Food

7 Vegan Protein Powders I Actually Love

Delicious plant-based protein is where it’s at.
7 Vegan Protein Powders I Actually Love
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I’ve tried a lot of vegan protein powders that can only be described as yucky. Plant-based protein sources (like pea, soy, and brown rice) just don’t perform as well as their whey counterparts for whatever reason—tending toward a gritty texture and, uh, earthy taste. Fortunately for us vegan (or vegan-ish) exercisers of the world, the market for plant-based protein powders today is huge. So, along with the duds, there are lots of delicious options that come in innovative formulas and pretty much any flavor you can think of.

While very few people actually need protein powder to meet their protein requirements, I’m definitely one of the people who benefit from it nonetheless. I do Pilates, strength training, yoga, or HIIT four or five times a week, and I can’t always stomach a ton of solid food right after working up a sweat—so I rely on protein shakes and smoothies for easy and sippable nutrition. I also value the peace of mind I get from knowing my muscles aren’t crying out for protein!

One quick note here: As SELF previously reported, protein powder is technically a dietary supplement, which means it doesn’t get FDA approval before hitting the market. While the FDA can ban supplements shown to be contaminated or inaccurately labeled, it’s up to manufacturers to test their products for safety and quality. (Most brands have info on their sites about the kind of in-house or third-party lab testing they do, and you can check out reports from independent verifying companies like Informed Choice and the NSF International.)

Now, it goes without saying that taste is super subjective—but I can tell you that after trying 30-plus flavors from more than a dozen brands (some provided by the brands at no cost, some I purchased myself), these are my absolute faves. I’ve tested them on their own, mixed up with just plant-based milk or water in a Blender Bottle ($8, Amazon), as well as in a variety of blender smoothies.

All of these have 20 grams of plant protein or more, a great flavor, and a nice texture. Also, I personally prefer protein powders that aren’t overloaded with sugar—I like to add that myself with frozen fruit!—added fiber, or artificial sweeteners (which my system is not cool with in large amounts). Here are seven darn delicious vegan protein powders.

All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • KOS Organic PlantBased Protein Powder Chocolate Peanut Butter
    Amazon
    1

    KOS Organic Plant Based Protein Powder, Chocolate Peanut Butter

    Chocolate was my favorite KOS flavor, until I tried the chocolate PB. Made with a blend of five different sources of plant protein (pea protein, flax seed, quinoa, pumpkin seed protein, and chia seed), this is the protein powder I reach for when I simply cannot be bothered to get the blender out. With cocoa powder and peanut flour high on the ingredients list, this tastes impressively like a peanut-butter-cup shake—not too sweet, and with a salty PB edge. I also love that I don’t have to use up nut milk to make it—it’s plenty rich mixed with just water, thanks to the powdered coconut milk.

    $30 at Amazon
  • Amazon
    2

    Vega Protein & Energy, Cold Brew Coffee

    Vega has a huge line of different powders, a lot of them good. But this is my go-to after morning workouts, when I’m not quite ready for real food yet but in need of protein—and caffeine. Made with espresso powder, cold-brew coffee powder, and coffee fruit extract, it provides a nice energy jolt with 100 mg of caffeine (about the same amount as a small cup of coffee), along with authentic java flavor. In addition to the instant perk-me-up, it’s got a bit of fat (5 grams) to provide a more stable stream of energy. I’ll usually shake it up with some oat milk and ice for a cold and creamy drink.

    $32 at Amazon
  • Thrive Market
    3

    Aloha Organic Protein Powder, Banana

    I know, I know—a banana-flavored protein powder sounds kind of dicey. But the flavor is actually lovely—not exactly like the actual fruit, but pleasant, and not too intense. (In fact, it’s kind of bland on its own.) Lightly sweetened with a little coconut sugar and monk fruit, this stuff is the basis of one of my all-time favorite protein smoothies. I double up on the flavor by blending it with a frozen banana, some kind of plant-based milk, and a couple of tablespoons of creamy almond butter. Pea, pumpkin seed, brown rice, and hemp seed protein never tasted so good!

    Editor’s note: Thrive Market purchases require a membership, which starts at $5 per month, but pays for itself if you use it at least once a month.

    $27 at Thrive Market
  • Amazon
    4

    Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein, Vanilla

    A lot of vegan vanilla powders taste kind of artificial. This one has a classic vanilla flavor that is natural tasting and mellow, which makes it really versatile for making smoothies. Made with pea and brown rice protein—plus sprouted grains like amaranth buckwheat, and millet—it nicely complements (rather than overpowers) a good variety of smoothie ingredients. I’ve had success with frozen bananas and berries, spinach, nut and seed butters, avocado, cinnamon, and oats (not all in the same smoothie!).

    $34 at Amazon
  • Amazon
    5

    Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder, Peanut Butter

    Vegan protein powders can get pricey, but Orgain gives you more protein bang for the buck than most. (I’ve found the best deal to be the giant tubs at Costco—$34.99 for 2.74 pounds, or $0.80 per ounce, versus $0.91 per ounce on Thrive Market and $0.83 per ounce on Amazon.) TBH, I like all the Orgain flavors, but this one—packed with PB flavor from defatted peanut flour—is really fun to experiment with flavorwise. My favorite concoction is PB&J-inspired: Half a frozen banana, a heaping cup of frozen raspberries or strawberries, and a hefty spoonful of real peanut butter. (Heads up: This contains inulin and erythritol, both ingredients that can potentially cause G.I. distress in some people. Although in these amounts it’s not a problem for my tummy—nor most reviewers, it seems—it’s something to keep in mind if you know you’re sensitive to those ingredients.)

    $27 at Amazon
  • TB12 Sports
    6

    TB12 Plant-Based Protein, Chocolate

    While I don’t look to Tom Brady for diet advice—the list of foods the dude doesn’t eat is pretty long—I have to give it to the guy: He knows his plant-based protein powder. It comes in just two flavors (vanilla and chocolate), both of which are pretty good. The chocolate, though, may be the best one I’ve tried. Unlike some others, this one is definitely chocolatey enough. The flavor is pretty “pure”—no weird undertones or aftertastes—probably thanks to the predictably short ingredients list: Pea protein, cocoa powder, salt, guar gum, stevia, natural flavors, and monk-fruit extract. (Stevia haters, fear not: The cocoa totally covers up the taste.) Plus, the consistency is superfine and never clumpy, so it mixes up really well with just milk. The only drawback: At $1.36 per ounce, this stuff is not cheap.

    $48 at TB12 Sports
  • Amazon
    7

    PlantFusion Complete Protein, Cookies and Cream

    PlantFusion is the first vegan protein powder I ever tried and loved, so I will be forever loyal to this brand. I enjoy the vanilla, but this cookies-and-cream flavor is where it’s at. It doesn’t actually taste like an Oreo or cookies-and-cream shake, if I’m being honest, but it tastes yummy nonetheless—I get more sweet milk chocolate vibes. I enjoy this with just oat milk, but I’ll sometimes add a dash of vanilla and frozen banana or nondairy yogurt. It’s also got some random nutritious-sounding ingredients, like artichoke power and whole algae protein, which is kind of cool, I guess?

    $40 at Amazon
Carolyn covers all things health and nutrition at SELF. Her definition of wellness includes lots of yoga, coffee, cats, meditation, self help books, and kitchen experiments with mixed results.?

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Topicsproteinprotein powderFoodNutritionVegan