This one goes out to all my savory breakfast people! Grab some chickpeas, garlic, red onion and some spices to cook up the most delicious (and nutritious) vegan chickpea scramble in just 10 minutes.
Savory breakfasts have always been tough for me given my soy allergy, which is okay given I'm more of a sweet breakfast person anyway. But sometimes mid-morning I start to crave a more wholesome dish when it isn't quite lunchtime yet, and this easy chickpea scramble does the trick!
Full disclosure: despite the chickpea scramble title, this dish is NOT meant to be used as an egg substitute or replacement! It does not taste like eggs on its own, although feel free to add kala namak salt (black salt) for some "eggy" flavor.
This scramble has a unique flavor all its own - slightly sweet and super savory. The pulsed chickpeas, garlic, onion and spices are all sautéed together to create a fluffy and delicious dish perfect for serving on toast or in a wrap. I even love it by itself or in a salad!
Why You'll Love this Chickpea Scramble
- Quick and easy
- Uses pantry ingredients
- Lots of flavor
- Nutritious - loaded with protein and fiber
- Can be served for breakfast or lunch
- Vegan, gluten-free and soy-free
Ingredients
This chickpea scramble uses simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
- Chickpeas - I use canned chickpeas for convenience, making sure to drain, rinse and dry them well before pulsing. You could also cook dried chickpeas if you wish!
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red onion - peeled and finely diced.
- Fresh garlic cloves - peeled and minced.
- Spices - I include ground turmeric, cumin, black pepper and fine salt. The turmeric is what gives it its yellow color.
- Maple syrup - this is optional but adds a nice touch of sweetness.
How to Make this Chickpea Scramble
1. Pulse the chickpeas. Use a food processor to pulse the whole chickpeas 4-5 times. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher or the back of the fork but this will take longer and the chickpea mash will be a bit chunkier.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic. Heat a nonstick pan or cast iron skillet over low to medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and spices and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Add the pulsed chickpeas. Stir in the pulsed chickpeas to combine with the spices. Allow the chickpeas to warm through.
4. Serve! Enjoy hot or warm.
Recipe Tips
Dry the chickpeas really well before pulsing. After rinsing and draining a can of chickpeas, I cannot overstate the importance of drying them fully. If they are still wet when pulsed, the food processor will start to purée them rather than break them into small pieces. Additionally, we want the chickpea mixture to be pan-fried, and any moisture would instead cause it to be steamed.
Use a food processor if possible. It may be tempting to not want to dirty up the food processor, but mashing the chickpeas by hand (using a potato masher or the back of a fork) will affect the recipe in one of two ways: (1) it will take more time; or (2) the texture won't be as consistent as there may be some large chunks.
Serving Suggestions
For breakfast or brunch: Serve on toast or a bagel to enjoy on its own, or add it as a filling to these vegan breakfast burritos. Add crispy hash browns or sweet potato hash on the side to complete the meal!
For lunch: Serve in a wrap with microgreens or alongside avocado toast, or add to a salad. I even enjoy it completely on its own!
Variations
This chickpea scramble is versatile enough to take on any number of additions or modifications. Whether enjoying as an easy breakfast or quick lunch, feel free to add any of the following:
- Fresh veggies: bell peppers, cherry tomatoes or leafy greens like baby spinach.
- Spices: chili powder, garlic powder or onion powder.
- Lemon juice: squeeze a little overtop for added brightness!
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover chickpea scramble in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop with a little olive oil for best results. The microwave works fine but I've found it dries it out slightly.
Health Benefits of Chickpeas
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a staple in my pantry given they are a plant-based nutrition powerhouse. In addition to being an excellent source of protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, B vitamins and minerals, they also provide manganese, iron and zinc.
I've written extensively about the benefits of chickpeas for vegans. Whether it's in hummus, a chickpea salad sandwich or chickpea tacos, I don't think a day goes by where I don't enjoy chickpeas in some form!
I hope you enjoy this chickpea scramble recipe! It is a wonderful soy-free option that is also both vegan and gluten-free. Please comment below or tag photos @eatingbyelaine so I can see your scrambles come to life!
10-Minute Fluffy Chickpea Scramble
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This one goes out to all my savory vegan breakfast people! Grab some chickpeas, garlic, red onion and some spices to cook up the most delicious (and nutritious) chickpea scramble in just 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1, 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and dried well
- 2.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion, ends removed, peeled and finely diced
- 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- optional: 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- optional: 1/16 teaspoon Kala Namak black salt (for egg flavor)
Instructions
- Pulse the chickpeas. Use a food processor to pulse the chickpeas 4-5 times. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher or the back of the fork but this will take longer and the chickpea mash will be a bit chunkier.
- Sauté the onion and garlic. Heat a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet over low to medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and spices and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the pulsed chickpeas. Stir in the pulsed chickpeas to combine with the spices. Allow the chickpeas to warm through.
- Serve! Enjoy hot or warm.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
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