Protein Pairing for Vegetarians: Rice and Beans and Other Combinations

Rice and beans is one of the world's great combinations, and not only because it tastes good. Cooks have paired grains with legumes for a very long time, and nutrition writers often use the pair as the standard example of two plant foods that complement each other.

Here is what that means in plain terms, and how to use it without turning dinner into a puzzle.

The idea in one paragraph

Protein is built from smaller pieces called amino acids. Foods differ in how much of each one they contain. Some plant foods are lower in one particular amino acid than others, and a different food can make up for it. Grains tend to be lower in one, and beans and lentils tend to be lower in another, so eating them together fills in each other's gaps.

You do not need to match every meal

The old advice was to combine the right foods at the same meal. These days the common, simpler view is that a varied diet across the day does the job. Think of pairing as a handy habit and a good reason to enjoy classic dishes, not as a test you must pass at every sitting.

Foods that stand on their own

Some foods are usually described as complete proteins by themselves, so you do not have to pair them with anything:

• soy foods such as tofu, tempeh and edamame
• eggs and dairy
• quinoa
• mycoprotein

Classic pairs that work together

• Rice and beans (black beans and rice, rajma chawal, red beans and rice)
• Lentils and rice or flatbread (dal with rice or roti, mujaddara)
• Hummus and pita, or falafel in bread
• Peanut butter on wholegrain toast
• Beans with corn tortillas, as in tacos and burritos
• Legumes with seeds, such as chickpeas with a tahini sauce or lentils with toasted sesame

Pairing in everyday plates

On a plate with a vegetable half, a protein quarter and a carb quarter, pairing is easy: choose a legume for the protein and a grain for the carb, or finish a legume dish with a spoon of seeds. A plate of black beans, garlic rice and a crunchy slaw is already doing it.

If your protein is tofu, TVP or eggs, you are free to pick whatever carb you like. Potatoes, sweet potatoes and cassava do not usually count as part of the grain-and-legume pairing, but they are excellent on a plate for other reasons.

A note on your own needs

Protein needs depend on the person, and this guide does not set targets. If you track protein for a particular reason, use the numbers your dietitian or doctor gives you.

This guide is general cooking inspiration, not medical or dietary advice. If you follow a plan from a dietitian or doctor, use their numbers and let them guide the details.