Veggies have many all-star nutrients—fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, to name a few—but protein isn’t typically considered one of them. And that holds particularly true for classics like lettuce, celery, and cucumbers. In fact, many of the most protein-packed foods are on the opposite end of the culinary spectrum, including lean meats like chicken and turkey and dairy products like milk and cheese.
To be clear, there are some excellent plant-based protein sources out there (think: nuts, seeds, and legumes like lentils, lima beans, fava beans, black beans, and chickpeas), so you’re not completely SOL if you prefer to avoid animal products. But you can only rely on those staples for so long before your taste buds start screaming for some variety. (Besides, “not everyone can handle large amounts of beans without having extreme discomfort in their GI system,” including gnarly symptoms like gas and bloating, Amanda Averett, MS, RD, a registered dietitian at Redefined Nutrition, tells SELF.)
So to help you diversify your plant-based protein sources, we put together a list of high-protein vegetables with a focus on veggie veggies (you know, the classic green kinds that immediately spring to mind when you hear the word “vegetable”). While these 12 options are rich in the macronutrient compared to others, it’s important to keep your expectations in check: “You’re never going to get all the protein you need from leafy green vegetables,” Christine Byrne, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian and the owner of Ruby Oak Nutrition in Raleigh, North Carolina, tells SELF. “If a vegetable has more than two grams of protein per serving, that is on the higher end, and that’s still not a ton.”
Nevertheless, a little can go a long way. Ranked below in order of highest protein content to lowest, these 12 options may not pack enough to propel you to the recommended daily amount (0.8 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight) on their own. But they will contribute a few more grams to every meal (at least!)—and that, in turn, could help keep you full that much longer.
1. Edamame
Protein content: around nine grams per half-cup serving (cooked)
Like the beans we mentioned, edamame is a legume rather than a veggie proper (an immature soybean, to be precise), but it’s different, and, in our opinion, veggie-y enough that we decided to include it here. (Its bright emerald hue definitely works in its favor.) You can eat edamame as a stand-alone snack, as you probably know if you’ve ever been to an Asian restaurant (pro tip: try sprinkling on salt or drizzling on soy sauce for some added flavor), or as part of a larger dish. “I love adding edamame into a salad or a soup,” Jasmine Hormati, MS, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor and the founder of the New York City–based practice Mendinground Nutrition, previously told SELF. What’s more, the protein in edamame is particularly nutritionally robust, since soybeans are one of the few plant-based foods considered a complete protein (meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids the body can’t produce on its own).
2. Brussels sprouts
Protein content: around four to six grams per one-cup serving
