Vegan Basics

Iron-Rich Vegan Foods and Recipes

If you’re on a vegan diet, perhaps you’re wondering whether or not your body gets enough iron. Women from 19 to 50 years old need 18 mg of iron per day and 8 mg per day from 51 years upwards. For pregnant women, the need for iron increases to 27 mg per day. Men need 8 mg of iron per day. Children ages 9-13 years need 8 mg of iron per day, teen girls need 15 mg of iron per day, and teen boys 11 mg of iron per day. There are two major forms of iron found in food: heme iron, which is only found in animal products, and non-heme iron, which is found in both plant foods and animal products. Heme iron is well absorbed (13–35%), whereas absorption of non-heme iron is much lower (2–20%). The reason non-heme iron is less bioavailable compared to heme iron is because of naturally occurring absorption inhibitors, which mainly include phytates and polyphenols. Additionally, meat protein, which enhances the absorption of non-heme iron, is absent from vegan diets. Because of that, it’s suggested that vegans should consume 1.8 times more iron per day, which comes to 32 mg for women from 19 to 50 years old and 14 mg for men of the same age, 27 mg for teen girls, and 20 mg for teen boys.

In this article, I will look at plant-based foods from the angle of iron content. The iron-rich vegan food and recipe lists that you can find below are put together with those who need the most iron in their diet in mind – women from age 19 to 50 and teen girls. This means that the lists include foods and recipes that would enable these two groups to achieve their iron goals.

First, let’s look at individual foods that are high in iron:

When looking at the table below, keep in mind that the iron content of foods should always be considered in relation to the realistic amount of the specific food you can eat in a day and how many calories it contains. This is why the portion sizes in the table vary for each food and why there’s calorie information alongside them.

You may not find some foods in the table to be very high in iron, but when you consider their low calorie content, the amount of iron they provide becomes significant. This table is far from a complete list, and many other foods also contain plenty of iron.

It should also be noted that daily portion sizes of specific food are relative to every individual, and it’s possible that the portions below don’t reflect your individual eating habits. I tried to make the portions similar to the quantities I’m used to eating or could see myself eating.

