High Protein Vegan Snacks: Five Amazing Options

As anyone who eats a vegan diet can tell you, it’s not always easy to find tasty snacks tailored to vegan restrictions. It’s also hard for vegans to get the amount of protein a human body needs, since most protein-rich foods come from animal sources.

For vegans out there, be encouraged: There are actually some delicious, protein-rich vegan snack options available to you. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of our favorites!

Why eat vegan protein snacks?

Well, first of all, let’s acknowledge that vegan diets have some real health benefits. Studies show that eating a variety of plant-based foods can be great for gut health, for example, because such foods promote healthy probiotic species in the gut microbiome. Vegan diets may also be good for the functioning of the immune system. Moreover, most plant-based sources of protein contain antioxidants.

Perhaps most surprisingly, many vegans aren’t deficient in protein, maybe owing to the number of plant-based proteins available.

Eating protein snacks is a great way for vegans – or for anyone, really – to increase levels of essential amino acids, fiber, and micronutrients. There’s also evidence to suggest that eating plant-based protein is good for the environment.

Top 5 vegan protein snacks

Vegan protein strawberry and peanut butter smoothie

Who doesn’t love a good smoothie? The vegan protein strawberry peanut butter smoothie is a nutritious and tasty option for vegans.

Peanut butter is rich in protein, with 24 grams of protein in every 100 grams. It’s important to be cautious about nut allergies and sugar content when using peanut butter; we recommend using a natural, sugar-free form. (Note: If you’re not a peanut butter fan, you can also use almond butter for this recipe. Almond butter has a protein content of 20.8 grams per 100 g, and studies also show that it can be good for your gut health)

Here’s what you need to this smoothie:

• One cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups of frozen strawberries
• ¼ cup of natural peanut butter
• 3 medium (sliced and frozen) bananas

Once you’ve got everything you need, here’s what you need. Put the bananas in your blender and blend until they’re, well, blended – they should look crumbly. Use your judgment here. Then add the strawberries and fire up the blender again, waiting until the bananas and strawberries are pretty well mixed together. Next up, you’ve got the peanut butter – toss it in there, and blend until the substance is smooth.

The final step is to pour your smoothie into a cup. Then you get to enjoy it!

Banana chocolate peanut butter protein bars

You may be feeling hungry just reading these words: banana chocolate peanut butter protein bars. What a combo! It turns out these delicious, vegan-friendly bars are easy to make. To get started, here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Oats
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Banana
• Peanut Butter
• Non-dairy milk
• Vanilla
• Dairy-free chocolate chips
• Protein powder

For protein powder, you may want to try out Care/of’s delicious plant protein supplement, available in chocolate or vanilla flavors.

To actually make these protein powders, you don’t even have to do any baking or cooking. All you need to do is mix the dry ingredients first, then throw in the wet ingredients, and mix. Once a firm dough has formed, you can flatten it in a pain. Put your new dough in the freezer for a while. Take it out when you’re ready – then cut it into tiny bars and enjoy! (Note: You may want to put your chocolate chips in the microwave before mixing them in.)

Cherry Chocolate Chia pudding

Chia seeds make a great addition to many snacks. They’re a nutritionally dense source of protein – along with many other minerals – and their taste is so subtle that they can seamlessly be blended into a wide variety of snacks and dishes.

We’ve got a delicious, vegan-friendly option for you: Cherry chocolate chia pudding. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chia seeds
• Coconut milk
• Maple syrup
• Cocoa powder
• Salt
• Frozen cherries

As a first step, you’ll want to mix a bowl that includes water, coconut milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, chia seeds, and a tiny touch of salt. Whisk away until everything looks to be evenly mixed. Then put the mixture in the refrigerator, where it can rest for a few hours (3 or more; overnight works, too).

Next up you’ve got a crucial piece of the puzzle: the cherries! Prepare the cherry compote by putting two cups of frozen cherries in a saucepan and adding two tablespoons of water. Turn the heat up high, and leave it that way for about five minutes, mixing the substance occasionally. After the five minutes are up, turn the heat down a bit and mash up the cherries with a fork, or whatever you like to use to mash. Once the cherries are smashed up, let them simmer for about 10 minutes.

Lastly, you mix your cherry compote together with the mixture you’ve got in the fridge! Store your yummy pudding in jars and enjoy.

Black bean chocolate protein balls

You’ve probably never heard of black bean chocolate protein balls. But make no mistake: You’re going to want to try these. Black beans are packed with fiber and protein; indeed, one ½ cup of black beans provides 7.62 grams of protein. The beans’ dark pigment also contributes to high levels of polyphenols, anthocyanins, and antioxidants.

Here’s what you need to make these tasty protein balls:

• Three or four pitted dates
• A can of black beans, dried and rinsed
• ⅓ cup of chocolate protein powder
• ¼ cup of peanut butter or almond butter
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk (almond milk is a good call)

Once you’ve got your ingredients, here’s what you do. Put the dates in a bowl and cover them with boiling water, and then set the bowl off to the side for about 10-20 minutes. Then put the dates, black beans, plant-based protein powder, almond (or peanut) butter, cocoa powder, applesauce, almond milk, salt, and vanilla in a blender. Blend until all the ingredients are mixed and smooth, having become a soft, dough-ey substance. Once you’ve got the dough, you’re really in business. Roll it into your protein balls, and then put the protein balls on some wax paper on a baking sheet. Then, and this part is strictly optional (but you’ll probably like it), you can take some chocolate chips and melt them in the microwave. Once they’re melted you can pour this new chocolate drizzle on the protein balls. When storing your protein balls, it’s best to keep them in an airtight container in your refrigerator; they’re typically good for one week, so eat up!

Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are a delicious and healthy vegan snack, packed with nutrients, fiber, and protein. Every 100 grams of chickpeas contains 7.05 grams of protein. While cooking chickpeas lowers their protein content somewhat, it increases their digestibility in your body. Their flavor is neutral, so you can safely blend them in either sweet or savory dishes, no problem. They also contain low levels of methionine and cystine, amino acids important for your health.

Actually preparing roasted chickpeas is easy as can be. Here’s what you need:

• Canned chickpeas
• Garlic powder
• Olive oil
• Salt

First off, you’ll need to drain the canned chickpeas, then dry them well with a dish towel or paper towel. Then toss the chickpeas in a medium poll, mixed with some olive oil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then put your chickpeas on a sheet and bake them for 25 minutes. Next, you’ll want to remove the chickpeas from the oven and put them in the bowl from before. Throw spices in there until the chickpeas are evenly coated. Use some garlic, some paprika, some salt – it’s totally up to you! Put them back on the baking sheet and bake for ten more minutes, waiting till they’re crunchy and brown. Remove them, let them cool, and then dig in!