If you’re vegan, I’ll take a wild guess that eggs were one of the last things you struggled to give up. That and ice cream.
Although I’m not 100% vegan, I do eat a mostly animal-free diet and I’d like to continue finding ways to fuel and satisfy my body on a plant-based diet.
I grew up loving eggs and ate them most mornings into adulthood. Unfortunately, a couple of months ago, John and I got a nasty case of food poisoning that left me with zero appetite for eggs. As in: none-point-none.
Now that we’re fully recovered and our appetites have mostly normalized, eggs have started to sound good again. But I’d like to see if I can get my egg fix elsewhere.
I had a random internal dialogue that went something like this.
“Hmm, eggs are good.
I wish there were vegan eggs.
Never tried a tofu scramble. Maybe I should do that.
Ooh, a vegan omelet! Yep, I’m doing that.”
I did a little research on vegan omelets and a few great cooks have mastered the basic technique and paved the way for me to make my own interpretation of this delectable dish.
My 7-ingredient base starts with silken tofu – creamy, blend-able, and full of protein. Then flavor is added from hummus, nutritional yeast, sauteed garlic, and paprika. Sautee veggies add extra fiber, nutrition, and texture.
Even though it doesn’t look like eggs before cooking, the finished result is nearly identical to the real thing!
How do they compare in flavor? Pretty spot on. Someone would probably guess it wasn’t eggs, but it wouldn’t be that obvious. I personally love this omelet and am thankful it’s a legitimate alternative to the real thing!
What to expect:
Slightly crisp on the outside
Tender on the outside
Fluffy
Savory
Satisfying
A beautiful golden hue
Stuffed with sauteed veggies
& Packed with nutrition (22 grams of protein!)
If you’re on the fence about eggs but still love a good omelet or scramble, this is the recipe for you. I will gladly be hopping on the tofu omelet bandwagon without looking back. Cheers!
Simple Vegan Omelet
Ingredients
OMELET:
- 5 ounces firm silken tofu (drained and gently patted dry // 5 ounces yields ~3/4 cup)
- 2 Tbsp hummus
- 2 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
FILLING:
- 1 heaping cup veggies of choice (I like onion, tomato, mushroom, spinach)
TOPPINGS (optional):
- Fresh herbs
- Salsa
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- Prep veggies, drain and dry tofu, and mince garlic. Set aside.
- Heat a small-to-medium, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil and minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until just lightly golden brown.
- Transfer garlic to food processor, along with remaining omelet ingredients (tofu – cornstarch) and mix to combine, scraping down sides as needed. Add just a touch of water to thin – 1-2 Tbsp at most. Set aside.
- To the still-warm skillet over medium heat, add a bit more olive oil and the veggies. Season with salt and pepper and sauté to desired doneness. I like to start with onions and tomatoes, then add mushrooms, and end with spinach so each has proper time to cook. Set aside.
- Remove skillet from heat and make sure it’s coated with enough oil so the omelet doesn’t stick. Add back 1/4 of the veggies and spoon on the omelet batter, spreading it gently with a spoon or rubber spatula, being careful not to tear or cause gaps. The thinner and more evenly you can spread it the better. So you may not end up using it all.
- Cook over medium heat on the stove top for 5 minutes until the edges start to dry. Then place in oven and bake until dry and deep golden brown – 10-15 minutes. The longer it bakes the less soft/wet it will be, so if you prefer a more “well done” omelet, cook closer to 15 or more.
- Using an oven mitt, in the last few minutes of cooking carefully add remaining veggies back on top of the omelet and cook another 1-2 minutes to warm through.
- Carefully remove from oven with oven mitt and fold over gently with a spatula. If it doesn’t want to fold, you can serve it as a frittata or scramble!
- Serve with desired toppings. I went with salsa, vegan parmesan cheese, cilantro and toast.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Dalatias says
I currently don’t have a full-size oven. (I’m using a Wolf counter-top oven.)
Before I attempt this recipe, can you tell me if, in Step 7, I can transfer the not-yet-finished omelet from the skillet to a baking dish/pan that will fit in my counter-top oven? Or will the omelet be too soft to lift and transfer?
This looks so yummy. Hungrily awaiting your response. :-)
Hi Dalatias, it will be a bit tender, but could work if moved very gently. Even if it breaks, it will still be very delicious, so we’d say it’s worth a try! Enjoy! xo
Lucia says
Hi,
Could you fry this omelet in a pan instead of baking it?
Thanks
Hi Lucia, we find baking is important for the right texture!
Shebah Kidron says
Do you have an omelet recipe made out of chickpea flour? I did not find any so far. Did I miss something? (I am aiming for a smaller pan, and can but only guess about the amount of chickpea flour I have to use.)
Thanks!
Hi Shebah, we don’t, but we have a socca recipe and a crepe recipe made with chickpea flour. Hope that helps!
Anita says
I want to try but I am wondering if I can replace the yeast with somthing else? I have an allergy to yeast.
