Are you looking for a high protein vegetarian breakfast to eat? Me, too. And while I am not 100% vegetarian, I only eat meat maybe four or five times a year. So, I don’t get the extra protein needed from sausage, bacon, steak or any of the other high proteins people add to their breakfast.
Since I had already started researching vegetarian high protein breakfast recipes, it only made sense to share them with our readers, too.
Wait! I’ll Need More Protein
One thing that is evident when scouring through vegetarian high protein breakfast recipes is that many of the recipe authors think 4 – 10 grams of protein is a lot.
It’s not.
Instead, you’ll want to keep in mind that some of the serving sizes, such as the one with oats and quinoa, are just 190 calories.
You can absolutely eat 2 or 3 servings and remain within your daily calorie recommendations. However, most anyone should consume far more than 190 calories each meal.
If you want to add in some lean protein on top of these recipes, consider:
- Protein shakes
- Greek Yogurt (20g of protein per serving)
- Handful of nuts
- Hemp seeds (or most seeds)
- Almond butter
- Peanut butter
- Most any nut butter
Note: A lot of vegetarians eat eggs. We’re not here to debate anything with you. Instead, we do want to mention that we’re going to include vegetarian egg recipes and also list vegetarian high protein breakfast ideas with no eggs. We’ll go a step further and label each recipe name with eggs or eggs-free so that you can find the recipe you want more easily.
5 High Protein Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas
1. Steel-Cut Oats and Quinoa Breakfast (egg-free)
Steel-cut oats and quinoa is a great, fiber-rich breakfast option for anyone that is trying to avoid eggs or meats. The recipe is rated very well, and it only takes about 40 minutes to cook it up. Most of your time is spent waiting for the water to boil and the grains to cook properly.
This is an oaty breakfast option and cinnamon adds an extra kick to the dish.
We won’t reinvent the wheel and adjust this recipe at all, so you’ll find the link at the bottom of each recipe.
However, you should know the nutrition information, which includes:
- 191 calories
- 7.6g of protein
- 30.6g of carbs
- 4.7g of fat
Calorie-wise and protein-wise, this recipe is a little short on what we consider high protein. However, you should eat two to three servings.
You’ll also want to keep in mind that fiber is a carbohydrate. You’ll be subtracting 5.4 grams of carbs in this recipe for a true carb count of 25.2 grams for anyone trying to watch their carb intake.
2. Breakfast Burritos (eggs)
One of the best tasting vegetarian recipes with eggs is burritos. This is a bit heavier than other options on this list, but it’s an excellent source of protein with healthy ingredients. The recipe does call for bacon, but you can nix it or add in plant-based alternatives, such as Be Leaf Vegan Bacon, which tastes really good and even has a nice texture to it.
You’ll be adding in eggs, bacon (use alternative options), cheese, tortillas, refried beans and can add in veggies freely.
If you want to add a little spice, curry powder will give it a nice taste. You can also use black beans if you want plenty of protein but are not a fan of refried beans.
Nutrition is as follows:
- 638 calories
- 25.6g of protein
- 44.9g of carbohydrates
- 39.1g of fat
3. Ricotta Pancakes (eggs)
Do you like ricotta? How about pancakes? If you like both of these ingredients, this is a great recipe for you. Ricotta is made from whey, and you’ll want to be cautious with this recipe as the author states these pancakes are sweet, primarily due to their choice of coconut oil
You can experiment with other oils to make it less sweet.
Cooking time is just ten minutes, and these pancakes offer a balanced breakfast. You can slather some maple syrup or jam on top to make them even sweeter.
Nutrition is as follows:
- 511 calories
- 27g of protein
- 19g of carbohydrates
- 38g of fat
4. Scrambled Eggs with Cheese (eggs)
Scrambled eggs and cheese are an easy high protein vegetarian breakfast that is fast to make on busy mornings. And the protein content is also high, add in some avocado toast or nutritional yeast, and you’ll enjoy a healthy, protein-rich breakfast.
And the recipe takes just five minutes to whip up.
Nutrition is as follows:
- 327 calories
- 22g of protein
- 13g of carbohydrates
- 21g of fat
5. Peanut Butter Chia and Oats (no eggs)
Finally, another vegan-friendly recipe. It’s actually quite difficult to find no-egg options unless the recipe is filled with grains. However, this is one of the tastiest options if you like natural peanut butter, chia seeds and oats.
And, you can prepare this recipe the night before, so if you have to rush out of the door, there’s no reason to miss out on a hearty breakfast.
Nutrition is as follows:
- 770 calories
- 22g of protein
- 108g of carbohydrates
- 28g of fat
Note: These nutrition calculations may be slightly off, because there are so many different types of peanut butter. If you’re trying to reduce your calories, experiment by swapping out some of the ingredients for healthier options.
What is a High Protein Breakfast?
When we say “high protein,” what does this really mean? Traditionally, people are searching for how to get 25 grams of protein for breakfast, and that’s actually a good amount of protein to eat.
However, many vegetarian recipes will fall short of this threshold. You’ll need to either have another high protein snack or add something else on the side to your breakfast, such as yogurt.
Recommendations for protein include at least:
- 50 grams of protein for women
- 60 grams of protein for men
However, if you exercise, you may want to consume 1 – 2 grams of protein per pound. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you’ll need 150 – 300 grams of protein throughout the day.
You can read a lot of studies on protein consumption here and here.
Final Thoughts
Consuming a high protein vegetarian breakfast is possible, you’ll just need to mix up your traditional options, such as sausage for something like Greek yogurt. The few recipes above are a good start for finding recipes for the entire week.
If all else fails, you’re sure to find an easy high protein vegetarian breakfast shake that you can take to fill your protein needs.
Mike’s an obsessive gnome, always worried about bettering himself, overcoming physical limitations and trying to grow his homestead. He’s a former computer programmer, turned researcher/writer with a focus on health and wellness.