As a vegan, one of the main concerns surrounding your diet is keeping an eye on your protein intake. The best way to ensure you’re getting enough is to incorporate protein powder into your recipes. But it’s not as easy as it might appear. How easy is it to cook with vegan protein powder?
Whether it’s protein pancakes that come out more like rubber discs, or high-protein muffins that are rock-hard, getting it wrong can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.
The fact is that cooking with vegan protein powder may seem straightforward, but only until you try it. Getting it right can be challenging. But when you do, you’ll enjoy fantastic results and give your diet a protein boost.
With the right techniques, vegan protein powder can transform ordinary recipes into nutritional powerhouses. And all without sacrificing taste or texture.
Why cook with vegan protein powder?
Why cook with vegan protein powder?The beauty of cooking with vegan protein powder lies in stealth nutrition. Instead of adding extra meals, you’re upgrading foods you already eat to increase the health benefits you enjoy. Your morning pancakes suddenly become protein-packed fuel for the day ahead. Your afternoon muffin is transformed into a healthy snack that keeps you satisfied for longer.
This approach works particularly well for busy people who struggle to hit protein targets. Rather than relying solely on shakes, you also get quality nutrition through foods you already know you enjoy.
Why cook with plant-based protein?
Cooking using vegan protein powder often yields even better results than cooking with whey protein. This is because plant proteins like pea and rice are less aggressive when heated, making them less likely to create that rubbery texture that often ruins failed protein baking attempts.
Quality vegan protein powder integrates smoothly into batters and maintains better texture after baking for tastier results.
Common pitfalls with vegan protein powder
The three most common complaints related to vegan protein powder recipes are grittiness, chalkiness and dryness. But these aren’t inevitable, and they’re easily avoided once you understand the causes.
Grittiness comes from using poor-quality protein or inadequate mixing, while chalkiness means you’re using too much protein in relation to other ingredients. And dryness happens when protein absorbs moisture without having enough liquid in your recipe to compensate.
Choosing the right vegan protein powder for cooking
Flavoured vs. unflavoured protein powder
Vegan protein powders come in a range of different flavours. So, it’s important to make sure you choose the right one when you’re cooking with them.
Flavoured proteins work brilliantly in sweet cooking and baking. For example, vanilla can be an excellent addition to pancakes, while chocolate is perfect in brownies. The flavour enhances your recipe instead of fighting it and gives you that protein boost without compromising on taste.
Unflavoured protein, on the other hand, is your secret weapon for savoury recipes. Stir it into pasta sauces or soups to get protein boosts in your meals without changing the taste. It’s also perfect when you want complete control over flavouring.
Choosing the right protein source
When you’re cooking with vegan protein, choosing the right plant source matters, as different plant proteins will behave differently in your recipes.
For example, pea protein has a slightly earthy taste that works well in chocolate recipes. However, it can be noticeable in vanilla recipes. Rice protein, on the other hand, is mild but can feel gritty if poorly processed.
Multi-source blends often provide the best balance, giving you complete amino acid profiles with good flavour and texture.
Our vegan protein powders are fantastic additions to your recipes. They boost flavours and give you a nutritional lift without impacting your cooking and baking. They’re also formulated with ultra-fine processing that eliminates grittiness when you cook with them.
Rules for cooking with protein powder
Cooking with protein powder can be a great way to boost your health and nutrition without avoiding the foods you love. But it’s important to know how to do it right so you don’t spoil your favourite dishes.
Protein powder is not a direct substitute for flour
They may look similar, but protein powder and flour don’t do the same job in your cooking. The cardinal sin of cooking with vegan protein powder is replacing flour with the same volume of protein powder, which can cause all sorts of issues.
Protein powder absorbs more liquid than flour, doesn’t provide the same structure and can make recipes dense and rubbery.
Replace no more than 25-30% of the flour in your recipe with protein powder. For example, if a recipe calls for 100g of flour, you should still use 70-75g of flour, replacing the rest with 25-30g of protein powder.
Pair protein with moisture-rich ingredients
Because protein powder can dry out recipes, it’s best to compensate with extra moisture from sources like mashed banana, apple sauce, coconut yoghurt or additional plant milk.
