40 Vegetarian High Protein Salads
- Updated on Aug 22, 2022
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Vegetarian protein salads are a great addition to a healthy vegetarian diet. Protein is SO important, so why waste time with leafy, unsatisfying salads when you could be eating a hearty, protein packed, salad BOMB, instead!?
Vegetarian salads are a surprisingly good way to eat protein. A big bowl of beans, lentils or chickpeas, with finely sliced veggies and a delicious dressing? Yes please!!
Where’s the protein coming from?
Vegetarian high protein salad recipes can use many different sources of protein.
Legumes are a great example: they are protein packed and make a fab base for a delicious salad. This family encompasses everything from peas to beans to lentils.
Aside from protein, they have numerous other benefits. They are generally low in fat and high in fibre and studies have shown that eating plenty of legumes can help prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
For a legume based salad, try our fitness bean and lentil salad!
Another way to go is the tofu or tempeh route. Both these products are made from fermented soybeans and are commonly used in asian cuisine. This article highlights the differences between them.
Both are high in protein, though tempeh is more densely packed than tofu, containing 20g protein per 100g to tofu’s 10g.
They are quite bland in flavour but can be easily dressed up with the right seasoning. Try this tangy tempeh salad for a good example!
Now let’s dive into the 40 Vegetarian High Protein Salads that will keep you fuelled all day!
Bonus: filling, flavourful
Looking for an easy tabbouleh recipe? Get a load of our lentil tabbouleh – a protein packed take on the classic dish! Healthy salad recipes don’t get much better than this.
Buckwheat Salad with Kale and Feta
Check out the recipe hereBonus: gluten-free, transportable
Looking for an easy gluten-free lunch you can bring to work with you? Try our vegetarian kale, feta cheese and buckwheat salad, with a delicious salad dressing.
Subscribe to get our FREE 7-Day Vegetarian High Protein Meal Plan for Weight Loss
Vegetarian Ramen Noodle Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: transportable, good for meal prep
Looking for healthy, straight forward lunch options? Try our ramen noodle salad – it’s veggie, gluten free and a good source of protein.
High Fibre Avocado Citrus Salad with Feta
Check out the recipe hereBonus: high fibre, colourful
After something different for lunch? Try this avocado and citrus salad with feta – it’s sweet, sour & packs a punch! A truly refreshing salad.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Beetroot Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: colourful, full of flavour
Smooth and hearty meets sweet and crunchy, this sweet potato and beetroot salad has got it going on! Your taste buds will thank you
Vietnamese Green Noodle Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: gluten-free, crunchy
Ready to blow your tastebuds away with a Vietnamese green noodle salad? Grab your noodles and tofu and chop-chop!
Vegetarian Spring Salad with Peas & Lentils
Check out the recipe hereBonus: creamy, herby
Looking for a salad that is filling, healthy and high in protein? Try this spring salad with lentils & veggies now!
Vegan Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: vegan, meal prep
Looking for a healthy vegan pasta salad that you can prep ahead for lunch? Try our Mediterranean pasta salad!
Smashed Brussel Sprouts Salad With Quinoa
Check out the recipe hereBonus: vegan, festive
Try our quinoa & Brussel sprouts salad this festive season. Christmas’s most infamous vegetable has never tasted so good!
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Feta & Pesto
Check out the recipe hereBonus: high in antioxidants, simple
Looking for a tasty, healthy new way to use up some sweet potatoes? Try this Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with red pesto! A great side dish or main.
Bonus: light, fibrous
Thai Quinoa Salad – Tropical Vibes. A refreshingly light, tasty Asian super-dish with lots of protein, fiber and tropical flavour. Lemon juice, ginger and hot sauce bring the zest! Get your summer feeling here.
Crazy Quick White Bean Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: high in iron, high in calcium
High Protein White Bean Salad with bell peppers that’s healthy and vegan (if this sounds perfect, you should also try these vegetarian legume recipes!). High in fiber, vitamins A, C, E, B2 and B6 as well as iron and calcium. Takes less than 10 minutes.
Pasta Salad With Peanut Butter Dressing
Check out the recipe hereBonus: creamy, quick
Pasta Salad with an unbelievable Peanut Butter Dressing. Did we mention it’s actually healthy too? Ready in 15 minutes, and packed with fiber and protein.