Hi Anita! You an omit the nutritional yeast. The taste will be slightly different, but still delicious!
Ana says
Do you think it would work if i leave the cornstarch out? I can’t eat any flour (or starch) on the food plan I follow. TIA, Ana.
Hi Ana! The cornstarch is part of what gives the vegan omelet structure and thickness, so it could work without it but it might be a different texture! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try! xo
Shelbi says
I tried this recipe and very strongly disliked it. I put it in the oven for 15 minutes, another 5, another 5, and another 5, and it still came out mushy. I used extra firm silken tofu, so I was expecting it to work.
Hmm, sorry you had issues with this one, Shelbi! It does take a bit of time in the oven to brown / firm up. Since sharing this recipe we’ve also improved upon our vegan egg method and prefer this method now (which can be modified for an omelet).
Dory. says
Currently making this and wish I’d read the comments 🙄 my mixture turned out a little wet scrambled, I added a small bit of water but proceeded and added to the pain. I had the pan on low to medium and checked the edges due to nothing happening but the centre was starting to stick.
I’ve salvaged it and placed on baking paper and sheet in the oven.
Time will tell.
it maybe down to my pan. 😔
Sorry you had issues with this one! It can be a little tricky to get the texture just right. Hopefully you enjoyed the flavor and texture once it was baked!
Emma says
As a “plant first flegan” I am slowly trying new dairy and egg replacement recipes as I have time. Your recipes are making it so easy. Thank you :) Anyway, I love a quick firm-tofu scramble, but made this omelette today. Like others have said it does takes a bit of time but I really loved it! It worked perfectly – I used silken tofu, mushrooms, silver beet, basil, coriander, a dash of turmeric, and an oven proof, non stick pan. My husband who hates eggs/omelettes actually tried it and wants me to make him one next time! I can’t eat garlic so I skipped that step and I don’t think it’s necessary if you can’t be bothered or to reduce the prep time.
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Emma! Thanks so much for sharing!
Juliana says
I was confused where to insert the hummus, when in the instructions only says “along with remaining omelet ingredients (tofu – cornstarch)”, but anyway included in the food processor.
Unfortunately it didn’t come out as an omelette, more like a soft scrambled tofu (maybe it wasn’t enough amount for my food processor), but tasted good. The way it came out, I’d rather smash the tofu and not have to deal with cleaning my food processor in the end.
Sorry to hear any confusion, Juliana! “Remaining omelet ingredients (tofu – cornstarch)” means tofu, hummus, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, paprika, and cornstarch. Hope that helps for next time!
Tiffany Walters says
I found this very easy to make and we all loved the results! Especially our 19 month old ♡
The only thing I found an issue with was the consistency of the tofu mix. I didnt read the review where you said it should be thick but pourable, mine was not pourable even with added the extra tablespoon of water. Had to cook it for 25 minutes for it to not be too soft anymore. Will absolutely make again!
We added onions, peppers, sundried tomatoes, spinach and vegan pepperoni to ours
We wonder if the brand of silken tofu and/or hummus made a difference with texture? We’re so glad you all still enjoyed it though!
Melanie says
Can you save extra “egg” batter to use another time? How long would it keep in the fridge? It was pretty tasty but I might have poured it too thin. The edges were brown before the center set and I had a lot of batter left over.
Hi Melanie, the batter should keep 3-4 days. Hope that helps!
Melanie Pitches says
hello it would have been great to know what consistency the batter should be. a video would have been even better but realise that’s more time. What does the hummus do in this recipe? what would you use instead? bit of a faff if you dont have some to hand. its still in the oven so not sure how well it worked yet!
The hummus adds flavor and texture. The batter should be pourable but thick. Let us know how it goes!
Imogen says
Quite confusing directions to read and follow, definitely did not make it correctly
Sorry to hear that, Imogen! We’ll take another look and see if we can make them more clear. Would you mind sharing if there was a certain part you found tricky?
Andrea Powell says
Just reading this I’m stunned to see that you are telling people to heat up olive oil, a cold pressed oil, completely not suitable for cooking, but only to be used cold on salads.
Hi Andrea, feel free to use avocado oil, if preferred! We typically use avocado oil in newer recipes.
Nat. says
I am sorry to break the news but Olive oil is NOT cold pressed unless it is stated so and then its ten times more expensive and people use it only for salads. I
n Greece and Italy and i guess all Mediterranean countries EVERYONE cooks mostly with olive oil, so your comment is not just wrong but a bit offensive to someone who offers her recipes to us even before they are totally perfect. I dint that to be so generous and comments like yours dont really fit the spirit.
Elyse says
Olive oil is used for both cooking and salads. Even for deep frying!
Natalie says
The best website for all things vegan! If i want to eat anything this is now where i cpme forst! Awesome omelette too! Many thanks!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Natalie! xo
Vibi says
This was a great find as I was looking for some vegan brunch recipes. I added a side Of roasted potatoes and some greens. Thank you for sharing. ?
