Last checked: 10 October 2026 · Values are approximate · Sources at the end
Plenty of Indian vegetarians eat dal every day and still fall short on protein. The reason is simple: one thin katori of dal gives only a few grams. The fix isn’t protein powder. It’s adding a second or third protein source to each meal from foods you already have at home.
At a glance
- How much you need: about 0.83 g per kg of body weight a day for healthy adults (ICMR-NIN 2020). A 60 kg person needs roughly 50 g. Calculate yours.
- Best veg sources: paneer, soya chunks, dals and legumes, curd and milk, peanuts, roasted chana.
- The rule: put at least two protein foods in every main meal.
Vegetarian protein sources and how much they give
Approximate values. They vary by brand, recipe and portion size, so check the IFCT 2017 tables or the product label.
| Food | Typical serving | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Soya chunks (dry) | 30 g | 15 g |
| Paneer | 100 g | 18 g |
| Tofu | 100 g | 8–12 g (check label) |
| Moong / masoor dal, cooked | 1 katori (about 30 g raw) | 7 g |
| Rajma / chole, cooked | 1 katori (about 40 g raw) | 8 g |
| Curd | 1 katori (150 g) | 5 g |
| Milk | 1 glass (250 ml) | 8 g |
| Peanuts | 1 small handful (30 g) | 7 g |
| Roasted chana | 30 g | 6 g |
| Roti (whole wheat) | 1 medium | 3 g |
How to add protein to every meal
Breakfast
Swap plain poha or upma for a besan or moong dal chilla, or have them with a katori of curd. Stir peanuts into poha. See our vegetarian breakfast guide.
Lunch
Make the dal thicker. Use more dal and less water, and add a katori of curd or raita on the side. Rajma-chawal and chole are good options, as long as the rice portion stays moderate.
Snack
Roasted chana, a handful of peanuts, sprouts chaat or a glass of milk or buttermilk. Avoid biscuits and namkeen.
Dinner
Paneer bhurji, palak paneer, soya chunk curry or tofu stir-fry with roti and a large serving of sabzi.
Mixing dal and grain helps
Cereals and pulses complement each other: grains are low in lysine, and pulses supply it. That’s why dal-chawal, rajma-chawal, khichdi and idli-sambar work so well. Eating both across the day improves overall protein quality.
A sample high-protein vegetarian day (about 55–65 g)
- Breakfast: 2 moong dal chillas + 1 katori curd
- Mid-morning: 1 fruit + 30 g roasted chana
- Lunch: 2 roti + thick dal + sabzi + salad + raita
- Evening: 1 glass milk or buttermilk + a few peanuts
- Dinner: 100 g paneer bhurji (or soya chunk curry) + 1–2 roti + sabzi
This is an editorial example, not a prescription. Adjust portions to your hunger, activity and weight.
Watch-outs
- Paneer is high in fat as well as protein. 100 g a day is plenty for most people.
- Fried protein still counts as fried. Paneer pakora and dal vada add a lot of oil.
- Protein powder isn’t needed by most people. The 2024 ICMR-NIN guidelines advise against relying on protein supplements to build body mass.
- Kidney disease: if you have it, don’t increase protein without your doctor’s advice.
Keep planning
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Nutrient Requirements for Indians (2020), brief note (PDF)
- ICMR-NIN, Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024), nin.res.in
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT 2017)
Photo credits
[Photographer name], [licence], via [Pexels / Unsplash / Wikimedia Commons]
General information only, not medical advice.
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