We've ranked the best plant-based meat alternatives by protein content. You might be surprised by how easy, budget-friendly and healthy a vegan diet can be
Looking for vegan protein sources? Want the best high-protein vegan foods to cook with? Whether you’re simply trying to eat less meat or you’re cutting out animal products cold turkey (pun intended), it is worth being mindful of your plant-based protein sources – they definitely aren't all created equal. While it might be tempting to reach for highly processed shop-bought vegan sausages and burgers for convenience – and although they may be high in protein – ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been linked to potentially negative health outcomes. A packet of silken tofu or tempeh are both easy swaps that your body will thank you for choosing. Plus, they're far tastier and infinitely adaptable with different flavours and methods of preparation. Here we've ranked the best vegan protein sources according to their protein content. Use these high-protein vegan ingredients in our high-protein vegan meals, then check out our low-calorie vegetarian recipes, low-carb vegetarian recipes and healthy vegetarian recipes. Read 10 things I wish I knew before going vegan. Looking for plant-based gifts? Check out our pick of the best vegan gifts. Next find out why some alcohol isn't vegan and accidentally vegan foods. Best vegan protein sources Seitan Seitan tops the charts with around 20 grams of protein per 100 grams. Originating from ancient China, this wheat gluten-based meat substitute has a remarkably convincing texture. It’s easy to make from scratch at home and can be shaped in any way you please (try our shiitake seitan burger with kimchi mayo). Alternatively, buy it in blocks vac-packed or in chunks in jars. Great in stir-fries, Indian curries or on a barbecue. Discover more vegan BBQ recipes. Tempeh Coming in a close second place with 19 grams of protein per 100 grams is tempeh. Fermented and compressed soy beans give tempeh its unique umami-packed flavour. Slice into thin strips and marinate in soy sauce, maple syrup and liquid smoke (see below) for a delicious vegan bacon alternative. Unlike seitan, which is an incomplete protein, tempeh (and tofu) are complete proteins meaning they contain all nine of the essential amino acids our bodies require to survive and thrive. Try these tempeh kebabs and then try our tempeh recipes. Tofu With a protein content of 8 grams per 100 grams, tofu falls into third place behind tempeh. Made from soy milk and widely available in a range of different textures. For a reliable meat substitute with a high protein content, choose the extra-firm variety and be sure to squeeze out all the excess water. Marinate in teriyaki sauce and serve raw in a poke bowl or shallow-fry with lemongrass before adding to a vegan Thai green curry. Discover more of our tofu recipes. Beans The protein content of beans varies among the different types, for example chickpeas contain 19 grams per 100 grams while black beans contain around 8 grams. Soybeans contain a whopping 36 grams, as well as being a complete protein. As you can buy beans pre-cooked in tins, they are a really easy and budget-friendly vegan protein source. They also come wrapped up with plenty of fibre as well as other nutrients. Roast chickpeas as a topping for soup, make them into a healthy bean salad or flavourful vegan burritos. Discover our best bean recipes for more inspiration. Lentils Lentils contain 9 grams of protein per 100 grams, making them another great budget-friendly vegan meat alternative. They work particularly well in our vegan mushroom ragu alongside umami-rich chestnut mushrooms. You can also make them into a delicious and nutritious dhal, perfect for the colder winter months. Similar to beans, they're packed with plenty of fibre, too, helping you to feel fuller for longer. Try more vegan pasta recipes. Jackfruit Jackfruit comes in at the lowest with almost 2 grams of protein per 100 grams. Although it doesn't contain a high protein content, that doesn't mean it should be discounted from your plant-based diet. Jackfruit has other nutritional benefits including being rich in antioxidants as well as fibre, vitamins and minerals. Usually it's found tinned at large supermarkets or fresh among the exotic fruits at the greengrocer. Once cooked and shredded, jackfruit has a texture similar to pulled pork and a subtly