6 High-Protein, Low-Fat Vegan Spreads Anyone Can Make at Home
Sometimes I envy non-vegans (just kidding, I really, really don't) for the ease with which they can open the fridge, spread something on bread, and voila—they've got a decent serving of protein, calcium, iron, and minerals.
Setting aside vegan cheeses—some of which are high quality and others nutritionally inferior—we vegans are mostly left with tahini. Tahini is a nutritional powerhouse, containing plenty of everything: lots of protein, lots of calcium, and... lots of fat.
That's why I've put together several recipes for vegan spreads that are incredibly easy to make at home. They keep for up to a week in the fridge (you can even freeze them), and they all contain a healthy dose of protein. Some are even low in carbs and fat, while being rich in calcium and iron.
Save these for the next time you want something delicious on your bread.
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Beetroot Hummus Spread
- 300g cooked chickpeas (canned is fine)
- 2 beets cooked and peeled (pre-cooked or raw both work)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp whole raw tahini
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions:
Yields approx. 10 tablespoons
In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.
One tablespoon of hummus spread contains:
75 kcal, 6.5g carbs, 2.7g fiber, 3.3g protein, 2.9g fat (of which 0.4g saturated fat), 24.9 mg calcium, 1.0 mg iron
White Bean and Turmeric Spread
What you need:
Yields approx. 10 tablespoons
- 300g cooked white beans (canned or jarred is fine)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice from half a lemon
Instructions:
In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.
One tablespoon of white bean spread contains:
50 kcal, 5.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g saturated fat), 27 mg calcium, 1 mg iron
White Bean Pesto Spread
What you need:
Yields approx. 10 tablespoons
- 300g cooked white beans
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice from half a lemon
Instructions:
Blend well in a food processor until smooth.
Each tablespoon contains:
51 kcal, 5.7g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g saturated fat), 37.6 mg calcium, 1.3 mg iron
Tofu and Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
What you need:
Yields approx. 10 tablespoons
- 300g tofu (silken or firm both work)
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice from half a lemon
Instructions:
- Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in a little warm water to soften them.
- Drain the water and blend in a food processor with the remaining ingredients.
Each tablespoon of tofu sun-dried tomato spread contains:
28 kcal, 0.6g carbs, 0.2g fiber, 2g protein, 2g fat (of which 0.3g saturated fat), 34 mg calcium, 0.3 mg iron
Red Bean, Pepper, and Chili Spread
What you need:
Yields approx. 10 tablespoons
- 300g cooked red kidney beans (canned/jarred is fine)
- 1 cup diced sweet peppers
- 1/4 hot chili pepper (depending on how adventurous you are)
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice from half a lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
Using a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.
Each tablespoon contains:
48 kcal, 5.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 2g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g saturated fat), 12.4 mg calcium, 0.5 mg iron
Fresh Pea and Spinach Spread
What you need:
Yields approx. 10 tablespoons
- 200g fresh peas (frozen is fine)
- 100g spinach leaves (frozen is fine)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
If using frozen spinach and peas, defrost them first (the microwave works fine).
Using a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.
Each tablespoon contains:
22 kcal, 3g carbs, 2g fiber, 2g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g saturated fat), 10 mg calcium, 0.3 mg iron
Nutritional values provided by nutritionist and fitness instructor Noam Bachar
More wonderful white bean recipes—right here
