Top 10 Vegetables Highest in Protein

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Written by Daisy Whitbread, BSc (Hons) MSc DipIONPowered by USDA Nutrition Data
Top 10 Vegetables Highest in Protein

Everything in life needs protein to live, and vegetables can be a great source of protein.

The current daily value (%DV) for protein is 50 grams per day and is a target meant for most people. Vegetables high in protein include lima beans, bean sprouts, green peas, spinach, sweet corn, asparagus, artichokes, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and broccoli.

For more vegetarian and vegan sources of protein see the articles on beans and legumes highest in protein, and grains high in protein, and high protein nuts.

You can also see the uncurated list of 200 vegetables high in protein.

High Protein Vegetables List

Lima Beans

#1: Lima Beans

Protein
per Cup Cooked		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
11.6g
(23% DV)		6.8g
(14% DV)		11.1g
(22% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Lima Beans. (Source)
Soybean Sprouts

#2: Soybean Sprouts

Protein
1 Cup		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
9.2g
(18% DV)		13.1g
(26% DV)		21.5g
(43% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Soybean Sprouts. (Source)
Green Peas

#3: Green Peas

Protein
1 Cup		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
8.6g
(17% DV)		5.4g
(11% DV)		12.8g
(26% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Green Peas (Salted). (Source)
A Bowl of Spinach

#4: Spinach

Protein
per Cup Cooked		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
5.3g
(11% DV)		3g
(6% DV)		25.8g
(52% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Spinach. (Source)

More Dark Leafy Greens High in Protein

  • 5g (10% DV) per cup of cooked collard greens
  • 3.5g (7% DV) per cup of cooked mustard greens
  • 3.5g (7% DV) per cup of cooked Swiss chard
  • 2.5g (5% DV) per cup of cooked kale

Note: Cooking reduces the water content of the greens, allowing you to eat more greens and protein per cup.

Yellow Sweet Corn

#5: Sweet Corn

Protein
per Cup Cooked		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
4.7g
(9% DV)		3.3g
(7% DV)		7.6g
(15% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Yellow Sweet Corn. (Source)
Asparagus

#6: Asparagus

Protein
per Cup Cooked		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
4.3g
(9% DV)		2.4g
(5% DV)		21.8g
(44% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Asparagus (Cooked). (Source)
Artichokes

#7: Artichokes (Globe or French)

Protein
in a Medium Artichoke		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
4.2g
(8% DV)		3.3g
(7% DV)		13.9g
(28% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Artichokes (Globe Or French). (Source)
Brussels Sprouts

#8: Brussels Sprouts

Protein
per Cup Cooked		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
4g
(8% DV)		2.6g
(5% DV)		14.2g
(28% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Brussels Sprouts (Cooked). (Source)
White Button Mushrooms

#9: Mushrooms

Protein
per Cup Cooked		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
3.9g
(8% DV)		3.6g
(7% DV)		27.5g
(55% DV)
Nutrition Facts for White Button Mushrooms (Stir-Fried). (Source)

More Mushrooms High in Protein

  • 4g (8% DV) per cup of cooked portobello
  • 3.5g (7% DV) per cup of cooked shiitake
  • 3g (6% DV) per cup of oyster mushrooms
  • 2g (4% DV) per cup of morels
  • 2g (4% DV) per cup of cremini
  • 1.5g (3% DV) per cup of enokis
Broccoli Stalk

#10: Broccoli

Protein
per Cup Cooked		Protein
per 100g		Protein
per 200 Calories
3.7g
(7% DV)		2.4g
(5% DV)		13.6g
(27% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Broccoli (Cooked). (Source)

See All 200 Vegetables High in Protein

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Printable list of vegetables high in protein.

Less Common Protein Rich Vegetables

FoodServingProtein
#1 Hubbard Squash
View (Source)
1 cup10% DV
(5.1g)
#2 Dried Seaweed (Spirulina)
View (Source)
1 tblsp8% DV
(4g)
#3 Bamboo Shoots
View (Source)
1 cup8% DV
(3.9g)
#4 Jute Potherb
View (Source)
1 cup6% DV
(3.2g)
#5 Pak-Choi (Bok Choy)
View (Source)
per cup cooked5% DV
(2.7g)
#6 Pumpkin Leaves
View (Source)
1 cup4% DV
(1.9g)
#7 Broccoli Raab (Rapini)
View (Source)
per cup raw3% DV
(1.3g)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.


View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
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Data Sources and References

  1. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central

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