sweet flavour. It pairs well with a smoky barbecue sauce and is a fantastic filler for tacos (try our vegan jackfruit tacos), burgers and burritos. Alternatively, slice into chunks and use as a chicken alternative in your favourite curry recipe. Check out our vegan jackfruit massaman curry. Try more of our delicious jackfruit recipes. Vegan storecupboard ingredients Nori The secret ingredient behind a satisfying fishy flavour! This dried seaweed, usually seen with sushi, has a natural, subtle seafood taste. Lay a slice of nori on a slab of tofu as imitation fish skin before breadcrumbing and frying – perfect for a crispy ‘fish’ taco! Kala namak The key to nailing an entirely vegan eggy flavour. With origins in Indian cuisine, this rock salt has a potent sulphurous taste, so a small pinch goes a long way. Add to a tofu scramble to up the egg factor, or stir through rice flour pancake batter to make a convincing omelette. Nutritional yeast This is great for adding a nutty, cheesy flavour to vegan dishes. Whip up a plant-milk béchamel with a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast and you’ve got a mac ’n’ cheese sauce. Alternatively, blitz nutritional yeast with toasted cashew pieces for a quick vegan ‘parmesan’ sprinkle. Liquid smoke The ingredient behind mouthwatering plant bacon and meaty marinades. For a vegan BLT, whisk a teaspoon of this miracle condiment with dark soy sauce, maple syrup and a pinch of smoked paprika, and use to baste aubergine or sliced tempeh before baking. Discover more storecupboard ingredients every vegan should have in their pantry. High-protein vegan blender recipes Soy milk mayo Put 150ml room-temperature soy milk, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, ½ tsp dijon mustard and ¼ tsp sea salt in a blender or food processor. Blend on a high speed then gradually pour in 250ml sunflower oil while the blades are running. The mayo will thicken and emulsify as the oil is added. For emulsification, the milk has to be the same temperature as the oil so take it out of the fridge before using. Use on sandwiches, burgers and in dressings. Tofu cream cheese Put 400g firm tofu, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp soy milk and ½ tsp sea salt in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth then spread on bagels, or use in cheesecake recipes. Cashew soured cream Soak 200g cashews in water overnight. Tip into a blender or food processor with 4 tbsp lime juice, 4 tbsp rapeseed oil, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar and ½ tsp sea salt. Blend all the ingredients until very smooth and creamy. Use on tacos, nachos or in dips. Try more of our vegan dinner recipes here We've pulled together a collection of easy vegan recipes for you to choose from, including aubergine teriyaki bowls, Moroccan soup and spicy lentil burgers.
olive podcast: RICHARD MAKIN on 10 things you need to know about vegan baking
Listen to Richard Makin, vegan expert and author, share 10 tips for creating plant-based bakes
This week @missj9 is joined by author and vegan food expert Richard Makin who gives his top tips for creating plant-based bakes and shares about some brilliant recipes and stories from his new book, Anything You Can Cook, I Can Cook Vegan. View oEmbed on the source website
Make the most of summer with our easy plant-based recipes, including colourful summer rolls, homemade falafel, cupcakes and delicious hummus dips
Looking for vegan picnic recipes? Want to enjoy a meat-free feast in the outdoors? Try our ideas below then check out our vegetarian picnic ideas and picnic ideas. If you want to make the most out of seeing friends and family in a park or a garden, make some of our portable treats and pack up a picnic box. For easy vegan sandwich ideas, try our vegan blt sandwich, or our vegan burritos. Looking for something sweet? There are plenty of traybakes, vegan cupcakes and plant-based cookies to try. Complete your picnic with a refreshing cocktail – we have non-alcoholic pre-bottled picnic cocktails and iced mint and apple tea for a summery cooler. Savoury vegan picnic ideas Vegan blt sandwich For a real crowd-pleaser, look no further than our impressive MBLT vegan sandwich. A super easy alternative to the British BLT, this recipe swaps bacon for shiitake mushroom. Vegan maki rolls Inspired by sushi street food company Happy Maki, our Thai-style sweet potato wraps are a fresh, healthy and