Plant-based Chickpea Frittata

You won’t miss the eggs in this Plant-Based Chickpea Frittata! It’s high in protein, gluten-free, and completely customizable to your taste. I love filling it with sautéed onions and zucchini and serving it with a fresh salad, or enjoying it as a meal-prep dish throughout the week.

This Plant-Based Chickpea Frittata is a delicious main course, a nutritious complete meal, or tasty appetizer. Chickpea flour is the star ingredient, earthy notes mimic the flavor of eggs in frittatas. I also love using this plant-based flour to make keto-friendly savory pancakes and tortillas, ensuring I meet my daily protein intake. Moreover, this frittata is the ultimate meal-prep dish—you can easily prepare a large batch in a baking dish and enjoy it over the following days. By pairing a portion of this vegan frittata with a side of carbs and veggies, you create a light yet nourishing meal.

The Plant-Based Chickpea Frittata is a dish with Mediterranean and Indian roots. Chickpea flour is widely used in Indian cuisine to create dishes like savory pancakes, called besan cheela, and in France for a flatbread called socca. With the rise of veganism and plant-based diets, the demand for egg alternatives led to the adaptation of traditional egg-based dishes. This version of the classic frittata has allowed more people to discover the benefits of chickpea flour, which is packed with protein and essential nutrients.

It’s important to let the Plant-Based Chickpea Frittata cool to room temperature before storing it to prevent it from becoming soggy. Then, you can either place the whole frittata in an airtight container or separate into individual portions. Store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. If you’d like to store it for a longer period, you can freeze it, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminium foil, for up to 2-3 months.

Ingredients for vegan frittata

• Chickpea flour: it’s rich in protein and fiber, promoting digestive health and helping you feel full. Additionally, chickpea flour is packed with iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Depending on how much water you add, this flour can yield a thicker or thinner frittata.

• Olive oil: it imparts a rich flavor and helps create a smooth texture in the frittata. Olive oil contributes to the soft and moist interior while also helping the exterior to crisp up. Moreover, it acts as a non-stick agent, preventing the dish from sticking to the pan.

• Curry: this spice imparts a warm, earthy, and aromatic touch to the Plant-Based Chickpea Frittata, enhancing the overall taste and adding a comforting richness. Moreover, curry gives the dish a vibrant yellow color, making it visually appealing and similar to a classic egg-based frittata.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to prepare egg-less frittata

Thinly slice the onions and zucchini, then cook them in a saucepan with 1tbsp of olive oil until soft.

In the meantime, pour the chickpea flour into a large bowl and gradually add water, whisking continuously to combine. Next, add 3tbsp of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and curry.

Combine the cooked vegetables with the chickpea mixture, mix well, and pour it into a baking dish. Bake the plant-based frittata in the oven at 220°C for about 30-40 minutes.

My tips for baked frittata

• Add some freshly chopped herbs such as chives or rosemary.

• If bubbles form on the surface of the mixture while stirring, remove them using a ladle.

• I used a round baking dish, but you can use any other baking dish you have, lining it with parchment paper to prevent the batter from sticking.

Did you try this recipe? Don’t forget to share it with me tagging @nutritiouslysofia on Instagram!

Plant-based Chickpea Frittata

Course: Main, Appetizers, SnacksCuisine: vegetarian, gluten-free, plant-based

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

• Chickpea flour 230gr (2 cup)

• Water 600gr (2 1/2 cup)

• Olive oil 3tbsp + 1tbsp

• Onions 2

• Zucchini 2

• Curry 1/2tbsp

• Salt 1tsp

• Black pepper 1tsp

Directions

• Thinly slice the onions and zucchini, then cook them in a saucepan with 1tbsp of olive oil until soft.
• In the meantime, pour the chickpea flour into a large bowl and gradually add water, whisking continuously to combine. Next, add 3tbsp of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and curry.
• Combine the cooked vegetables with the chickpea mixture, mix well, and pour it into a baking dish. Bake the plant-based frittata in the oven at 220°C for about 30-40 minutes.

Notes

• Add some freshly chopped herbs such as chives or rosemary.
• If bubbles form on the surface of the mixture while stirring, remove them using a ladle.
• I used a round baking dish, but you can use any other baking dish you have, lining it with parchment paper to prevent the batter from sticking.