16 Vegan Meals With More Protein Than a Burger

The, erm, meatiest-tasting of all the faux meats, seitan packs more protein per calorie than beef and is now widely available. These savoury balls from veggie hotspot Mildreds mean you won’t miss mince.

Ingredients:

Seitan, 200g
An onion, diced
Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed
Baharat spice mix, 1tbsp
Flour, 2-3tbsp
Breadcrumbs, 75g
Vegetarian suet, 2tbsp
Cavalo nero, 100g
Can of mixed beans

Method:

- Made from gluten protein, seitan is devilish only to coeliacs and has a good macro profile. Dice it, then blitz in a food processor. Fry the onions and garlic until soft, then add the spice and seitan. Cook for a few minutes, then remove and cool.

- Combine the seitan with the flour, breadcrumbs and suet, plus 2-3tbsp of water, and shape into 12 “meat” balls. Bake for 10 minutes at 180ºC.

- Sauté the cavolo nero (full of anti-inflammatory carotenoids) with the beans, extra Baharat spice, salt and pepper. Serve with the meatballs and a squeeze of lemon juice, or flatbread and rice if you crave something a little more filling.

Think eggs are a premium protein source? Well, they are – but this scramble from Mildreds cracks out even more of it than an omelette, along with every amino acid your muscles hunger for. It’s no yolk.

Ingredients:

Firm tofu, 1 block
Turmeric, ¼tsp
Black salt, small pinch
Garlic powder, small pinch
Portobello mushrooms, 2, roasted
Cherry tomatoes, handful, roasted
Avocado, ½, sliced

Method:

- You might struggle to make an omelette without breaking eggs, as the adage would have it, but a scramble? That’s very simple. What’s more, a single serving of tofu dishes up around 40% of your RDA for calcium, an important nutrient for fat loss. Combine with the seasoning and mash with a fork.

- Spread the tofu onto a lined baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes at 160ºC. Meanwhile, grill or fry the mushrooms – a
rare plant source of muscle-strengthening vitamin D – and tomatoes with a light drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper.

- Plate up with the avocado for a protein-rich breakfast containing next to no carbs and a healthy hit of satiating fats.

Carnivores may scoff at the concept of a meat-free steak, but when they clock the nutritional profile of the humble cauli – which contains almost every vitamin and mineral that your body needs – they’ll think twice. Get a load of this grilled dish by Peter del Campo, head chef at the health-focused Blakes Hotel.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower, 150g
Hummus, 25g
Quinoa, 60g
Hemp seeds, 20g
Edamame beans, 40g
Lemon, ¼, garnish
Coriander leaves, garnish

Method:

- Boil the cauliflower whole for 10 to 12 minutes depending on the size. Once it cools down, cut it into 150g ‘steaks’ and finish in a hot grill pan until slightly blackened.

-To make your own hummus, blend 100g cooked chickpeas with 40g tahini, 80ml extra virgin olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and salt to taste. Alternatively, buy it ready-made (we won’t judge).

- In a saucepan, bring 400ml water to the boil, add 60g quinoa and cook for 10 minutes. Strain and cool with cold running water. In a bowl, combine with edamame beans and season with olive oil and salt.

- Spread the hummus on a plate and top with the quinoa mix. Place the grilled cauliflower on top, dust with hemp seeds and sprinkle coriander leaves over. Boom.

A virtuous bowl of grains and greens can serve up just as much protein as your standard Tupperware chicken breast, as this Japanese-style dish from bowl bosses Omoide demonstrates.

Ingredients:

Quinoa, 100g
Pearl barley, 50g
Lentils, 50g
Broccoli florets, 8
Salad leaves, handful
Sesame salad dressing
Tofu, 70g, diced
Edamame, 60g, cooked
Avocado, ½, smashed
Pickled red cabbage, 150g
A carrot, thinly sliced
For the miso aubergine
An aubergine, diced
White miso paste, 15g
Mirin, 20g
Sugar, 10g
Soy sauce, 10g

Method:

- Before well-curated grain bowls became a wellness cliché, they were a Japanese lunchtime staple. Here, protein sources such as lentils, quinoa, edamame and tofu combine to offer a full spread of muscle-building amino acids. Sauté the aubergine, then add the miso, mirin, sugar, soy and a dash of water. Simmer until soft.

