The 10 vegetables highest in protein, ranked by g per 100g
The vegetables with the most protein per 100g are garlic (6.4g), peas (5.4g), corn (3.4g), mushrooms (3.1g), and collard greens (3.0g).
Garlic technically tops the ranking, but eating the ~240 cloves needed to hit your daily protein would be genuinely dangerous — to your stomach AND your social life! The real practical winners are green peas, which deliver ~8g of protein per cup at a normal portion size.
Vegetables alone won't cover daily protein needs — a 70 kg adult needs ~56 g/day, and the highest-protein vegetable delivers only ~5–6g per 100g serving. This article covers vegetables only. Legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils), grains (quinoa, buckwheat), nuts, and seeds are the real heavy-hitters of plant protein, but each deserves its own deep dive — see our upcoming posts in this series.
Daily protein requirements
The baseline RDA for protein is 0.8 g per kg of body weight — about 46 g/day for a 58 kg woman and 56 g/day for a 70 kg man. But that's the minimum to prevent deficiency, not the optimum. Active adults, athletes, and people over 65 all benefit from significantly more.
Minimum daily protein requirement (g/day, ~70 kg adult)
Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, ISSN, and EFSA. Multiply your body weight (kg) by the target for your activity level: 0.8 g/kg sedentary, 1.2 g/kg active, 1.6 g/kg endurance, 2.0 g/kg strength, 1.1 g/kg over 65. Bars scaled to the strength-athlete target (140 g).
Protein content per serving: what real portions actually deliver
Per 100g is the standard scientific reference, but a real serving — 1 cup of peas, one medium artichoke, a handful of kale — is what actually counts. The chart below shows protein per realistic portion, as a percentage of the daily protein target.
The 10 highest-protein vegetables (per 100g)
All values below are per 100g, sourced from USDA FoodData Central.
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1Garlic6.4 gThe highest-protein vegetable per 100g — but you'd never eat 100g of garlic. A typical clove is 3g, delivering just 0.2g of protein. See the next section for why this ranking is technically true but practically misleading. Daily intakeYou'd need ~719g (about 240 cloves) for 46 g — clearly impractical! Garlic earns the #1 spot on math, but it's a seasoning, not a protein source.
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2Peas5.4 gThe most useful protein vegetable. A 1-cup serving (~150g) delivers ~8g of protein — comparable to a small egg. Daily intake~852g (~5.5 cups cooked) for 46 g. A realistic 150g serving covers 18% of daily needs — and pairs well with rice or quinoa for a complete amino acid profile.
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3Corn3.4 gA medium ear of sweet corn (~100g) delivers about 3 g of protein, plus fibre and B vitamins. Daily intake~1353g (~1.35 kg) for 46 g — far more than anyone eats! One ear covers 7%. Best treated as a starch with bonus protein, not a primary source.
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4Mushrooms3.1 gSurprisingly high for a low-calorie food. Great for adding bulk and umami to plant-based meals without much fat. Best varieties for protein: oyster mushrooms top the list at ~3.3 g/100g, white button is close behind at 3.1 g, and fresh porcini reach ~3.5 g. Cremini, portobello, and shiitake fall lower at ~2.2–2.5 g/100g. Daily intake~1484g (~1.5 kg) for 46 g, which is impractical. A 100g cup gives 7%. Bonus: mushrooms are one of the only natural plant sources of vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
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5Collard greens3.0 gA leafy green with comparable protein density to mushrooms, plus impressive calcium and vitamin K. Daily intake~1533g (~1.5 kg) for 46 g. A 100g cooked serving covers 7%. The standout feature isn't protein — it's calcium (232 mg per 100g, more than milk).
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6Kale2.9 gA nutritional powerhouse: decent protein plus the highest vitamin K of any leafy green. Daily intake~1586g (~1.6 kg) for 46 g. A 100g portion covers 6%. Massage with olive oil and lemon to soften — raw kale is dense, but well-prepared it's one of the most nutrient-rich vegetables you can eat.
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7Spinach2.9 gComparable to kale, with extra iron and folate. Cooks down dramatically — a 300g bag wilts to ~100g, concentrating the protein per bite. Daily intake~1586g raw (~1.6 kg) — even Popeye wouldn't eat that much spinach in one sitting! A realistic 100g cooked portion (from ~300g raw) gives 6%. Pair with vitamin C to triple non-heme iron absorption.
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8Artichoke2.9 gA medium artichoke (~120g edible) delivers about 3.5g of protein, plus exceptional fibre. Daily intake~1586g (~1.6 kg) for 46 g — about 13 medium artichokes! One medium artichoke covers ~8% — but the real prize is fibre (5g per artichoke) and prebiotic compounds (inulin) that feed gut bacteria.
