Soy
Tofu
Super firm
— for cubing and air frying
Firm
— for making scrambled tofu
Silken
— for dressings and sauces, and added to smoothies for extra protein
Soy curls
After rehydration, they can be marinated and baked/air fried just like tofu. It makes great vegan jerky pieces!
Soy milk
My plant milk of choice, as it has more protein than nut and oat milks.
Edamame puffs
Hands-down my favorite protein booster. They're crispy and have no taste—very much like Rice Krispies cereal—and can be used in salads as a replacement for croutons, or an addition to anything that needs some crunch. A serving is 25 grams (about 1/4 cup) and contains 20 grams of protein for only 100 calories.
Other Protein
Vegan protein powders
Orgain
— note that not all Orgain products are plant-based, so be sure to check the label
Koia
— higher protein, but a serving is a lot — half a cup
Sun Warrior
— my personal favorite, and also suitable for raw vegan diets
Vegan protein bars
IQ
— soft and chewy
Mezcla
— contains crispies
Fello
— savory and crunchy
Vegan protein drinks
Pirq
— lower calorie but also lower protein
OWYN
— check the label; they have an extra-high protein line, so not all products are equal
Orgain
— like their protein powders, not all of their protein drinks are plant-based, so read the label carefully before you buy
Sprouted oats
Slightly higher in protein than regular rolled oats, but every little bit helps!
Dried beans
I keep a variety on hand: black beans, red beans, white beans, chickpeas. They're less expensive than canned beans.
Lentils
Use green or brown lentils for recipes where you want them to retain their shape. Red lentils cook down mushy, and make a great high-protein soup or stew base.
Nut butters
Some nut butters (peanut, almond) are higher in protein than others, but each nut has a unique micronutrient profile. Seed butters are a solid choice too!
Vegan yogurt
Look around for a plain yogurt that is high in protein and has no added sugar. Sadly, the fruit flavored ones tend to have quite a bit of sugar and not a lot of protein. My go-to is Siggi's brand Greek style vegan yogurt, made with almond milk and soy protein isolate. It has 17 grams of protein per serving and that's the best I can find in my area.
Grains
Quinoa
A relatively high-protein grain, cooks very quickly.
Sola bagels
Sola brand bagels are packed with fiber—more than my daily goal—and protein for only 110 calories. (But please note, there are different flavors—like everything, blueberry, cinnamon raisin—that may be slightly higher in calories and lower in fiber and protein than the plain.)
High-protein bread
Look around for breads with added protein; but keep in mind this usually comes with a caloric price. Breads that contain nuts/seeds are generally higher in protein (check out Dave's Killer Bread with the 21 whole grains and seeds).
Fruits and Veggies
Cosmic Crisp apples
In my opinion, the best apple ever. Crisp and sweet—but they are larger apples, so be aware if you are counting calories.
Berries
I like them all, and tend to switch among them. A good source of fiber and micronutrients.
Kiwi
I've been obsessed lately with the golden variety, but the regular green ones are also low-calorie.
Bananas
Full disclosure—I rarely eat bananas as-is. I peel, break into chunks, and freeze to use in smoothies.
Condiments and Ingredients
Nutritional yeast
The vegan alternative to cheese, and a good B12 source.
Hummus
I use this mostly as salad dressing.
Creatine
A staple for lifters, and highly recommended by my dietician for recovery from my surgeries. I take 5 g every day.