- Cook the grains and satiating fibre-rich lentils as per pack instructions. Steam the broccoli – your go-to veg for a high protein-to-calorie ratio, as well as vital vitamins. Dress the grains and leaves and fill the bowl.

- Top with the tofu, beans and veg, including a spoonful of the aubergine, arranged in a neat circle – the “chirashi” style. Now, chopsticks or fork?

Need your fix on the go? Bounce back faster post-training with a vegan bar containing quick-acting carbs and muscle-repairing amino acids, from gym grub gurus Natural Fitness Food.

Ingredients:

Almond milk, 320ml
Natural Fitness Food vegan chocolate protein, 300g
Raisins, 250g
Ground almonds, 180g
Coconut oil, 150g
Dark chocolate, 300g
Almond butter, 50g
Flaked almonds, 60g

Method:

- Plant-based protein powders have as much nutritional clout as any dairy blend, and many are gentler on your digestive system. Blitz the almond milk, protein, raisins (sugar can speed protein synthesis), ground almonds, coconut oil and 230g of dark chocolate in a processor.

- Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper and set in the fridge for 20 minutes. Spread on almond butter – full of muscle-aiding magnesium. Melt the rest of the chocolate and drizzle it over, followed by the flaked almonds.

- Set it in the fridge, then slice and pop a bar in your bag for an instant post-gym snack.

If you needed a reminder not to judge a book by its cover, let this lentil, chickpea and quinoa creation be it. Created by Stacy Meech, executive chef and food director at Le Pain Quotidien, it packs more protein than a 6oz burger from Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

Ingredients:

Rocket, 40g
Vinaigrette, 30ml
Puy lentils, 140g, cooked
Lemon juice, dessert spoon
Fresh dill, handful, chopped
Fresh parsley, handful, chopped
Chickpeas, 65g, drained
Tomato, 30g, roughly chopped
Carrots, 20g, grated
Quinoa, 65g, cooked
Lemon juice, tbsp
Olive oil, 25ml
Cucumber, 20g, thinly sliced
Basil oil, 15ml
Large avocado, ½, sliced
Hemp seeds, 15g
Black pepper, to taste
Parsley, sprig
LPQ organic wholewheat bread, 2 slices

Method:

- To make the lentil mix, combine cooked puy lentils, lemon juice (dessert spoon), parsley and dill and set aside. Then, combine chickpeas, chopped tomato, grated carrots, quinoa, lemon juice (tbsp) and olive oil to make the quinoa and chickpea tabbouleh.

- On a plate, scatter the rocket and spoon over the tabbouleh. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the top. Add the lentil mix to the centre of the plate, and arrange the sliced avocado around it.

- Slice the cucumber into matchsticks and sprinkle over the plate with hemp seeds. Top with black pepper and parsley, and garnish with a lemon wedge. Serve with two slices of Le Pain Quotidien wheat bread and make a mental note never to overlook the muscle-building potential of the humble salad.

Keep things simple with a shake you can throw together in seconds. With a full meal’s worth of protein, Natural Fitness Food’s recipe will ensure your training sessions are fruitful.

Ingredients:

Coconut milk, 330ml
Natural Fitness Food vegan coconut protein, 35g
Frozen raspberries, 50g
Cashew butter, 15g

Method:

- Chuck the milk in first, so the powder doesn’t clump.

- Add the protein powder, berries and cashew butter. Raspberries contain plenty of manganese, for steady energy release, while the nut butter offers monounsaturated fats and copper to support lean mass.

- Blitz, stir, blitz again and drink it down for a quick, filling breakfast or the perfect recovery drink.

