25 High-Protein Breakfast Ideas To Start Your Day

High-protein breakfast ideas include egg muffins, huevos rancheros, or a mushroom and cheese quiche. You can also meal prep easy vegetarian or vegan high-protein options: a Greek yogurt parfait, smoothie, smoked salmon bagel, or tofu scramble.

Consuming enough protein is essential to a balanced diet. This macronutrient plays an important role in every part of the body. Protein serves as the building block for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, blood, enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.

Smoothies are versatile, so it is easy to turn one into a high-protein breakfast with nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Add walnuts, nut butter, chia, or flax for extra fiber and heart-healthy fats. For a protein boost, use cow’s milk, soy milk, or pea milk as the liquid. You can also add protein powder, including vegan options.

Add whisked eggs and mix-ins to a muffin pan to make egg muffins. Each large egg has 6 grams of protein. You can add cheese or lean meat for protein and onions, peppers, and spinach for fiber. Fiber aids digestive health, reduces cholesterol, and manages blood sugar.

Top a breakfast pizza with eggs, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella or goat cheese, basil, and spinach. You can add chopped tofu for protein.

The vegetables provide fiber, minerals, and vitamins. The crust will give you carbohydrates, a key energy source for your body. Go with a whole-wheat pizza crust for fiber.

One ounce of chia seeds contains 4.7 grams of protein and is a source of healthy fats, antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and vitamins.

Mix one part chia seeds with four parts milk. You can add cinnamon or honey and top it with fruit for fiber. One ounce of walnuts adds 4.3 grams of protein, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter adds 7.1 grams.

Cheddar cheese has 4 grams of protein per slice, and Swiss cheese has 6 grams per slice. Add two slices of cheese to whole-grain bread. Opt for sliced tomatoes and spinach to add more fiber.

Use low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt, which has 10 grams of protein per 100 grams. Greek yogurt is also a source of calcium, which promotes bone health.

Top the parfait with granola for carbohydrates, fruit for fiber, and sliced almonds for protein. You can also sprinkle chia seeds for omega-3s.

Add equal parts old-fashioned rolled oats and milk or Greek yogurt. Top with mixed nuts for protein, healthy fats, and fiber.

Warm a whole grain tortilla, and top it with beans, scrambled egg whites, or a hard-boiled egg (use tofu if you are vegan). Sprinkle scallions, salsa, and avocado, and serve with roasted potatoes and onions.

Beans contain phytochemicals that improve cholesterol levels, glycemic status, and inflammation. The resistant starch in beans produces short-chain fatty acids that support gut health.

Top avocado toast with crumbled feta cheese for 19.7 grams of protein per 100 grams. Feta is commonly included in the Mediterranean diet, which may help heart health, improve blood sugar, and increase longevity.

Top whole-wheat bread with peanut butter for about 7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons. The bread provides about 4 grams of protein per slice.

A 1-cup serving of low-fat cottage cheese provides 24 grams of protein and is a source of calcium. Cottage cheese primarily contains saturated fat. Keep saturated fat to no more than 10% of your daily calories. 

Cottage cheese is low in carbohydrates and does not have any fiber. Top it with berries for fiber and antioxidants.

Top a bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers or dill for flavor. Salmon contains omega-3s, which improve heart health and reduce inflammation. It is also a source of iron and vitamins A and D.

Quinoa has 8 grams of protein per cooked cup. Top it with eggs, tofu, or beans for more protein. Add avocado for fiber and healthy fats, or cherry tomatoes for vitamin C.

A mushroom and cheese quiche can serve several people or last you a few days. Mushrooms have fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Cheese adds more protein and calcium, and the crust gives you carbohydrates for energy. 

Prepare scrambled eggs with black beans, onions, and peppers. Add them to flour or corn tortillas and top with salsa, avocado, and sour cream. You can swap the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt for more protein and less saturated fat.

A tofu scramble is an alternative to scrambled eggs. Tofu is made from soy, which is a complete plant-based protein. It may lower heart disease risk, cholesterol, menopause symptoms, and osteoporosis risk.

Take frozen, pre-cut, or fresh veggies and saute them to add to your scramble for a nutrient-dense meal.

Top whole-grain toast with hummus, tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, chopped kalamata olives, feta cheese, and Za’atar spices. You will protein from the bread, hummus, and feta cheese. 

Frozen protein waffles or a boxed mix make for a high-protein breakfast. You can make them from scratch if you have the time. 

Top with fruit, ground flax, chia, or hemp for fiber and syrup for sweetness. Use a teaspoon of syrup to keep your added sugar intake to a minimum. You can also top them with cinnamon and heat up frozen fruit. The juices from the frozen fruit will naturally sweeten your waffles.

You can purchase protein pancakes or add protein powder to pancake batter to make them from scratch. Top with fruit for fiber or chocolate chips for sweetness.

Top a granola bar with nut butter for a source of plant-based protein. Pair it with a piece of fruit on the side for a balanced meal.

Add black beans, eggs, or cheese to a breakfast burrito for plant-based protein. Opt for sweet potatoes for fiber and antioxidants or avocado for healthy fats, and serve with salsa.

Add kefir to the smoothie for 9 grams of protein per cup. Kefir also contains probiotics, or helpful gut bacteria. Add nuts and seeds as toppings for more protein.

Mix oats, peanut butter, chia seeds, flax seeds, chocolate chips, honey or banana, and protein powder. Combine them until you form balls, then stick them on a baking sheet and store them in the fridge.

Scramble eggs with spinach and black beans. The eggs provide 6 grams of protein each, and the black beans offer 7 grams per half cup.

Warm a tortilla in a pan, sprinkle with cheese, add the egg mixture, and press the tortilla into a quesadilla. Let it cook until it is golden brown.

Use oats, eggs, baking powder, and milk to make an oatmeal bake. You can add protein powder and pumpkin puree or blueberries, then top it with nut butter for more protein and flavor.

Breakfast is your first source of energy for the day. Getting carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber helps your body get the nutrients it needs to promote health and energy levels.

Carbohydrates and fiber are commonly included in low-prep breakfasts. Adding protein helps satisfy your appetite and supply lasting energy. A high-protein breakfast can reduce blood sugar spikes and crashes, which affect energy levels.

Keep in mind that eating too much protein can contribute to fat gain. Limit your protein intake to about 20-30 grams per meal.

Incorporating high-protein foods into your breakfast helps promote satiety, manage blood sugar, and sustain energy. You can use protein-rich ingredients like eggs, nuts, nut butter, beans, and cheese to make various meals, such as smoothie bowls, black bean burritos, and tofu scrambles.