If you're looking for lasting energy, shoot for 20 to 30 grams of protein at breakfast. That's an easy target to hit with tofu, tempeh, legumes, seitan, and a good pea or soy protein powder. Here are six breakfasts that hit that number, plus a few tips for prepping them ahead of time so mornings stay simple.
If you always cook from scratch in the morning, none of these recipes will work long term. Those who continue to enjoy a high-protein vegan breakfast are the ones who plan ahead and keep ready-made vegan breakfast ingredients in the fridge or freezer. On Sunday, prepare a large pot of lentils and divide into 4 containers. Make a full sheet pan of tempeh and sweet potato and serve throughout the week. You can store chickpea flour pancake batter in the fridge for 3 days, and double it up and serve as needed each morning!
While cooking the food yourself might not be feasible right now, a meal-prep service is an acceptable way to get the food without feeling guilty. Look for delivery services near you that offer
vegan protein-rich breakfast meals with a fixed amount of protein in every meal. That eliminates the guesswork and delivers the same 20+ grams of protein a person would get if they made it themselves.
And here are 6 amazing vegan breakfast meal ideas you should definitely add to your menu.
1. Tofu Scramble with Black Beans and Nutritional Yeast
Break up half a block (approx. 200g) tofu in a hot pan, add a teaspoon of turmeric, cumin, and black salt. Cook for that classic eggy taste. Once the tofu begins to brown, add half a cup of black beans, and serve with two tablespoons of nutritional yeast, for a cheesy, savory finishing touch. One serving provides almost 22 grams of protein. Serve in a whole wheat tortilla or straight out of the pan with some sautéed spinach.
2. Overnight Oats with Pea Protein and Chia
In a jar, mix ½ cup of rolled oats, 1 scoop (approximately 20 grams) of unflavored pea protein powder, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, and 1 cup of soy milk. Mix thoroughly to avoid clumping and allow to set in the fridge overnight. In the morning, drizzle with a tablespoon of almond butter and top with a handful of berries. This one can be put together in five minutes the night before, and has about 26 grams of protein.
3. Chickpea Flour Pancakes with Avocado
Mix 1 cup besan (chickpea flour) in water to make a pourable batter and add turmeric, black pepper, and chopped scallion. Cook until thin and tender, 2 to 3 minutes on each side in a lightly oiled pan. Chickpea flour provides approximately 20 grams of protein per cup, while a quarter of avocado adds protein with healthy fat, slowing down digestion even more. Serve with some lime juice.
4. Tempeh Hash with Sweet Potatoes and Greens
Chop 150 grams of tempeh and sauté with cubed sweet potato, olive oil, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Roast for 25 mins at 400°F, stirring once halfway through. Then add a few handfuls of kale during the final 5 mins, allowing it to wilt. So the next highest protein option is tempeh, which is fermented soybean - it has about
30 grams of protein per 150-gram serving. Double the recipe on Sunday and reheat for four mornings in a row.
5. Hemp Seed Smoothie Bowl with Pumpkin Seeds
Pour one frozen banana, one cup soy milk, three tablespoons hemp seeds, and a handful of frozen mango into a blender. Add 1 frozen banana, 1 cup soy milk, 3 tablespoons hemp seeds and 1 handful of frozen mango to a blender. Place in a bowl, and garnish with 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds and 1 tablespoon of granola for added crunch. Hemp seeds provide 10 grams of protein per 3 tablespoons, and the soy milk provides 7 to 8 grams of protein, making the total about 24 grams. This one is very good in the summer months when a hot breakfast feels like too much.
6. Lentil Breakfast Bowl with Quinoa and Tahini
Cook green or brown lentils and quinoa with a cup of vegetable broth and store in containers throughout the week. Serve at room temperature in the morning, drizzled with tahini, juice of a lemon, and chopped parsley. Lentils and quinoa complement each other and together make an almost complete protein, with a single bowl containing nearly 19g of protein and 12g of fiber to keep you full long past
lunchtime.
Building the Habit
The common thread across all these six vegan meal ideas is simple: protein comes first, and everything else gets built around it. Choose 2-3 recipes that fit your schedule, such as overnight oats you can eat at work, or a tempeh hash you can make on the weekend. After some of these breakfasts, you'll find that you no longer experience a 10 a.m. crash, and that’s usually enough to make the habit stick.
.jpg)
