Vegan proteins are a big deal here at Thistle. From the nuts and seeds we love to include in several of our dishes to the vegan protein add-ons for all entrees, our plant-forward way of eating means you’ll find unprocessed vegan protein all over the menu. The result: Every Thistle meal is a plant-based protein powerhouse.

Here’s a list of our favorite vegan proteins, complete with nutrition facts and preparation tips. Want more high protein vegan recipes in your repertoire? Want to ditch frozen veggie burgers and energy bars for unprocessed vegan protein? This list is for you.

Adashah

11 grams of protein per 4.5 oz serving

Free of soy, gluten, and nuts, this lentil-based vegan protein cutlet is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Good-for-you ingredients include flaxseed, a heart-healthy hero, and turmeric, an anti-inflammatory superstar. A woman-owned company produces it, and we love it. 

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Sweet Potato “Toast”

Vegan Caprese Platter

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Adashah is the perfectly spiced vegan protein add-on for dishes like Bulgogi Noodle Bowl.

Adzuki Beans

17 grams of protein per 1 cup serving

Small and typically red in color, this legume hails from East Asia, where it’s the key ingredient in sweetened red bean paste. Vegan protein for dessert? Yes, please! If you prefer a more savory approach, adzuki beans are very versatile and can be used as you would black beans.

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Adzuki Bean Brownies ‍

Mushroom Lentil Adzuki Bean Soup

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Adzuki Beans are the vegan protein add-on for entrees such as Brussels Sprouts & Asian Pear ‘Fried’ Rice and North African Chermoula Salad.

Biena Crunchy Chickpeas 

6 grams of protein per ounce 

To up the vegan protein in your plant-based salad, trade croutons for toppings like crunchy chickpeas. Biena makes a roasted variety that gives you a satisfying crunch and health benefits of chickpeas — which are rich in fiber, folate, iron, phosphorus, and healthy fats — all in one.

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Breakfast Tacos with Habanero Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpea Holiday Bark

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To satisfy cravings for something crunchy, we offer snacks like our Creamy Greek Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Herbed Black Lentils.

Black Beans

15 grams of protein per cup 

A staple of Central and South American cooking, black beans, are high in fiber and folate. One serving contains over 30% of your body’s daily need for minerals like manganese and magnesium. Adding black beans to your meal can also help avoid blood sugar spikes.

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Everything Goes Burrito Bowl

Pineapple Black Bean Salsa

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Our Cantaloupe Salsa Salad features Cumin & Garlic Black Beans as the vegan protein. The Island Getaway Bowl contains Cilantro Black Beans.

Cannellini Beans

15 grams of protein per cup 

It’s the unprocessed vegan protein with an Italian accent. Cannellini Beans are earthy, nutty, and creamy, and pair perfectly with cooked greens and herbs such as rosemary. They contain polyphenol antioxidants, which protect against a host of chronic illnesses.

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Fake Out Mac ‘N Cheese

Millet Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Kale, and Beans

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Creamy cannellini beans as the vegan protein add-on in dishes like our Blueberry Basil Salad and Green Olive Pasta and Savory Cannellini Beans Salad.

Chickpeas

15 grams of protein per cup 

Hummus. Chana Masala. Falafel. Thanks to chickpeas, the world is a more delicious and nutritious place. As one of the oldest legumes to be grown by people, chickpea crops also naturally add nitrogen to the soil. All vegan proteins are planet-friendly, but this one especially so.

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Mashed Chickpea Salad

Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos

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Not only are many of our pastas chickpea-based, but we also feature this protein-packed legume in our snacks and as the protein add-on for several of our entrees.

Edamame

22 grams of protein per cup 

These are soybeans in their fresh, immature form. As an unprocessed vegan protein, edamame are typically enjoyed — either in the pod or shelled — steamed with salt to taste as simply-prepared snack. With all the good stuff of other legumes — protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals — they’re linked to better bone health and reduced cancer risk.

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Asian Broccoli Salad with Peanut Sauce

Spicy Roasted Edamame 

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Find edamame in some of our East Asian dishes, including Crisp Japanese Yuzu Salad.

Firm Tofu

20 grams of protein per cup 

This soy-based vegan protein absorbs any and all flavors — marinades are your friend here — and goes well in everything from sandwiches to stir-frys. Press it, slice or cube it, marinate or batter it, bake or fry it, and enjoy. Tofu is high in protein and calcium, and, like edamame, it’s linked to osteoporosis prevention and reduced disease risk.

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Banh Mi-less Banh Mi Bowl

Honey Ginger Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry

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Perfectly-textured and protein-packed firm tofu soaks up the delicious flavors of entrees like Classic Curry Salad. We also feature tofu feta and tofu goat cheese on many of our salads.

Green Peas

8 grams of protein per cup

Sometimes called garden peas, green peas are shelled and eaten in their fresh, immature form. They’re eaten all over the world, from side dishes at American dinner tables to Indian dishes like aloo matar. Nutritionally, peas are full of polyphenols, a micronutrient with antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties.

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Artichoke, Green Peas, and Preserved Lemon Salad

Asparagus and Pea Spinach Pesto Quinoa Salad

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Enjoy naturally sweet green peas in dishes such as Korean Veggie Bibimbap.

