Looking to include more plant-based protein into your diet? It couldn’t be easier with this soy-free, high protein vegan meal prep!
Including more plant-based protein into your diet, can be overwhelming especially if you are new to plant-based eating. Being prepared, by meal prepping some of your high protein vegan meals ahead of time can help a ton! As you know, failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
In this post, I will share step-by-step instructions on how to prepare three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners which will last in the fridge for up to four days and are high in protein.
I will also share why it is important to include a source of plant-based protein in your meals, what the best meal prep containers are, and how long meal prep stays fresh in the fridge.
This post is all about high protein vegan meal prep!
High Protein Vegan Meal Prep:
But, Where Do You Get Your Protein From?
Fact! It is the question every vegan receives the most!
Protein is rich in essential amino acids, which our bodies can’t make. We absorb it from the food we consume. On a plant-based diet, you can get protein in significant amounts from.. you guessed it, beans and other legumes!
It is important not to skip the protein. Not only because it contains essential amino acids, but also because well-balanced protein-containing meals help keep you satiated for longer, balance blood sugar, and prevent cravings between meals.
How To Add Protein To Vegan Breakfast Meal Prep?
The easiest way to add a significant amount of protein to a sweet vegan breakfast is by adding plant-based protein powder! You can add protein powder to overnight oats, smoothies, and even pancakes! If you are more into savory breakfasts, tofu and chickpea flour are your best friends. With those, you can whip up anything from tofu scrambles to chickpea flour omelets.
For this three-day meal prep, we will be making overnight oats boosted with vanilla-flavored pea protein powder.
How To Add Protein To Vegan Lunch Or Dinner Meal Prep?
Easy! Beans and other legumes are plant-based protein champions. You can eat them unprocessed, or you can eat tofu, tempeh, or other meat-replacement products to keep things interesting. These products are usually made from processed soybeans.
We are keeping things soy-free for this meal prep, so we will be opting for chickpeas and black beans.
Are you ready to get this meal prep party started yet?
What Are The Best Containers For Meal Prep?
For meals that need to be reheated, I swear by the LOCK & LOCK Purely Better Glass Food Storage Container with Lid. This borosilicate glass container is both microwave and oven-safe, as well as dishwasher and freezer-friendly. It doesn’t stain and has a luxurious feel to it, making every meal prep meal festive.
The disadvantage of glass containers is that they are quite heavy and less cost-effective, especially compared to plastic containers.
For meals that don’t need to be reheated, I highly recommend the U-Konserve – To-Go Stainless Steel Containers. These containers are lightweight, leak-resistant, and a more high-quality alternative to plastic containers. I simply swear by them! For some inexplicable reason, stainless steel containers make every no-reheat meal feel like a luxurious feast. U-Konserve containers are the only ones I have found that are leak-resistant, so far.
Related post: What Are The Best Meal Prep Containers?
A more affordable alternative for glass and stainless steel containers is plastic containers. When you opt for plastic containers and want to use them for meals that need to be reheated, make sure they are BPA-free. If you want to transport your meals, make sure they have a snap-lock as well. The LOCK & LOCK Purely Better Tritan Container is my plastic container of choice.
How Long Can You Keep Meal Prep In The Fridge?
You should keep prepared meals in the fridge for no longer than four days, in my opinion! After four days, they simply lose too much of their flavor and nutritional quality. If you want to prep for more than four days ahead of time, I recommend opting for freezer meals (such as this Black Bean Chilli).
Related post: How Long Does Vegan Meal Prep Last? + Meal Prep Storage Tips
A lot of meals, especially soups and stews, can easily be frozen for at least 3 months. For easy storing and thawing, freeze your meals in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. When using a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible.
3-Day High Protein Vegan Meal Prep [Soy-Free]
Ingredients
Overnight Proats (Protein Oats)
- 1.5 cup plant milk any plant milk will do
- 1 TBSP chia seeds
- 3 TBSP almond butter or any nut butter of your choice
- 1 TBSP maple syrup or any liquid sweetener of your choice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cups rolled oats
- 60 g vanilla flavoured pea-based protein powder
- 3 cups strawberries or any berries of your choice
Harissa Chickpea Wrap
- 3 large brown tortilla wraps
- 3 TBSP harissa paste
- 3 cups chickpeas (equals 2 cans of chickpeas) drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup thangy vegan mayo
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 small shallot finely diced
- 1 large carrot finely diced
- 2 TBSP fresh cilantro finely diced
- 3 cups baby spinach
Burrito Bowl
- 2.25 cup cooked rice
- 1 can black beans DON'T drain the brine, you will need it!
