5 High Protein Vegetarian Breakfasts

We’ve all heard it before: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It almost feels cliché, but the old adage still rings true.

Breakfast is an opportunity to start the day off right by giving your body the fuel it needs. One of the most important aspects of a healthy breakfast is protein. 

Regular protein intake throughout the day helps build muscle, maintain healthy bones, and reduce blood pressure. Studies even show that a higher intake of protein at breakfast is more beneficial for muscle growth than a high-protein dinner.

If you’re a vegetarian, though, the challenge of fitting protein-rich foods into your daily diet is doubled. The good news is that plant-based proteins are associated with a wealth of health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. 

Even if you can’t bring yourself to give up bacon or your favorite burger, substituting just a few vegetarian meals a week can still help you see some of the positive effects of a vegetarian diet. 

We’ve put together five delicious vegetarian breakfast recipes to help you pack your morning routine with as much protein as possible. Each recipe has at least 20 grams of protein and takes 20 minutes or less to prepare.

Scrumptious Scrambles

We’ll start with a fresh take on a timeless classic: Scrambled eggs. 

A traditional breakfast staple, scrambled eggs are a great way to get a healthy dose of protein without straying outside your culinary comfort zone. 

Our scramble recipe was inspired by Kroll’s Korner’s High Protein Healthy Egg Scramble. Quinoa, spinach, and cheese give the eggs an added protein boost, helping this simple scramble weigh in at more than 20 grams of protein per serving. 

If eggs aren’t your thing, you can make this recipe as a tofu scramble instead or use liquid vegan eggs. Feel free to add your own favorite scramble ingredients, like onions, peppers, or tomatoes. As for the cheese, use whatever kind you like best, but for this particular configuration, we recommend a softer white cheese like mozzarella. 

You can save some time by making a larger batch of quinoa ahead of time and keeping it in the fridge. It should last all week and you can add it in each morning as needed. 

Quinoa Egg Scramble

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 1

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Medium frying pan
• Whisk or wooden spoon

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs 
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 
• 2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• 2 Tbsp shredded cheese 
• 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped 
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa 
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. 
2. Sauté mushrooms in a medium frying pan then transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.
3. Over medium heat, roast garlic in oil until fragrant.
4. Whisk eggs and pour into pan.
5. Once the eggs are mostly solid, add spinach, mushrooms, cheese, and quinoa. Mix together then remove from heat.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with more cheese, fresh chives, and herbs to taste.

Out of This World Oatmeal

As far as the world of oatmeal is concerned, the possible flavor and topping combinations are virtually endless. For our take, we were inspired by A Couple Cooks’ Peanut Butter Oatmeal recipe. 

Coming in at only 13 grams of protein, you’ll likely want to supplement this meal. You could add protein powder to the oats themselves, but you might end up with an unpleasant texture. 

We recommend pairing your oatmeal with a cup of coffee and a packet of Allo protein powder for hot coffee instead. With 10 grams of protein, this simple addition is more than enough to get you over the 20-gram mark.

Never Better Nut Butter Oatmeal 

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Servings: 1

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
• 2 cups rolled oats 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk, oat milk, or almond milk
• 2 to 3 Tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
• 1/2 cup of blueberries, raspberries, or raisins
• 1/2 a banana, sliced
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds and/or black seeds
• Brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey

Instructions

1. Over medium heat, melt the butter or coconut oil in a saucepan. Add oats and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often.
2. Turn heat to low and add the salt and cinnamon.
3. Carefully stir in water and milk, then cover. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. 
4. Stir in peanut or almond butter and top with fruit. Sprinkle with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey to taste.

Bangin’ Breakfast Burritos

A great option for big families and batch cookers is our recipe for vegetarian breakfast burritos, inspired by Skinny Ms’ Southwestern Protein Breakfast Burrito.

This one requires a little more concentration and skill, as you’ll be balancing two pans at once, and don’t forget about warming your tortillas!

Similar to the egg scramble recipe, these breakfast burritos can be made using liquid vegan eggs or tofu, and the choice of cheese is up to you. For this one, we suggest a Mexican-style mix.

The real protein punch here comes from the garbanzo beans, making up more than half of the 20+ grams of protein in each wrap. Other types of beans, like black or red beans, work just as well, but you won’t get the same level of protein.

You can make your own salsa or use your favorite store brand. Go as hot as you want, but we recommend a milder option like Pico de Gallo. You can always add Siracha later. 