Food	Portion	Iron Content (mg)	Calories	Iron Content (mg) per 100 kcal
Chickpea pasta	100g uncooked	9.5 (this amount can differ depending on the brand)	333	2.9
Teff	100g raw	7.6	367	2.1
Amaranth	100g raw	7.6	371	2.1
Red kidney beans	240g cooked	7	305	2.3
Chickpeas	240g cooked	6.9	394	1.8
Lentils	100g raw	6.5	352	1.9
Lentil pasta	100g uncooked	5.9 (this amount can differ depending on the brand)	331	1.8
Edamame	240g cooked	5.3	336	1.6
Black beans	240g cooked	5	317	1.6
Pinto beans	240g cooked	5	343	1.5
Adzuki beans	240g cooked	4.8	307	1.6
Quinoa	100g raw	4.6	368	1.3
Oats	100g	4.2	379	1.1
Blackstrap molasses	1 tbsp (24g)	4.1 (this amount can differ depending on the brand)	74	5.5
Kamut	100g raw	3.8	337	1.1
Barley	100g raw	3.6	354	1
Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids	30g	3.6	179	2
Pasta (enriched)	100g raw	3.3	371	0.9
Tahini	2 tbsp (36g)	3.2	214	1.5
Millet	100g raw	3	378	0.8
Soya mince (TVP)	30g	2,8	98	2.9
Spinach	100g raw	2.7	23	11.7
Tomato puree (passata)	150g	2.7	57	4.7
Firm tofu	100g	2.7 (this amount can differ depending on the brand)	144	1.9
Tempeh	100g	2.7	192	1.4
Beet greens	100g raw	2.6	22	11.8
Dried mulberries	20g	2.6	64	4.1
Crushed tomatoes in a can	200g	2.6	64	4.1
Asparagus	100g raw	2.1	20	10.5
Cashews	30g	2	166	1.2
Potatoes	250g raw with skin	2	192	1
Black olives	30g	1.9	35	5.4
Chia seeds	2 tbsp (24g)	1.9	117	1.6
Swiss chard	100g raw	1.8	19	9.5
Pumpkin seeds	2 tbsp (20g)	1.8	112	1.6
Pine nuts	30g	1.7	202	0.8
Turmeric powder	1 tsp (3g)	1.6	9	17.8
Kale	100g raw	1.6	43	3.7
Hemp seeds (hulled)	2 tbsp (20g)	1.6	111	1.4
Green peas	100g raw	1.5	81	1.9
Dried goji berries	20g	1.4	70	2
Peanuts	30g	1.4	170	0.8
Dried thyme	1 tsp (1g)	1.2	3	40
Cocoa powder	1 tbsp (7.5g)	1	17	5.9
Green beans	100g raw	1	31	3.3
Silken tofu	100g	1	62	1.6
Sunflower seeds	2 tbsp (20g)	1	117	0.9
Lettuce	100g	0,9	15	6
Beetroot	100g raw	0.8	43	1.9
Sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained)	30g	0.8	64	1.3
Flax seeds (ground)	2 tbsp (14g)	0.8	75	1.1
Cumin seeds (whole)	0.5 tsp (1g)	0.7	4	17.5
Dried oregano	1 tsp (1.8g)	0.7	5	13.9
Broccoli	100g raw	0.7	34	2.1
Dried apricots	20g	0.6	48	1.3
Aubergine	250g raw	0.6	63	0.9
Mushrooms	100g raw	0.5	22	2.3
Collard greens	100g raw	0.5	32	1.6
Courgette	100g raw	0.4	25	1.4
Cauliflower	100g raw	0.4	25	1.7
Red peppers	100g raw	0.4	26	1.5
Kohlrabi	100g raw	0.4	27	1.5
Cucumbers	100g raw	0.3	15	2
Tomatoes	100g raw	0.3	18	1.7
Fresh parsley	1 tbsp (3.8g)	0.2	1	20
Fresh basil	2 tbsp, chopped (5.3g)	0.2	1	13.8
Fresh mint	2 tbsp (3.2g)	0.2	2	7.3
Tomato paste	1 tsp (5.3g)	0.2	4	3.9
Nutritional yeast (fortified)	2 tbsp (6g)	0.2	21	1
Green peppers	100g raw	0.2	23	0.8
Capers	1 tbsp (8.6g)	0.1	2	7.3

Foods that can obstruct iron absorption:

Phytates inhibit iron absorption. They’re found in legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.

Polyphenols inhibit iron absorption. They’re found in berries, coffee, green and black tea, cocoa powder, soy, beans, black grapes, apples, pears, orange juice, grapefruit juice, kiwi, plums, onion, kale, aubergine, rhubarb, artichokes, dried herbs, spices, nuts, and seeds.

High calcium foods inhibit iron absorption (non-heme as well as heme) if consumed at the same time. However, it appears that long-term consumption of high quantities of calcium with meals does not reduce body iron stores in people with normal iron status.

Zinc in supplement form impairs iron absorption, so don’t take this supplement with a high iron meal.

A high-fibre diet (more than 40 g daily) can inhibit iron absorption.

Foods and actions that can help with iron absorption:

Treating foods high in phytates with heat can significantly reduce phytates. For example, tahini made with roasted sesame seeds has reduced phytates, as do cooked whole grains and beans. Soaking, sprouting, and fermenting nuts, seeds, beans, and grains also reduces phytates and improves the bioavailability of iron.

Foods high in vitamin C (ascorbic acid (AA)), if consumed at the same time as a high non-heme iron meal, can help with the absorption of iron from that meal. Vitamin C counteracts the inhibitory effect that phytates, polyphenols, and calcium have on iron. For breakfast dishes, these foods could be orange juice, grapefruit juice, strawberries, black and red currants, pineapple, papaya, kiwi, mango, or cantaloupe; for savoury dishes, these foods could be yellow or red peppers, lemon juice, or tomatoes. Keep in mind that it’s important to add sources of vitamin C to your meal that have not undergone any heat treatment. Vitamin C is a water-soluble and temperature-sensitive vitamin, so it’s easily degraded during cooking. Elevated temperatures and long cooking times have been found to cause particularly severe losses of vitamin C. Because of the many variables involved (including total iron, AA:iron, AA:inhibitors, presence of other enhancers), it is difficult to predict the ideal combination of iron and vitamin C that will maximise absorption.

