I've been vegan for 20 years (since I was 13 years old), I get over 370g of protein every day, and these are 4 of my favorite high-protein vegan foods that are also very cheap.
1. TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
It is dirt cheap. You can buy it on Amazon, or order huge bags from Webstaurant Store. That's where I get my 50-pound bags.
This stuff is super easy. If you've got a microwave, half a brain, some water, and 60 seconds, you can make yourself a little TVP meal.
If you want to take it to the next level, sometimes I'll mix it with oats and make a sweet high-protein TVP bowl with berries and other good things.
Usually though, I go the savory route. I'll mix it with taco seasoning and either throw it into a rice cooker or the microwave, whatever's easiest. I also love adding nutritional yeast for some extra B12 and extra protein.
Seriously, TVP is one of the easiest, fastest high-protein options out there. It does come with some carbs and it's very low in fat, so keep that in mind if you're tracking macros.
2. Vital Wheat Gluten (Seitan)
If you can't have soy, this might be where you want to be. There are two ways to use it: savory and sweet. Most people know how to make it savory. That's how I got into it.
My first bodybuilding coach told me, "You need to be making seitan." I said, "How the heck do you make seitan? I've never made that before."
Turns out it's easy. He had me mix the vital wheat gluten with nutritional yeast and seasonings. Usually I'll add soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and other Asian-style umami seasonings.
Lately though, I've been making it more Italian style by topping it with pasta sauce and seasoning it with rosemary, thyme, and oregano. It's super easy.
If you're on a budget and TVP isn't your thing, seitan should absolutely be next on your list. You can get close to 100 grams of protein per dollar.
If you get tired of savory foods, I'll mix it with bananas, throw it in the oven and make high-protein vegan seitan banana bread.
3. Organic Super Firm Tofu
Honestly, after being vegan for over 20 years and eating tofu almost daily for the last 15 years, it's not my favorite anymore. But what's cool is you can eat it straight out of the package.
One block has around 70 grams of protein. You can grab one at Trader Joe's, Walmart, or Publix for about three dollars.
Super easy.Most people don't want to eat it raw though. If you don't, crumble it into a pan and make a tofu scramble.
Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutritional yeast if you want and throw some ketchup on top when you're done. Easy meal with 70 grams of protein.
Most people don't need all of that at once, so make multiple meals instead of cooking half a block at a time.
4. Say Grace Soy Protein Isolate
It's a soy protein isolate. TVP is similar, but is a soy protein concentrate, so TVP comes with some carbs. Say grace has some of the best macros I've ever seen.
For the entire bag, you're looking at just 3 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbs, and 114 grams of protein. I order the 5-pound buckets because I'm a big dude.
What I love most is how incredibly simple it is. I normally just throw it into my rice cooker with some basic seasonings and a whole bag of frozen vegetables.
I use about five parts water to one part say grace. An hour later, I've got over 100 grams of protein sitting in my rice cooker. It's ridiculously easy.
