the best vegetarian protein sources in India are soybean, dals like masoor, moong, urad, toor and chana, peanuts, rajma, paneer, milk, and nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds and almonds. Eat them with grains through the day and you can meet your protein needs without meat or powders.
Vegetarian and worried about protein? Good news: your kitchen is probably already stocked.
Which vegetarian foods have the most protein?
|
Food |
Protein per 100 g |
Easy portion |
|
Soybean |
35.6 g |
30 g dry: about 11 g |
|
Masoor dal |
24.4 g |
30 g dry: about 7 g |
|
Moong dal |
23.9 g |
30 g dry: about 7 g |
|
Peanuts |
23.7 g |
Handful (30 g): about 7 g |
|
Urad dal |
23.1 g |
30 g dry: about 7 g |
|
Toor dal |
21.7 g |
30 g dry: about 6.5 g |
|
Chana dal |
21.6 g |
30 g dry: about 6.5 g |
|
Rajma |
19.9 g |
30 g dry: about 6 g |
|
Paneer |
18.9 g |
50 g: about 9 g |
|
Milk (cow) |
3.3 g per 100 ml |
1 glass (250 ml): about 8 g |
Values are for dry, uncooked food. Cooking adds water, so 30 g of dry dal makes roughly one katori once cooked.
What about nuts and seeds?
They pack more protein than you'd think, plus fibre and healthy fats. Pumpkin seeds lead the pack, beating most dals.
|
Nut or seed |
Protein per 100 g |
Small handful (15 g) |
|
Pumpkin seeds |
30.2 g |
about 4.5 g |
|
Cashews |
18.8 g |
about 3 g |
|
Flax seeds |
18.6 g |
about 3 g |
|
Almonds |
18.4 g |
about 3 g |
Is dal enough on its own?
Not quite. Pulses and grains each lack some of protein's building blocks, but together they fill each other's gaps. ICMR-NIN's guidelines suggest about three parts cereal to one part pulse. So dal-chawal and rajma-roti aren't just comfort food; they're smart food.
Easy ways to add more
-
Sprinkle roasted peanuts or til on your poha.
-
Swap toast for a moong or besan chilla.
-
Roll leftover paneer bhurji into a roti.
-
Snack on roasted chana or a bowl of sprouts, or stir a spoon of pumpkin or flax seeds into curd.
-
End the day with a glass of milk.
Where DailyKin fits
DailyKin bowls bring several of these together. About a fifth of every 75 g pack is nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews and flax seeds), along with oats or barley, jowar (a millet) and soy. Each pack has 20–22 g of protein, and about 26–28 g when you add 150–200 ml of milk.
Grains, nuts, seeds and soy in one bowl. Find your favourite flavour. Shop now
Quick questions
Which dal has the most protein? Masoor and moong lead, at about 24 g per 100 g dry. Urad, toor and chana aren't far behind.
Do vegetarians need protein powder? Usually not. ICMR-NIN says most people can get enough protein from food. Read our post: How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
Is paneer better than dal? Per portion they're close: 50 g of paneer gives about 9 g, a katori of dal about 7 g. Paneer has far more fat, so mix both through the week.
How we checked this: every figure comes from ICMR-NIN's Indian Food Composition Tables and Dietary Guidelines, listed below. General information, not medical advice.
Last updated 26 October 2026.