Foods containing vitamin A and beta-carotene also help with non-heme iron absorption by reversing the effect of phytates and polyphenols. These foods include sweet potato, spinach, carrots, pumpkin, kale, cantaloupe, red peppers, dried goji berries, mangoes, and dried apricots.

Sulfur compounds in onion and garlic have a promoting influence on the bioaccessibility of non-heme iron, counteracting the inhibitory effect of polyphenols and phytates.

Drinking coffee and tea at least one hour before or one hour after a high iron meal will not inhibit iron absorption from that meal.

Eating iron-rich meals throughout the day (as opposed to eating one very rich iron meal) can help with iron absorption.

Final takeaways:

Having in mind all the factors mentioned above that influence iron absorption from plants, I can share how I approach my daily meals to get as much iron as I can from my meals. I make sure to eat iron-rich meals throughout the day, I drink coffee or tea at least one hour before or one hour after an iron-rich meal, I avoid having calcium-rich foods with high-iron meal, I make sure to add to my high-iron meals foods high in vitamin C, which were not under any heat treatment.

Recipes that are high in iron:

Knowing iron-rich foods is one thing, knowing iron-rich recipes is another. This is because in recipes a bunch of other ingredients can be added which bring additional calories but potentially don’t add iron. The recipes below are meals, side dishes, appetisers, sauces, snacks and drinks which are all high in iron (I calculated their iron content with the help of Cronometer app). I arranged them from the highest to the lowest by the amount of iron they contain per 100 kcal.

Roasted Asparagus

This roasted asparagus gives you 2.2 mg of iron in only 31 kcal.

Get the recipe: Roasted Asparagus

Sautéed Leafy Greens and Beans

These beans and greens pack a lot in one dish. In just 411 kcal you get 11.3 mg of iron (calculated for black beans and beet greens as beans and greens of choice). They can be paired with other high-iron dishes.

Get the recipe: Sautéed Leafy Greens and Beans

Tabbouleh Salad

This tabbouleh salad has strong game when it comes to iron. In 423 kcal you get 10.7 mg of iron, thanks to a large amount of parsley, cherry tomatoes, fresh mint, ground coriander, and lettuce for decoration. As you could see in the table above, parsley as a small addition to dishes doesn’t contribute much iron. But if you find a dish like tabbouleh where parsley is the main star, it shows how rich with iron it really is.

Get the recipe: Tabbouleh Salad

Chana Masala

This Indian curry has 10.7 mg of iron per 504 kcal. The generous amount of iron in this dish comes from two main ingredients – chickpeas and passata. Spices like turmeric and cumin also contribute iron in small doses.

Get the recipe: Chana Masala

Marinara Sauce

This marinara sauce gives you 2,9 mg of iron per 137 kcal. It can be included in various pastas that are also iron-rich, like lentil and chickpea pasta or enriched regular pasta.

Get the recipe: Marinara Sauce

Vegan Chilli sin Carne

This vegan chilli sin carne gives you 12.1 mg of iron per 645 kcal (this doesn’t include all the sides and toppings you can serve with it). You could also make chilli mac with it and add iron-rich lentil or chickpea or enriched regular pasta to it. The iron-rich ingredients that are included in the chilli are: blackstrap molasses, tempeh, three types of beans, crushed tomatoes in a can, and more.

Get the recipe: Vegan Chilli sin Carne

Vegan Stuffed Red Peppers

These absolutely delicious stuffed red peppers give you 6 mg of iron per 331 kcal, thanks to lentils, soya mince, passata, red peppers, and parsley (but this doesn’t include vegan mashed potatoes that are usually served with this dish).

