10 Breakfast Foods That Have More Protein Than An Egg

Two things that come to mind when you think about eggs are breakfast and protein. Eggs are an iconic breakfast food, seared into our collective imaginations as integral to a morning meal. The things are packed with protein, too — one large egg contains about six or seven grams of protein. Whether scrambled, over easy, or sunny side up, there are so many delicious ways to start your day. Can you get comparable macro-nutritional benefits from other foods, though? Of course you can, and often from plant-based foods.

While eggs are pretty great, an omelet every morning might not be feasible for everyone. Luckily, aside from eggs, it turns out there are plenty of delicious and healthy high-protein foods to start your day off in a good spot. Not all protein is created equal though. There are some sources of protein that you may want to avoid, and we're definitely not saying you should switch to a big plate of sausage and bacon instead. Here are some breakfast foods that give an even bigger boost to your protein intake than eggs.

One cup of cottage cheese has 25 grams of protein, and also includes casein, meaning the protein in cottage cheese has all of the amino acids that your body needs. Not only is this dish easy to make, but there are ways to prepare cottage cheese that can take you in both sweet and savory directions.

Almond butter packs a solid 20-25 grams of protein per 100 grams, and there are plenty of ways to use it when making breakfast. Preparing almond butter overnight oats can give you as much as 17 grams of protein.

Boiled or canned chickpeas have around 9.5 grams of protein for every 100 grams. If you're looking for a satisfying, plant-based egg substitute, a chickpea scramble is a way to get comparable amounts of protein while increasing your fiber intake, too.

Greek yogurt contains 9 grams of protein per 100 grams, and Pumpkin seeds have about 8.5 grams of protein per ounce. Combine the two ingredients, add some blueberries, and you've got yourself a delicious breakfast loaded with protein.

A healthy smoothie that also tastes great is one of the best breakfasts around, and a little protein powder can make this drink even more of a nutritional powerhouse. One scoop can add anywhere between 15 and 25 grams of protein, depending on the powder you're using. Another great ingredient to up the protein in a smoothie is chia seeds, which contribute around four grams of protein per ounce.

While store-bought breakfast bars can be great for protein, they can sometimes have unhealthy additives, too. Luckily, homemade oat bars need few ingredients, and every 100 grams of oats contains 13 grams of protein. Whip up a batch of baked oat bars, and get some heart healthy protein in the morning. 

If you really crave breakfast cereal, then you still have options. One serving — or one cup — of Cheerios Protein contains eight grams of protein.

Pan-fried tempeh behaves a bit like sausage, crisping up nicely at the edges. A good tempeh breakfast sandwich is smoky, satisfying, and full of protein — a 100-gram serving of tempeh will give you 20 grams of protein.

Hummus for breakfast is big in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures. Given that it contains nearly 12 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber per one-cup serving, it's not hard to see why. Try hummus toast or breakfast bowls with veggies like kale, for a nutritious start to the day.

Beans on toast has its origins in the U.K., but it's time for people in the U.S. to stop ignoring this comfort food. Black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and cannellini beans all have around 16 grams of protein per cup, and since a 1.5-ounce serving of Cheddar cheese both tastes great and has around 9.6 grams of protein, it's worth adding as well.