I’ve put together a list of the best high protein vegan recipes that are relatively low in carbohydrates that I know of. Each recipe on the list also shows its protein and carb content per 100 calories.
Not surprisingly, they are all based on the best sources of vegan protein that should be on any low carb vegan food list:
- Tempeh
- Tofu
- Hemp seeds
- Mushrooms
- Vegan protein powder
If you’d like more recipes after, head over to my high protein vegan recipes page, select the “scale to 100 calories option”, and then sort by carbs. You can also see the other macros at the same time, and other useful information like fiber and servings.
1. Vanilla Overnight Oats
3.8 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
This easy keto-friendly version of overnight oats is super simple to make and has decent macros.
It’s main ingredients are:
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Hemp seeds
- Chia seeds
- Stevia
- Vanilla
It takes less than 5 minutes to throw these in a bowl or jar, and your high protein breakfast is ready the next morning.
When I make these I often sub the vanilla for a teaspoon of cocoa powder. Just be aware that if you add too much cocoa powder it can be overpowering.
2. Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu
5.4 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
This is a simple and cheap tofu-based recipe with just a few ingredients. You could pair it with another recipe, but I usually just end up snacking on it by itself.
It’s a nice alternative to roasted nuts, since legumes in general have more protein per calorie (see legumes vs nuts).
You’ll need:
- Tofu
- Soy sauce
- Lime juice
- Sesame oil
Tofu is a complete protein that really has a distinct taste compared to other vegan protein sources, so it’s nice to eat it semi-regularly when you get sick of other foods.
3. Tofu and Spinach Scramble
6 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
This recipe combines the king of bean protein (soybeans), with one of the best leafy sources of protein (spinach).
It’s a nice breakfast if you ever miss scrambled eggs or omelets.
The main ingredients are:
- Tofu
- Scallions
- Olive oil
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Lemon Juice
If you’d like to add even more protein, you can also try to find Beyond breakfast sausages. They are high fat, high protein, and low-carb, making them suitable for even a ketogenic diet.
4. Tofu Scramble
10 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
This is another tofu scramble that I really like. It has a significantly different taste from the one above, but even more protein.
To make it you’ll need:
- Tofu
- Shallot
- Coconut oil
- Nutritional yeast
- Non-dairy milk
I like to pair this recipe with most leafy salads to round out the meal.
5. Protein-Rich Mushroom Patties Recipe
5.8 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
Mushrooms are as good as a vegetable-based source of protein as you’ll find, and I’ve grown to love them since I became vegan.
These soy-free patties have a solid amount of protein, and only require a handful of common ingredients (aside from hemp protein powder):
- Mushrooms
- Hemp seeds
- Flaxseed
- Nutritional yeast
- Hemp protein powder
- Olive oil
- Onion
Wrap it in lettuce and you have a nice low-carb burger.
6. Herbed Tempeh Meatballs
5.6 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
Tempeh is one of the best low-carb vegan protein sources, and is the main ingredient of these simple meatballs.
You’ll need:
- Tempeh
- Almond meal
- Flaxseed
- Onion
- Olive oil
If you find it a bit too plain and dry, I’d suggest adding a vegan heavy cream sauce that is based on tofu and soy milk (high protein, low calorie).
7. Hemp porridge
4.3 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
I’m not usually the biggest fan of porridge, but I don’t mind this one once in a while.
It does take a decent amount of effort to make however. The main ingredients include:
- Hemp seeds
- Almond milk
- Flaxseed
- Almond butter
- Vanilla bean powder
- Cinnamon
- Cauliflower
8. No-bake vegan protein bars
5 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
I love no-bake treats like these. They don’t take too long to make, and taste really good.
In this case, the macros are decent as well.
You’ll need:
- Vegan protein powder
- Amaranth
- Maple syrup
- Almond butter
- Dark chocolate
I’ve made these with a few different types of protein powder and they always turn out great.
9. Tempeh-Potato Croquettes with Creamy Dill Sauce
4.5 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
This is another tempeh based recipe that is perfect for a small relatively low-carb vegan lunch.