Elevate your veg from carby side dish to main event with a few high-protein upgrades, courtesy of vegan restaurant Wild Food Café. Shrooms and chestnuts lend this dish an earthy, umami flavour.

Ingrediens:

A butternut squash
Lemon juice, a squeeze
A leek, finely chopped
Celery, 3 stalks, chopped
Mushrooms, 300g, chopped
Chickpeas, ½ a tin, drained
Tamari, 1tbsp
Cooked chestnuts, large handful
Tomato purée, 4tbsp
Dried thyme, ½tsp
Smoked paprika, 1tsp
Cayenne powder, ½tsp
Greens, to serve

Method:

- After hard training, this starchy veg will stock your muscles with glycogen to stop the muscle mass breaking down. Slice lengthways, scoop out the pulp, then rub with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

- Heat a little oil in a pan. Sauté the leek and celery for two to three minutes, then add the mushrooms, chickpeas and tamari for five minutes. Add the chestnuts, purée, herbs and spices. Simmer for five minutes.

- Stuff the squash with the filling, then bake at 180ºC for 25-30 minutes. Serve with sautéed collard greens – their vitamin K supports fat loss.

Explore protein pasta-bilities with this smoked tofu and watercress cannelloni by Love Watercress chef Keri Astill. Gram for gram, watercress contains more vitamin C than an orange – essential for soothing the oxidative stress inflicted by this morning’s HIIT session.

Ingredients:
Red onion, 2, peeled and diced
Garlic cloves, 2, finely chopped
Spinach, 225g
Watercress, 225g
Smoked tofu, 2 packs
Dried cannelloni pasta, 20 tubes
Chopped tomatoes, 2 tins
Dried thyme, 2 tsp
Salt and pepper, to taste
Smoked paprika, 1 tsp
Vegetable oil
Melting vegan cheese, 75g

Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Add a splash of vegetable oil to large frying pan, warm over a medium heat, and add red onions and a pinch of salt. Fry for a few minutes before stirring garlic and thyme through. Transfer into a mixing bowl.
- Return the pan to the heat, add another splash of oil, followed by the watercress. As veggies go it's particularly high in protein, with around 2.3g per 100g. Cook for 30 seconds to minute – or until wilted – and then add to the bowl containing the onion mix. Repeat with the spinach.
- Drain the tofu, place into a separate bowl and mash it with a fork. Add paprika and salt to taste and mix. Combine with the watercress, spinach and onion mix. Using a piping bag with no nozzle, pipe the mixture into each cannelloni tube and place them into a large ovenproof dish in a single layer. Pour the tinned tomatoes over, sprinkling with the remaining thyme and a crack of black pepper.
- Scatter the vegan cheese over the top and cook in the oven for 35 minutes – or until the cheese is bubbling and the filling is hot in the middle. Remove from the oven and rest for a few minutes before serving.

Crispy bacon has long been the “gateway meat” for lapsed vegetarians. But this smoky slice from vegan street-food specialists Club Mexicana will stop temptation from touching you. That it’s healthy, too, is just a bonus.

Ingredients:

Tempeh, 100g, sliced
Tamari, 1½tbsp
Liquid smoke, 2tsp
Sourdough bread,
2 thick slices
Light vegan mayonnaise, 2tsp
Hot sauce, 1tsp
Avocado, ¼, mashed
A vine-ripened tomato, thinly sliced
Salad leaves, handful

Method:

- For a sandwich you can pig out on – minus said swine – opt for tempeh. It’s made with soy but, unlike tofu, uses the whole bean, not just the milk, for a firmer texture. Marinate it in tamari and liquid smoke for bacony flavour.

- Fry until crispy in hot oil. Add a dash of the marinade and sizzle for a few minutes.

- Toast the bread. Both sourdough and tempeh are fermented, making this a greater weight-loss ally than the classic BLT. Mix the mayo and hot sauce and slather it over one slice, spreading the other with mashed avo. Layer with the tempeh, tomatoes and leaves.

