If you want to feel satiated and energized all day long, fuel your workouts, and build muscle, you need a morning meal that packs some protein. In fact, I recommend your breakfast provides at least 10 to 12 grams of the crucial macronutrient.
Often, hard-boiled eggs, an omelet, or a sunny side-up egg come to mind, and there’s no denying that ever-popular egg breakfasts are a quality choice. After all, a single egg contains six grams of protein. However, they’re not your only option!
Here are nine egg-free breakfast recipes that still pack plenty of protein, straight from registered dietitians.
1. Very Berry Smoothie
Protein: 22 grams
This blend is an A.M. go-to for Jill Weisenberger R.D., author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide. The simple recipe combines Greek yogurt, berries, a little milk or juice, and sweetener, if needed.
“Berries are packed with phytonutrients, and research has associated eating one serving of yogurt a day with an 18 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” she says.
To add some extra protein, top with whatever seeds or nuts your heart desires.
2. Vegan Tofu Scramble With Potatoes
Protein: 20 grams
This scramble by Chef Catherine Brown C.D.M., C.F.P.P., may look like scrambled eggs, but it’s completely vegan. Those ‘eggs’ are actually tofu, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and black salt. Kale, onions, bell peppers, and avocado add a variety of micronutrients, along with healthy fats and fiber to fill you up.
Since this recipe takes a little longer to make, it’s a great weekend brunch option, says Brown.
3. Berry Breakfast Quinoa
Protein: 12 grams
When your soul is craving something warm in the winter, this quinoa breakfast bowl from The Tolerant Tummy will do the trick.
“Quinoa is higher in protein than plain ol’ oatmeal, and cooks up just as creamy and cozy!” says dietitian Sarah Thornton, M.P.H., R.D.N., L.D.N., who created the recipe. And, bonus: Not only is it egg-free, but it’s dairy-, gluten-, and soy-free as well.
To make this meal as smooth as oatmeal, you’ll use a one-to-three ratio of quinoa-to-liquid. Once cooked, the bowl is your canvas! You can amp up the protein further by adding nut butter, or chopped nuts and seeds. For more flavor, add some cinnamon or honey, or even crunchy coconut flakes.
4. Savory Steel-Cut Oats With Spinach, Mushrooms, & Tofu
Protein: 26 grams
This dish from The Plant Powered Dietitian packs all the delicious add-ins of an omelet—without the eggs! Instead, it layers heart-healthy steel-cut oats, protein-packed tofu, and fiber-filled veggies for a seriously satisfying meal. With 26 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber per serving, it’s perfect for weekend brunch or even breakfast for dinner.
5. Pear & Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Protein: 15 grams
If you don’t have time to cook breakfast in the morning, this overnight oatmeal recipe by Triad To Wellness makes for a quick, nutritious meal. Blended with hearty whole-grain oats, protein-packed Greek yogurt, flavorful pears, vanilla almond milk, and vanilla extract, it offers all the sweetness of store-bought oatmeal without the processed ingredients and added sugar. Not to mention, pears are a good source of vitamin C and fiber.
6. Cottage Cheese Power Breakfast Parfait
Protein: 12 grams
Made with cottage cheese instead of yogurt, this recipe from Liz’s Healthy Table will change everything you thought you knew about parfaits. It’s creamy and sweet, but not too sweet—and packs 10 grams of fiber in addition to its 12 grams of protein. “Place a quarter cup of cottage cheese at the bottom of a pretty glass,” says recipe creator Liz Weiss, R.D.N. “Then, top with cereal or nuts and repeat the layers with whatever fruit, cereal, or nuts that make your taste buds happy.” You’ll be done and ready to eat in just five minutes.
7. Berry Breakfast Crumble
Protein: 12 grams
“It’s time we let go of the notion that fruit crumbles have to be eaten with ice cream for dessert,” says Judith Scharman Draughon, M.S., R.D.N., L.D. With a few healthy tweaks, they’re perfectly suitable for breakfast.
Made with berries, rolled oats, Greek yogurt, raw honey, coconut oil, and nuts, this sweet breakfast dish takes about 30 minutes to bake in the oven. It’s as gooey and flavorful as dessert, but packs less sugar and more protein per serving.
8. No-Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
Protein: 10 to 20 grams
Calling all PB-lovers! These no-bake bars, courtesy of Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., pack all the delicious nutty flavors of a bakery breakfast bar, minus the not-so-healthy ingredients.
Related: 8 High-Protein Snacks Nutritionists Love
The recipe combines crunchy nut butter, raisins, maple syrup, quick oats, and cherries, and yields 12 bars that are easy for grab-and-go mornings. All you have to do is mix the ingredients and pop them in the fridge for two hours to set.
When they’re ready, Ward suggests topping them with banana and Greek yogurt.
9. Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Protein: 12 to 15 grams
Notice the oats trend here? This overnight oat variation from Sarah Gold Anzlovar, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.N., is another easy, tasty make-ahead breakfast. Made with rolled oats, chia seeds, yogurt, apples, and your choice of milk, it offers plenty of protein and fiber. “One serving provides 12 to 15 grams of protein, depending on the type of milk you use, along with a good dose of omega-3s from the chia seeds,” says Gold Anzlovar.
Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., C.D.N., is an award-winning author, spokesperson, speaker, consultant, and owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants, LLC. She has been featured on TV, radio, and print, as well as in digital media, including Everyday Health, Better Homes & Gardens, Women’s Health, and U.S. News & World Report. She is a recipient of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Media Excellence Award and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You From Label To Table.
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