For every scoop of protein powder, increase your liquid ingredients by roughly two or three tablespoons to make sure your recipe stays moist.
Watch your baking times
It is possible to bake with vegan protein powder, but be aware that your baking times will be affected. Recipes often need slightly lower temperatures or shorter baking times to prevent over-browning.
Start checking baked goods 5-10 minutes earlier than the original recipe suggests to ensure they don’t burn.
Avoid overheating your protein
You can heat vegan protein powder, but it’s important not to heat it too much. High temperatures can create unpleasant textures. Avoid adding protein powder to boiling liquids or cooking above 180°C (350°F). Let temperatures cool slightly before incorporating protein powder.
Add binders for structure
Since protein powder doesn’t provide the same binding performance as flour, you need to use natural binders. Ground flaxseed mixed with water creates egg-like binding, while mashed banana adds moisture and structure.
For every 25g of flour replaced with protein powder, add one tablespoon of ground flaxseed or two tablespoons of mashed banana.
Choose high-quality vegan protein
Cooking with cheaper vegan protein powders often means large particle sizes, poor flavours, or additives that affect baking. Look for finely-milled powders with minimal additives for the best results.
Easy ways to start cooking with vegan protein powder
Stir into porridge or overnight oats
This is the foolproof starting point for protein powder cooking. Oats naturally absorb liquid and flavours, making them perfect for protein powder integration. Stir vegan protein powder into cooked porridge while it’s still warm, or mix it into overnight oats with extra plant milk.
Start with half a scoop to get used to the texture and flavour, then gradually increase. The key is adding extra liquid. If your oats seem too thick, add more plant milk until you reach your preferred consistency.
Mix into pancake or waffle batter
Vegan protein pancakes are a great way to get started with protein recipes. Replace 25% of the flour with protein powder, add an extra three to four tablespoons of plant milk, and include a binding agent like ground flaxseed or mashed banana.
The batter should be slightly thicker than regular pancake batter but still pourable. Cook on slightly lower heat than usual to prevent burning, and don’t flip until bubbles form and stay on the surface.
Add to sauces or stews
Sauces and stews are where unflavoured vegan protein powder really shines. Stir it into tomato-based pasta sauces, creamy soups or hearty stews during the last few minutes of cooking. It thickens the sauce slightly while boosting protein content invisibly.
Always remove from heat before adding protein powder, stir well, then return to a gentle heat if needed. High temperatures can cause protein to clump or develop an unpleasant texture.
Simple protein-packed vegan recipes
Basic vegan protein pancakes
- 75g plain flour
- 25g vanilla vegan protein powder
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 180ml plant milk
- 1 mashed banana
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Mix your dry ingredients and combine your wet ingredients separately, then fold them together. Cook on a medium-low heat until bubbles form. Makes four to six pancakes with approximately 8g of protein each.
Protein-boosted tomato sauce
- Your favourite marinara sauce (heated)
- 1-2 scoops of unflavoured vegan protein powder
- Extra herbs and seasonings to taste
Remove sauce from the heat, whisk in vegan protein powder gradually, and return to a gentle heat if needed. Perfect over pasta for protein-rich meals.
Why Protein Works vegan protein is made for recipes
Our vegan protein powder is ideal for cooking and baking, helping ensure you can get enough protein in your diet as a vegan. Here are just a few of the reasons why:
- Perfect for texture: Our manufacturing process creates exceptionally fine particles that blend seamlessly into recipes without grittiness or texture issues. This makes all the difference when you’re adding protein to delicate applications like pancakes or smoothie bowls.
- Tried and tested: Our customers regularly share successful recipes using our proteins in everything from pancakes to curries. You can find inspiration and tested recipes in our vegan recipe collection, featuring real customer creations.
- 100% plant-based: Clean ingredients matter when you’re incorporating protein into everyday foods. Our vegan multi-protein blends contain only plant-based ingredients without artificial flavours, colours or preservatives that might affect your recipes.
Get started on boosting your recipes with our range of vegan protein powders.