Stripping the meat out of this Tex-Mex classic doesn’t mean ditching protein – or flavour. Club Mexicana’s hot take has your post-gym nutrition wrapped up.

Ingredients:

A red onion, finely sliced
Garlic, 2 cloves
Ground cumin, 3tsp
Chipotle in adobo, 1tbsp
Small potato, diced and cooked
Black beans, 400g can, drained
Coriander, handful
Wholegrain tortilla wraps, 2
Vegan sour cream, 2tbsp

Method:

- Forget the paleo plan: not only is a diet rich in grains and legumes linked to a longer lifespan, but together they also offer the full spectrum of amino acids for muscle repair. Soften the onion, then add the garlic and spices, followed by the potato. Fry until crispy.

- Tip in the black beans – they’re high in folate, for heart function – and stir for five minutes until warmed. Mash the beans and potatoes then add the coriander.

- Pile it on your tortillas. Fold into a tight parcel, then press on a hot, lightly oiled pan until crispy (they are usually deep-fried, but Club Mexicana’s method offers fewer calories and retains micronutrients). Serve with vegan sour cream. Hot sauce optional but advised.

Made with mushrooms, cauliflower, walnuts and puy lentils, this fibre-filled dish from Antipodean restaurant Scarlett Green is so delicious you won’t even miss the mince.

Ingredients:

Cup mushrooms, 300g, finely chopped
Flat mushrooms, 300g, finely chopped
Chestnut mushrooms, 300g, finely chopped
Small onion, finely diced
Cauliflower head, finely diced
Walnuts, 100g, choppedGarlic, 20g, crushed
Red wine, 250ml
Tomato paste, 50g
Soy sauce, 50ml
Salt, 5g
Puy lentils, 200g, cooked
Tinned chopped tomatoes, 800g
Black pepper, 1g
Olive oil, 20ml
Basil, 50g, chopped
Dill, 50g, chopped

Method:

- In a large pan heat the olive oil and fry the mushrooms until all the liquid has evaporated.to the pot. Add the onion, garlic and cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes.

- Pour over red wine and cook until reduced, then add the chopped tomatoes, soya sauce, tomato paste and lentils. Let the tomato reduce by a quarter.

- Add chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Serve over courgette pappardelle.

Protein pancakes reinvented: rather than splicing its flour with whey, Wild Food Café mixes powdered quinoa and chickpeas for more fibre and B vitamins.

Ingredients:

Quinoa, 150g, uncooked
Chickpea flour, 70g
Kale, handful, destalked
Spring onions, handful, sliced
Small courgette, grated
A red chilli, sliced
For the sauce
Tahini, 250g
Shelled hemp seeds, 120g
Juice of a lemon
Date syrup, 1tbsp
Onion powder, 1tsp
Ginger powder, 1tsp
Olive oil, 4tbsp

Method:

- First make your crispy dosa pancakes, a south Indian staple. Blend the quinoa – rich in magnesium, for muscle function – with 230ml of water and a pinch of salt, then add the chickpea flour and blend again.

- Shred the kale and massage with a pinch of salt to tenderise, then combine with the onions and grated courgette for a hit of vitamin C. Whisk the sauce ingredients together (tahini and hemp add spoonfuls of extra protein) and add a drizzle to the veg.

- Fry the pancake batter in batches in a non-stick pan, flipping so both sides are golden. Plate up, top the veg with some chilli and tuck in.

Meat-eaters might mock its plain taste, but tofu is a succulent flavour sponge if used correctly. This Mildreds recipe will send any residual doubt up in flames.

Ingredients:

Fresh firm tofu, 750g
Barbecue spice rub, 50g
Barbecue sauce, 100ml
A carrot, peeled and grated
A small beetroot, peeled and grated
Red onion, ½, finely sliced
Red cabbage, ¼, finely sliced
A red chilli, finely sliced
Orange juice, 50ml
Maple syrup, 1tbsp

Method:

- Season your tofu well and it’ll serve up as tasty a protein hit as any chop, with minimal fat. Slice into 12 strips and dip in the rub. Bake on a rack for 45 minutes at 170ºC until the tofu firms up, turning once.

