Food

15 Foods That Have More Protein Than an Egg

Delicious breakfast swaps that will pull you out of your omelet rut.

By Ashia Aubourg, Carolyn L. Todd, and Caroline Tien

February 14, 2025

You might not know exactly how much protein is in an egg, but you’ve likely experienced how satisfying a plate of them can be. Whether you prefer fried, poached, or scrambled, eggs are a classic breakfast food for a reason: Not only do they help keep you full until lunch, but they’re quick and easy to make too.

Just a little while ago, we would have been able to add “inexpensive” to that list of egg attributes as well, but as we’ve seen recently, that’s no longer the case. With bird flu breaking out among the country’s poultry flocks, egg prices have skyrocketed. So if you’re looking to swap your morning omelet or scramble for a meal that will deliver the same benefits but with less sticker shock, we don’t blame you—especially since the situation doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon: “Eggs are in short supply and hard to find, so the price is high across the board and will likely go higher,” Tom Tabler, PhD, a professor of animal science at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, previously told SELF. (For what it’s worth, there’s no evidence to suggest that people can contract bird flu from eating properly cooked poultry or eggs, but you may feel more comfortable opting out all the same.)

The good news is, there are plenty of other breakfast options that can fill that egg-size gap—yep, even in the protein department. Depending on its size, an egg contains between five to eight grams of the macro, so it’s no surprise folks turn to a couple of them to start their day. “Protein is a vital component to a healthy breakfast,” Jessica Jones, MS, RD, certified diabetes educator and founder of Diabetes Digital, previously told SELF. It plays a big role in keeping you full, and serves plenty of other functions too, from helping your muscles recover after a tough workout to repairing damaged skin. In fact, you should aim to take in at least 20 grams in your morning meal to stave off pre-lunch hanger, Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD, a Kansas City–based registered dietitian and founder of Street Smart Nutrition, advises.

To help you make the switch, we’ve put together a list of satisfying options that run the gamut of sweet to savory—all of which pack more protein than an egg. Some of our recs might be familiar, like a bowl of Greek yogurt or a slice of peanut butter toast, but others may surprise you—say, pancakes made with chickpea flour or bagels topped with smoked salmon. With so many high-protein breakfast foods to choose from, we’re confident you’ll find something that works for you (and your budget).

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1. Kefir
10 grams of protein per cup serving
This thick, creamy drink is filled with protein and probiotics, and it has a delicious tangy flavor. With a texture between milk and yogurt, kefir works well in smoothies and can also be used in a surprising number of baking recipes, from muffins to pancakes. For a simple and complete breakfast, you can also pair it with a scoop of peanut butter and some carb-rich fruit in a shake.
If regular kefir leaves your digestive system gassy and gurgly, you can always try coconut kefir instead—just be aware that the dairy-free version doesn’t pack nearly as much protein as the OG stuff (and sorry, not as much as an egg). So you probably won’t want to treat it as your primary breakfast protein source.
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2. Pumpkin seeds
10 grams of protein per 1/4 cup serving
Pumpkin seeds are often considered a good source of healthy fat—they contain 16 grams per serving—but their protein content is nothing to sleep on either. What’s more, the iron-rich seeds are wonderful raw or roasted. Sprinkle a handful on top of your oatmeal or over a smoothie bowl for some nutritious crunch. Used this way, they can also bring some oomph—“extra flavor, texture, and nutrition” to dishes like yogurt, porridge, granola, and salads, Vincci Tsui, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor based in Canada, previously told SELF. (Not to mention magnesium!)

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3. Oats
10 grams of protein per cup serving
You can take a few directions to make oats a full, satisfying, and high-protein breakfast: Top them off with some creamy peanut butter and ripe bananas for a sweet bite, or add some canned tuna and chili crisp for a savory finish.
That said, don’t be afraid to flex your creative muscles and venture beyond plain oatmeal, either! If you’re feeling particularly adventurous one morning, try combining oats and eggs for a subtly sweet omelet; blending them with milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and sugar for a pumpkin pancake; subbing them in for flour in baked goods like pastries; or tossing a handful into your breakfast smoothie mix. This will “thicken the smoothie and add fiber, making it more filling and satisfying,” Jasmine Hormati, MS, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor and the founder of the New York City–based practice Mendinground Nutrition, previously told SELF. And take it from us, the pumpkin pancakes are absolutely delicious.
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4. Greek yogurt
20 grams of protein per cup serving
The super thick breakfast go-to is at its creamiest in full- or reduced-fat varieties, but any kind will pack a solid amount of protein. Top it with fresh fruit, granola, nuts, seeds, honey, or agave.
To tweak the texture, you can also try TikTok’s fluffy yogurt hack—basically, taking the consistency from sludge to mousse with the help of baking powder. With the right toppings, fluffy yogurt basically tastes like a dessert. (Just be careful not to use too much baking powder, as we found out the hard way.)
For a more exotic (but still high-protein!) alternative to Greek yogurt, try some quark or skyr. Both have a comparable texture, Jessica Isaacs, RD, CSSD, a sports dietitian who specializes in performance nutrition for elite athletes, previously told SELF.