veg-packed addition to your vegan picnic. Vegan pizza Everyone loves pizza, so why not try this vegan recipe with paprika mushrooms for a fool proof option at your picnic? Cut into slices and pack up for a portable treat. Spiralized summer rolls Vietnamese-style vegan rolls are a great savoury snack for a posh picnic. They’re super-healthy too, replacing noodles for spiralized veg. Burritos with black beans, sweetcorn and quinoa Our vibrant meat-free burrito, rammed with tomatoes, black beans, lime, coriander, avocado and red chilli, is a brilliant and filling option for your vegan picnic. Syrian falafel A savoury vegan staple, try this spiced falafel recipe from Imad’s Syrian Kitchen as part of your vegan picnic feast. Serve with a fresh salad and lemony tahini sauce. Coronation tofu salad Our easy coronation salad recipe with smoked tofu, fragrant madras curry powder and sweet mango chutney is a classic picnic vegan swap. It’s also a brilliant sandwich filling option. Tray-roast squash, sweet potato and grain salad Super delicious, healthy and quick to make, our vegan roasted squash and grain salad is the perfect accompaniment at any picnic. To save time, cook a batch the night before. Green goddess and red devil dips with homemade breadsticks and veg If you’re after something a little different, these totally vegan green goddess and red devil dips are a great addition to your next picnic. Roasted tomato orzo Roasted vine tomatoes, orzo and a zesty herby salsa combine to make this stand-out pasta dish to serve as a salad at a picnic. Fattoush with crisp spiced chickpeas Fattoush, a Levantine salad made from toasted pitta, mixed greens and veg, makes a vibrant, summery addition to your picnic. Here, we mix chickpeas with radishes, tomatoes, sumac with a pomegranate molasses dressing. Beetroot hummus This earthy vegan beetroot hummus is ready in just 10 minutes, perfect for a last-minute picnic dip to pair with flatbreads. Smoked aubergine, pepper and walnut salad with pomegranate Simple yet packed with flavour, try Sabrina Ghayour’s Middle Eastern-inspired aubergine salad with walnuts and crunchy pomegranates. Serve with flatbreads for a picnic feast. Sweet vegan picnic ideas Vegan lemon sheet cake A vegan spin on a classic lemon cake, have a go at Richard Makin’s dairy-free sheet cake for a much lighter, zesty bake. Find more easy vegan baking recipes here. Double chocolate chip vegan cookies Who could say no to gooey double chocolate chip cookies? They are both dairy-free and egg-free, though non-vegan friends won’t notice the difference. Vegan chocolate cupcakes Dairy-free chocolate cupcakes, topped with swirls of rich chocolate frosting, marks a delicious way to round off your vegan picnic. Picnic drink ideas Iced mint and apple tea Here’s a refreshing, easy summer cocktail of apple (and brandy) infused iced tea, perfect for sipping at your meat-free picnic. Homemade lemonade Nothing beats a cold glass of sweet-sour lemonade on a balmy summer afternoon, so why not make your own for your meat-free feast?
VEGAN PODCAST SERIES part 1 - Richard Makin on veganising your favourite recipes
In this new podcast series, we chat with olive’s vegan cooking columnist Richard Makin about inventive vegan dishes with advice on ingredient swaps
In the first of a new plant-based series, olive’s vegan cooking columnist Richard Makin shares his expertise in planning, cooking and creating inventive vegan dishes with advice on ingredient swaps and 'veganising' your favourite recipes. For more inspiration, see our easy vegan baking recipes and our vegan meal ideas. View oEmbed on the source website
Use olive oil in place of butter and chia seeds instead of eggs in this beautiful grown-up take on a classic lemon cake. It makes for a much lighter (and totally vegan) bake
Try this lusciously light vegan lemon traybake, then check out our vegan lemon drizzle cake, vegan banana bread, vegan carrot cake, vegan blueberry muffins, vegan chocolate cake and vegan birthday cake. For more lemon cake ideas, try out lemon drizzle cake, lemon cake and lemon loaf cake. Recipe author Richard Makin says: "The chia seeds work like little sponges when soaked and help to bind the ingredients together in a similar manner to eggs. This guarantees a perfectly bouncy, moist cake made entirely from plants!" Read our guide on what are chia seeds and where to buy them for advice on purchasing this ingredient online.