- When it has cooled, stick your tofu with skewers and brush one side with sauce. Caramelise under the grill for five minutes, brush the other side and repeat.

- Combine the veg in a bowl and mix in the juice and syrup. Cabbage raises your levels of isothio-cyanates, which have been linked to testosterone production. Serve as a fresh, antioxidant-rich accompaniment that packs more than a bit of muscle.

Falafel really is the GOAT of vegan fare, so it would be remiss to omit it from the list. Try chickpea and beetroot falafel recipe out for size, created by chef Kirk Haworth of Plates London in collaboration with Scarlett Green.

Ingredients:

Raw beetroot, 100g
Chickpea flour, 30g
Hummus, 40g
Chickpea water, 10ml, whipped
Cumin, ½ tsp
Onion, 20g, diced
Olive oil, 75ml
An avocado
Lemon, 1½, juiced
Beetroot juice, 200ml
Agar agar, 3g
Apple cider vinegar, 20ml
A fennel head
Pomegranate, half
Quinoa, 300g, cooked
Black rice, 50g, cooked
Chickpeas, 400g, drained
Pumpkin seeds, 70g
Sunflower oil, 50ml

Method:

- To make the falafel, add 20ml olive oil, onions and cumin to a small pan, cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 30 mins until onions are soft and translucent.

- Use a microplane to grate the raw beetroot into a mixing bowl, add the chickpea flour, hummus, cooked onions, salt and mix thoroughly.

- Whip the chickpea water until it has meringue-like texture and gently fold it through the mix. Portion into moulds and bake at around 170 degrees Celsius for five to eight minutes. The centre should be moist.

- To make the avocado cream, add avocado, juice of ½ a lemon and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Start blitzing on high speed, slowly adding 40ml oil, until you achieve a silky-smooth texture. Add seasoning if required.

- To make the beetroot vinegar, combine beetroot juice, agar agar and apple cider vinegar in a medium-sized pan and bring to the boil. Pour into a deep gastro tray and allow it to set, then blitz in a food processor until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and add seasoning if required.

- To make the fennel and pomegranate salad, shave the fennel very thin on a mandolin. Cut the pomegranate in half and pop out the seeds. Add both to a mixing bowl and dress with black quinoa and black rice.

- To make the chickpea and seed mix, bake the chickpeas at around 170 degrees Celsius for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Heat sunflower oil over a medium-high in a non-stick frying pan add the pumpkin seeds and stir until they start to pop (around two minutes). Drain the oil through a sieve and allow the pumpkin seeds to dry out before seasoning with salt and combining with the chickpeas.

- Plate the beetroot falafel, avocado cream, fennel and pomegranate salad and chickpea and seed mix. Garnish with chopped mint and dill sprigs.

Dairy-free desserts needn’t be a compromise in terms of moisture or moreish flavour. And they don’t have to be all that sinful, either: these brownies from Mildreds are laced with healthy plant proteins.

Ingredients:

Black beans, 300g, cooked
Rapeseed oil, 250ml
Vanilla essence, splash
Peanut butter, 100g
Soft brown sugar, 420g
Plain flour, 120g
Baking powder, 20g
Cocoa powder, 120g
Dark chocolate, 120g
Sea salt, pinch
Blueberries, handful
Soy yogurt, to taste

Method:

- These brownies are blended with protein- and fibre-rich black beans, which will steady your blood glucose, despite the added sweetness. They also offer a great replacement for eggs. Blend together the beans, oil, vanilla and the peanut butter – an excellent source of copper, the fat-burning mineral – with 200ml water until smooth.

- Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl, then add the wet mix to form a batter. Transfer to a tray lined with baking parchment and bake at 180ºC for 25-30 minutes.

- Once the brownies have set in the middle (test them with a knife), serve them warm, topped with berries and a large dollop of yogurt. Indulge with impunity.