5 High-Protein Egg Alternatives That Are Just As Nutritious (And Won't Break The Bank)

You need 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight a day, which is about 54 grams for someone weighing 150 pounds. Dietitians recommend spreading your protein throughout the day rather than having most of it at dinner. Eggs are great for breakfast because they don't need a lot of cooking.

However, egg prices seem to be going up and up. That can be costly for egg lovers who may eat eggs every day for their protein and other nutrients.

Sure, you can maybe fry up some bacon for your morning meal, but then you're adding a ton of fat. Three slices of cooked bacon have almost 13 grams of fat for the 12 grams of protein you're getting. Besides, you're adding saturated fat and trans fat, which can hike up your cholesterol. 

Instead, you can get your protein through plant-based sources such as beans, nuts, and whole grains. If you can handle dairy, certain types of yogurt and cheese can also be more protein-dense. What's best is that these high-protein egg alternatives can keep your body and bank account healthy.

Beans are an excellent and budget-friendly source of plant-based protein. A half-cup of cooked black beans packs over 7 grams of protein — more than the 6 grams you'd get from an egg. 

While eggs contain no carbs, the 20 grams in black beans come from complex carbohydrates that won't spike your blood sugar. Plus, black beans deliver over 7 grams of fiber, covering about 25% of your daily needs. That fiber supports digestion and helps maintain a healthy gut.

Black beans also contain more than four times the potassium of an egg, making them a great choice for managing blood pressure. You'll also get twice the iron and 10 times the magnesium in black beans compared to an egg. Beans are also good sources of folate to support healthy cells. 

When it comes to essential amino acids, beans match eggs in eight out of the nine your body needs from food. That's why it's best to pair beans with a whole grain like quinoa to provide more of the essential amino acid methionine.

Nuts and seeds are nutrient-dense sources, so a little of these go a long way to nourish you. Two tablespoons of chia seeds have just under 5 grams of protein. An ounce of almonds (about 23 almonds) has just about the same amount of protein as an egg, although you won't get enough of those essential amino acids. That's why it's wise to rely on a variety of protein sources to ensure you're getting enough of these building blocks of protein.

Both chia seeds and almonds have considerably more fat than an egg, but most of the fat in these foods comes from heart-healthy unsaturated fat. Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, providing three times the daily recommended amount. Almonds are good sources of oleic acid, which is an omega-9 fatty acid that may reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol.

Almonds have more than 3 grams of fiber, but chia seeds have almost 10 grams of fiber to help feed your gut. Not only that, but chia seeds can replace eggs in your baking recipes. One tablespoon of chia seeds soaked in 2 ½ tablespoons of water for 5 minutes can replace an egg. You can try this 3-ingredient chia seed pudding for breakfast.

If you consume dairy, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are excellent high-protein egg alternatives. A small container of low-fat plain Greek yogurt or a half cup of low-fat cottage cheese offers more than twice the protein of an egg. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are good choices to replace eggs because they're also considered "complete" proteins, which means they have enough of the nine essential amino acids your body needs but can't make.

Both these egg alternatives are low in carbs for those keto fans, but they also provide calcium for strong bones. Greek yogurt has 173 milligrams of calcium, and cottage cheese has 69 milligrams compared to the 28 milligrams in an egg. Greek yogurt and other fermented foods have probiotics to improve your gut microbiome. 

If you have high blood pressure, you may want to limit cottage cheese. Cottage cheese packs 459 milligrams of sodium per serving, nearly a third of the American Heart Association's ideal daily limit for people with high blood pressure.

You may not think of whole grains as a good source of protein, but quinoa, farro, and oats contain more protein than you might expect. Quinoa, for instance, offers around 8 grams of protein per cooked cup and is pretty comparable to an egg's amino acid profile. Oatmeal may not have enough of these essential amino acids, but a cup has 6 grams of protein. You'll get 11 grams of protein in the chewy, nutty farro.

Even if you're on a high-protein diet, you can't ignore whole grains because they're high in carbohydrates. Many people believe carbs are the main culprit for obesity, but whole grains can help you maintain a healthy body weight. A 2024 study in Nutrients found that people who ate the most whole grains were less likely to have either general obesity or abdominal obesity compared to those who ate the least. Each of these whole grains provides fiber to keep you full, lower cholesterol, and feed your healthy gut bacteria.

Soy became popular for its health benefits, but its reputation took a hit when concerns arose that its estrogen-like compounds, called isoflavones, might increase the risk of breast cancer in women and lower testosterone in men. However, more recent research has found little evidence for these claims. A 2016 review in Nutrients found that soy is not only safe, but it may actually reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer. Soy also reduces your risk of heart disease and may ease depression.

Soy-based foods such as tofu, tempeh, and edamame are some of the best high-protein egg alternatives available. A half cup of firm tofu contains around 11 grams of protein, while the same amount of tempeh provides 17 grams. Edamame even has more protein than an egg, coming in at 9 grams of protein. Soy is one of the few plant proteins that are complete proteins.

Although each of these soy foods is rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium, they offer some nutrients of their own. Tempeh is a fermented food that can be healthy for your gut. Tofu is a good source of calcium, and edamame and tempeh have 4 and 6 grams of fiber respectively.