6 High-Protein, Low-Fat Vegan Spreads Anyone Can Make at Home
Sometimes I envy people who aren't vegan (just kidding, I really, really don't) for how easily they can open the fridge, spread something on a piece of bread, and get a decent dose of protein, calcium, iron, and minerals.
If we set aside vegan cheeses, some of which are very high-quality and some nutritionally inferior, we vegans are more or less left with tahini. Tahini is a nutritional powerhouse, with a lot of almost everything: lots of protein, lots of calcium, and... a lot of fat.
Therefore, I've put together a few recipes for vegan spreads that are very 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 good amount of protein. Some are even low in carbs and fat and rich in calcium and iron.
Save these for the next time you crave something delicious on your bread.
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Beet Hummus Spread
- 300 g (10.6 oz) cooked chickpeas (canned is fine)
- 2 beets, cooked and peeled (store-bought is fine, or you can use raw beets)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 4 tbsp whole tahini
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions:
Makes 10 tablespoons of spread.
In a food processor, blend all ingredients thoroughly until you get a smooth spread.
One tablespoon of hummus spread contains:
75 calories, 6.5g carbohydrates, 2.7g dietary fiber, 3.3g protein, 2.9g fat (of which 0.4g is saturated fat), 24.9mg calcium, 1.0mg iron.
White Bean and Turmeric Spread
What you'll need:
Makes 10 tablespoons of spread.
- 300 g (10.6 oz) cooked white beans (canned is fine)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of half a lemon
Instructions:
In a food processor, blend all ingredients thoroughly until you get a smooth spread.
One tablespoon of white bean spread contains:
50 calories, 5.5g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 3g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g is saturated fat), 27mg calcium, 1mg iron.
White Bean Spread with Pesto
What you'll need:
Makes 10 tablespoons of spread.
- 300 g (10.6 oz) cooked white beans
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of half a lemon
Instructions:
Blend thoroughly in a food processor until you get a smooth spread.
Each tablespoon contains:
51 calories, 5.7g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 3g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g is saturated fat), 37.6mg calcium, 1.3mg iron.
Tofu Spread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
What you'll need:
Makes 10 tablespoons.
- 300 g (10.6 oz) tofu (silken or regular tofu is fine)
- 1 cup oil-free sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of half a lemon
Instructions:
- Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in a little warm water to soften them.
- Drain the water and blend the tomatoes in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients.
Each tablespoon of tofu spread with sun-dried tomatoes contains:
28 calories, 0.6g carbohydrates, 0.2g dietary fiber, 2g protein, 2g fat (of which 0.3g is saturated fat), 34mg calcium, 0.3mg iron.
Red Bean Spread with Peppers and Chili
What you'll need:
Makes 10 tablespoons of spread.
- 300 g (10.6 oz) cooked red beans (canned is fine)
- 1 cup diced sweet peppers
- A quarter of a hot pepper (depending on how adventurous you are)
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
Using a food processor, blend all ingredients thoroughly until you get a smooth spread.
Each tablespoon contains:
48 calories, 5.5g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 2g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g is saturated fat), 12.4mg calcium, 0.5mg iron.
Fresh Pea and Spinach Spread
What you'll need:
Makes 10 tablespoons of spread.
- 200 g (7.1 oz) fresh peas (frozen is fine)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) spinach leaves (frozen is also fine)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
If the spinach and peas are frozen, thaw them first (you can use a microwave).
Using a food processor, blend all ingredients thoroughly until you get a smooth spread.
Each tablespoon contains:
22 kcal, 3g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 2g protein, 1g fat (of which 0.2g is saturated fat), 10mg calcium, 0.3mg iron.
Nutritional values for this post by dietitian and fitness instructor Noam Bachar.
More wonderful recipes with white beans - right here.