Bonus: vegan, high in vitamin K
Turkish Lentil Salad with bell pepper and a honey mustard dressing made with healthy olive oil (if that sounds yummy, why not give some of these low calorie salad dressings a whirl too?). Easy and quick, ready in 7 minutes. Full of fiber, protein and vitamin K.
Easy and Delish High-Protein Red Kidney Bean Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: colourful, legume loaded
High Protein Kidney Bean Salad. It’s like throwing the Greek and American cuisine In one bowl. A refreshing and satisfying salad ready in just 7 minutes.
Edamame Vegetarian Poke Bowl
Check out the recipe hereBonus: aesthetic, filling
Love the idea of poke, but not a fan of fish? Our edamame bean vegetarian poke bowl is the dish for you! Try it now!
Wedge Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing
Check out the recipe hereBonus: filling, hearty
Fresh, easy and delicious vegetarian wedge salad with a flavorful dressing of creamy cashew nuts makes a perfect high protein lunch in a jar.
Bonus: healthy fats, creamy
A chickpea avocado salad!? That’s elite level health right there. From just one serving you get a great amount of protein and fiber, almost 20g of each!
Crispy Potato Lentil Buddha Bowl
Check out the recipe hereBonus: filling, warm
Ok, this is only loosely a salad…but it’s so good we couldn’t leave it out! Four easy steps to a delicious and nutritious crispy, crunchy potato lunch. Make your colleagues jealous!
Heavenly Halloumi Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: cheesy, filling
Full of protein, fiber and loads of other nutrients this halloumi salad will keep you feeling full for hours – and you’ll secretly be looking forward to more!
Fitness Lentil Bean Salad (25 Min, Vegan)
Check out the recipe hereBonus: workout fuel, super speedy
Fitness Lentil Bean Salad. Ridiculously high in protein post-workout salad. 45g per bowl. Ready in 7 minutes. Tasty and effective. Half the portion is still 17g protein, if the full portion is too much!
Couscous and Pear Salad with Goat’s Cheese
Check out the recipe hereBonus: low fat, high fibre
After a salad recipe that actually fills you up? Try our Couscous & Pear Salad! It’s high protein, high fibre & low fat! Not to mention the delicious flavors!
Bonus: hearty, full of superfoods
Looking to up your salad game? Try this healthy egg salad recipe with quinoa and beets – the perfect weight loss lunch!
Vegan Lentil and Potato Salad
Check out the recipe hereBonus: super filling, simple
This protein packed vegan lentil and potato salad is a perfect weight loss recipe. It’s a mega filling salad, which is healthy and nutritious, while still tasting amazing!
Smoked Tofu and Hummus Buddha Bowl
Check out the recipe hereBonus: adaptable, simple
Indulge with this smoky and savory Buddha Bowl. The combination of smoked crispy tofu, hummus, and turmeric rice makes for a perfect vegan lunch (or easy dinner!)
The Best High-protein Tangy Tempeh Salad – Quick & Vegan
Check out the recipe hereBonus: gluten-free, versatile
This tangy tempeh salad is just the best – quick, tasty and packed with protein. And better yet – use whatever you have in the fridge! What a great salad!
Easy Vegan High Protein Black Bean Salad with Corn
Check out the recipe hereBonus: high fibre, super speedy
High Protein Black Bean and Corn Summer Salad. A great recipe ready in just 10 minutes, bursting with summery flavours, protein, fiber and iron.
Roasted Fennel and Carrots with Chickpeas
Check out the recipe hereBonus: flavourful, colourful
Looking for new oven ideas? Try this delicious roasted fennel and carrots with chickpeas! 22g protein per serving!
Protein: 31g
Calories: 629kcal
Ready in: 10 minutes
Recipe by: TheLiveInKitchen
Bonus: aesthetically pleasing, super filling
A high protein vegan salad with hummus, pepitas, and hemp seeds. You can half the suggested portion size and still get 15g protein!
Arugula Lentil Salad From Heaven
Check out the recipe hereBonus: quick to prepare, high in iron
High protein, iron and fibre in an exotic Arugula and Lentil Salad that’s healthy and vegan. Only 12 minutes to make with easy to find ingredients. A great way to eat a healthy lunch. Check it out now!