A tablespoon of Greek yogurt offers a higher protein alternative to sour cream as a way round out the flavors and balance the heat from the salsa. You can add it right alongside the fillings or keep a dollop on the side for dipping. 

Southwestern Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 6

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Medium nonstick frying pan
• Large frying pan
• Whisk or fork
• Cookie sheet
• Aluminum foil

Ingredients

• 6 cups baby spinach, loosely packed 
• 15 ounces of garbanzo beans (aka, chickpeas), rinsed and drained 
• 4 egg whites 
• 2 eggs 
• 1/4 cup cheese
• 1/2 cup salsa or Pico de Gallo
• 6 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• Salt to taste
• 6 wraps or tortillas, 8 inch

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Stack the tortillas and wrap them in foil. Place them on a cookie sheet and warm them for 15 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients.
2. Whip the eggs with a fork or whisk and add them to a non-stick skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
3. In a separate large skillet, add the black beans and spinach. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
4. Remove the tortillas from the oven and lay them out. Fill each with an equal amount of eggs, spinach and bean mixture, cheese, salsa, and Greek yogurt, making sure to leave a few inches bare on one end of the tortilla.
5. Wrap one side of the tortilla around the filling and tuck the bare end in before rolling through to the other side.

Beautiful Breakfast Bowls

If standing over the stove first thing in the morning isn’t your cup of tea, try our take on the Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl, inspired by Diet Doctor. No boiling, roasting, or frying. Just clean your choice of fruit and nuts to add to the mix and you’re good to go. 

The best part about this recipe, other than it being the easiest one on this list, is that it is absolutely packed with protein. You’re going to get nearly 30 grams of protein without even touching a pot or pan. 

Because the bulk of the protein is coming from the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, you can customize the rest of the ingredients to fit your needs or just your mood. 

Easy Peasy Cottage Cheesy Bowl

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Equipment

• Bowl

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 
• 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds, hemp seeds, and/or black seeds
• 2 Tbsp almonds
• 2 Tbsp pistachios
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced or diced
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries, or goldenberries
• Ground cinnamon, to taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup

Instructions

1. Mix together the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract.
2. Add choice of fruit, nuts, chia seeds, or similar.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste.

Protein-Packed Pancakes

We’re closing out our list with another breakfast classic: Pancakes. 

Adding protein to pancakes is about as simple as it can be. Just add your favorite protein powder to the mix you already have or buy a fortified premade mix.

For this recipe, we recommend Flourish’s buttermilk protein pancakes, but feel free to try the vanilla and chocolate mixes, as well. The high protein, whey-based options all have plenty of protein, with at least 23 grams per serving. 

Flourish uses whey isolate in its protein pancake mix, which can sometimes be difficult to digest, especially if you’re sensitive to milk products. If whey isolate is too hard on your stomach, try adding Allo protein powder for hot coffee to your favorite traditional pancake mix for an added 10 grams of protein. It contains hydrolyzed whey protein that is easier to digest.  

Adding egg to the mix helps create a more authentic, homemade texture and provides a protein boost, which is never a bad thing.

Rainbow Protein Pancakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Mixer, whisk, or electric beater
• Large frying pan or griddle 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Flourish Protein Pancake Mix
• 1 cup water or milk
• 1 large egg
• Nonstick spray, butter, or margarine
• 1/3 cup raspberries
• 1/3 cup diced peaches
• 1 kiwi sliced or 1/2 pear diced
• 1/3 cup of blueberries
• 1/3 cup of blackberries
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter or almond butter 
• Maple syrup 

Instructions

1. Combine pancake mix, water or milk, and egg in a bowl. Blend until the batter is smooth. 
2. Preheat the griddle or frying pan and grease with nonstick spray, butter, or margarine.
3. Pour the batter onto the griddle or pan in small circles. Cook approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until the bubbles reach the edges, then flip. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. 
4. Transfer to a plate and spread with peanut or almond butter while the pancakes are still hot. Top with fruit to taste and drizzle over with maple syrup.

Make Your High Protein Vegetarian Breakfast Your Own

Whether you’re a long-time vegetarian or just looking for a way to bring more meatless protein into your diet, a high protein vegetarian breakfast is a great way to kick off your morning routine. 

Pair any of these recipes with a hot cup of coffee and a packet of Allo protein powder for an extra protein boost. It’s a quick and easy way to add an extra 10 grams to your daily protein intake. Try the natural option to maintain the taste of your coffee, or enjoy creamer and non-creamer options in delicious flavors such as vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut. Browse the options at liveallo.com.