10 Vegan Dinners Under 500 Calories, With Real Protein
A vegan dinner under 500 calories fills you up when a real protein source sits at the center of the plate: tofu, tempeh, seitan, soy mince, beans or lentils. The ten dinners below have 413 to 485 kcal and 23 to 43 g of protein each, from a gyros-style seitan plate to a red lentil dal.
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In short
- All ten dinners are vegan and 413 to 485 kcal, calculated from the grams shown.
- Eight have 25 g of protein or more. Seitan, soy mince and tofu bring the most per calorie.
- Beans and lentils fill the plate with protein and fiber, but bring about half as much protein per calorie as tofu.
- Peanut butter, tahini and coconut milk are where vegan dinners quietly add up. Measure them.
Why the protein source matters
Meals with about 25 to 30 g of protein tend to be more filling than lower-protein meals (Leidy et al., 2015 (opens in a new tab)). The effect is modest, but it helps on the evenings when the snack drawer calls. A vegan plate of pasta and vegetables reaches that only with a protein source added, so every dinner here is built around one.
Plant protein sources differ a lot. Per calorie, seitan, soy mince and tofu bring about twice the protein of chickpeas or kidney beans. Beans and lentils make up for it with fiber and volume, which is why the best dinners often combine both.
| Food | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seitan | 199 kcal | 28.4 g | 14.3 g |
| Soy mince, dry | 351 kcal | 50.2 g | 14.3 g |
| Firm tofu | 115 kcal | 15.5 g | 13.5 g |
| Tempeh | 157 kcal | 17.6 g | 11.2 g |
| Edamame, frozen | 143 kcal | 11.5 g | 8.0 g |
| Red lentils, dry | 334 kcal | 25.6 g | 7.7 g |
| White beans, drained | 130 kcal | 9.0 g | 7.0 g |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 129 kcal | 8.6 g | 6.7 g |
| Chickpeas, drained | 136 kcal | 7.5 g | 5.5 g |
Calculated from BLS 4.0 and the Swiss Food Composition Database.
The 10 vegan dinners
Gyros-style seitan with bulgur and salad
- kcal
- 446
- Protein
- 43 g
Why it fills you up: Seitan is made from wheat protein: 120 g give about 34 g of it. With bulgur and salad it is the highest-protein dinner here.
Ingredients: Gyros-style seitan with bulgur and salad Ingredients Amount kcal Seitan 120 g 239 Bulgur, dry 40 g 141 Tomatoes 80 g 18 Cucumber 80 g 13 Red cabbage 60 g 17 Soy yogurt alternative, plain 40 g 18 Total 420 g 446 How to make it
Slice the seitan thinly and brown it in a dry pan with gyros spice. Soak the bulgur in hot water. Serve with the salad and soy yogurt mixed with garlic and cucumber.
Chili sin carne with soy mince
- kcal
- 449
- Protein
- 36 g
Why it fills you up: Dry soy mince is about half protein, so 40 g plus the beans give over 35 g. It soaks up the spices like meat does.
Ingredients: Chili sin carne with soy mince Ingredients Amount kcal Soy mince, dry 40 g 140 Kidney beans, cooked 120 g 155 Canned tomatoes 200 g 38 Onion 60 g 20 Red pepper 80 g 29 Rapeseed oil 5 g 45 Soy yogurt alternative, plain 50 g 22 Total 555 g 449 How to make it
Soak the soy mince in hot stock for 10 minutes. Fry it with the onion in the oil, add pepper, tomatoes, beans and spices, simmer for 15 minutes, top with soy yogurt.
Peanut noodles with tofu and vegetables
- kcal
- 474
- Protein
- 35 g
Why it fills you up: About 35 g of protein from tofu, pasta and peanut. The peanut butter is the sauce and the fat in one, so no extra oil is needed.
Ingredients: Peanut noodles with tofu and vegetables Ingredients Amount kcal Wholemeal pasta, dry 50 g 178 Firm tofu 120 g 138 Broccoli 100 g 35 Carrot 50 g 20 Red pepper 60 g 22 Peanut butter 12 g 73 Soy sauce 15 g 8 Total 407 g 474 How to make it
Cook the pasta. Brown the tofu cubes in a dry non-stick pan, add the vegetables. Stir peanut butter, soy sauce, lime and a little pasta water into a sauce and toss.
