Beans with most protein — that’s the exact question most people search right before they start meal prepping for the week. The good news is you don’t have to guess: this guide ranks the beans with most protein by exact gram count, so you can build meals around real numbers instead of vague health claims. Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just trying to cut back on meat a few nights a week, knowing which beans with most protein to reach for makes hitting your daily target far easier.
If you want a personalized number to aim for before you dig into the list, run your stats through our protein intake calculator first — it takes less than a minute and gives you a daily gram target based on your weight, activity level, and goal.
Quick Answer:
Soybeans (edamame) rank first with about 31 grams of protein per cooked cup, followed by lentils (~18g), white beans (~16.9g), and cranberry beans (~16.5g). Most beans provide 13-18 grams per cup — plenty to build a meal around.
What Are the Beans with Most Protein?
When people ask about the beans with most protein, the short answer is soybeans — specifically the fresh, green form known as edamame. Beans and legumes are technically part of the “protein foods” group according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, right alongside meat, poultry, and fish. The figures used throughout this guide are drawn from USDA FoodData Central and cross-checked against peer-reviewed nutritional analyses of common bean varieties, including recent research characterizing protein content across bean cultivars.
Most beans provide between 13 and 18 grams of protein per cup cooked, which covers roughly 25–36% of a typical adult’s daily value. Soybeans stand apart from the rest of the beans with most protein because they’re also a complete protein — meaning they supply all nine essential amino acids your body can’t produce on its own. Most other beans are considered incomplete proteins, but pairing them with a grain like rice or a small amount of quinoa closes that gap completely (more on that later in this guide).
Full Ranking: Beans With Most Protein by Gram Count
Here is the complete ranking of beans with most protein, listed from highest to lowest based on grams of protein per one cup cooked:
| Rank | Bean | Protein per Cup Cooked | Complete Protein? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soybeans / Edamame | ~31g | Yes |
| 2 | Lentils | ~18g | No |
| 3 | White (Cannellini) Beans | ~16.9g | No |
| 4 | Cranberry (Borlotti) Beans | ~16.5g | No |
| 5 | Split Peas | ~16.3g | No |
| 6 | Black Beans | ~15.2g | No |
| 7 | Kidney Beans | ~15g | No |
| 8 | Navy Beans | ~15g | No |
| 9 | Pinto Beans | ~14.7g | No |
| 10 | Chickpeas (Garbanzo) | ~14.5g | No |
| 11 | Lima Beans | ~14g | No |
1. Soybeans / Edamame — The Undisputed Winner
Soybeans top every list of beans with most protein for good reason: roughly 31 grams per cooked cup, nearly double most other beans, and a full amino acid profile that rivals animal protein. Edamame — the young, green soybean — is the easiest way to eat them, whether steamed and salted as a snack or tossed into a stir-fry.
2. Lentils — The Everyday Workhorse
Lentils aren’t technically a “bean,” but they belong on any list of beans with most protein because they’re part of the same legume family and used the same way in cooking. At around 18 grams per cup, they’re also loaded with iron and folate, and their soft texture makes them a natural stand-in for ground meat in tacos or burgers.
3. White (Cannellini) Beans — Creamy and Versatile
Cannellini beans bring almost 17 grams of protein per cup along with a mild, creamy texture that works in soups, salads, and even blended into dips. They’re a quiet standout among beans with most protein because they pack in potassium too — more per serving than a medium banana.
4. Cranberry (Borlotti) Beans — The Underrated Pick
With their reddish-brown speckled shells, cranberry beans (also called borlotti beans) provide about 16.5 grams of protein per cup. They’re a staple in Italian and Portuguese cooking, and their nutty flavor makes them one of the more interesting beans with most protein to experiment with in stews.
5. Split Peas — The Soup Staple
Split peas deliver roughly 16.3 grams of protein per cup, making them one of the more accessible beans with most protein for anyone who already loves a bowl of split pea soup. They also work well pureed into a hummus-style dip or roasted as a crunchy snack.
6. Black Beans — The Everyday Favorite
Black beans provide around 15.2 grams of protein per cup along with a hefty dose of fiber, edging out similar bean varieties by a small margin. Their versatility in tacos, bowls, and salads is part of why they’re one of the most commonly eaten beans with most protein in the U.S.
7. Kidney Beans — The Chili Classic
Kidney beans provide about 15 grams of protein per cup and are one of the most recognizable beans with most protein thanks to their starring role in chili and three-bean salad. They’re also a solid source of folate and copper.
8. Navy Beans — The Fiber Champion
Navy beans match kidney beans at roughly 15 grams of protein per cup, but they stand out among beans with most protein for having the highest fiber content on this list — nearly 10 grams per serving. They’re the classic choice for baked beans and a great addition to minestrone.
9. Pinto Beans — The Mexican Staple
Pinto beans provide about 14.7 grams of protein per cup and are rich in kaempferol, a flavonoid linked to several health benefits. Whether mashed into refried beans or served whole, pinto beans remain one of the most popular beans with most protein worldwide.
10. Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) — The Hummus Hero
Chickpeas offer around 14.5 grams of protein per cup and are best known as the base of hummus and falafel. They round out this list of beans with most protein with a good supply of folate, magnesium, and zinc.
11. Lima Beans — The Buttery Finisher
Lima beans close out the ranking at around 14 grams of protein per cup, with a soft, buttery texture that works well in succotash or simple side dishes. They may sit at the bottom of this list of beans with most protein, but they still beat most vegetables gram for gram.
Why Protein From Beans With Most Protein Matters
It’s easy to assume that only meat, eggs, and powders count toward your protein goal, but the beans with most protein can carry real weight in a daily meal plan. Protein supports muscle repair, keeps you full for longer between meals, and has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fat, meaning your body burns slightly more energy digesting it. Because beans with most protein also bring fiber, iron, folate, and potassium along for the ride, they tend to support steadier blood sugar and better digestion than a protein source eaten alone. That combination is a big part of why nutrition guidelines increasingly point people toward the beans with most protein as a regular fixture on the plate, not just an occasional side dish.
Beans With Most Protein vs. Other Protein Sources
How do the beans with most protein stack up against other options? A 3-ounce serving of chicken breast delivers about 26 grams of protein, and a scoop of whey protein powder delivers 22–27 grams — both higher per serving than any single bean. Tofu and tempeh, which are made from soybeans, land closer to the top of the list too, with firm tofu offering roughly 10 grams per half-cup and tempeh closer to 16 grams, putting them in the same range as the beans with most protein covered above. But beans with most protein have zero cholesterol, virtually no saturated fat, and far more fiber than meat or powder, which makes them a strong complement to (not necessarily a full replacement for) other protein sources. If you’re building a plant-forward diet, our plant protein foods guide and guide to protein-rich vegetables can help you round out the rest of your day.
For a broader view of where beans with most protein rank among all high-protein foods, check our complete list of high protein foods, or see our high-protein vegetable rankings if you’re comparing plant options side by side.
Buying and Storing Beans With Most Protein
You’ll get the same beans with most protein whether you buy them dried or canned — the main trade-off is time versus sodium. Dried beans need soaking and a longer cook time but let you control salt entirely, while canned beans with most protein are ready in minutes once rinsed, which removes a good portion of the added sodium. Store dried beans in a sealed container in a cool, dark pantry for up to a year, and keep cooked or canned beans in the fridge for three to four days, or freeze portions for up to six months. Buying the beans with most protein in bulk dried form is typically the cheapest way to keep a steady supply on hand for weekly meal prep.
Making Beans a Complete Protein
Aside from soybeans, most beans with most protein are considered “incomplete” because they’re low in one or two essential amino acids — usually methionine. The fix is simple: pair beans with a grain. Rice and beans, whole-wheat pita and hummus, or cornbread and chili are all classic combinations that turn incomplete beans into a full amino acid profile. You don’t even need to eat the pairing in the same meal — as long as you’re eating a variety of protein sources across the day, your body can combine them. For a deeper breakdown of exactly how this works, see our guide on how complete proteins work.
How to Add Beans With Most Protein to Your Diet
Getting more beans with most protein into your week doesn’t require a complicated meal plan. A few practical starting points:
- Swap half the ground meat in tacos or chili for black beans or lentils.
- Add a half-cup of chickpeas or white beans to a salad for an easy 7-8 gram protein boost.
- Keep canned beans on hand — they’re nearly as nutritious as dried and cooked, and take seconds to prep.
- Blend cannellini beans into soups for a creamy texture without adding cream.
- Batch-cook a pot of split peas or lentils on Sunday to use across multiple meals during the week.
- Mash cooked pinto or black beans with a little cumin and lime for a five-minute dip that beats most store-bought options on protein and fiber.
- Add a spoonful of chickpeas or lentils to your morning eggs or breakfast bowl for an easy protein bump before noon.
If you’re watching carbs alongside protein, our high-protein, low-carb food options guide shows which legumes fit best into that kind of plan. And if you’re planning a full week of meals, our high protein grocery list includes several of the beans with most protein covered in this guide.
Find Your Personal Protein Target
Ranking the beans with most protein only gets you halfway there — the real question is how many grams you personally need each day. 👉 Looking for a different tool? Try our complete protein calculators collection to get a target based on your body weight, activity level, and goal — then use the ranking above to build a grocery list around it. Still have questions? Our protein FAQ hub covers dozens of common questions about hitting your daily target.
The Bottom Line
Soybeans and edamame sit clearly at the top of any list of beans with most protein, with lentils, white beans, and cranberry beans close behind. None of them need to work alone — pairing beans with grains, tracking your personal protein target, and rotating a few different varieties through your week is the simplest way to turn this list of beans with most protein into real results on your plate. Start with whichever variety is already in your pantry, add one new one from this list each week, and within a month you’ll have a rotation that keeps meals interesting while quietly doing the nutritional heavy lifting.