Salt-baked celeriac with sourdough stuffing
The perfect vegan centrepiece, Richard Makin's hidden-celeriac bake is so delicate, you can spoon it right out of the crust. The centre is filled with a flavoursome hazelnut and shiitake sourdough stuffing
Try this salt-baked celeriac, then check out our vegan wellington, vegan nut roast, whole roast cauliflower and more vegan dinner ideas. Also take a look at our collection of celeriac recipes for more seasonal veg inspiration.
Try this plant-based twist on the classic lemon meringue pie, which still delivers a zesty punch, balanced with flaky, buttery pastry, and a smooth, creamy aquafaba meringue
Make this vegan blueberry meringue pie, then check out our vegan pumpkin pie, vegan blueberry muffins, vegan meringues, vegan banana bread, vegan cheesecake and more vegan baking ideas. If you’re new to aquafaba (the soaking water from a tin of unsalted chickpeas), keep in mind that you’ll get the smoothest whip if you refrigerate it for a few hours first. It’s also a good idea to wipe a slice of lemon around your mixer bowl and whisk before beating, as any residual grease will affect your perfect whip. Finally, for a beautiful flaky pastry crust, be sure to use a firm vegan butter such as baking block rather than margarine. If you don't have time to make it at home, read our guide on what is aquafaba for advice on where to buy this ingredient online.
This glazed seitan ‘ham’ is a perfectly festive meat alternative which will hold its own as a Christmas dinner centrepiece. Leftovers make fantastic ‘ham’ and mustard sandwiches for Boxing Day
Try this vegan ham recipe for a vegan Christmas dinner then check out our vegan wellington, vegan pigs in blankets, vegan stuffing and vegan nut roast. Follow your mains with a festive vegan eggnog. The seitan is steamed for a tender, meaty texture before being glazed and roasted until golden and caramelised on the outside. Sliced thinly and served hot, this is a perfect accompaniment to roasties and all the trimmings. Also see our basic recipe for homemade seitan.
Celeriac steak with mash and gochujang sauce
Slow-roasted celeriac has a wonderful ‘meaty’ bite and a unique mellow flavour. Spicy Korean gochujang lifts this umami celeriac steak to the next level
Try this roast celeriac steak recipe then check out our celeriac soup, celeriac gratin, salt-baked celeriac and more celeriac recipes. Also read our guide on what is gochujang and where to buy it for more advice on sourcing this ingredient as well as our best gochujang recipes. Vegan recipe author Richard Makin says: "I like to score the surface of each ‘steak’ before marinating to make sure it really soaks up flavour when cooking. This also helps the roasted celeriac to crisp and caramelise on the outside while staying beautifully tender inside. The sauce matches Korean gochujang (a delicious fermented chilli paste with a moreish savoury flavour) with soy milk for a velvety smooth, umami twist on a classic steak sauce. Be sure to pick a large, fresh celeriac, ideally without too many visible roots, to guarantee nice round celeriac steaks."
Make your own pici pasta, then coat it in an indulgent wild mushroom sauce. Amazingly, there's no cream or egg in this pasta sauce – just raw cashew nuts, white wine and vegan butter
Try our vegan cacio e pepe recipe then check out Padella's famous cacio e pepe, our vegan bolognese, vegan pasta bake, vegan mushroom ragu and more vegan pasta recipes.
