When we think of high-protein food, we first consider all the meat options. What’s there for vegetarians and vegans? Actually, there are plenty of options that we know little about.
With simple tricks and techniques, you can create high-protein snacks for vegetarians. To give you a push in that direction, I have listed nine recipes that are super delicious and packed in protein.
Let’s read along to find what the recipes are!
1. Vegan Jerky Sandwich
Do you sometimes wish you could have beef jerky sandwiches when you see people having them? Don’t worry at all!
You can have mushroom jerky, which is much healthier than beef jerky. It has high protein, fiber, and other nutrients, and is just as delicious!
You can find mushroom jerkies in stores, such as Pan’s Mushroom Jerky. Try them alone or make mushroom jerky sandwiches with soccaflatbread, sliced cucumber, tomato, and fried tofu slices. A filling snack poached with protein!
2. Socca Flatbread
Socca is a savory, unleavened, round flatbread made from chickpea flour and olive oil cooked in the oven until it gets crispy edges. It’s high in protein, has plenty of fibers, and is gluten-free.
You can mix pepper and herbs while preparing socca or sprinkle them as toppings. You can have it as a snack, use it as a pizza crust, dip it in lentil soup, or make sandwiches. Try it with hummus or shakshuka. You’ll love it!
3. Nut Butter Banana Sandwich
Who doesn’t love the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich? It’s a classic breakfast sandwich. How about we switch it up a little and make it healthier?
Toast two slices of brown bread with a thin layer of vegan butter, slather on some nut butter of your choice, and beautifully arrange banana slices on the buttered slice. There you have it!
A quick and simple, easy but delicious, high-protein sandwich for vegetarians!
4. Lemon and Dill Chickpea Sandwich
If you’re missing egg sandwiches, this is the perfect recipe for you. All you’ll need is some chickpea, lemon, dill (pickled if you like), some hummus, and two slices of brown bread.
You can get canned chickpeas or can buy peeled chickpeas from the market. Boil and mash the chickpeas and mix them with hummus, salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Spread it thick on toasted brown bread and top it with long slices of dill.
And there you have it! A delicious, high-protein egg sandwich minus the eggs! You can even use the filling to make wraps or use it as a dip!
5. Pumpkin Soup With Pumpkin Seeds
Soup doesn’t have to be just an appetizer. You can have it as your snack too! And who can resist a good thick, creamy bowl of pumpkin soup with crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds? It’s an absolutely delicious high-protein snack, especially in pumpkin season!
To make this, you need some pureed pumpkin (canned will work fine too), vegetable broth, nut milk, finely minced onion and garlic for extra flavor, and seasonings! Rinse pumpkin seeds thoroughly, pat them dry, and toast them in the oven.
While serving, drizzle the soup with nut milk or cream and add a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds as a topping. You now have a delicious snack!
6. Protein Bars
Protein bars are probably the greatest snack invention for everyone, especially vegetarians and vegans. You can snack on them anytime, even as desserts. Buy them from the stores or make them at home, it’s up to you!
All you need is milk, maple syrup, chocolate or plant-based protein powder, chopped-up dried fruits, dates, chocolate chips, oats, and crushed nuts.
Mix them all up, spread them on a baking tray, let them set in the fridge, cut them up into bars, roll them in nuts or melted chocolate, and let them set again. You can store them in airtight containers and snack on them whenever you want!
7. Edamame Salad
Edamame is young soybeans that are sweet to taste and buttery in texture. They are high in protein, making them a perfect plant-based protein source. Making them into a salad is the perfect way to have a high-protein snack as a vegetarian.
You can find them frozen or deshelled in packs. Mix them with julienned carrots, bell peppers, and diced radish. Or, you can mix them with diced cucumber and red bell peppers, drizzle with some nice vinaigrette, and toss them with some salt and lemon juice.
You now have a beautiful, filling, high-protein vegetarian salad to snack on guilt-free!
8. Tofu Breakfast Egg Muffins
Do you know that kids love breakfast as snacks and for dinner? It’s also always super easy to make! How about making tofu breakfast muffins just like making egg muffins? It’s simple, yummy, and packed with protein!
Drain water from firm tofu, and shred and blend it with some hummus, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Cook down some vegetables that you would prefer with your muffin, and mix it with the tofu blend. Once done, spread it nice and thick on toasted muffins.
You can make this breakfast egg muffin for dinner, and your kids will absolutely love it!9. Chia Pudding
One of the easiest and most indulging vegetarian desserts, which is also high in protein, is chia pudding. You can make them fresh or keep them in the fridge overnight.
All you need to do is take a spoonful of chia seeds in a mason jar, add nut milk, and a sweetener of your choice. If you want, you can add some vegan melted chocolate to add more flavor. When you’re ready to snack on it, top it with fresh berries, and you have a protein-packed indulgence!
Knowing about the nutritional values that each food provides feels so good! And vegan options are always mesmerizing. There are plenty of plant-based proteins available everywhere, some of which we eat every day without knowing how rich in protein they are!
Give these high-protein snacks for vegetarians a try. I’m sure you and your family will love them all and incorporate them into your daily diet.