| Measure | Black beans | Lentils |
|---|---|---|
| Typical serving | 1 cup cooked (172 g) | 1 cup cooked (198 g) |
| Protein per serving | 15.2 g | 17.9 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 8.86 g | 9.02 g |
| Calories per serving | 227 kcal | 230 kcal |
| Protein density | 27% of calories | 31% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 30% | 36% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete | Incomplete |
| Category | Legumes & beans | Legumes & beans |
Compare foods · Black beans · Lentils
Protein comparison
Black beans vs Lentils: which has more protein?
Black beans gives you 15.2 g of protein per 1 cup cooked; lentils gives you 17.9 g per 1 cup cooked. On equal weight it is 8.86 g against 9.02 g per 100 g. The full side-by-side, from the same USDA-sourced records as the rest of the site:
The verdict
On equal weight this is close to a tie: black beans has 8.86 g of protein per 100 g and lentils has 9.02 g. Per typical serving, lentils delivers 17.9 g (1 cup cooked) to black beans's 15.2 g (1 cup cooked), a difference of 2.7 g.
For the full breakdown of each food, see the protein in black beans and protein in lentils pages, each with its USDA FoodData Central record id.
Quick answers
Black beans vs Lentils FAQ
Which has more protein, black beans or lentils?
Lentils has more protein per 100 g: 9.02 g against 8.86 g. Per typical serving, black beans provides 15.2 g (1 cup cooked) and lentils provides 17.9 g (1 cup cooked).
Is black beans or lentils more protein-dense?
Lentils is the more protein-dense of the two: about 31% of its calories come from protein, against 27% for black beans.
Are black beans and lentils complete proteins?
No. Neither black beans nor lentils is a complete protein on its own; pairing them with other protein sources across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids.
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