7 Best Ready-to-Drink Vegan Protein Shakes for 2023

Protein is so important for good health, but unfortunately many vegans struggle to get enough. Protein is essential for maintaining and growing muscle mass, as well as other body tissues and chemicals like hormones and neurotransmitters. Also, the essential amino acids we get from protein provide their own unique benefits, too — like helping with brain function or exercise recovery (1).

Ready-to-drink protein shakes (and protein bars for that matter) make it much easier to get a quick protein boost when you’re on-the-go, or when you don’t have time to eat a full meal. If you’re trying to build muscle, protein shakes are also helpful after a workout (2).

Although we don’t recommend drinking them daily because they are highly processed, ready-to-drink protein shakes can definitely be an invaluable part of your diet on occasion.

In this article, we’ll share how to choose the best vegan protein shake, along with a few of our favorites. As always, be sure to speak with a healthcare provider prior to making any changes to your diet, supplement, or exercise routine.

Our Picks at a Glance

• Best overall: Orgain Plant Protein Shake
• Best organic: Purely Inspired Organic Protein Plant Based Nutritional Shake
• Best high protein: OWYN Pro Elite Vegan High Protein Shake
• Best pea protein: Ripple Vegan Protein Shake
• Best vegan meal replacement: Soylent Meal Replacement Shake
• Best with fiber: Evolve Plant Based Protein Shake
• Best flavors: ALOHA Organic Protein Drink

What to Look for in a Vegan Protein Shake

Here are a few things to be mindful of when you’re choosing a vegan protein shake:

• Protein content: The most important consideration for any protein shake, of course, is its protein content. Some drinks may be marketed as “nutrition drinks” or smoothies, but they don’t necessarily contain a significant amount of protein. Look for shakes that contain at least 20 grams per serving.
• Added sugar content: While nearly all ready-to-drink protein shakes contain some added sugar to make them taste better, you want to avoid options that contain large amounts of added sugar. Added sugars have been linked to weight gain, dental problems, diabetes, and many other health problems. Ideally, look for products that contain 5 grams of added sugar or less per serving (3).
• Flavor selection: Flavor matters, and you want a protein shake that comes in a variety of flavors — or at least one flavor you really like (or that’s easy to modify, like vanilla).
• Ingredients: Ready-to-drink protein shakes are highly processed, but some feature healthier ingredients than others. Due to their nature, most ready-to-drink protein shakes don’t contain simple ingredients like some other foods may. But for the most part, it’s still best to avoid shakes that contain additives like artificial sweeteners and artificial flavors.
• Certifications: You may be interested in certain certifications, like Certified Gluten Free, USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, or Certified Vegan. If you participate in competitive sports, you may also want to look for a shake that is Informed Sport certified or NSF Certified for Sport. These certifications ensure that the shakes are free of banned substances.

Here are our top picks for ready-to-drink vegan protein shakes.

Other Vegan Protein Sources

Protein drinks are great when you need a meal in a hurry, or after you’ve just finished a weight-lifting session, but we don’t recommend that they become a key part of your diet. This is because they are highly processed, and we always advocate for real, whole food over processed alternatives.

Here are some other good sources of protein for people on plant-based diets.

Soy Protein

Soy proteins, like tofu and tempeh, are excellent choices. They are both really versatile and fairly inexpensive.

Tempeh, which is made from fermented, pressed soybeans, is much higher in protein than tofu. However, tofu is more readily available at most grocery stores, and also has a milder taste (10).

Soy foods are rich sources of healthy fat, fiber, and nutrients, too. They make a balanced addition to nearly any vegan meal.

Legumes

As a vegan, plenty of protein in your diet is likely to come from foods in the legume family: beans, lentils, chickpeas, and soy. Peanuts are technically legumes as well, but we tend to use them more like tree nuts and seeds.

Fortunately, legumes are extremely versatile. You can add a generous scoop of cooked legumes to each meal for extra protein, form them into burger patties or meatballs, or puree them into sauces, dips, or spreads.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are also great sources of protein. While they’re a little too expensive and calorie dense to use as a key protein source, a sprinkling of seeds or a scoop of nut butter can add a little extra protein to each meal and snack — and that can add up.

Additionally, nuts and seeds contain healthy fat, fiber, and nutrients — making them a great addition to your pantry for quick snacks or meal accompaniments.

Some Grains

Some grains are relatively high in protein too, like quinoa and kamut. While they’re not as protein-rich as other sources like soy or lentils, including these grains in your meals can provide a little extra protein boost (11, 12).

Meat, Cheese, and Egg Substitutes

There are many different meat, cheese, and egg substitutes available now, too. While we enjoy eating these foods, and they can be good sources of protein, they are more highly processed than some of the other foods we’ve mentioned.

For that reason, it’s better to enjoy these foods occasionally, rather than make them a mainstay in your diet. Researchers have found that highly processed foods are linked to weight gain and a number of chronic diseases (13).

Protein Shake FAQ