A vegan breakfast is entirely plant-based: no eggs, no dairy. This calls for different staple foods, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Below, we’ll start with a brief look at what you’ll find on your plate, followed by five recipes we often make ourselves.
What do you eat for a high-protein vegan breakfast?
A vegan breakfast usually consists of a grain-based staple (oats, quinoa, wholemeal bread), a plant-based dairy alternative (soya, almond or oat drink, or plant-based yoghurt) and a source of protein such as tofu, pulses, nuts, seeds or vegan protein powder. Fruit and unsaturated fats from avocado, nuts or seeds round off the meal.
The main difference from a traditional breakfast lies in the protein content. Eggs and dairy are omitted, and these often provide the bulk of the protein. Plant-based alternatives usually contain less protein per portion, so it’s worth making a conscious effort to add a source rather than hoping it will sort itself out.
How do you make a vegan breakfast high in protein?
Make a point of adding a vegan protein source to your breakfast: for example, porridge with soya milk and a spoonful of vegan protein powder, or tofu with nuts. By varying your vegan protein sources throughout the day, you’ll get all the amino acids you need; combining them in a single meal is handy, but not essential.
Exactly how much you need depends on your weight and how much you exercise. The article ‘How much protein do you need per day?’ contains the formula you can use to work out your own daily requirement. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass. If you’d like to know specifically how to achieve this on a fully plant-based diet, the article ‘Getting Enough Protein as a Vegan’ explores this in more detail.
5 vegan breakfast recipes
Five recipes, ranging from ten-minute meals to slightly more elaborate options for the weekend. All portions are for two people, unless otherwise stated.
1. Vegan tofu ‘scrambled eggs’ with avocado
This twist on scrambled eggs is made from crumbled tofu. Turmeric and curry powder give it its yellow colour and flavour, whilst black salt (kala namak) provides that sulphurous note you’re used to from eggs. Ready in a quarter of an hour.
Ingredients
- 150 g tofu, drained
- 1 avocado
- 1 red onion
- 1 tbsp mild olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp black salt (kala namak) or celery salt
Method
- Finely chop the red onion and dice the avocado. Drain the tofu and pat it dry.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 2 minutes.
- Add the tofu, turmeric, curry powder and black salt. Break the tofu into pieces with a spatula and stir-fry for about 4 minutes.
- Divide between two plates and arrange the avocado alongside. Season to taste with extra salt and pepper if desired.
2. Smoothie bowl with vegan protein powder
A smoothie bowl is the quickest of the five: just pop everything in the blender, then add the toppings. The fruit naturally sweetens the bowl, so you don’t need to add any sugar.
Ingredients
- 100 g blueberries (frozen ones work fine)
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ripe mango
- 50 ml coconut milk
- 1 serving of vegan protein powder; use the recommended serving size on the packaging
- Toppings: fresh fruit, desiccated coconut, pumpkin seeds
Method
- Place the fruit, coconut milk and protein powder in the blender.
- Blend briefly until you have a thick, spoonable mixture. If it’s still too thick, add a little extra plant-based milk a bit at a time.
- Spoon into two bowls and divide the toppings between them.
You’ll find more variations on this idea in our protein smoothie recipes.
3. Overnight oats with protein powder and red berries
Prepare this the night before. The rolled oats and chia seeds absorb the liquid overnight, so you’ll have a creamy porridge in the morning without having to do a thing. This recipe makes one portion.
Ingredients
- 40 g rolled oats
- 100 ml almond milk
- 1/2 banana, mashed
- 100 g red berries or other soft fruit
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 serving of vegan protein powder; use the recommended serving size on the packaging
- Optional: pumpkin seeds or linseeds
Method
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl or preserving jar.
- Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Give it a stir in the morning and top with some extra fruit.
4. Vegan pancakes with oats
For when you’ve got a bit more time at the weekend. The batter goes in the blender, so you don’t need to weigh anything out in a bowl.
Ingredients
- 100 g rolled oats
- 300 ml almond milk
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 1 serving of vegan protein powder; use the recommended serving size on the packaging
- Coconut oil for frying
- Fresh fruit for garnish
Method
- Blend the almond milk, oats and banana until smooth.
- Add the bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice, vanilla powder and vegan protein powder, and blend very briefly. The batter should remain quite thick.
- Heat some coconut oil in a frying pan and spoon a spoonful of batter into the pan for each pancake.
- Only flip the pancake once bubbles appear and the top starts to dry out. Cook the other side until golden brown.
- Repeat until the batter is used up and garnish with fruit and, if desired, a little maple syrup.
5. Quinoa porridge with nuts and fruit
Quinoa isn’t just for lunch. Cooked in plant-based milk, it makes a porridge with a bit more bite than oat porridge, and the nuts make it a hearty breakfast.
Ingredients
- 180 g quinoa
- 475 ml almond or soya milk, plus a splash extra
- 2 to 3 tbsp rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- To serve: almonds or walnuts, blueberries, strawberries or banana
Method
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water.
- Cook the quinoa in the almond or soya milk for the time stated on the packet. If it starts to dry out, add a splash of milk.
- Mix in the rolled oats, nuts and cinnamon.
- Gently fold the soft fruit into the still-warm quinoa so that it softens slightly.
Frequently asked questions about a vegan breakfast
Will I get enough protein from a vegan breakfast?
It’s perfectly possible, but it’s not quite as straightforward as with eggs or dairy. Plant-based products generally provide less protein per portion, so work out your daily requirement and spread it across your meals. Vary your protein sources throughout the day; combining them within a single breakfast (for example, porridge with soya milk and nuts, or tofu with wholemeal bread) is a good idea but not essential.
Can you prepare a vegan breakfast the night before?
Yes. Overnight oats are the clearest example of this: they actually need to spend the night in the fridge to become creamy. You can also cook quinoa porridge a day in advance and reheat it in the morning with a splash of plant-based milk. It’s better to make smoothie bowls fresh, but you can prepare the fruit by weighing it out and storing it in the freezer.
Do vegans need a vitamin B12 supplement?
Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products in its natural form. Anyone following a completely plant-based diet therefore needs to obtain it from fortified products or a supplement. Vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. You can read more about where B12 is found in food and how it works in the body in the article ‘Why vitamin B12 is so important’.
What basic ingredients do you need to have at home?
With porridge, quinoa, a plant-based drink, tofu, nuts and seeds, and frozen fruit, you’ll be well on your way: you can use these to make all five of the recipes above. To find out which nutrients deserve extra attention in a plant-based diet, read ‘5 important nutrients for vegans’.
Vegan protein powder in your breakfast
Three of the five recipes contain vegan protein powder. Our vegan protein powders are made without unnecessary additives. The plain variety, Vegan Protein Organic, consists of fava bean protein; it has a neutral flavour and therefore works well in almost any dish. There are also flavoured varieties (vanilla, chocolate, blueberry) based on pea and fava bean protein. The recommended amount to use per serving is stated on the packaging.