Our vegan expert shares his secrets to perfecting this plant-based version of a comforting classic, made extra rich and indulgent with white miso
Try our vegan mac and cheese, then check out our vegan carbonara, vegan bolognese and vegan moussaka. This vegan mac and cheese recipe comes from Richard Makin, aka School Night Vegan. He says... "Use culinary coconut oil in this plant-based version of the classic comfort dish – it's been deodorised to remove the coconutty flavour and smell but still retains its richness." Once you've tried this plant-based mac and cheese, check out more of Richard's vegan recipes here. He also shares his secrets to vegan cooking here, including the best plant-based ingredients and how to use vegan cheese. Vegan mac and cheese recipe
Follow expert baking tips from School Night Vegan to ensure you get lovely crumbly biscuits every time.
Try this delicious vegan shortbread then check out our vegan cookies, vegan gingerbread men, vegan scones, vegan fudge, vegan flapjacks and vegan cinnamon rolls. Check out more shortbread recipes, including our classic shortbread, millionaire shortbread, gluten-free shortbread and caramel shortbread, then check out our christmas biscuit recipes. This vegan shortbread recipe comes from Richard Makin, aka School Night Vegan. He says "It’s important to use baking block (which is naturally vegan) for this recipe. You’ll usually find it with the chilled pre-rolled pastry in larger supermarkets (most do their own brand), where it’s often labelled ‘baking block for biscuits and pastries’. It is plant-based and has a low-solid content, which means it won’t brown too quickly, which causes a speckled, unevenly browned shortbread. Avoid using good-quality vegan butters for this recipe as they won’t give you as good a result." Once you've baked these biscuits, try Richard's vegan chocolate cake here.
This classic frosted carrot cake is made with a surprising (vegan) ingredient that guarantees a moist sponge every time
Try this vegan carrot cake, then check out our classic carrot cake, carrot cake cupcakes, carrot cake loaf and carrot cake muffins. We've also got plenty more vegan cake recipes to try, including our vegan banana bread, vegan chocolate cake, vegan chocolate cupcakes, vegan birthday cake and vegan lemon drizzle cake. This recipe comes from vegan expert Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here. Richard says: "The challenge with a vegan carrot cake is to replace the eggs without ending up with a dry, crumbly sponge. This recipe uses psyllium husks (the incredibly high-fibre shells of tiny seeds) to help bind the batter and keep everything deliciously moist. When making the cream cheese frosting be sure to use a brand of vegan cream cheese which isn’t too savoury (I like to use Violife). It’s also important to make sure the vegan cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before you begin, otherwise the frosting will split."
Decent espresso powder is the key to this luxurious vegan chocolate sponge, sandwiched together with indulgent (and butter-free) chocolate buttercream
Make this vegan chocolate cake for a special treat, then check out our vegan birthday cake, vegan brownies, vegan chocolate cupcakes, vegan chocolate cheesecake and vegan chocolate chip cookies. This recipe comes from vegan expert Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here. Richard says: "A classic, two-layer vegan chocolate cake, sandwiched and topped with light, fluffy vegan chocolate buttercream. This cake uses an incredibly simple two-bowl batter which uses a touch of espresso powder, along with cocoa, to ensure a rich, bitter-sweet chocolate flavour." Treat yourself to more dairy-free and egg-free desserts such as our vegan chocolate cheesecake and double chocolate chip vegan cookies. Now try our favourite chocolate cake recipes.
It took two years to perfect this magic vegan yorkshire puddings recipe. You'll need gram flour and aquafaba (the water tinned chickpeas come in) to make these golden beauties
Make these vegan Yorkshire puddings, then check out our classic Yorkshire puddings, Yorkshire pudding wrap, cumberland Yorkshire pudding and more roast dinner recipes. For more free-from options, check out our vegan wellington, vegan nut roast and vegan shepherd's pie. This recipe comes from vegan expert Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here. Richard says: "This recipe has been two years in the making. Being a northern lad, yorkshires were one of the first things I truly pined for after choosing to follow a plant-based diet. Both the gram flour and the aquafaba are protein-rich, much like egg whites, which really helps the batter to hold onto those all-important air bubbles. The kala namak (which you can find at Asian supermarkets and online) gives the batter a pleasant, subtle eggy flavour." Also read our guides on what is gram flour and what is aquafaba for tips on how to buy these ingredients.
