Vegetarian Protein Guide — Hitting Your Target Without Meat
Vegetarian diets can support muscle gain, fat loss and heavy training just as well as diets with meat — but they need more planning, because plant proteins are less concentrated and usually incomplete on their own. The good news is that vegetarians have a major advantage: eggs and dairy are complete proteins, so a vegetarian who eats eggs and dairy has no protein-quality problem at all. The challenge is quantity and variety, not quality.
The headline numbers are the same as for everyone: 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day for lifters and dieters (Morton et al., 2018), 0.8 g/kg as the minimum for sedentary adults. At 70 kg that is 112–154 g a day — achievable on a vegetarian diet, but it requires a protein food at every meal, not just at dinner. This guide shows how, with portions and a worked day of eating.
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: Vegan Protein Guide, Carbs Explained, Meal Prep for Beginners. You can also browse the full guides section for the rest of the series.
The key points
Eggs and dairy are the foundation. A vegetarian who eats eggs and dairy has access to complete proteins at every meal: eggs (6 g each), Greek yoghurt (15 g per 150 g), cottage cheese (17 g per 150 g) and milk (8 g per 250 ml). These are the easiest way to hit a high protein target, because they are concentrated, cheap and quick. A breakfast of eggs and yoghurt alone can deliver 30 g before 9 am.
Legumes are the workhorse. Lentils, beans and chickpeas provide 15–18 g of protein per cooked 200 g portion, plus fibre and iron. Their protein is lower in methionine, one essential amino acid, which is why variety matters — but eating grains and legumes across the day covers the shortfall, and the old rule about combining them in the same meal is unnecessary. A lentil-based lunch is the single most useful vegetarian habit for protein.
Soya foods are complete proteins. Tofu, tempeh, edamame and soya milk are among the few plant foods with a complete amino acid profile, and they are concentrated: 150 g of tofu provides about 15 g of protein, tempeh about 25 g. They are the closest plant equivalent to meat, and they are the reason vegetarians who eat soya rarely struggle with protein.
Protein distribution matters more on a vegetarian diet. Because plant proteins are less concentrated, the total has to be spread across four or five meals of 25–40 g each. A vegetarian who eats 10 g at breakfast, 15 g at lunch and then tries to eat 90 g at dinner will fail — the target has to be built meal by meal, starting with breakfast.
At a glance
| Food | Portion | Protein | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek yoghurt 0% | 150 g | 15 g | Best protein per calorie |
| Cottage cheese | 150 g | 17 g | Slow-digesting, good at night |
| Eggs | 2 large | 13 g | Complete protein |
| Cooked lentils | 200 g | 18 g | Plus 16 g fibre |
| Tofu | 150 g | 15 g | Complete protein |
| Tempeh | 100 g | 19 g | Fermented, very concentrated |
| Edamame | 150 g | 17 g | Complete protein, plus fibre |
| Chickpeas | 200 g | 15 g | Versatile, cheap |
| Milk | 250 ml | 8 g | Easy addition to any meal |
| Quinoa (cooked) | 200 g | 8 g | Complete grain protein |
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), and 0.8 g/kg as the sedentary minimum. 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): eggs and dairy score above 1.0, soya about 0.9, lentils and beans about 0.6–0.7 — which is why variety across the day matters for plant-only meals, even though combining foods in a single meal is not required.
Worked example — a 70 kg vegetarian lifter, protein target 1.8 g/kg = 126 g a day. Breakfast: 2 eggs + 150 g Greek yoghurt = 28 g. Lunch: 200 g lentils + 150 g tofu in a stir-fry = 33 g. Snack: 150 g cottage cheese = 17 g. Dinner: 100 g tempeh + 200 g quinoa + vegetables = 27 g. Evening: 250 ml milk = 8 g. Total: 113 g — close, and adding a scoop of whey or an extra egg closes the gap to 126 g. Total calories for the day: about 2,100 kcal, above the 1,500 kcal floor for men and the 1,200 kcal floor for women. No meat, no supplements beyond an optional whey scoop.
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 to hit.
- Put a protein food at breakfast first: eggs, yoghurt or cottage cheese, because breakfast is where vegetarians most often fall short.
- Build lunch around legumes or soya: lentils, chickpeas, tofu or tempeh, with a grain for variety.
- Keep a high-protein snack ready: cottage cheese, edamame or a shake, for the afternoon gap.
- Check the total for a week, not a day — if you are consistently 20 g short, add one protein food rather than overhauling the diet.
How to use this guide
Use this guide to build a repeatable day of eating rather than a perfect one: the same breakfast, two or three rotating lunches, and a dinner built around a protein food. 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 of protein a day — an extra portion of yoghurt or tofu — before changing the training.
Common mistakes
Eating most protein at dinner. A vegetarian dinner can carry 50 g of protein, but breakfast and lunch are where the day is lost. Spread the target across four or five meals of 25–40 g, starting with breakfast.
Relying on a single plant protein. No single plant food covers every essential amino acid well, so variety across the day matters: legumes, soya, grains, nuts and dairy together cover the full profile. A diet built on one food — only lentils, or only tofu — is less complete than a varied one.
Forgetting iron, B12 and omega-3. Vegetarians need to watch iron (eat lentils and leafy greens with vitamin C), vitamin B12 (dairy and eggs help, but a supplement is often needed for vegans), and omega-3 (flaxseed and walnuts provide ALA, but conversion to EPA and DHA is low).
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, not from a guide. Vegetarians should also be aware of B12, iron, iodine and omega-3 status, and consider blood testing and supplementation under professional advice. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can vegetarians build muscle as well as meat eaters?
Yes, when protein and calories are matched. Trials comparing vegetarian 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 effort: vegetarians must plan protein at every meal, while meat eaters often hit the target without trying. Eggs, dairy, soya and legumes make the target achievable.
How much protein do vegetarians 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), and 0.8 g/kg as the sedentary minimum. At 70 kg that is 112–154 g a day. The target does not change because the diet is vegetarian — only the foods that supply it do.
Is plant protein incomplete?
Some plant proteins are low in one essential amino acid — legumes are low in methionine, grains are low in lysine — but eating a variety of plant foods across the day covers the full profile. The old rule about combining proteins in the same meal is unnecessary. Soya, quinoa, eggs and dairy are complete proteins on their own.
Do vegetarians need protein powder?
Not necessarily, but it helps. A scoop of whey (or pea/soya for vegans) adds 20–25 g of protein for about 120 kcal, which is the easiest way to close a 20 g gap. Food can do the same job — an extra portion of yoghurt or tofu — but powder is convenient, especially after training or when appetite is low.
What are the best vegetarian protein sources?
Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, eggs, lentils, tofu, tempeh, edamame and chickpeas are the highest-impact choices, all providing 13–19 g per portion. Milk, quinoa, nuts and seeds contribute smaller amounts. The pattern is a protein food at every meal, with legumes or soya as the main event at lunch and dinner.
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.