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9Snow peas2.8 gThe flat pea pod you eat whole. Less concentrated than shelled peas but useful in stir-fries. Daily intake~1643g (~1.6 kg) for 46 g — that's one very large stir-fry! A 100g cup gives ~6%. Bonus: high in vitamin C and folate, and the whole pod is edible.
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10Arugula2.6 gA peppery salad green that punches above its weight nutritionally for its low calorie content. Daily intake~1769g (~1.8 kg) for 46 g — about 40 cups of leaves. A normal 30g salad handful gives ~2%. Best used as a peppery base, not a protein source.
Protein content comparison — per 100g
Garlic at #1 — but does it really count?
By the rules of this ranking, garlic is technically the highest-protein vegetable at 6.4g per 100g. But this is one of those rankings where the math wins on paper and loses in reality.
A standard garlic clove weighs about 3 grams. To get the same protein from garlic as from a single egg (~6g), you'd need ~30 cloves. No one's eating that. Garlic is a seasoning, not a protein source.
The honest #1 for practical purposes is peas: high in protein, eaten in real serving sizes, and complete enough nutritionally that they can sit at the centre of a plant-based meal.
Peas vs broccoli: the protein comparison
Broccoli has a "high protein" reputation in fitness circles. The truth: peas have nearly twice the protein per 100g.
Can you get enough protein from vegetables alone?
Theoretically yes — but it requires a lot of food. If your protein target is 56g/day, and your highest-protein vegetable gives 5.4g per 100g, you'd need a kilogram of peas. That's not realistic for one meal, and certainly not exciting as a daily routine.
This is why no real plant-based diet relies on vegetables alone. The complete picture combines:
- Vegetables — 10-20g of protein/day from variety
- Legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas) — 15-25g/serving
- Grains (quinoa, oats, brown rice) — 8-15g/serving
- Nuts and seeds — 5-10g per handful
- Soy products (tofu, tempeh, edamame) — 10-20g/serving
A well-built plant-based day easily hits 60-100g of protein. Vegetables contribute meaningfully — they're just not the bulk of the protein.
Best plant-based combinations for complete protein
Most plant proteins are "incomplete" — they're low in one or more of the 9 essential amino acids. The classic fix is complementary pairing: combining foods so the amino acids you're missing in one come from the other. Crucially, this doesn't have to happen in the same meal — the body pools amino acids over the day.
Classic complete-protein combinations:
- Grains + legumes — rice + beans, hummus + pita, lentils + bread, peanut butter on toast
- Nuts/seeds + legumes — chickpeas + sesame (hummus), bean stew topped with pumpkin seeds
- Quinoa or buckwheat alone — two of the few plant foods that are complete proteins on their own. Both are technically pseudo-cereals (not grasses), gluten-free, and contain all 9 essential amino acids in adequate proportions. Buckwheat is particularly rich in lysine, the amino acid most plant proteins lack.
- Soy products alone — tofu, tempeh, edamame are all complete proteins
How much protein do you actually need?
The official RDA is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, but this is the minimum to prevent deficiency, not the optimum. Most current research recommends more:
- Sedentary adults: 0.8-1.0 g/kg (a 70 kg adult = 56-70 g/day)
- Recreationally active: 1.2-1.4 g/kg (84-98 g/day)
- Endurance athletes: 1.4-1.6 g/kg (98-112 g/day)
- Strength athletes: 1.6-2.0 g/kg (112-140 g/day)
- Older adults (65+): 1.0-1.2 g/kg — higher than the official RDA, to protect against muscle loss
Frequently asked questions
Which vegetable has the most protein per 100g?
Garlic tops the raw ranking at 6.4 g per 100g, but you'd never eat 100g of garlic. For practical protein, peas (5.4 g per 100g) are the most useful.
Can you get enough protein from vegetables alone?
Theoretically yes, but you'd need very large volumes. Most plant-based diets combine vegetables with legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.
Are vegetable proteins complete?
Most plant proteins are "incomplete" — low in one or more essential amino acids. Combining them across the day gives you all 9 essential amino acids.
Is the protein in vegetables easily absorbed?
Plant protein has slightly lower digestibility than animal protein (70-90% vs 90-95%). The difference is small enough that consistent intake makes up for it.
Sources & references
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central (SR Legacy). All nutrient values per 100g.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Position on Vegetarian Diets.
- International Society of Sports Nutrition. Position Stand on Protein and Exercise.
- European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Dietary Reference Values for Protein.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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