Let warming spices and a rich toffee sauce (made with homemade cashew cream) do the talking with this vegan sticky toffee pudding recipe
Make this vegan sticky toffee pudding for an indulgent treat, then check out our classic sticky toffee pudding, sticky toffee self-saucing pudding and ginger sticky toffee pudding. We've also got plenty more delicious vegan desserts, including vegan cheesecake, vegan chocolate cake, vegan brownies, vegan gingerbread and vegan meringues. This recipe comes from vegan expert Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here. Richard says: "There’s something beautifully indulgent and warming about this sticky toffee pudding. The delicate sponge is packed with spices and the toffee sauce is rich with dark brown sugar. My recipe uses a home-made cashew cream to make the sauce (if you have a nut allergy, you can simply exchange the cashews for sunflower seeds to make the entire recipe completely nut-, dairy- and egg-free)."
A delicate, zingy vegan lemon cake made without eggs, milk or butter! The key to that lemony tang is a decent lemon extract (we use Nielsen-Massey)
Try this vegan lemon drizzle cake then check out our vegan banana bread, vegan scones, vegan carrot cake and vegan chocolate cupcakes. Looking for more lemon cake recipes? Try our lemon drizzle cake, lemon cake and lemon loaf cake. This vegan lemon drizzle cake recipe comes from vegan expert Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here. Richard says: "This is my go-to vegan lemon cake. It has a delicate texture which doesn’t crumble when sliced (thanks to the psyllium husks) and a decent zing thanks to lemon juice, zest and extract. I’d highly recommend splashing out on a good lemon extract, such as Nielsen-Massey, if you can find it – many cheaper options have an dull, artificial flavour." Try our vegan lemon drizzle cake then check out our other best lemon cake recipes.
Top a fudgy Oreo biscuit base with silken tofu and dark chocolate for a rich, plant-based cheesecake. this easy vegan chocolate cheesecake makes an indulgent dinner party dessert
Make this decadent vegan cheesecake, then check out our vegan vanilla cheesecake, vegan birthday cake, vegan brownies, vegan chocolate cupcakes and more vegan cake recipes. Looking for more cheesecake recipes? Treat yourself to our chocolate cheesecake, vanilla cheesecake, baked raspberry cheesecake and plenty more. This recipe comes from vegan expert Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here. Then try our classic vanilla cheesecake recipe. Richard says: "Vegan soft cheese is much more accessible these days but I find it often has way too much of a savoury, cheesy flavour to be compatible with a cheesecake recipe. As such, I was determined to make this recipe without the help of any shop-bought vegan cream cheese. Instead, this recipe uses silken tofu for the creamy, silky texture, and lemon juice for the bright tang. Be sure to use a coconut oil which is ‘deodorised’ or ‘refined’ in order to avoid any unwanted coconut flavour."
Delicious chunks of marinated tempeh work brilliantly with juicy pineapple in this easy alternative to the traditional BBQ skewer
This recipe comes from Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here, including his vegan mayonnaise recipe. Check out more vegetarian BBQ recipes, such as our BBQ aubergines, mushroom shawarma, aubergine kebabs and BBQ courgettes. Also read our guide for what is tempeh and where to buy it for advice on purchasing this ingredient as well as more tempeh recipes.
The grilled peaches deliver a satisfying sweetness, balanced by the zing of lime-pickled shallots and the smoky nuttiness of toasted pecans in this vibrant vegan salad
This recipe comes from Richard Makin aka School Night Vegan. Check out his expert guide to cooking with vegan ingredients here.