It is one of the more complicated recipes to make on this list. Here’s the fairly lengthy list of main ingredients:
- Tempeh
- Avocado
- Tahini
- Potato
- Vegan butter
- Tamari
- Flaxseed
- Celery
- Onion
- Olive oil
10. Super Protein Kale Caesar Salad
5.7 grams protein, 2.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
Last but not least is one more tempeh meal that’s great for lunch.
This is a really tasty salad, with a ton of nutrition beside the macronutrients in it.
It does take a lot of effort to make, as there are several ingredients:
- Tempeh
- Kale
- Olive oil
- Tomato
- Avocado
- Pumpkin seeds
- Chia seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Lemon juice
- Nutritional yeast
- Flaxseed
- Mushrooms
- Cashews
11. Kung Pao Tofu
5.46 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
While there are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, you can make it in about 30 minutes if you’re efficient.
The protein comes from the tofu and peanuts, while the vegetables add a bit.
When I make this, I usually leave out the sugar in the sauce (the only main carbohydrate source) and it still tastes great. While it may not be a sauce ingredient you use often, hoisin sauce is vegan in most cases, just double-check the ingredients before you buy it.
Note that the 6 grams of carbohydrates above includes sugar, so excluding it really improves the macros.
12. Spicy Vegan Salami
15 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
Seitan (made from vital wheat gluten) is a lifesaver on a low carb vegan diet.
While there are tons of great vegan seitan recipes out there, I included this one in particular because it pares well with other low carbohydrate foods like keto crackers.
Seitan is an easy food to make once you get used to it, although it can seem intimidating at first. It takes about 10 minutes to mix together the dough ingredients, and then you just need to bake it for about an hour.
13. Quick and Easy Protein Bites
5.4 grams protein, 6.2 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
These protein balls are a bit of a double-edge, because it’s easy to eat a ton of them.
The ingredients are cheap if bought in bulk, and it only takes a few minutes to make, using common main ingredients:
- Protein powder
- Almond butter
- Oats
- Chia seeds
It’s tempting to swap out some of the oats for more protein powder or chia seeds, but that’s going to change the overall taste significantly.
I’d recommend making this normally first, and then reduce the oat content gradually if you really want to lower the carbohydrate percentage more.
Finally, you can make a ton of these in bulk and just freeze the extra, they’ll last for weeks in the freezer.
14. Tomato, Mushroom, and Spinach Tofu Quiche
5.0 grams protein, 6.8 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
This is a healthy quiche that tastes great and has pretty good macros. The only downside is that it takes quite a bit of effort to make.
I think it’s worth the effort, but there are over 20 ingredients, and even putting the almond flour crust together takes a while.
However, there are some great protein sources in it:
- Tofu
- Mushrooms
- Ground flax
- Spinach
- Nutritional yeast
15. Grilled Breaded Tofu Sticks
6.4 grams protein, 8.1 grams carbohydrates per 100 calories
If you’re trying to follow a vegan diet that’s anywhere close to a keto one, tofu and protein powder are your best friends.
This final tofu recipe is great if you’re craving a taste of bread, but it doesn’t add enough carbohydrates to completely mess up your macro profile.
I’ve had moderate success substituting half the bread crumbs for nutritional yeast to add a bit more protein, and it gives the tofu an interesting taste. As the picture shows above, this type of tofu pairs well with simply leafy salads.
16. Avocado Spinach Fitness Smoothie
4 grams protein, 3 grams net carbohydrates per 100 calories
This is an interesting smoothie that I had to include in this list of recipes. In general, smoothies are an easy meal replacement to make when you’re short on time.
It combines multiple different vegan protein sources into an odd-looking, but great tasting smoothie:
- Vegan protein powder
- Spinach
- Avocado
- Walnuts or almonds
- Soy milk
Depending on the protein powder and amount of maple syrup you include, this smoothie can have even better macros than the ones I calculated above.
Final Notes on High Protein Low Carb Vegan Meals
These recipes are great foods for bodybuilding, keto, or anyone in general looking to lower their carb intake, which can be quite high on a vegan diet.
One other thing to keep in mind is that eating some carbohydrates are good in most cases. Going to a keto diet can lead to vegan insomnia symptoms that can take a while to go away.
Finally, you might also like this short list of high protein, low calorie vegan recipes.