Get the recipe: Vegan Stuffed Red Peppers

Hummus

This silky spread gives you 7 mg of iron per 416 kcal, thanks to chickpeas, tahini and ground cumin. Pair it with other iron-rich dishes, like baba ganoush, tabbouleh salad, fattoush salad, or vegan greek salad.

Get the recipe: Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Raw Beetroot Hummus

Beetroot hummus gives you 7.4 mg of iron for 440 kcal. Roasted red pepper hummus gives you 7.7 mg of iron per 463 kcal.

Get the recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Raw Beetroot Hummus

Vegan Bolognese Sauce

This vegan bolognese sauce gives you 5 mg of iron per 315 kcal. The iron-rich ingredients that are included in the sauce are: lentils, soya mince, tofu, crushed tomatoes in a can, sun-dried tomatoes and more. To get the most iron out of this meal, pair this sauce with a pasta that’s high in iron like lentil or chickpea pasta. This could give you something like 14.5 mg of iron for 648 kcal. But also just using regular pasta (if it’s enriched with iron) can give you 8.2 mg of iron for 672 kcal. Vegan bolognese sauce can also be served on top of iron-rich teff or amaranth polenta, it pairs amazingly with it. You can make vegan lasagna bolognese with it. You can use it as a filling for iron-rich vegan omelette with silken tofu. Or instead of real pasta you could use spiralised vegetables to top them with this sauce.

Get the recipe: Vegan Bolognese Sauce

Spicy Pumpkin

This simple autumn side dish gives you 2.5 mg of iron per 161 kcal.

Get the recipe: Spicy Pumpkin

Seeds Energy Balls

One seeds bliss ball gives you 1.9 mg of iron per 123 kcal. This snack is made of iron-rich pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seed butter, tahini, and dried white mulberries.

Get the recipe: Seeds Energy Balls

Tahini Sauce

This simple sauce gives you 1.6 mg of iron per 109 kcal. Drizzle it on salads or falafel.

Get the recipe: Tahini Sauce

Teff Porridge with Seeds

This warming breakfast gives you 8.3 mg of iron per 578 kcal.

Get the recipe: Teff Porridge with Seeds

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

With this fall appetiser you get 3.5 mg of iron per 244 kcal, thanks to hokkaido, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin seed oil.

Get the recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Soup

Vegan Omelette with Silken Tofu

With this high protein breakfast you get 3.6 mg of iron per 263 kcal. Suggested fillings and topping (lentils, beans, beetroot, parsley) can contribute to a higher amount of iron.

Get the recipe: Vegan Omelette with Silken Tofu

Lebanese Meze or Bowl

With this meal that’s ideal to share with others you get 12.6 mg of iron per 921 kcal. All dishes included in this meze are on the list of my iron-rich recipes individually as well.

Get the recipe: Lebanese Meze or Bowl

Baba Ganoush

This creamy spread gives you 3.9 mg of iron per 287 kcal, thanks to aubergine, tahini and ground cumin. It’s best paired with other iron-rich dishes, like tabbouleh salad, hummus, fattoush salad, or vegan greek salad.

Get the recipe: Baba Ganoush

Vegetable Stew

This vegetable stew gives you 2.3 mg of iron per 174 kcal, thanks to Swiss chard, green peas, green beans, kohlrabi, potatoes, parsley, and more.

Get the recipe: Vegetable Stew

Beetroot Noodles Pesto Pasta

This dish gives you 7.2 mg of iron per 556 kcal, if you include suggested toppings (smoked tofu, beans, hemp seeds).

Get the recipe: Beetroot Noodles Pesto Pasta

Tahini and Carob Molasses

This small snack gives you 3.7 mg of iron per 286 kcal.

Get the recipe: Tahini and Carob Molasses

Teff or Amaranth Polenta

No matter which grain you choose you will get 5.6 mg of iron per 433 kcal. Pair this dish with other iron-rich dishes, like sautéed leafy greens and beans, or vegan bolognese sauce.