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp chili powder
- salt to taste
- 1 TBSP olive oil or oil of your choice
- 3 bell peppers sliced lengthwise
- 1 red onion sliced lenghtwise
- salt to taste
- fresh cilantro to taste
- fresh limes to taste
Instructions
Overnight Proats (Protein Oats)
- Between meal prep containers, devide plant milk, chia seeds, almond butter, maple syrup and salt evenly and stir to combine.
- Add the protein powder and oats and give it another good stir. Press the mixture down, so that all the dry ingredients are fully immersed in the plant milk.
- Close the meal prep containers tightly with its lid and before enjoying this breakfast, garnish with strawberries.
Harissa Chickpea Wrap
- After draining and rinsing the chickpeas, pat them dry to remove any excess moisture. Then, combine the chickpeas with the tangy vegan mayo, garam masala, turmeric and salt. Mash the chickpeas, using a fork, until it looks similar to an egg mayo salad.
- Add the finely diced shallot, carrot and cilantor. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Now that the chickpea salad is made, it is time to assemble the wraps. Place a large tortilla wrap on a plate or cutting board and lather some harissa paste in the middle of the wrap. Add one cup of baby spinach on top of the harissa paste and cover with about 1 cup of chickpea salad. Fold in the edge and roll into a burrito. Repeat until you have made 3 burritos.
Burrito Bowl
- Add the beans to a small saucepan over medium heat and season with cumin, chilli powder, and salt to taste. Keep in mind, the brine is quite salty, so taste properly before adding salt. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and stir occasionally. Allow to simmer for as long as you are preparing the rest of the dish.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil, bell pepper and onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and browned – about 4 minutes. Not too long, you don't want them to turn soggy, especially since they will be reheated.
- Divide rice, beans and peppers between meal prep containers. Before enjoying these meals, garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Nutrition
Did you meal prep this 3-Day High Protein Vegan Meal Prep [Soy-Free]? Don’t forget to let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag @vegan_meal_prep_sunday on Instagram so I can see!
This post was all about high protein vegan meal prep!
Caroline
1g of protein = 4 calories so 59g of protein would be only 236 calories. Unsure where this 1300 comes from? My protein goal is 120g.
I think recommendations for protein needs to be revised as people are eating far too much fat with the demonisation of carbs and fat is worth 9 calories per gram so you want to be eating fat less fat than protein in your diet and then filling the rest with mostly unrefined, fibre rich carbs.
Dinesh
Love it, thank you for the recipe.
Veg
Sorry but 59g of protein a day it’s not enough definitely not worth 1300 cal
Lien Vanneste
Hi Veg,
I’m sorry to read that you find 59 grams of protein for 1300 calories worth of meals not enough.
However, Michael Greger, MD, states that the estimated average protein requirement for the average American is 42 grams a day, but the recommended daily allowance (to account for variation among individuals) comes out to be about 51 grams.
Keeping in mind that generally, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men, 59 grams of protein for 1300 calories worth of meals is a high amount of protein. It is in fact much higher than what the average American requires in an entire day.
Also, although this Blog post focusses on protein, all the recipes on the VMPS Blog are balanced recipes featuring starch, vegetables, fat, and protein. This meal prep is meant to inform people that it is possible to eat enough protein on a balanced vegan diet. Not to eat much more protein than necessary.
Aly
Had trouble finding harissa paste, but once I did it was so worth it! I also made this gluten free with my
Homemade wraps. Thank you for this! Going to binge your site for more ideas!
Lien
Hi Aly! Haha, I love your comment! I agree, sourcing harissa paste is definitely worth it for this recipe. It elevates just elevates the end result. And wow, I’m impressed that you made your own homemade wraps. Well done. I hope you find more recipes you enjoy. Love, Lien.