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans (kidney beans also work well! 1 can = 15.5 oz)
- ½ can sweet corn (1 can = 1.75 cups/ 15oz)
- 1 red onion
- 2 spring onions
- ⅓ cup instant couscous (get the ‘just add water’ variety for quickest results. If you have it/like it then quinoa can also be used here)
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 2 tsp cumin, ground
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 2 tsp chili flakes (less can be more, so scale down if you don’t want it with much of a kick)
- 1 clove garlic (chopped; dried is fine too)
Optional
- 1 handful raisins
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetable broth with boiling water. Then pour it over the couscous in a large bowl. Don’t put too much water in – the ideal water level should be just enough to cover the couscous. You can always add more as needed – it’s much harder to take away excess water again.
- Chop the spring and red onions into thin half slices.
- Chop the garlic (if you’re having it).
- Drain and rinse the beans and corn.
- After 5 about five minutes the couscous should be ready, so throw in the chopped onions, beans and corn.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika powder, chili flakes and give it all good mix.
- Ready!
NOTES
Nutrition
Protein salad FAQs
Why does your body needs protein?
Protein is SO IMPORTANT. We can’t stress this enough: you NEED to eat enough protein.
Your body uses protein in order to make cells, carry oxygen through your blood and make antibodies to protect you from illness.
Not getting enough protein can lead to loss of muscle and lack of energy, alongside other long term health issues.
A good reason to focus on protein is if you are trying to build muscle or lose weight. For those trying to build muscle, protein provides the literal building blocks for muscle, so eating plenty of protein to fuel your workouts should help you reach your goals.
For those looking to lose weight, protein salads for weight loss are a great option because protein has an appetite suppressing effect. When you eat protein, it suppresses production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, so you feel full.
If the meals you eat fill you up, you are less likely to snack and therefore more likely to maintain a calorie deficit. Check out our Vegetarian for Weight Loss E-book to learn more about the science behind healthy weight loss!
What can I put in my salad instead of meat?
It’s not that hard to find high protein salads that don’t include meat (you can even find plant-based protein salads). Black beans, white beans, chickpeas are all good protein sources, containing around 15 grams of protein per cup (cooked).
Perfect building blocks for a vegetarian high protein salad!
Can you eat salad on a protein diet?
When we talk about high-protein salad recipes, we aren’t talking about lettuce, red onion, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. You can eat salad on a protein diet, but you need to make sure you have good sources of protein in there, not just leafy greens (duh!).
The kind of salad we are talking about contains a balance of fibrous veggies and veggie protein sources, such as tofu or legumes. A salad is mostly just a cold dish, so as long as it has healthy proteins in it, you’re good to go!
How do vegetarians get enough protein?
Just like anyone else! By incorporating a great source of protein into every meal! Vegetarian protein sources include: all manner of legumes, eggs, tofu, seitan, tempeh and more!
If you aren’t used to using these ingredients and need a helping hand upping your protein intake, check out our vegetarian high protein meal plan!
We hope you enjoyed trying these vegetarian high protein salad recipes! Let us know which you preferred in the comments!
Hauke Fox
I’m always on the lookout for these damn smart recipes. You know, those that only take a few minutes to put together and taste delicious. Vegetarian Cooking at home is a way to take back control over what I eat. I don’t like what many companies do to animals and the environment with their products.
Comments
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38 comments
Thanks for the mention guys 🙂 These salads all look amazing.
no worries, we’re glad to have your recipe on the list too! 😀
Wow! If I had a penny for every time someone asked me the protein question :)…All of these look so appetizing that I dare anyone to say they don’t like salad!
Thanks for sharing!
haha yes! I guess it’s the most popular question for vegans! 😀
Glad to see you love beans as much as me. 🙂
Yees, I’m definitely a legume fan 😉
Thanks for the feature! I haven’t made this salad in a while so I hope whoever does enjoys it 🙂
You’re welcome! 🙂
Hi, my son was looking to prepare a high protein vegetarian salad for his cookery classes. Please could you list the veggies that make a high protein salad. Cheers Liz.
Hi Liz!
Of course, it’s pretty much all green veggies like
– broccoli
– spinach
– kale
This article might also help your son: https://greatist.com/health/unexpected-sources-protein
Have a great day!
