acid profile than either alone, because pea is low in methionine and rice is low in lysine — together they complement each other.
At a glance
| Food | Portion | Protein | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tempeh | 100 g | 19 g | Complete, most concentrated soya |
| Tofu (firm) | 150 g | 15 g | Complete protein |
| Seitan | 100 g | 25 g | Highest protein, contains gluten |
| Cooked lentils | 200 g | 18 g | Plus 16 g fibre |
| Edamame | 150 g | 17 g | Complete protein |
| Black beans | 200 g | 15 g | Pair with grains |
| Pea protein powder | 1 scoop | 24 g | Blend with rice protein |
| Quinoa (cooked) | 200 g | 8 g | Complete grain |
| Peanut butter | 30 g | 8 g | High calorie — watch portions |
| Soya milk | 250 ml | 8 g | Fortified with calcium and B12 |
The formula behind it
Protein targets use the published range of 1.6–2.2 g/kg a day for lifters and dieters (Morton et al., 2018). The per-meal rule is 20–40 g (0.25–0.4 g/kg) per meal, across 4–5 meals. Protein quality is measured by the DIAAS score (FAO, 2013): soya scores about 0.9, pea about 0.8, lentils about 0.6 — which is why combining sources across the day matters more for vegans than for omnivores.
Worked example — a 70 kg vegan lifter, protein target 1.8 g/kg = 126 g a day. Breakfast: oats with soya milk and a scoop of pea-rice protein = 30 g. Lunch: 200 g lentils + 200 g quinoa = 26 g. Snack: 150 g edamame = 17 g. Dinner: 100 g tempeh + 150 g tofu stir-fry = 34 g. Evening: soya yoghurt = 10 g. Total: 117 g — and a second half-scoop of protein powder (12 g) closes the gap to 129 g. Total calories: about 2,200 kcal, above the 1,500 kcal floor for men and the 1,200 kcal floor for women. The pattern is a concentrated protein at every meal, not a single large portion at dinner.
Your plan, step by step
- Set your protein target (1.6–2.2 g/kg) and divide it by four or five meals — that is the per-meal number.
- Build every meal around a concentrated protein: soya, legumes, seitan or powder — not around vegetables or grains alone.
- Eat soya daily: tofu, tempeh or edamame at least once a day, because it is the only complete plant protein that is also concentrated.
- Keep a protein powder at home for the gap between food and target — a scoop a day is normal, not a failure.
- Supplement vitamin B12 (essential on a vegan diet) and consider vitamin D, iodine and algae-based omega-3 under professional advice.
How to use this guide
Use this guide to build a repeatable day rather than a perfect one: the same protein-rich breakfast, two or three rotating lunches built on lentils or tofu, and a dinner built on tempeh or seitan. If your weight is moving at 0.5–1% of body weight a week in the direction you want and your training is progressing, the protein level is working. If strength stalls, add 20 g a day — a scoop of powder or an extra portion of tofu — before changing the training.
Common mistakes
Eating vegan but not high-protein. A diet of vegetables, fruit and grains is vegan and healthy, but it is usually low in protein — often under 1.0 g/kg. Protein has to be planned deliberately: a concentrated source at every meal, not just at dinner.
Relying on one plant protein. No single plant food covers every essential amino acid well. Combine sources across the day — legumes with grains, pea with rice protein, soya with everything — so the profile is complete.
Ignoring B12, vitamin D and iodine. B12 is not reliably available from plant foods and must be supplemented on a vegan diet; vitamin D and iodine are also commonly low. A B12 supplement is not optional for vegans — it is essential, and deficiency causes irreversible nerve damage if left untreated.
What this guide does NOT tell you
Protein ranges on this page are population estimates from Morton et al. (2018); individual needs vary with training, age and health. Kidney disease changes the protein answer — people with kidney disease should set protein targets with a clinician. Vegans must supplement vitamin B12, and should discuss vitamin D, iodine, iron and omega-3 status with a clinician or dietitian, ideally with blood testing. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can vegans build muscle?
Yes, when protein and calories are matched. Trials comparing vegan and omnivorous diets with equal protein find similar muscle gain, because muscle responds to total protein and training, not to the source. The practical difference is planning: vegans must deliberately include a concentrated protein at every meal — soya, legumes, seitan or powder — while omnivores often hit the target without trying.
How much protein do vegans need?
The same as everyone else: 1.6–2.2 g per kilogram of body weight a day for lifters and dieters (Morton et al., 2018). At 70 kg that is 112–154 g a day. Some researchers suggest vegans aim for the upper end of the range, because plant proteins are digested slightly less completely — but the target itself does not change.
What is a complete protein for vegans?
Soya (tofu, tempeh, edamame) and quinoa are complete proteins on their own. Other plant proteins are low in one amino acid, but eating a variety across the day — legumes with grains, pea with rice protein — covers the full profile. The old rule about combining proteins in the same meal is unnecessary; variety across the day is enough.
Do vegans need protein powder?
Most vegan lifters find it very helpful, because food alone makes 1.6–2.2 g/kg hard to reach without a lot of calories. A scoop of pea, soya or rice protein adds 20–25 g for about 120 kcal, and a pea-rice blend has a better amino acid profile than either alone. It is a tool, not a requirement — but it is the simplest way to close the gap.
Do vegans need B12 supplements?
Yes — vitamin B12 is not reliably available from plant foods, and deficiency causes anaemia and irreversible nerve damage. Every vegan should supplement B12, regardless of how well they eat. Vitamin D, iodine and algae-based omega-3 are also worth discussing with a clinician, ideally with blood testing.
Estimates only, not medical advice. Minimum safe intakes: 1,200 kcal/day women, 1,500 kcal/day men — consult a healthcare professional before a very-low-calorie diet.