Tofu, sweet potato and broccoli traybake
- kcal
- 460
- Protein
- 32 g
Why it fills you up: One tray, about 32 g of protein and a big plate of vegetables. Tofu gets crisp in the oven with very little oil when you press it dry first.
Ingredients: Tofu, sweet potato and broccoli traybake Ingredients Amount kcal Firm tofu 150 g 173 Sweet potato 200 g 162 Broccoli 150 g 53 Olive oil 8 g 72 Total 508 g 460 How to make it
Press the tofu dry and cube it. Toss tofu and sweet potato with the oil and paprika, roast for 30 minutes at 200 °C, add the broccoli for the last 12.
Chickpea and tofu curry with spinach
- kcal
- 413
- Protein
- 30 g
Why it fills you up: Tofu and chickpeas together make a vegan dinner with about 30 g of protein. A little coconut milk is enough for a creamy sauce.
Ingredients: Chickpea and tofu curry with spinach Ingredients Amount kcal Firm tofu 100 g 115 Chickpeas, canned, drained 120 g 163 Canned tomatoes 150 g 29 Spinach 100 g 18 Onion 60 g 20 Coconut milk 30 g 68 Total 560 g 413 How to make it
Soften the onion with curry paste, add tomatoes, chickpeas and cubed tofu, simmer, stir in spinach and coconut milk.
Edamame and tofu fried rice
- kcal
- 485
- Protein
- 29 g
Why it fills you up: Edamame are young soybeans with about 12 g of protein per 100 g. With tofu and peas, a small portion of rice turns into a full pan.
Ingredients: Edamame and tofu fried rice Ingredients Amount kcal White rice, dry 40 g 140 Edamame, shelled, frozen 100 g 143 Firm tofu 60 g 69 Peas, frozen 60 g 46 Carrot 50 g 20 Spring onion 20 g 5 Soy sauce 15 g 8 Rapeseed oil 6 g 54 Total 351 g 485 How to make it
Use rice cooked the day before, or cook it and let it cool. Fry the crumbled tofu and carrot in the oil, add rice, edamame and peas, finish with soy sauce and spring onion.
Tempeh bowl with sweet potato and tahini
- kcal
- 483
- Protein
- 28 g
Why it fills you up: Tempeh is fermented whole soybeans, firmer and nuttier than tofu. A spoon of tahini thinned with lemon and water is enough dressing for the bowl.
Ingredients: Tempeh bowl with sweet potato and tahini Ingredients Amount kcal Tempeh 100 g 157 Quinoa, dry 40 g 144 Sweet potato 100 g 81 Kale 40 g 21 Carrot 50 g 20 Tahini 10 g 60 Total 340 g 483 How to make it
Roast the sweet potato cubes for 25 minutes at 200 °C, add the sliced tempeh for the last 10. Cook the quinoa, massage the kale with lemon, grate the carrot, drizzle with tahini.
Red lentil dal with cauliflower and rice
- kcal
- 478
- Protein
- 25 g
Why it fills you up: Red lentils cook into a thick, creamy dal in 15 minutes, no cream needed. Cauliflower and spinach double the volume for few calories.
Ingredients: Red lentil dal with cauliflower and rice Ingredients Amount kcal Red lentils, dry 60 g 200 Canned tomatoes 150 g 29 Cauliflower 150 g 53 Onion 50 g 17 Spinach 60 g 11 White rice, dry 35 g 123 Rapeseed oil 5 g 45 Total 510 g 478 How to make it
Soften the onion with garlic, ginger and curry spices in the oil, add lentils, tomatoes, cauliflower and water, simmer for 15 minutes, stir in the spinach. Serve with the rice.
White bean and vegetable stew with pasta
- kcal
- 484
- Protein
- 24 g
Why it fills you up: A big bowl in the style of minestrone. Beans and pasta together make it a full meal, and the vegetables add volume for few calories.
Ingredients: White bean and vegetable stew with pasta Ingredients Amount kcal White beans, canned, drained 150 g 195 Wholemeal pasta, dry 40 g 142 Canned tomatoes 200 g 38 Carrot 60 g 24 Courgette 100 g 22 Leek 50 g 18 Olive oil 5 g 45 Total 605 g 484 How to make it
Soften leek and carrot in the oil, add tomatoes, courgette and stock, simmer for 10 minutes, add pasta and beans and cook until the pasta is done.
Red lentil bolognese with wholemeal pasta
- kcal
- 484
- Protein
- 23 g
Why it fills you up: Red lentils cook down into a thick sauce and bring more protein than the pasta itself. Wholemeal pasta adds fiber.
