Yes, several vegetables offer meaningful protein per serving, with soybeans, peas, and cooked greens leading the pack.
When people hunt for plant protein, they often jump straight to beans and lentils. Good call—yet many everyday veg quietly add grams too. The trick is serving size, and whether the food is cooked or raw. Below you’ll find the standouts, practical portions, and fast ways to build a plate that hits your targets without turning every meal into a tofu bowl.
Which Vegetables Are High In Protein Per Cup
Protein totals shift after cooking since water cooks off and a “cup” becomes denser. That’s why the most useful yardstick for kitchen planning is protein per cooked cup. Use the chart below to spot choices that pull real weight at dinner.
| Vegetable (Cooked) | Typical Serving | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Edamame (shelled) | 1/2 cup (80 g) | ~9 |
| Green Peas | 1 cup (160 g) | ~8.6 |
| Spinach | 1 cup (180 g) | ~5.3 |
| Artichoke | 1 cup (168 g) | ~5.2 |
| Asparagus | 1 cup (180 g) | ~4.3 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 1 cup (156 g) | ~4.0 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup (156 g) | ~3.7 |
| Sweet Corn | 1 cup cut (154–165 g) | ~4–5 |
| Potato (baked, flesh+skin) | 1 medium | ~4 |
Two notes help this list land on your plate. First, soybeans and peas are botanical legumes; they’re often grouped with veg in meal planning and supermarket aisles, so they earn a spot here. Second, cooked portions punch above raw for leafy greens; a cooked cup of spinach is a lot of leaves, which is why the protein looks stronger than a raw handful.
Why These Picks Stand Out
Edamame is the clear heavy hitter in a small bowl. A half cup delivers about nine grams with fiber and folate riding along. That makes it a handy side or snack when you’re short on time. Green peas land just behind and work in soups, pastas, and grain bowls. Cooked spinach adds a neat five-gram bump to eggs or pasta, and artichoke hearts bring similar protein with serious fiber. Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli round things out for nights when you want a lighter base but still care about the tally.
How To Hit A Protein Target With Vegetables
You can build a 20–30 gram meal fast by stacking two or three items and adding a staple. Here are easy combos that work on busy nights:
Fast Combos For 20–30 Grams
- Edamame bowl: 1 cup shelled edamame + sautéed spinach + sesame rice.
- Pea pasta: 1 cup peas tossed into whole-wheat pasta with lemon and parmesan.
- Big greens & grains: cooked spinach, roasted broccoli, and farro with a tahini splash.
- Spring plate: asparagus, potatoes, and a dollop of Greek yogurt or a tofu steak.
Portion Smarts That Make A Difference
Serving size shifts the math. A tablespoon here and there won’t move the needle. When you want a real bump, think in “cups” for watery veg and “half cups” for dense items like shelled soybeans. Sauces don’t change the protein count much; they just change calories and sodium.
Protein Quality And Variety
Plant foods contain all nine essential amino acids; some just have one or two in shorter supply. You don’t need to pair foods in the same meal. Eat a mix across the day—grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts—and you’ll cover what your body needs. This matches broad guidance in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which encourage a pattern built from a range of plant foods.
How Cooking And Draining Affect The Numbers
Labels and databases list both raw and cooked values. Water loss concentrates nutrients per cup once a vegetable is cooked. Draining canned or boiled veg can also shift sodium and weights in a database entry. That’s why “per cooked cup” is such a handy measure for real-world meals; it lines up with what’s on your plate.
Best Uses For The Highest Protein Vegetables
Soups And Stews
Peas shine in blended soups and chunky stews. Toss in spinach or broccoli near the end to hold color and texture.
Pastas And Grain Bowls
Add a cup of peas to pasta water during the last minute, or fold edamame into a warm farro bowl. Roasted Brussels sprouts add a meaty bite that pairs well with tahini or pesto.
Eggs And Skillets
Scramble eggs with cooked spinach and asparagus for a fast, high-protein breakfast. Leftover roasted broccoli also fits in frittatas.
Trusted References For Protein Numbers
Nutrition databases pull from lab analyses and are refreshed over time. For cooked peas, you’ll find ~8.6 grams per cup on MyFoodData, which sources the USDA database. Broccoli sits near 3.7 grams per cooked cup (broccoli page). Spinach lands around 5.3 grams per cooked cup (spinach page). Shelled edamame lists ~9 grams per half cup (edamame page). Asparagus, artichoke, and Brussels sprouts cluster in the 4–5 gram range per cup (asparagus, artichoke, Brussels sprouts).
Vegetable Protein Cheat Sheet By Weight
If you prefer to plan by grams instead of cups, this compact table compares protein by 100 grams. Use it to translate recipes that list weights.
| Vegetable (Cooked) | Protein / 100 g | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Edamame (shelled) | ~11–12 g | Dense; 80 g (½ cup) ≈ 9 g |
| Green Peas | ~5.4 g | 1 cup ≈ 8.6 g |
| Spinach | ~2.9 g | 1 cup ≈ 5.3 g |
| Artichoke | ~3.1 g | 1 cup ≈ 5.2 g |
| Asparagus | ~2.4 g | 1 cup ≈ 4.3 g |
| Brussels Sprouts | ~2.6 g | 1 cup ≈ 4 g |
| Broccoli | ~2.4 g | 1 cup ≈ 3.7 g |
| Sweet Corn | ~3.4 g | 1 cup ≈ 4–5 g |
| Potato (baked) | ~2.3–2.9 g* | *Per 100 g; 1 medium ≈ ~4 g |
How To Grocery Shop For Protein-Dense Veggies
Fresh, Frozen, Or Canned
Frozen is a win for peas, spinach, and edamame; it’s picked at peak and ready in minutes. Canned artichokes are handy for salads and quick sautés. Fresh asparagus and Brussels sprouts roast well and keep texture.
Read The Label
On a bag of frozen peas or edamame, check the serving size in grams. If the label lists 80 g or 160 g, you can map that straight to the tables here. Choose low-sodium when buying canned veg.
Cooking Tips That Keep Protein On The Plate
- Limit long simmer times for greens; quick sauté keeps texture and volume.
- Salt the water for asparagus and peas; season after cooking for spinach.
- Roast Brussels sprouts and broccoli hot for browning and a nutty edge.
- Keep a bag of shelled edamame in the freezer for fast bowls and salads.
Sample One-Day Plan Built Around Veg Protein
Breakfast
Spinach and egg scramble with whole-grain toast.
Lunch
Pea pasta with lemon, olive oil, and shaved parmesan; side salad.
Snack
Half cup shelled edamame with chili flakes.
Dinner
Roasted asparagus and Brussels sprouts with baked potatoes and a yogurt-herb sauce.
Real Take: Veggies Can Carry Protein
You’ll never mistake broccoli for a steak, and that’s fine. The win comes from portions and patterns. Stack a cooked cup or two of protein-richer veg at lunch and dinner, lean on edamame and peas when you want bigger numbers fast, and you’ll end most days right on target without changing your style of eating.