All vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, and grains are protein sources. These provide all indispensable (essential) amino acids found in meat. So any vegan can easily meet their recommended protein intake, regardless of gender, size, or activity level. Even super-athletes manage well. A diet can be short of protein if it is primarily composed of fruit, or of junk foods (such as chips, fats, refined foods, and sweets) or is very short on calories (as in a poorly designed weight loss diet).
Legumes (such as beans, peas, lentils, soy foods, and peanuts) are protein superstars as well as being excellent sources of iron and zinc. There are plenty of choices within this group, including tofu, tempeh, veggie “meats,” peanut butter, and over 20 varieties of beans. Learning how to easily include these protein-rich foods is an important part of creating a vegan pattern.