Chickpea scrambled "eggs" a protein rich breakfast option. Top 8 allergen free and vegan substitute to scrambled eggs that are fluffy and full of eggy flavour.
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Why We Like This Recipe
I thought scrambled eggs were a thing of our past once our family had an egg allergy. Never really a massive fan of eggs I did miss this one egg dish. It was nice to have a warm plate of scrambled eggs on toast for a weekend brunch or breakfast. I love a good dose of protein in the morning and was looking for a nutritious replacement when I heard from a friend you could make chickpeas into scrambled egg. Wait! What?! Yes, they mash up nicely to the texture of a perfect scrambled egg depending on how much water you add as they cook up. I like mine nice and fluffy so I add a fair amount of water but if you prefer yours firmer add less.
Ingredients
The key to this dish and any egg replacement dish is black salt or Kala Namak. This kind of salt is a Hilmalayan salt with a sulfur aftertaste, which is what gives an egg substitute dish like this one it’s eggy taste. I always start with just a bit and add it in bit by bit tasting as I go because a little can go a long way with Kala Namak.
Really well soaked and boiled chickpeas that came from dried chickpeas or canned chickpeas work the best in this recipe. If they are just soaked and not cooked they won't give the right mash they will end up less fluffy than intended. There is no need to be pre-cook canned chickpeas as they were heated in the canning process.
Substitutions
Garbonzo flour (chickpea flour) add to water and used to form a paste and then use to make an egg base. It is more difficult to get the fully texture that you'd get using full chickpeas.
Medium/firm tofu use in place of the chickpeas if you do not have a soy allergy or restriction on eating soy products
If Kala namak, black salt, isn't available near you can use nutritional yeast with sea salt. Be very careful to check with your medical team that nutritional yeast is suitable for your allergies and diet. It can be very difficult to find nutritional yeast that isn't cross contaminated and to be sure it is made from gluten free yeast.
Tips
If using canned chickpeas save the water from the can. This is aquafaba and can be used in place of eggs and egg whites in many recipes. It can be used in making macrons, meringues or chiffon recipes.
Save the water that the pre-soaked once dried chickpeas were cooked in. The soaking water can be tossed. The cooking water, once strained of chickpeas can be returned to the boiling pot and reduced to be aquafaba .
Adaptations On Scrambled Chickpea Eggs
Add a bit of spices and herbs to make these chickpea "eggs" have enough variety to eat each day.
- Curry Powder: add to the pan when it is hot. Then add other ingredients in to heat up the spice and release its full flavour.
- Thyme: plucked from the stems and added during cooking with the water fresh thyme has the most flavour.
- Rosemary: added with the chickpeas during the cooking the leaves
- Paprika: Either smoked, a sweet Spanish or high quality Hungarian paprika can give a wonderful deep flavour. Paprika is a spice that has bee working with real eggs for decades in recipes like deviled eggs.
- Dill: adding either fresh sprigs of dill or dried will give a lovely flavour to the egg substitute. This combo works really well as a sandwich filling with a dollop of vegan and allergen free mayo, and couple leaves of butter lettuce.
These veggies and vegan cheeses as ingredients that can be sauteed. Added to the hot cooked chickpeas or cooked with the chickpeas in the same pan, whichever is easiest.
- Bell Peppers
- Caramelised onions
- Tomatoes
- Jalapenoes
- Vegan Cheese (add the vegan cheese to a separate pan to melt it. Then add the melted vegan cheese to the cooked scrambled chickpeas. If added to the chickpeas vegan won't melt well. This is also the method we use for a grilled cheese sandwich)
What To Serve With Chickpea Scrambled "Eggs"
This vegan replacement for scrambled eggs is the best for a breakfast or a quick lunch. We often have one night a month where the kids ask for Breakfast for Dinner as a treat. We cook these vegan eggs up with a stack of pancakes.
Simple Breakfast
The Chickpea scramble on gluten free and "safe for us" toast with a sliced orange or berries is one of my favourite quick warm meals.
Full English Breakfast
These faux scrambled eggs are an excellent integral part of a full breakfast. Served alongside gluten free vegan toast, a roasted tomato, vegan sausage links, safe vegan baked beans, and perfect sauteed mushrooms.
Pancakes and vegan scrambled "eggs"
Whip up a batch of gluten free and allergen free pancakes, which also can be vegan with vegan sugar. Then serve with a steaming pile of eggy flavoured chickpea mash that is as light and fluffy as a cloud. For a wonderful weekend brunch with friends, serve with an orange juice and fizzy water alcohol free version of a mimosa.
Mushrooms and Chickpea "Eggs"
Served with vegan bacon or real bacon, pork or turkey, depending on your dietary restrictions. Pairing the vegan substitute for scrambled eggs with a side salad makes a tasty lunch.
Storage and Reheating Scrambled Chickpea Eggs
Storage
-Fridge
In a sealed container these vegan scrambled eggs will keep for up to 48 hours.
-Freezer
The chickpea eggs are sadly not suitable for freezing.
Reheating
-Oven
In an oven safe casserole dish that fits the amount of chickpea eggs being heated. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the chickpeas. Cover the the dish with foil and cook for 5-10 mins at 350 F, or until warmed through.
-Stove Top
On medium heat, in a pan mix the leftover chickpea "eggs" with a couple of tablespoons of water. Cook and stir the mix until warmed through and water has been reduced to the desired consistency.
- Microwave
This dish is not recommended for reheating in the microwave as it can go rubbery in texture.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
We hope you enjoy our take on vegan scrambled eggs. If you try the chickpea scrambled "eggs". Please leave a comment below, we'd love to hear from you.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can 18 oz/540 mL of low or no salt chickpeas drained and rinsed.
- 1 tbsps olive oil divided in half
- ¼ c finely chopped white onion
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon plus more to taste Black salt kala namak for the eggy taste. Use sea salt if you don’t want an eggy taste.
- ¼-1/3 cup water to get the fluffy scrambled texture you prefer.
- Pepper to taste for serving.
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a warm skillet on medium heat. Add the chick peas and use a fork to mash them as they get warmer. Once all mashed and slightly warm. Remove chickpeas from the skillet and reserve.
- Use the last 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet with it on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. About 2-3 mins
- Add chili powder and turmeric stirring often and cook 1 min.
- Add chickpeas back in to the skillet mixing in to what is already there and a bit of the water to start making the mix fluffier and ½ of the Kala namak salt.
- Add water in small bursts whilst stirring and cooking to warm the chickpeas through. The water will cook off a bit but you don’t want to add too much water at once or they will be mushy rather than fluffy. Keep adding water and heating until you get your desired egg fluffiness.
- Add the rest of the salt and stir well.
- Serve warm on gluten free toast or with tomatoes.
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