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36 High-Protein Vegetarian Meals That Won’t Leave You Hungry

Vegetarian food is delicious, but sometimes it leaves a little something to be desired. (You know when you eat a big bowl of veggies and feel fabulous, and then an hour later it’s like you never even had dinner? Yeah, that.) The key is to load up on both high-protein ingredients like beans or tofu and high-fiber veggies to keep you full between meals. Here are 36 high-protein vegetarian meals for lunch and dinner that will keep you satisfied, from chickpea curry to falafel to vegetarian chili.

RELATED 35 Hearty Vegetarian Recipes to Enjoy All Year Long


1. Portobello And Avocado Quesadillas With Magic Green Sauce

Cheese, beans and avocado add 16 grams of protein to this ridiculously tasty dinner. It’s fun to share, but we won’t blame you if you want to keep it all for yourself.

2. Chickpea And Vegetable Coconut Curry

Chickpeas are packed with protein, and this vegetarian curry is a super satisfying way to end the day.

3. Vegan Lentil-mushroom Burgers

A homemade veggie burger always trumps a frozen patty. This vegan version packs in so much good stuff, plus a whopping 16 grams of protein per serving.

4. Restorative Miso Noodle Soup

When you’re in the mood for a lighter meal but still want to feel full, this soup is here for you. The 11 grams of protein mainly come from tofu cubes, the ideal chewy counterpart to broth and noodles.

5. Crispy Tofu Bites

These little tofu nuggets can be served on top of a salad as a main course, on the side of pretty much anything or mixed into your favorite stir-fry or soup. Basically, it’s the most versatile, protein-packed recipe you’ll ever make.

6. Vegan Fiesta Taco Bowl

Ground seitan and tofu sour cream bring both protein and flavor to this taco bowl, created by vegan chef Chloe Coscarelli.

7. One-pot Vegetarian Chili

One pot, lots of protein. This meal takes about 15 minutes to prep, less than an hour to cook and far less time to eat.

8. Vegan Keto Coconut Curry

Vegan protein powder adds a whopping 18 grams of protein to this robust and gorgeous low-carb curry.

9. Vegan Meatballs

Quinoa and black beans are a spot-on sub for meat in this recipe. Serve the meatballs on a sandwich, with pasta or in a grain bowl—and don’t be shy with the cheese if you’re a dairy eater.

10. One-pan Broccoli Cheese Wild Rice Casserole

Wild rice is naturally high in protein and fiber, plus just as satisfying as any other grain. This easy main course is gooey, crisp and kind of mind-blowing.

11. Healthier Tempeh Reuben

A genius vegan version of the famously meat-packed sandwich that’s, dare we say it, totally better than the O.G. (Add a few slices of cheese for extra protein.)

12. Cauliflower Walnut Vegetarian Taco Meat

Just a few pulses of walnuts and cauliflower in the blender and you’re on your way to a vegetarian taco filling that also works in burritos, salads and beyond.

13. Tofu Stir-fry With Peanut Sauce

The best part about this recipe, besides most of the ingredients containing a bit of protein? It’s so damn versatile. The veggies can be substituted, and the peanut sauce can be used for dipping instead.

14. Crispy Falafel

Made primarily of chickpeas, oven-baked falafel will fill you up quickly (which is a shame, because we want to eat it all day long).

15. Lentil Bolognese

Nothing against marinara, but why not let this hearty sauce full of fiber and protein keep your spaghetti company instead?

16. Roasted Squash And Tofu With Soy, Honey, Chili And Ginger

The most important step is thoroughly pressing the tofu so it gets as crispy as possible. It can be served as a side dish or as a main over white or brown rice.

17. Quick And Easy Spicy Coconut Black Bean Soup

Eat your heart out, Panera Bread. Coconut milk and a whirl in the blender make this soup super silky and smooth.

18. Broccoli Rabe With Chickpeas And Ricotta

Eleven grams of protein never looked so sophisticated. This lunch dish comes together courtesy of pantry staples and your favorite sauté pan.

19. Cauliflower Rice Bowl With Curried Lentils, Carrots And Yogurt

Can you believe the bowl and all its toppings (hi there, Greek yogurt) clock in at only 280 calories and 3 grams of fat? Cauliflower rice does it again.

20. Soba Noodles With Peanut Sauce

The PB sauce alone packs 8 grams of protein per serving—and that's before adding it to the buckwheat noodles' 18 grams.

21. Sweet Potato And Black Bean Tacos With Blue Cheese Crema

Taco Tuesday, meet Meatless Monday. You won't miss the beef one bit under all that four-ingredient crema.

22. Crispy Tofu Steaks With Broccoli Rabe And Romesco

The romesco is a breeze to whip up, thanks to jarred roasted red peppers and almond butter.

23. Black Bean Burgers

"Yum, I love frozen patties of disappointment," said no one ever. These are juicy and flavorful with the help of Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and hot sauce.

24. Veggie Banh Mi Bowls With Crispy Tofu

Who needs roast pork when you can pan-fry some sesame-Sriracha tofu in mere minutes instead? Pass the spicy mayo, please.

25. Tomato And White Bean Stew On Toast

If you have the time to make homemade beans for dinner on a weeknight, kudos. If you don't, canned white beans will work like a charm.

26. Slow-cooker Pasta E Fagioli Soup

One serving of this cozy winter classic is sure to keep you satisfied until bedtime, as it packs 21 grams of protein in every bowl.

27. Immune-boosting Turmeric Golden Milk Daal

Ginger, turmeric and cinnamon are natural anti-inflammatories, and the garlic is left out for 20 minutes to trigger an enzymatic reaction that makes it a potent antibacterial agent.

28. Creamy Vegan Lentil And Roasted Vegetable Bake

So creamy, so decadent—and without a single ounce of cream or cheese. Garlicky cashew cream and crispy pine nuts FTW.

29. Crispy Tofu Bánh Mì

File under Fastest Ways to Become the Envy of the Break Room.

30. Harissa Chickpea Stew With Eggplant And Millet

Millet has 9 grams of fiber per serving. Pair it with protein-rich chickpea stew and you'll stay full for hours.

31. White Beans With Rosemary And Caramelized Onions

Preparing beans from scratch is a labor of love, but it pays off every damn time.

32. Cauliflower Sweet Potato Burgers

No need to worry about these vegetarian burgers turning out dry. The tender sweet potato patties are topped with plenty of smashed avocado and spicy mayo.

33. Easy Lentil Soup

Proof that legumes can be legitimately beautiful. Chalk it up to golden lentils, caramelized onions, white wine and warm spices.

34. Instant Pot Vegan Pho

Pho broth traditionally takes hours to simmer—that is, if you don't have a pressure cooker.

35. Vegan Kentucky Fried Chick’n

We had no idea seitan could do all *this.* All its magic lies in the spicy chickpea flour breading.

36. Vegan Golden Mylk Cheesecake


purewow author

taryn pire

Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...