Get the recipe: Teff or Amaranth Polenta

Not So Traditional English Breakfast

This meal gives you 10.4 mg of iron per 814 kcal.

Get the recipe: Not So Traditional English Breakfast

Green Pea Soup

This creamy appetiser gives you 2.9 mg of iron per 238 kcal.

Get the recipe: Green Pea Soup

Vegan Greek Salad

With this salad you get 4.1 mg of iron per 337 kcal, thanks to tofu, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, capers, and dried oregano.

Get the recipe: Vegan Greek Salad

Almond Butter Curry with Sweet Potato, Smoked Tofu, Spinach, and Black Eyed Peas

This curry offers 7.8 mg of iron per 658 kcal (calculated together with brown rice and roasted almonds for the topping).

Get the recipe: Almond Butter Curry with Sweet Potato, Smoked Tofu, Spinach and Black Eyed Peas

Scrambled Tofu

With this savoury breakfast you get 5.9 mg of iron per 502 kcal and that’s not even counting adding optional spinach, asparagus, or broccoli to it.

Get the recipe: Scrambled Tofu

Cashew Parmesan

This cheesy addition to many vegan recipes has 1.1 mg of iron and 95 kcal in 3 tablespoons.

Get the recipe: Cashew Parmesan

Indian Rice and Beans

This meal gives you 8.9 mg of iron per 783 kcal.

Get the recipe: Indian Rice and Beans

Vegan Turmeric Latte

With this warming latte you get 2.8 mg of iron per 248 kcal.

Get the recipe: Vegan Turmeric Latte

Vegan Cottage Cheese

This vegan cottage cheese gives you 4.3 mg of iron per 393 kcal, thanks to tofu and cashews.

Get the recipe: Vegan Cottage Cheese

Falafel

With this side dish you get 3.3 mg of iron per 306 kcal, thanks to chickpeas, parsley, mint, ground cumin and ground coriander. It’s best paired with other iron-rich dishes, like hummus, baba ganoush, fattoush salad, and tabbouleh salad.

Get the recipe: Falafel

Fattoush Salad

This salad gives you 3.9 mg of iron per 374 kcal, thanks to lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, radishes, parsley, and fresh mint. It’s best paired with other iron-rich dishes, like hummus, baba ganoush, and tabbouleh salad.

Get the recipe: Fattoush Salad

Peanut Butter Curry with Potatoes, Carrots, Green Peas, and Green Lentils

With this curry you get 7.9 mg of iron per 805 kcal (calculated together with brown rice and roasted peanuts for the topping).

Get the recipe: Peanut Butter Curry with Potatoes, Carrots, Green Peas and Green Lentils

Vegan Bircher Muesli with Silken Tofu

In this overnight oats you get 5.4 mg of iron per 555 kcal, thanks to oats, silken tofu, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried apricots, and more.

Get the recipe: Vegan Bircher Muesli with Silken Tofu

Oat Bran Porridge with Caramelised Pear

This porridge gives you 6.4 mg of iron per 659 kcal.

Get the recipe: Oat Bran Porridge with Caramelised Pear

Vegan Cheesy Alfredo Pasta

This pasta gives you 7.4 mg of iron per 809 kcal, thanks to cashews, fortified nutritional yeast, coconut cream, and enriched pasta.

Get the recipe: Vegan Cheesy Alfredo Pasta

Roasted Potatoes

This side dish gives you 2.7 mg of iron per 310 kcal.

Get the recipe: Roasted Potatoes

Vegan Lasagna Bolognese

This vegan lasagna gives you 3.8 mg of iron per 453 kcal (calculated with lasagna sheets that are not enriched with iron).

Get the recipe: Vegan Lasagna Bolognese

In the end I would like to add that I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist and that you should always consult your healthcare provider about your nutrition or about specific needs that you might have.

Sources:

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/10026/chapter/11

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/11/3/454

USDA

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2020/7373498

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6367879

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523018397?via%3Dihub

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.2c01833

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/5/8/3184

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522039144

https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(22)03044-9/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622010264?via%3Dihub

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21462112