5 Top High Protein Vegetarian Foods In India

Currently, due to health awareness in the modern world, protein is one of the more spoken-about nutrients. There are so many people who eat high protein vegetarian foods in India because India has some of the best high-protein vegetarian foods that are both delicious and nutritious.

It does not matter whether you consider yourself a fitness lover or you are simply looking to keep your diet in check. 

Let’s explore high-protein vegetarian foods in India.  

Lentils (Dal) 

Dal is one of the common and high protein vegetarian foods in India. There are different types of dals like moong, masoor, toor, and urad, which are protein, fiber, and nutrient-rich. In fact, cooked lentils give nearly 18 grams of protein per cup serving—one of the highest quantities of protein for vegetarians. Dal can be made in many types (such as a simple, split dal tadka or soft simple dal fry) or combined with rice to make khichri (a mixture of lentils and rice).  

Paneer 

Paneer can be the best high protein vegetarian foods in India. Paneer is made out of milk, and it is not only tasty, but also gives lots of protein and calcium because 100 g of paneer has around 18 grams of protein, which can be similar to some non-vegetarian protein options! Paneer can be prepared in many forms for consumption. You can make paneer bhurji for breakfast, saute grilled paneer tikka as a snack and many other options. 

Chickpeas (Chana) 

Chickpeas, or chana, are flexible and full of nutrients and are also one of the high protein vegetarian foods in India. A bowl of boiled chana contains approximately 15 grams of protein, along with iron and fibre. 

Chickpeas can be added to salads or curries or even be made into black chana masala, which is one of the most preferred dishes of North India. They also make great snacks when roasted. These protein-packed chana are perfectly suitable for anyone looking for healthy, high protein vegetarian meals in India. 

Soy Products 

Soybeans, tofu, and soya chunks are also one of the high protein vegetarian foods in India. They contain about 52 grams of protein per 100 grams (in soya chunks) making them one of the most best form of plant protein. 

Tofu is called the vegetarian meat product, and it is a great alternate for paneer in either curries or stir fries. It is extremely useful to eat soy products to meet your daily protein requirement, as well as provides variety. 

For those learning healthy cooking, you should know that cooking classes in patiala, cooking classes in Lucknow, and cooking courses in Karnataka also teach innovative soya-based vegetarian meals for modern diets. 

Quinoa & Amaranth 

You can eat Quinoa and amaranth as the best vegetarian protein alternative. You can get about 14 grams of protein in 100 grams and these are gluten-free. 

This ancient grain can be the alternate for rice or used as a bed for salads or for upma or pulao when you want a healthy and nutritious alternative to your typical meals! With the growing interest in the health and fitness community, many cooking classes in karnatka and cooking classes in Panchkula have also started to offer quinoa in their protein foods in India training programs. 

Understanding the Chart of Vegetarian Protein Sources in India 

In the following text, you can find different high protein vegetarian foods in India (an approximate protein amount per 100 grams in the left column): 

Food Item—Protein (Per 100g) 

• Soy Chunks—52g 
• Paneer—18g 
• Lentils (Dal)—18g 
• Chickpeas—15g 
• Quinoa—14g 
• Almonds—21 g 
• Green Peas—5g 

 Final Thoughts 

Selecting a vegetarian diet doesn’t mean very low-protein foods. You can eat traditional dal, chana, paneer, soy, and quinoa as your high protein vegetarian foods in India. 

If you are interested in learning how to prepare these protein-rich foods for Indians professionally, join NFCI—National Finishing and Culinary Institute, one of India’s best cooking institutions, which has outstanding trainers and courses to teach the best protein foods for vegetarians.  

Check NFCI cooking classes in Patiala, Lucknow, Kangra, Panchkula, and Karnataka to take your passion for food and cooking to the next level!