Ingredients: Red lentil bolognese with wholemeal pasta Ingredients Amount kcal Wholemeal pasta, dry 60 g 214 Red lentils, dry 45 g 150 Canned tomatoes 200 g 38 Onion 50 g 17 Carrot 50 g 20 Olive oil 5 g 45 Total 410 g 484 How to make it
Soften onion and carrot in the oil, add lentils and tomatoes, simmer for 15 minutes, serve over the pasta.
All ten side by side
| Meal | kcal | Protein | Time | Diet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyros-style seitan with bulgur and salad | 446 | 43 g | 20 min | Vegan |
| Chili sin carne with soy mince | 449 | 36 g | 30 min | Vegan |
| Peanut noodles with tofu and vegetables | 474 | 35 g | 20 min | Vegan |
| Tofu, sweet potato and broccoli traybake | 460 | 32 g | 35 min | Vegan |
| Chickpea and tofu curry with spinach | 413 | 30 g | 25 min | Vegan |
| Edamame and tofu fried rice | 485 | 29 g | 20 min | Vegan |
| Tempeh bowl with sweet potato and tahini | 483 | 28 g | 30 min | Vegan |
| Red lentil dal with cauliflower and rice | 478 | 25 g | 30 min | Vegan |
| White bean and vegetable stew with pasta | 484 | 24 g | 30 min | Vegan |
| Red lentil bolognese with wholemeal pasta | 484 | 23 g | 25 min | Vegan |
The hidden extras in vegan cooking
Vegan dinners rarely get their calories from the protein. They get them from the creamy parts: nut butter sauces, tahini dressings, coconut milk and a generous pour of oil. None of them look like much on the plate.
| Extra | Amount | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Olive or rapeseed oil | 1 tablespoon (10 g) | 90 kcal |
| Peanut butter | 1 tablespoon (15 g) | 91 kcal |
| Tahini | 1 tablespoon (15 g) | 89 kcal |
| Hummus | 2 heaped tablespoons (50 g) | 102 kcal |
| Coconut milk | 100 g | 227 kcal |
| Soy sauce | 1 tablespoon (15 g) | 8 kcal |
Calculated from BLS 4.0 and the Swiss Food Composition Database.
- Thin sauces with water. Peanut butter and tahini stretch with lime, lemon and a little pasta water, so one spoon coats a whole bowl.
- Use a little coconut milk, not the can. 30 g makes the curry creamy; the whole 400 ml can is over 900 kcal.
- Brown tofu and seitan dry. In a non-stick pan or the oven, they get crisp with little or no oil.
Want to know how much protein you need per day? The protein calculator works it out from your weight and goal. For the morning, see the 7 vegan breakfasts under 300 calories, and for dinners with meat and fish, the 10 high-protein dinners under 500 calories.
Frequently asked questions
Which vegan dinner here has the most protein?
The gyros-style seitan with bulgur and salad: about 43 g of protein for 446 kcal. The chili sin carne (36 g) and the peanut noodles with tofu (35 g) follow.
Can a vegan dinner really have 30 g of protein under 500 kcal?
Yes, five of the ten have 30 g or more. The trick is a concentrated protein source, like seitan, soy mince or firm tofu, plus beans or lentils on the side, instead of relying on pasta and vegetables alone.
Is seitan gluten-free?
No. Seitan is made from wheat gluten. With coeliac disease or a wheat allergy, use firm tofu or tempeh instead; the calories and protein change, so log the swap.
Are the weights raw or cooked?
Raw or dry, as you weigh them before cooking. 40 g of dry rice is about 115 g cooked, 50 g of dry pasta about 125 g cooked, and 40 g of dry soy mince about 140 g soaked.
Can I meal prep these?
Yes. The chili, dal, curry, bean stew and lentil bolognese keep in the fridge for 3 days and freeze well. The traybake and the tempeh bowl keep for 2 days; add the dressing just before eating.
Sources
- Leidy et al. (2015): The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- Max Rubner-Institut (2025): Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0
- Swiss Food Composition Database 7.1 (FSVO, 2026)
Meal calories are calculated from the grams shown and the Federal Food Code (BLS 4.0) or the Swiss Food Composition Database. Herbs, spices and water are left out.
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This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, have a medical condition or an eating disorder, talk to a doctor before changing how you eat.