Jackfruit 

3 grams of protein per cup 

While not exactly high in protein, the texture of this tropical crop is so amazingly meaty and satisfying that it simply must be on this list of favorites. This largest of all tree fruits (one piece of fruit can reach 100 pounds!), jackfruit is a rich source of vitamin B6 and may be key to battling global food insecurity. If you’re looking for a plant-based version of shredded meat — think carnitas or pulled pork — jackfruit is the way to go.

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BBQ Jackfruit Pulled “Pork”

Jackfruit Nacho Supreme

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If dishes like our Fajita Veggie & Carnitas Bowl didn’t feature delicious and magically-textured chipotle jackfruit as the vegan add-on, we’d be doing something wrong.

Lentils

Beluga Lentils: 18 grams of protein per cup

What’s not to love about lentils? They’re affordable, high in protein, cook super fast, and come in so many different varieties. You’ll never get bored of this unprocessed vegan protein. Beluga lentils get their name from their resemblance to beluga caviar — tiny and black.

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Lentil & Kale Shepherd’s Pie‍

Punjabi-style Black Lentils

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Enjoy beluga lentils as the vegan protein add-on for dishes like Peronata Cauliflower Bowl and Leek, Quinoa & Olive Salad.

French Green Lentils: 18 grams of protein per cup 

Say 'bonjour' to this tiny, subtly multi-hued beautiful legume that, like all lentils, cooks quickly and is packed with health benefits — they’re a good source of prebiotics and may help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Since they hold their shape so well, french green lentils are perfect for salads.

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French Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables

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Find French green lentils in our Moroccan Roasted Veggie Salad. And come fall, look for them in the Beet & Squash Salad with Pistachio Salsa Verde.

Lima Beans 

11 grams of protein per cup 

This humble bean, once maligned as bad cafeteria fare and even depicted as a monster in a children’s book, is making a comeback. Large and flat, lima beans are also known as butter beans due to their creamy texture. Like many other beans, they’re high in fiber and a good source of potassium. Mix sweet corn with lima beans and you’ve got succotash, a classic American dish.

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Mushroom and Lima Bean Stew

Slow-Baked Beans with Kale

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Basil lima beans shine in dishes like our Risotto Verde.

Longeve Plant-based Protein Crumbles 

40 grams of protein per serving

A ground meat substitute newcomer with just one thing in it: texturized pea protein. Thanks to the super high protein content and single ingredient, Longeve Crumbles are a vegan food unicorn. A neutral flavor means the vegan protein crumbles take on the taste of whatever you cook it in.

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Longeve Nuggets

Longeve Perfect Plant Burger

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The vegan protein add-on for our Chorizo Taco Salad is made with Longeve Plant-Based Protein Crumbles.

Mung Beans

14 grams of protein per cup 

Yet another tiny bean makes the list. This green legume is cultivated all over Asia, and like adzuki beans, you’ll find it in both savory and sweet dishes. As with most other beans, mung meet most of your body’s daily need for folate and contain tons of health-boosting antioxidants. Mung bean sprouts, which are often used in Chinese stir-frys, contain more amino acids and antioxidants and fewer antinutrients than the bean itself.

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Stir-fried Rice with Double Sprouts, Chilli, and Pineapple

Vegan Mung Bean Cauliflower Curry

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Both our Thai Green Curry Bowl and Crunchy Thai Slaw Salad feature mung beans as the vegan protein add-on.

Navy Beans

15 grams of protein per cup 

Navy beans aren’t dark blue, but white. The name comes from the US Navy, which has regularly served it to sailors since the 1800s. Smoky sweet baked beans are typically made with navy beans. And of course this vegan protein is a nutritional powerhouse: One serving provides 24% of your daily iron. They also raise HDL cholesterol and, likely thanks to their fiber content, reduce symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

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Creamy Vegan Navy Bean & Tomato Vegetable Soup

Navy Bean Salad

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Enjoy navy beans in dishes such as our Beetroot Quinoa & Ricotta Salad.

Pinto Beans 

15 grams of protein per cup

Pinto is Spanish for “speckled,” which perfectly describes this bean’s appearance. Popular in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States, this vegan protein is the main ingredient in refried beans and is frequently found in burritos and tacos. When served alongside cornbread, stewed pinto beans make for great comfort food and a complete protein. Nutritional benefits include improved cholesterol levels and better blood sugar regulation.

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Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Beans and Rice)

Pinto Bean and Potato Chili

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Find garlic pinto beans as the vegan protein in dishes like our Roasted Corn & “Bacon” Salad.

Spiced Sunflower Seeds

6 grams of protein per ounce

A field of towering sunflowers is a perfect photo backdrop and vegan protein feast all in one. Sunflower seeds are high in Vitamin E, an antioxidant that’s great for immune function. They also help lower risk of chronic inflammation. Don’t relegate sunflower seeds to snack and trail mix territory only. Try incorporating this vegan protein in sauces and entrees.

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Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter

Sunflower Seed Basil Pesto

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Top our Chipotle Beans and Rice entree with the spiced sunflower seeds vegan protein add-on. It’s delicious!

Pick up a couple of these new-to-you vegan proteins at the store this week. Select them when you finalize your Thistle order. Before you know it, you’ll be an unprocessed vegan protein plant-forward eating pro.