Getting enough protein on a vegetarian diet, from food you already cook

Vegetarian home food can carry plenty of protein. The catch is that the dishes people eat most, such as rice, roti and vegetable sabzi, carry the least, so a day can look full and still come in low.

Where the protein is

• Paneer, curd and milk. Paneer bhurji and palak paneer are among the highest protein vegetarian portions on this site. A katori of curd or raita adds a few grams to almost any plate.
• Dal and beans. A katori of dal is a steady 8 to 10 g. Thicker dal holds more lentils per katori, so it holds more protein too.
• Chickpeas and rajma. Similar to dal per katori, with more fat of their own.
• Eggs, if you eat them: about 6 g each.
• Tofu, if it is part of your cooking: one of the most protein-dense plant foods there is.

Two numbers worth knowing

The table below ranks vegetarian dishes two ways. Protein per portion tells you what one katori, roti or plate gives you. Protein per 100 kcal tells you how much protein you get for the energy, which matters if you are also trying to eat less.

Easy ways to add protein to a day

1. Add a katori of curd or raita to lunch and dinner.
2. Make dal thicker, or have a second katori instead of a second helping of rice.
3. Swap one sabzi for a paneer or chana dish a few times a week.
4. Add a boiled egg or a handful of roasted chana as a snack, if they fit how you eat.
5. Check the evening. If protein is low by dinner, Homekcal suggests one dish from your own diet type, such as a katori of paneer bhurji, rather than a supplement.

Your daily protein target, and how it is worked out, is explained in how targets are worked out.