7 High-Protein Vegetarian Meals For Athletes

More and more athletes are choosing to go vegetarian, either to improve their own nutrition or for ethical or environmental reasons.

Most people will be able to get a complete diet without any meat, but it can take some planning to ensure you get the protein you need.

Protein is crucial for repairing muscles after hard workouts, and there are lots of ways to get it from plants or dairy products.

So whether you’re vegetarian all of the time or just want to try cutting out meat one or two days a week, here are seven vegetarian meals that are high in protein.

Spinach & Feta Pancakes

Savoury pancakes make for a delicious alternative meal. Using spinach and feta as a filling, you can add some protein and a lot of Mediterranean flavour to a batch of traditional pancakes. Add olive oil and pinenuts to the filling for some extra healthy fats and fibre.

Arugula Lentil Salad

Lentils are an excellent source of plant-based protein. There’s a lot you can do with lentils, and an arugula salad is one healthy way of getting them into a meal. Arugula is another name for rocket and provides a crunchy base to the meal with some leafy green veg. Add cashew nuts, sundried tomatoes, olive oil and bread to make a filling and flavourful salad.

BBQ Chickpea Wrap

One serving of chickpeas can contain around 15g of protein and 35g of carbohydrate, so it’s a great food choice for athletes with a rigorous training programme. Mixing some chickpeas up with BBQ sauce before adding to a wrap with lettuce, avocado and cheese makes for a delicious and filling lunch.

Spring Green Frittata

A frittata is an egg-based Italian dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s similar to an omelette or crustless quiche. Spring onions, spinach, chopped tomatoes and garlic make a tasty filling and a wholesome meal.

Halloumi & Greek Salad Wraps

Halloumi is popular among vegetarians because of its meaty texture and high protein value. It makes for a delicious wrap filling alongside Greek salad, which contains tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese and olives.

California Scramble

A California scramble is easy to prepare and packed with flavour. Spring onion and chilli add flavour to the scrambled egg, while typical toppings of watercress, tomatoes and avocado bring even more nutritional value.

Spinach & Chickpea Pasta

This creamy pasta is easy to make and has everything you need. Spinach contains calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium which are all crucial for athletes. The high-carb combination of chickpeas and pasta make this a great dinner option if you’re fueling for a high-volume workout the next day.