12 Vegetables With A Lot of Protein

While vegetables aren’t typically known to have a lot of protein in them, there are a few that do contain a decent amount. If you are considering cutting meat from your diet, or if you just prefer the green stuff, then you can get a healthy amount of protein from these veggies.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms contain .8g of protein in 1 cup. This is more than the amount of protein that’s found within most vegetables. Couple this with their fiber and you’ve got a vegetable that can truly have a positive impact on your health.

Brussel Sprouts

These little guys may not be your favorite, but they are actually nutritional rockstars!  A half cup contains 2 grams of protein as well as 250 mg of potassium!  So stop hating and try to include brussel sprouts in a few favorite recipes. 

Corn

Did you know a cup of corn provides four grams of protein? Yum! although corn is actually a grain, most people associate it with the vegetables.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

If you’re trying to eat more protein, go for the sun-dried tomatoes, instead of fresh tomatoes.  Half a cup of sun-dried tomatoes provides 4 grams of protein!  They are also a great source of Vitamins A and C.

Artichokes

One medium artichoke provides 4 grams of protein.  That’s about 8% of your daily value of protein!  It’s also a great source of fiber so go ahead, make that spinach artichoke dip.  

Spinach

Spinach contains 3g of protein per half cup. It is healthy in a lot of other ways too. For instance, did you know that spinach also contains vitamin K, folate, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium?

Mung Bean Sprouts

Mung bean sprouts contain 5.3g of protein per cup. These are typically found within Oriental cooking because of their bitter flavor. They’re also abundant in vitamins A, B, C and E.

Peas

Peas contain 3.5g of protein in a half cup serving. They’re also a good source of vitamin A, C, thiamin, phosphorus, iron, carbohydrate and fiber. Add to this the fact that they taste sweet and you can’t go wrong.

Avocados

Avocados contain 2.9g of protein in 1 cup (sliced). Although this superfood is actually a fruit, it’s included on this list because it pairs well this a ton of vegetables and has amazing health benefits. Not to mention that it tastes great!

Kale

Kale contains 2.9g of protein in 1 cup. It can also do other great things for your health such as give your immune system a boost. Furthermore, it’s great for anyone who’s suffering from autoimmune diseases.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have 2.1g of protein in 1 cup. They can also help prevent oxidative damage in your cells. Plus they promote healing within the body too.

Figs

Figs contain 0.4g of protein per cup. Dry figs are particularly high in protein. In fact, they can contain several times more protein than in fresh figs.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower has 11g of protein in 1 medium head (approximately 5 – 6 in. in diameter). While it may not look great, it does have plenty of health benefits. There are lots of great nutrients found within it, some of which can help lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine lettuce contains 1g of protein per 85g of lettuce. It’s actually one of the few vegetables that’s a “complete protein.” This means that it contains enough of all 9 essential amino acids.

Broccoli

Broccoli has 2.6g of protein in each half cup. It also contains a lot of fiber. There are lots of great ways in which to make this vegetable.

Aspargus

Aspargus has .4g of protein in a 16g serving (1 medium spear, measuring 5-1/4″ to 7″ long). It also contains Vitamin K and Vitamin A. What surprises most people, though, is that it’s an aphrodisiac.