Strawberry Lemon Protein Granola

This Strawberry Lemon Protein Granola has 26g of protein and is SO crunchy. I’ve been making high-protein cereals and granolas for a while now, and it has been completely game-changing for breakfast and meal prep. Packed with whole foods, nuts, seeds, oats and an unexpected high-protein ingredient, it’s a nutrient powerhouse! 🍓🍋

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We’re using about a dozen mostly whole-food ingredients you probably already have, plus one ingredient you would NEVER expect to find in granola. And once you see what it is, you’ll be wondering why the heck you’ve never thought to use it this way before. The result? Big, crunchy, protein-packed clusters that are actually satisfying enough to keep you full.

Inspiration & Ingredients

The secret ingredient in this granola is TVP (textured vegetable protein). Yes, the stuff usually found lurking in vegan taco meat and sausage recipes has officially entered its granola era.

TVP is an absolute protein powerhouse, and it works surprisingly well here. When combined with the oats, seeds and protein powder, it gives this granola a serious protein boost while adding to that wonderfully crunchy texture.

Then we’re bringing in some of my favourite nutrient-dense ingredients: pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, hemp seeds and chia seeds. Basically, this granola is bringing the entire seed squad to breakfast.

For sweetness, we’re using maple syrup, plus strawberry plant-based protein powder for even more strawberry flavour and, obviously, more protein. Tahini helps everything bind together so we can create those glorious big granola clusters.

And finally: strawberries + lemon. Freeze-dried strawberries give us concentrated strawberry flavour without adding extra moisture, while lemon zest and lemon extract give the whole thing that bright, summery flavour that makes you want to eat it straight off the baking sheet.

Why You Need to Make Strawberry Lemon Protein Granola

It is ridiculously crunchy

The TVP, oats and seeds get beautifully crisp in the oven, while squeezing the mixture together before baking creates those big, chunky clusters. And because we’re letting the granola cool completely in the pan, it gets even crunchier as it cools.

Strawberry lemon is basically summer in granola form

Sweet strawberries + bright, zippy lemon = a match made in breakfast heaven.

It’s fresh, fruity and just a little bit fancy without requiring you to do anything remotely fancy in the kitchen.

It is ridiculously easy

Couldn’t be easier. Mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, combine everything, squeeze it together into clumps, spread it onto a baking sheet and bake until crispy.

That’s IT.

And because it stores well, it’s perfect for meal prep. Make a batch once and you’ve got a high-protein breakfast ready to go all week.

How to Make Strawberry Lemon Protein Granola

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sprouted oats, TVP, strawberry protein powder, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, chia seeds and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the maple syrup, tahini, lemon zest and lemon extract.
4. Now comes an important part: work quickly! Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix everything together really well until evenly coated. You don’t want to hang around admiring your handiwork here—the longer those liquids sit, the more they can get absorbed by the TVP. (And we want the powders to absorb the liquid, not the TVP, because that helps keep those little TVP pieces wonderfully crunchy.)
5. Now get your hands in there and squeeze the mixture together to create lots of clumps and chunks. Don’t just spread it into an even layer like you’re making regular cereal. We want GRANOLA. Big, chunky, glorious granola.
6. Spread everything onto your prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove from the oven, and flip and toss the granola around a little. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
7. Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet before breaking it apart or storing it. It will continue to crisp up as it cools, and this is what gets you those beautifully crunchy clusters.
8. Once completely cooled, break apart any especially large pieces, add your freeze-dried strawberry pieces, and store in an airtight container.

tips & Swaps

1. Mix quickly. This is one of the most important tricks for getting that incredible crunch. The longer the wet mixture sits with the TVP, the more liquid it absorbs. We want the powders to soak up the liquid—not the TVP!
2. Make it sunflower-seedy. Don’t have pumpkin seeds or just prefer sunflower seeds? Swap them 1:1. Easy peasy.
3. DO NOT skip the cooling time. I know. You want to eat it immediately. I understand. But let it cool completely on the baking sheet first. The granola gets noticeably crunchier as it cools, so patience is unfortunately required. Tragic, I know.
4. Skip the strawberry lemon flavour if you want: Just use vanilla protein powder and omit the lemon zest, lemon extract and freeze dried strawberries, or use different freeze-dried fruits.
5. Make it chocolatey instead: Use chocolate protein powder, add cocoa powder, and stir in some chocolate chips at the end after it’s cooled.
6. Serve it generously. A ⅓-cup serving contains 13g protein, but for a seriously filling breakfast, I recommend ⅔ cup, which gives you approximately 26g protein and 12g fibre. Add your favourite plant milk, vegan yogurt and some fresh strawberries and you’ve got yourself one heck of a breakfast.

Nutrition

Per ⅓ cup serving:
223 calories • 13g protein • 24g carbs • 9g fat • 6g fibre

Recommended ⅔ cup serving:
446 calories • 26g protein • 48g carbs • 18g fat • 12g fibre

Nutrition information is approximate and will vary depending on the specific protein powder and ingredients used.

Granola has entered its protein era

I don’t know who decided granola had to be a tiny sprinkle of oats and sugar that leaves you hungry 45 minutes later, but we are officially rejecting that lifestyle.

This Strawberry Lemon Protein Granola is crunchy, fruity, high-protein, high-fibre, meal-prep friendly and genuinely satisfying. Eat it with plant milk, pile it onto vegan yogurt, throw it on a smoothie bowl—or just eat it by the handful while standing in front of the pantry like the sophisticated adult you are.

Strawberry lemon, 26 grams of protein and enough crunch to make breakfast interesting. What more could you possibly want?

Love this recipe? I’d really appreciate if you gave me a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! You might want to also check out my Protein Cereal recipe!

Lastly, if you made any of these recipes and decide to share them on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to check me out on YouTube — I have HUNDREDS of recipe videos to give you limitless plant-based inspiration!