Protein Rich Food (Veg): 47 Indian Vegetarian Sources
Every food below is vegetarian, commonly available in India, and listed with its real protein and calories per serving from the NutriDesi database. Search the list, filter by type, and tap any food for full nutrition facts.
The short answer
Soya is the highest-protein vegetarian food in India — 52 g per 100 g raw granules, ~18 g per 100 g cooked chunks.
Low-fat paneer (19 g per 100 g) and greek yogurt or dahi (10 g per 100 g) are the easiest daily dairy sources.
Dals and pulses land at 7–9 g per 100 g cooked, so they build the base but rarely finish the job alone.
Roasted chana and peanuts are the cheapest protein snacks — 20–26 g per 100 g.
Protein rich vegetarian foods list
Sorted by protein per serving. 47 of 47 foods shown.
| Food | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Soya Granules (raw)100 g | 52 g | 330 kcal |
| Skimmed Milk Powder100 g | 36 g | 360 kcal |
| Watermelon Seeds100 g | 28 g | 557 kcal |
| Peanuts100 g | 26 g | 560 kcal |
| Almonds100 g | 20 g | 567 kcal |
| Pistachios100 g | 20 g | 533 kcal |
| Roasted Chana100 g | 20 g | 360 kcal |
| Paneer (low fat)100 g | 19 g | 180 kcal |
| Soya Chunks (cooked)100 g | 18 g | 140 kcal |
| Cashews100 g | 16.7 g | 550 kcal |
| Paneer Tikka Roll1 piece | 16 g | 380 kcal |
| Soya Bhurji1 serving | 14 g | 180 kcal |
| Paneer Tikka (grilled)100 g | 14 g | 220 kcal |
| Paneer Bhurji (low oil)1 serving | 14 g | 190 kcal |
| Walnuts100 g | 13.3 g | 617 kcal |
| Cottage Cheese100 g | 12 g | 100 kcal |
| Peanut Butter Oats1 bowl | 12 g | 320 kcal |
| Rajma Chawal1 serving | 12 g | 280 kcal |
| Palak Paneer100 g | 11 g | 240 kcal |
| Tofu Bhurji1 serving | 10 g | 160 kcal |
| Tofu Palak1 katori | 10 g | 150 kcal |
| Tofu Matar1 katori | 10 g | 160 kcal |
| Greek Yogurt / Dahi100 g | 10 g | 100 kcal |
| Sattu Paratha1 piece | 10 g | 280 kcal |
| Urad Dal (cooked)100 g | 9 g | 140 kcal |
| Rajma100 g | 9 g | 180 kcal |
| Chole100 g | 9 g | 200 kcal |
| Chana Dal (cooked)100 g | 9 g | 160 kcal |
| Soya Palak Curry100 g | 8.9 g | 112 kcal |
| Tofu (firm)100 g | 8 g | 80 kcal |
| Soya Pulao100 g | 8 g | 200 kcal |
| Dal Tadka100 g | 8 g | 150 kcal |
| Masoor Dal (cooked)100 g | 8 g | 120 kcal |
| Kala Chana (boiled)100 g | 8 g | 150 kcal |
| Lobia (boiled)100 g | 8 g | 160 kcal |
| Sprouts Salad1 bowl | 8 g | 120 kcal |
| Moong Dal Chilla1 piece | 8 g | 130 kcal |
| Toor Dal (cooked)100 g | 7 g | 130 kcal |
| Moong Dal (cooked)100 g | 7 g | 110 kcal |
| Besan Chilla1 piece | 7 g | 150 kcal |
| Sattu Drink (salted)1 glass | 6 g | 120 kcal |
| Green Peas Masala100 g | 5.8 g | 117 kcal |
| Curd (low fat)100 g | 4 g | 60 kcal |
| Pumpkin Seeds1 tbsp | 4 g | 85 kcal |
| Steamed Dhokla (oil free)100 g | 4 g | 90 kcal |
| Soya Milk100 ml | 3.5 g | 45 kcal |
| Milk (toned)100 ml | 3.5 g | 45 kcal |
A 100 g protein vegetarian day
Using only foods from the list above, in ordinary Indian portions.
- Breakfast · ~26 g — 2 moong dal chillas + 150 g greek yogurt or dahi
- Lunch · ~24 g — 2 katoris dal tadka or rajma + 1 bowl sprouts salad + 2 rotis
- Snack · ~12 g — 50 g roasted chana or peanuts
- Dinner · ~28 g — 150 g low-fat paneer or cooked soya chunks + 1 roti
Want the full week planned out? Read the 7-day high-protein Indian meal plan.
Frequently asked questions
Which vegetarian food has the most protein in India?
Soya is the clear winner: raw soya granules carry about 52 g protein per 100 g, and even after cooking, soya chunks give roughly 18 g protein per 100 g. Low-fat paneer (19 g) and skimmed milk powder (36 g) follow closely, and among snacks, peanuts and roasted chana are the cheapest high-protein options.
How can a vegetarian get 100 g of protein a day on Indian food?
A realistic day: 150 g curd or greek yogurt at breakfast plus two moong dal chillas (~26 g), two katoris of dal with a bowl of sprouts at lunch (~24 g), 50 g roasted chana or peanuts as a snack (~12 g), and 150 g low-fat paneer or cooked soya chunks at dinner (~28 g). That lands near 90–100 g without any supplement.
Is dal enough protein on its own?
One katori of dal is only about 8 g protein, so dal alone rarely covers a day. Pairing dal with rice or roti improves the amino-acid profile, but you still need a concentrated source — curd, paneer, soya, chana or nuts — at two meals a day.
Do vegetarians need protein powder?
Most people do not. Protein powder is convenient, not necessary — the foods above cover an ordinary 1.2–1.6 g/kg target. It helps mainly if you train hard and struggle to eat enough volume.
Log these foods in NutriDesi
Every food on this page is already in the app with katori, bowl and piece portions — so you can see your daily protein total instead of estimating it.
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