The vegetables with the most protein are legumes like soybeans, lentils, and beans, which pack 8 to 11 grams of protein per half cup cooked. Among non-legume vegetables, green peas, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and spinach lead the pack, though they deliver far less per serving. Understanding where each type falls on the protein spectrum helps you build meals that actually add up.
Legumes: The Protein Heavyweights
If you’re looking for serious protein from plants, legumes are in a different league from other vegetables. Pulses like lentils, beans, and chickpeas contain roughly 21 to 25 percent protein by dry weight, nearly double what grains offer. Here’s how the most common options compare per half cup cooked:
- Edamame: 9 g protein, 95 calories
- Lentils (green or brown): 9 g protein, 101 calories
- Black beans: 8 g protein, 114 calories
- Red kidney beans: 8 g protein, 112 calories
- Chickpeas: 7 g protein, 134 calories
- Black-eyed peas: 7 g protein, 100 calories
- Lima beans: 6 g protein, 105 calories
The calorie-to-protein ratio here is worth noting. A half cup of lentils gives you 9 grams of protein for just 101 calories. That’s efficient, even compared to some animal sources. Edamame is similarly impressive at 95 calories for the same amount of protein.
Soy Products: Complete Protein From Plants
Soybeans deserve their own mention because they stand apart from other legumes in both protein quantity and quality. Cooked soybeans deliver about 10.6 grams of protein per 100 grams, the highest of any pulse. Soy protein also scores a perfect 1.0 on the PDCAAS scale (a measure of how well your body can use a protein source), putting it on par with eggs and beef.
The whole-food soy products most worth knowing about are edamame, tofu, and tempeh. Edamame are immature green soybeans that cook in about five minutes and work well tossed into salads, soups, or noodle dishes. Tofu is made from whole soybeans with the fiber removed, leaving a neutral-tasting block that absorbs whatever flavors you cook it with. Tempeh is fermented from whole soybeans, giving it a denser, chewier texture and a nutty flavor. Research has found these soy products provide protein comparable in quality and satiety to beef.
Green Vegetables With the Most Protein
Non-legume vegetables contribute meaningful protein when you eat them regularly, though none come close to beans or lentils on their own. Per 100 grams cooked:
- Alfalfa sprouts: 4 g
- Green peas: 4 g (about 59 calories per half cup)
- Brussels sprouts: 3.4 g
- Collard greens: 3 g
- Spinach: 2.9 g
- Mustard greens: 2.9 g
- Broccoli: 2.8 g
- Asparagus: 2.2 g
- Cauliflower: 1.9 g
These numbers look modest, but greens have a hidden advantage: they’re extremely low in calories. A half cup of cooked spinach has 3 grams of protein in just 41 calories. Calorie for calorie, spinach actually delivers protein at a respectable rate. The catch is volume. You’d need to eat a lot of spinach to match what a single half cup of lentils provides.
Green peas sit at a nice middle ground. They’re technically a legume but often eaten as a green vegetable, and at 4 grams per half cup with only 59 calories, they’re one of the easiest ways to add a few grams of protein to any meal.
Starchy Vegetables Are Lower Than You’d Think
Potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes are filling and nutrient-rich, but they’re not strong protein sources. Yellow corn provides about 3.4 grams per 100 grams, while sweet potatoes deliver just 1.6 grams. A large baked potato offers roughly 4 to 5 grams, which is decent for a side dish but modest relative to its calorie load. If protein is your goal, these vegetables are better thought of as energy sources than protein sources.
What “Complete Protein” Means for Vegetables
Most plant proteins are low in one or more essential amino acids, the building blocks your body can’t make on its own. Cereals and grains tend to be low in lysine, while beans are low in sulfur-containing amino acids like methionine. Soy is the major exception among plants, delivering all essential amino acids in adequate amounts.
This doesn’t mean you need to combine foods at every meal. As long as you eat a variety of protein sources throughout the day, your body gets what it needs. A practical approach: pair legumes with grains at some point during the day. Rice and beans, lentil soup with bread, or hummus with pita all create complementary amino acid profiles naturally.
For context on digestibility, soy protein scores 1.0 on the standard quality scale, matching animal proteins. Pea protein scores 0.82, and black beans come in at 0.75. These are all well within the range that supports muscle maintenance and overall health.
How Much Protein You Actually Need
The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 46 grams per day for adult women and 56 grams for adult men. The acceptable range is 10 to 35 percent of total daily calories, so active people can eat significantly more without concern.
Reaching those numbers with vegetables alone is doable but requires planning. A cup of cooked lentils (about 18 grams), a half cup of edamame (9 grams), a cup of broccoli (roughly 5.6 grams), and a serving of tofu (8 grams) would give you over 40 grams of protein from plants before counting grains, nuts, or any animal products. Legumes do most of the heavy lifting. The greens and other vegetables fill in a few grams here and there, adding up over the course of a day.
Practical Ways to Add More
The simplest strategy is to make legumes a regular part of your meals rather than an afterthought. Toss a half cup of chickpeas into a salad for 7 grams. Blend white beans into a soup to thicken it while adding protein. Keep frozen edamame on hand for a five-minute side dish.
For the non-legume vegetables, cooking helps. Raw spinach is bulky and hard to eat in large quantities, but a half cup of cooked spinach (which starts as several cups raw) gives you 3 grams of protein in a compact serving. Roasted Brussels sprouts, steamed broccoli, and sautéed collard greens are all easy ways to pick up an extra 3 to 4 grams per serving alongside whatever else is on your plate.