How much protein is in ribeye?
Ribeye has 23.2 g of protein per 3 oz cooked (85 g) — that's 27.3 g per 100 g, or about 7.7 g per ounce. One 3 oz cooked is roughly 46% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · lean and fat, broiled · FDC 169557
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz cooked (85 g) | 23.2 g | 212 | 12.5 g | 0 g |
| 100 g | 27.3 g | 249 | 14.7 g | 0 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 7.7 g | 71 | 4.2 g | 0 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 169557, SR Legacy). lean and fat, broiled.
The premium cut, and what the marbling costs you
Ribeye is the steak people splurge on, and the protein backs up the reputation: a 3 oz cooked portion (85 g) carries about 23.2 grams of protein for roughly 212 calories, and nobody stops at 3 ounces. A typical home or restaurant cut runs closer to 6 oz (~46 g of protein), and a half-pound ribeye clears 62 grams in one steak — near a full day’s target for many adults. At 27.3 g of protein per 100 g, ribeye is a genuine heavyweight: a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts, so it stands on its own with nothing to pair it with, and it’s especially rich in leucine, the amino acid most directly tied to triggering muscle protein synthesis.
What sets ribeye apart from a leaner cut isn’t the protein — it’s the fat woven through the muscle. That marbling is why it tastes the way it does, and it’s also why the same 3 oz portion that gives a sirloin about 186 calories gives a ribeye 212. Per 100 g, ribeye carries 14.7 g of total fat and 5.7 g of saturated fat, the highest of the common steak cuts and noticeably above a leaner sirloin or top sirloin. None of that makes ribeye a bad protein — it makes it the indulgent one, a great protein you portion for the fat rather than eat in giant slabs.
What else it brings, and how to think about it
Protein and fat aren’t the whole story. Like all beef, ribeye is a standout source of heme iron — the most absorbable form, which plants can’t match — along with vitamin B12 and zinc, two more nutrients that are genuinely hard to get in usable amounts without animal foods. A 3 oz serving supplies about 1.8 mg of iron and 340 mg of potassium, with 89 mg of cholesterol per 100 g. The honest framing is simple: ribeye delivers everything beef is good for, just with the fat dial turned up.
So treat ribeye as the steak you enjoy and keep portions reasonable on, not your default everyday beef. If you want beef’s protein with less fat, a leaner cut earns the everyday slot — see our pages on sirloin steak and lean 90/10 ground beef, with 80/20 ground beef as the richer middle ground. And when you want beef’s protein without firing up a pan — or you need it portable — packaged options like beef sticks or jerky (Chomps, Jack Link’s) cover the gap, though jerky in particular runs much saltier than a fresh steak, so check the sodium on the graded picks below.
Packaged beef options, graded
If you'd rather grab it off a shelf, here are the best-graded beef in our catalog — each scored on our transparent 6-dimension Labelgrade.
-
Labelgrade 68/100 · 12 g protein · 80 cal
Check price on Amazon -
Labelgrade 67/100 · 9 g protein · 90 cal
Check price on Amazon
Buy links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade is independent of any affiliate relationship. More.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in ribeye?
About 23.2 g of protein in a 3 oz cooked serving (85 g), which is 27.3 g per 100 g, or roughly 7.7 g per ounce (USDA FDC 169557, rib eye, lean and fat, broiled). That same 3 oz portion runs about 212 calories, noticeably more than a leaner cut because of the marbling.
Is ribeye a good protein source?
Yes, it's a genuine, high-quality protein — a 3 oz cut gives you ~23 g and a 6 oz steak lands near 46 g. The honest catch is that ribeye is the indulgent, well-marbled cut, so it carries clearly more calories and saturated fat than a leaner sirloin or top sirloin. It's a great protein you portion for the fat rather than one you avoid.
How much protein is in an 8 oz ribeye?
An 8 oz cooked ribeye (about 227 g) carries roughly 62 g of protein, close to a full day's target for many adults in a single steak. A more typical 6 oz cut lands near 46 g. The protein scales cleanly with size, but so does the fat: that 8 oz ribeye also brings around 33 g of total fat and 13 g of saturated fat.
Is ribeye a complete protein?
Yes. Like all beef, ribeye contains all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts, so it counts as a complete, high-quality protein on its own with nothing to pair it with. It's also rich in leucine, the amino acid most tied to triggering muscle protein synthesis.
What is ribeye good for nutritionally?
Beyond protein, ribeye is a strong source of heme iron (the most absorbable form), vitamin B12, and zinc — three nutrients that are hard to get in usable amounts from plants. A 3 oz serving brings about 1.8 mg of iron and 340 mg of potassium. The trade-off is the fat: 14.7 g total and 5.7 g saturated per 100 g, the highest of the common steak cuts, which is why ribeye is the one you keep portions modest on.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 169557 (Beef, rib eye, small end, lean and fat, all grades, cooked, broiled; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises its underlying data.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.