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5. Chicken sausage
13 grams of protein per 2.5 ounce serving
If you meal prep a big batch, you can eat it throughout the week in all sorts of different breakfasts. Here’s a quick and easy chicken sausage recipe if you need some inspo! Serve with creamy grits or savory oatmeal, or wrap them in an English muffin for a low-effort breakfast sandwich.
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6. Smoked salmon
25 grams of protein per cup serving
Instead of dipping your toasted bagel into egg yolks, try topping it with smoked salmon and scallion cream cheese. The combo packs some serious protein—plus a good amount of those all-important omega-3s.

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7. Peanut butter
7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoon serving
You can work this nutty spread into a ton of breakfast recipes, from muffins to shakes to scones. In addition to protein, it’s filled with fat—at 16 grams per serving—so if you blend it with fiber-rich fruit and creamy yogurt in a smoothie, you’ll have a solid macro balance that’ll keep you full until lunch. Or stir a spoonful into some oatmeal (see above!) along with fruit, nuts, or seeds to flesh out a bowl even further.
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8. Cottage cheese
24 grams of protein per cup serving
If you’re looking for a creative, no-cook way to boost your protein at breakfast, trade your omelets for a bowl of cottage cheese. Make it sweet with crunchy nuts and sweet berries, or lean more savory by adding cucumber and bell pepper slices, like Tsui does.
If you don’t want to eat a whole bowl of cottage cheese, that’s fine too—you can also get a pretty good protein hit using it as a topper. Try mashing cottage cheese, avocado chunks, and hard-boiled eggs together for an uber-protein-heavy toast spread. Still not sold? Check out these 32 other cottage cheese recipe ideas for more ways to use the dairy staple.

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9. Buckwheat
22 grams of protein per cup serving
Buckwheat happens to be one of the few plant-based foods that amounts to a complete protein, so it’s definitely one to keep in your back pocket. Plus, you can prep buckwheat like you would overnight oats. Simply soak the grains in your milk of choice (like almond or dairy) the night before for a hearty breakfast that’ll be ready for you when you wake up. For extra flavor and protein, you can top your porridge with crunchy walnuts and peanut butter.
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10. Hemp seeds
10 grams of protein per 3 tbsp. serving
Hemp seeds—another example of a plant-based complete protein—are full of so much great stuff. Along with a lot of protein and fiber, they’re practically bursting with minerals like bone-building phosphorus and immune-supporting zinc. And did we mention healthy fats? Just three tablespoons of these undersung seeds will deliver an impressive 15 grams. Toss them in your overnight oats or in some pancakes—they’ll absorb any flavor you add to them.

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11. Lentils
18 grams of protein per cooked cup serving
This mighty legume is rich in both protein and fiber—and versatile enough to work for breakfast recipes as well as lunch and dinner ones. Throw your a.m. lentils on top of avocado toast, stuff them into a breakfast burrito, form them into patties and substitute them for sausage in a plant-based breakfast sandwich, or blend them into smoothies for a thicker-textured drink. “Now, you’re not going to add a whole cup of lentils to a smoothie,” Desiree Nielsen, RD, a recipe developer with a focus on plant-based nutrition, previously clarified to SELF. That would “be a bit intense.” But a quarter cup will work wonders.
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12. Tofu
10 grams of protein per 1/2 cup serving
There is no shortage of novel meat substitutes these days, but plain ol’ tofu—yet another plant-based complete protein!—remains a truly excellent fount of the macro for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike. You can actually whip up a pretty great breakfast scramble using the soy product. To make it extra hearty, top it off with tempeh bacon (see below).

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13. Milk
8 grams of protein per cup serving
Dairy milk’s popularity has certainly been challenged by its plant-based rivals in the past few years—but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it is more or less liquid protein. Whether you like to drink skim, reduced-fat, whole, or chocolate, the beverage is also packed with calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and vitamin D. Pour some into overnight oats or an almond butter smoothie for a hearty morning meal. Want even more protein—and significantly less lactose? Try ultra-filtered milk, which is a concentrated version of the regular stuff.
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14. Chickpea flour
10 grams of protein per 1/2 cup serving
Ground chickpeas are a great source of protein and an excellent breakfast pantry staple to have on hand, especially because you can use it pretty much like traditional all-purpose flour. Mix it into a batter with Greek yogurt for fluffy pancakes or, if you’re in the mood for something more savory, bake it into biscuits to serve with a plant-based tofu scramble.
What’s more, you don’t have to stick with the powdered stuff alone if you don’t want to: Whole chickpeas can also be turned into protein-packed breakfast dishes. (Hint: Try using them in place of potatoes!)