10 High-Calorie Vegan Foods for Weight Gain

Gaining weight can be surprisingly hard. It often takes changes to both what you eat and your daily routine.

When animal foods are off the menu, getting enough calories can take a little more planning. Choosing your foods strategically helps.

The good news? Plenty of nutritious vegan foods can supply the extra calories you need to gain weight and support muscle growth.

Here are 10 high-calorie vegan foods that can help you get there.

 

1. Nuts and Peanut Butter

Nuts deliver protein, healthy fats, and plenty of calories. That's a pretty useful combination when you're trying to gain weight.

For example, a 185 g (6.5 oz) portion of walnuts provides more than 4 grams of protein.

A handful or two of almonds, cashews, walnuts, or pecans can add calories to your daily diet and help support your weight-gain goals.

Peanut butter is also calorie-dense, making it another good option. Look for peanut butter without hydrogenated fats or added sugar.

• I like adding peanut butter (or almond butter) to my smoothies, sandwiches, and homemade baked snacks.

 

2. Avocado

Avocado is easily one of the tastiest, most nutritious, creamiest fruits the universe has given us. Yes, it's a fruit.

Its nutrient profile gives it plenty to brag about, and it's a great choice for athletes looking to gain weight.

One avocado contains about 350 calories, 14 grams of fiber, and nearly 30 grams of fat.

It also provides a variety of nutrients, including vitamin C, folate, pantothenic acid, and potassium.

• Add half an avocado to breakfast for extra calories with nutritional staying power. – It's hard to beat avocado on toast.

3. Quinoa

Quinoa and dried apricot salad

Quinoa is the seed of a plant in the goosefoot family. Yes, goosefoot is a real name. It's rich in protein, fiber, and other nutrients .

It can also help you add calories:

A 185 g (1 cup) serving of cooked quinoa contains 220 calories, 8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber.

Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids—the amino acids your body can't make on its own and must get from food.

It's also a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and folate.

• Serve quinoa as a side dish or add it to salads, soups, and stews to give your meals a calorie boost.

4. Tahini

It may be fourth on this list, but tahini has permanent-resident status in just about every vegan, vegetarian, and Israeli kitchen.

Made from toasted, ground sesame seeds, tahini provides protein, fiber, healthy fats, and plenty of calories.

A 15 g (1 tablespoon) serving contains 89 calories, 2.5 grams of protein, 1.5 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of fat.

Adding a few tablespoons of tahini each day can substantially increase your calorie intake and help you gain weight.

• Tahini is a terrific addition to stews, salads, and dips. Okay, you probably didn't need me to tell you that.

5. Olive Oil

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which are known for their health benefits.

Unsaturated fats can help improve blood lipid levels, including raising HDL, the "good" cholesterol, and lowering triglycerides.

Olive oil also contains antioxidants and may help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

A 14 g (about 1 tablespoon) serving of olive oil provides 126 calories and 13.5 grams of fat—an easy way to add calories to a meal.

• Use it for sautéing, dressings, baking, and cooking. You know the drill.

 

6. Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a convenient way to add calories, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your diet.

The calorie count varies by fruit: an 87 g (about 3 oz) serving of prunes contains 210 calories, while an 83 g (about 3 oz) serving of raisins contains 247 calories.

By weight, dried fruit can provide fiber and antioxidants at concentrations up to 3 times those in fresh fruit.

Because dried fruit contains concentrated sugar, try pairing it with a source of protein to help moderate its effect on blood sugar.

* Tell me a bowl of soy yogurt topped with dried fruit doesn't sound good—with or without granola. Or just enjoy dried fruit on its own as a snack before or after a workout.

7. Legumes

Legumes such as lentils, beans, and chickpeas provide a useful combination of protein, fiber, and calories.

A 172 g (1 cup) serving of cooked black beans contains 227 calories and 15 grams of protein.

Legumes also generally provide plenty of important vitamins and minerals, including folate, magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium.

• Try adding beans to veggie patties, salads, soups, stews, and spreads.

8. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a popular starchy root vegetable with a naturally sweet flavor and an impressive nutrient profile.

They provide calories, fiber, essential minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.

A 200 g (1 cup) serving of cooked sweet potato contains 180 calories and 6.5 grams of fiber.

A serving can cover your daily vitamin A needs while also providing nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6.

• You can't go wrong with sweet potatoes roasted, mashed, or steamed and topped with a sauce.

 

9. Smoothies

Vegan smoothies are a quick, convenient way to pack a concentrated dose of calories into one serving.

Using protein powder or soy yogurt can give your smoothie an extra nutritional boost.

Nut butter, dried or fresh fruit, avocado, almond milk, coconut oil, and nuts are all options for adding calories to smoothies and supporting your weight-gain goals.

Drink your smoothie between meals or after a meal, rather than replacing one, to help increase your total daily calorie intake.

10. Rice

Rice is affordable, easy to find, and a convenient source of calories when you're trying to gain weight.

It also provides some protein and fiber, along with several important vitamins and minerals.

A 195 g (1 cup) serving of cooked brown rice provides 216 calories, 5 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fiber.

It's also a good source of magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, and niacin.

 

 

Want to see what a sample vegan meal plan looks like? Take a look here.