One of the most common questions that come up regarding eating vegan is how to get enough protein when you don’t eat animal products. The reality is that it’s fairly simple to get plenty of protein on a vegan diet with all the plant-based protein options out there, like tofu, beans, lentils and high-protein whole grains like quinoa. Incorporating a wide variety of these vegan proteins throughout the day ensures you’re getting all the protein you need.
Whether your motivation to eat more plant-based meals is ethical, environmental or both, a vegan diet offers plenty of health benefits. In fact, research like a 2022 review in Cureus reports that the advantages of a plant-based diet include lower rates of cardiovascular disease risk, likely due to decreased intake of animal fat and a higher-fiber diet.
Whether you’re a full-time vegan or looking to dabble, this 7-day high-protein vegan meal plan ensures that you will get plenty of protein to help you stay full and satisfied throughout the day. For weight loss, we capped this plan at 1,200 calories a day to promote a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week, with modifications to increase the calories to 1,500 or 2,000 calories a day, depending on your needs.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
High-Protein Vegan Foods
Many of these vegan protein foods are also high in fiber, include healthy fats and have plenty of other important nutrients to make for a balanced diet. Here are some popular plant-based foods, along with how much protein each one contains, per the USDA:
Beans: Whether you prefer black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas or another variety, this healthy protein provides about 15 grams of protein per cup.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals
For a high-protein vegan breakfast, we love our Vegan Freezer Breakfast Burritos because they’re great for busy mornings and pack in 15 g of protein per serving. Prep these burritos to have for breakfast throughout the week.
Make a serving of the Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding to have for breakfast on Day 2.
Prep Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Tofu Croutons to have for a high-protein vegan lunch on Days 2 through 5.
Day 1
Breakfast (281 calories, 11 g protein)
1 whole-wheat English muffin1 1/2 Tbsp. almond butter
A.M. Snack (154 calories, 5 g protein)
20 unsalted dry-roasted almonds
Lunch (325 calories, 18 g protein)
P.M. Snack (32 calories, 1 g protein)
Dinner (428 calories, 16 g protein)
Daily Totals: 1,220 calories, 51 g protein, 87 g carbohydrate, 31 g fiber, 81 g fat, 25 g saturated fat, 1,496 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1 medium apple to breakfast, increase to 1/3 cup almonds at A.M. snack, and add 5 walnut halves to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium apple to breakfast, increase to 1/3 cup almonds at A.M. snack and add 1 large pear, add White Bean & Avocado Toast to lunch and add 1/3 cup walnut halves to P.M. snack.
Day 2
Breakfast (229 calories, 6 g protein)
A.M. Snack (150 calories, 12 g protein)
Lunch (400 calories, 20 g protein)
P.M. Snack (16 calories, 1 g protein)
1 cup sliced cucumberPinch of salt and pepper
Dinner (430 calories, 12 g protein)
Daily Totals: 1,225 calories, 51 g protein, 122 g carbohydrate, 35 g fiber, 61 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,016 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Increase to 1 cup edamame at A.M. snack and add 1 serving of White Bean & Avocado Toast to lunch.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast, add 1 apple to A.M. snack, add 1 serving White Bean & Avocado Toast to lunch and add 1/4 cup hummus to P.M. snack.
Day 3
Breakfast (329 calories, 15 g protein)
A.M. Snack (21 calories, 1 g protein)
Lunch (400 calories, 20 g protein)
P.M. Snack (100 calories, 8 g protein)
Dinner (365 calories, 12 g protein)
Meal-Prep Tip: Prepare 1 serving of Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding to have for breakfast tomorrow.
Daily Totals: 1,214 calories, 56 g protein, 132 g carbohydrate, 30 g fiber, 53 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 1,845 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, add 1 serving White Bean & Avocado Toast to lunch, and increase to 1 1/2 cups edamame in pods and add 1 small apple to P.M. snack.
Day 4
Breakfast (229 calories, 6 g protein)
A.M. Snack (200 calories, 16 g protein)
Lunch (400 calories, 20 g protein)
P.M. Snack (35 calories, 1 g protein)
Dinner (360 calories, 17 g protein)
Daily Totals: 1,224 calories, 59 g protein, 109 g carbohydrate, 36 g fiber, 66 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 1,184 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 1 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast, add 1/3 cup walnut halves to A.M. snack and add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 5
Breakfast (291 calories, 11 g protein)
1 whole-wheat English muffin1 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
A.M. Snack (62 calories, 2 g protein)
Lunch (400 calories, 20 g protein)
P.M. Snack (100 calories, 8 g protein)
Dinner (345 calories, 13 g protein)
Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve 2 servings of Curried Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup to have for lunch on Days 6 and 7.
Daily Totals: 1,198 calories, 54 g protein, 111 g carbohydrate, 34 g fiber, 64 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 1,367 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1 pear to breakfast and increase to 1 1/2 cups edamame in pods at P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 pear to breakfast, add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, increase to 1 1/2 cups edamame in pods at P.M. snack and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.
Day 6
Breakfast (329 calories, 15 g protein)
A.M. Snack (132 calories, 11 g protein)
Lunch (345 calories, 13 g protein)
P.M. Snack (29 calories, 1 g protein)
Dinner (388 calories, 11 g protein)
Daily Totals: 1,223 calories, 51 g protein, 140 g carbohydrate, 34 g fiber, 55 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 2,006 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 apple to breakfast, increase to 1 1/2 cups edamame in pods at A.M. snack, add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to lunch and add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 7
Breakfast (329 calories, 15 g protein)
A.M. Snack (100 calories, 8 g protein)
Lunch (345 calories, 13 g protein)
P.M. Snack (16 calories, 1 g protein)
1 cup sliced cucumberPinch of salt and pepper
Dinner (427 calories, 14 g protein)
Daily Totals: 1,217 calories, 50 g protein, 131 g carbohydrate, 31 g protein, 60 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 2,099 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Increase to 1 1/2 cups edamame in pods at A.M. snack and add 3 Tbsp. hummus to P.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 apple to breakfast, increase to 1 1/2 cups edamame in pods at A.M. snack, add 1 serving of Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to lunch, add 3 Tbsp. hummus to P.M. snack and add 1 serving of Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.