Howie 🙂
well this is exactly what i’m looking for, veggie recipes for my diet. Thanks alot!
And you like to place your Games link in our comments =P
My brother recommended I would possibly like this website.
He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t
imagine just how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
Woah, cool as!! Glad you like the round-up and the blog! 🙂
Hi Howie. Thanks for this list. I can’t wait to try them! But shame you didnt provide the Fat break down.
Hi Micheal,
thanks for the feedback! Will write your suggestion down for the next round up 🙂
Hi Howie I’m 13 and I’m deciding weather or not to become veagan should I? Is it the right thing to do please answer
Hi, and thanks for asking such an important question. It’s great that you’ve started thinking about it. Going vegan is a big decision, and one that should be thought about carefully. It’s an individual choice of course, and there are a lot of factors that would decide if it’s the right decision for you or not. Howie and myself are absolutely not qualified nutritionists or any sort of health care expert, so we highly recommend you speak to a doctor or professional first.
At 13 your body is still developing in different ways, and you made need supplements to be sure of a correct nutritional intake. It could also impact others around you – for example if you don’t do all your own cooking then it could be worth speaking to those who help you – your parents for example. We’ve written a couple of guides to help people move towards vegetarianism (they include vegan info too) and it would be worth checking them out for further information to help you with your choice. Here are some resources worth reading, and here is our ‘how to go vegetarian’ page. If we can help you any more please just ask!
Almost all of these are 600 calories per serving. That’s nuts. Dinner should not be that high in calories let alone in salad form. Though they do look amazing there is no way I would eat a serving of these ‘calorie bombs’.
Hahhaaha, oh well – you don’t need to eat these salads for dinner. Lunch would be fine too. Also you could just eat less 😀
That’s especially easy to do with salads, haha
No, what’s nuts is that you think that 600 calories for dinner is a calorie bomb. Unless you’re 3 foot tall, on a starvation diet and also not exercising, that’s a perfectly reasonable calorie count for a meal and could easily fit into any sane diet plan as well. If you want a low calorie salad eat a leafy one. If you want a high protein one, eat one of these recipes.
Boom! I like your style 😀
Love the variety, especially the chickpea. I’ve bookmarked this page for future reference.
Thanks! Glad it shows. That was exactly the criteria that I used to pick the salads 🙂
nice tips about salad its useful for me : )
Glad to hear that, Nikhil!
Wow..Exactly what I was searching for.. thanks for the effort.
Happy to help!
Is your servings amount 100gr for these salads?
I make a protein salad that has garbanzo & kidney beans, parsley, sprouted green lentils, quinoa, red onion, fresh garlic, carrots, evoo cider vinegar, sea salt, pepper. How do I figure the calorie per serving? Can you help since I could easily over eat this salad…So good. I have become vegan mainly because of cholesteral issues and will not take meds. I exercise 4 days a week and weight train with my trainer once a week. I am not overweight 128 5′ 4. AARP member I just don’t want to overdo a good thing; reason for asking about what constitutes a serving size and calories since this is not the only food I eat in a day. Apologize for lengthy email.
Hi Jeanette! No, the servings vary from salad to salad, and you can find full details within each recipe (especially the ones from us, HurryTheFoodUp – we have a full breakdown of the nutritional information on each of our pages. The 100gr statistic is to donote how much protein is in each recipe (i.e packs the highest protein punch per gram). To work out your own salad (which sounds delicious by the way) nutritional info there are several tools online or in-app available. If you google ‘verywell’ they have a great calculator that is free to use. I hope that helps!
PS. you might find our high protein meal planner of use 🙂 https://hurrythefoodup.com/high-protein-vegetarian-meal-plan/
Thank you so much Dave for your suggestions, they will help me out tremendously. I will check out the link and google as well. 🙂
You’re very welcome Jeanette! Good luck, and let me know if there’s anything else I can help with 🙂
Please put me on your e-ail list.
thanks
Sure thing, Gloria!
place me in your email list please
Hi Norma, if you head over here: https://hurrythefoodup.com/high-protein-vegetarian-meal-plan/
You can sign up for the email list 🙂
You arent really vegetarian if you consider haloumi cheese salad as vegetarian
Due to the rennet? There are haloumi cheeses using microbiotic lab.