Vegetarian high protein sources

SwimBikeRun_Mom wrote: »

Chickpeas are high in protein, I believe. Like a commenter above noted, you can find pasta made from chickpeas. You can also add them raw or roasted to salads, my husband loves to eat them roasted/crunchy with seasonings. You can also bake with them!

SwimBikeRun_Mom wrote: »

Chickpeas are high in protein, I believe. Like a commenter above noted, you can find pasta made from chickpeas. You can also add them raw or roasted to salads, my husband loves to eat them roasted/crunchy with seasonings. You can also bake with them!

AnnPT77 wrote: »

FWIW: IME, the soy pastas (and thin types of black bean pasta) tend to be chewier than wheat pasta. I prefer those in pseudo Asian preps, such as peanut sauce, chile sauce, miso sauces - that sort of thing.

A good peanut or almond sauce can be made with peanut butter powder or almond powder. I mix the powder with some gochujang chile sauce (or soy sauce) and rice vinegar, then add whatever other seasonings sound good (minced garlic, Szechuan pepper if I didn't use chile sauce, fresh ginger, chopped raw green onions - whatever). Mix sauce with stir fried (or stir-steamed) veggies and that pastas for a decent meal.

Chickpea and red lentil pasta have a texture more like wheat pasta. I use both, but give an edge to red lentil for flavor/texture. There are some chickpea "rices" now (really chickpea orzo) that are pretty good.

If you haven't enjoyed tofu because of the texture, consider using soft type tofu in creamy soups (squash, sweet potato, mushroom, whatever) or sauces, maybe pureeing in some pumpkin seeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, or something like that if you have the calories, to add richess. White beans can also be pureed with soft tofu to make sauce or soup. The tofu's flavor is neutral, texture is unnoticable in the soup. Soft tofu can also be used to increase the protein in something like lasagna or mac'n'cheese, too. Even fine-chopped firm tofu is pretty subtle in something baked like that, too.

I didn't used to eat much tofu or tempeh, but have learned some ways I like it. Tofu, I often cube firm tofu small and put in the over for a while to dry out, then use it in veggies with soy sauce or other light, flavorful sauces (maybe toss it in at then end of sauteeing mushrooms). It is a little chewy, absorbs the flavor of the sauce. I've learned I like plain tempeh sliced thin & baked or fried with dried mushroom powder, maybe with some soy sauce or diluted dark miso to adhere the powder.

Smoked tofu is good in soup or sandwiches. I like to make a wrap with an Ezekiel tortilla, some cheese, mustard, thin-sliced onion, slices of the smoked tofu . . . heat that . . . then add raw sauerkraut.

Speaking as a long term vegetarian, getting the overall protein up is not just about the "one big protein per meal" idea that omnivores often use ("what's for dinner?" "chicken"). Think about getting bits of protein in lots of other things you eat: Breads with more protein, grains with more protein, veggies with more protein, condiments, beverages, snacks - anything. Those little bits really add up.

Some things that help with that, in small ways: Peanut butter powder and almond powder (not protein powder per se, it's just partially defatted nuts) which aren't good as spreads IMO, but a good ingredient in sauces, desserts, smoothies, etc.; nutritional yeast (cheesy flavor); all colors of miso (each of which has different flavor profiles).

Someone mentioned dry-roasted soybeans. There are also crispy broad beans that make a nice snack, and you can buy or make crispy chickpeas or lentils for snacking. I like Beanitos tortilla chips, and they have a bit more protein than corn chips.

ETA: Oh, yeah, seitan, too - unless you're gluten sensitive. But you might find its texture odd, too, dunno.