Rahul says
Hi Dana!
First of all – I want to thank the work you and your husband put on this site. Your food has changed my daily habits (for the better! That goes without saying) and I’m always excited to cook a recipe of yours! Always a hit with my friends and family whenever they come over.
I thought the vegan omelet tasted great, but I’m having an issue moving it from the pan to the baking tray, and then back to the pan after the oven while retaining its shape. Usually I’ve ended up creating the ‘fritata’ texture as it’s been very difficult to transport it while maintaining its shape. I tried adding extra olive oil to prevent the omelet from sticking (in my non-stick pan). Do you have any recommendations on how to maintain the shape of the omelet while moving it?
If you cook it in an oven-safe pan (we prefer cast iron), it can seamlessly go straight from the cooktop to the oven! Hope that helps!
Richard says
I was really impressed by this. I doubled the recipe and used tapioca rather than arrowroot as that’s what I had in. Mine didn’t look that pretty, but it tasted good and was reminiscent of eggs to me! Thank you.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Richard. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
kimberly says
hey ! give black salt a try sometime in your v-eggs! kala-namak is another name for it.
Thanks for the suggestion, Kimberly! We use it in this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/fluffy-vegan-scrambled-eggs/
Sam Richardson says
Rated really nice. However, where it says tofu – cornstarch I stupidly didn’t realise it meant the ingredients from tofu to cornstarch in the list. Probably because of this I wasn’t as fluffyxasvi d hoped. Was nice though. I’ll try harder next time.
Thanks for sharing!
Friso says
I don’t know how specific the type of tofu is, but this recipe just ended up being a very thick sauce. I’m trying to save it by adding flour and soy milk and making weird omelet-pancake hybrids. I highly recommend adding chickpea flour to the mixture and adding water untill the batter becomes similar to that of pancakes.
So it will be almost a hummus-like sauce on the front end, but after cooking it should firm up!
Jin says
this recipe didn’t work for me and I’m not going to try again… I tried both silken and firm tofu, didn’t work. Also followed the suggested amount/portion didn’t form any shape… and the prep time was almost an hour… my kitchen ended up in a mess.
So sorry it didn’t work out! Might I suggest trying this newer recipe for vegan eggs? I find the texture a bit easier to work with.
Sash says
I have just moved house and don’t have a food processer or Nutribullet at the moment! Can I make this and beat it with a whisk? I know it would be extra effort…will it work? :) Really want to try this!
We haven’t tried it, but it might work! The mixture probably won’t be quite as creamy though. Let us know if you give it a try!
Lee oughton says
Black salt would take this to another level!!
Kelly says
Hi,
You say to use silken, firm tofu. Is it silken or firm tofu?
Thank you!
Hi Kelly, we used firm silken tofu. If you use medium to firm tofu that is not silken, it might not be as smooth. If you use soft silken tofu, it may be too tender- in which case, you could try adding chickpea flour to thicken. Hope that helps!
Jenny says
Hi! I tried making this and it tasted good but it didn’t turn out quite right. How thin should the batter be? It didn’t spread very well. Am I looking for a pancake batter consistency?
You’re looking for maybe a 1/4 -1/2 inch thick? It should be kind of thick to spread and should firm up in the pan.
Loren says
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! I plan on trying this ASAP. Have you tried using black salt to get the eggy flavor?
We have more recently, but this was an older recipe. Definitely add it for more “eggy” flavor!
Krissy M says
Hi! I don’t have a pan I can transfer to the oven. Would transferring the omelette work? Would it fall apart?
Hi Krissy, we haven’t tried it, but think it could work if you are careful. A large kitchen tool such as a grill spatula would be ideal for transferring it.
Stephanie says
Can I just say I love this. This was delicious and it worked effortlessly. I added what vegetables I had which were onion, silver beet, red capsicum and mushroom. I also topped with a touch of sweet chilli and it was amazing. Exceeded my expectations to be honest because I’m a recently converted vegan and still finding what works and what doesn’t. I was an egg-oholic. Literally it was my go to breakfast for years on end.
Thank you thank you thank you
Hi Stephanie,
So happy to hear this! Happy cooking xo
Rohonda Williams says
Dana, thank you so much for this recipe! I have not tried it yet, but I will definitely give it a shot! I am a vegan and I soooo miss having eggs in the morning for breakfast. I have tried other vegan omelet recipes, but have not been able to obtain the desired consistency. This recipe gives me hope! :)
One question: I do not eat tofu, is there an alternative to using tofu? In the past I have used chickpea flour, but as mentioned before – the texture/consistency leaves much to the imagination.
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful recipes!! I look forward to hearing from you!
Carrie Ann Kaye-Kuter says
I am in a very similar boat to what you described. I’ve been mostly vegan for about a year with the exception of occasional fish and egg white veggie scramble.
I haven’t had cheese in a long time and I don’t miss it but, eggs I really can’t kick. I’ve made tofu scrambled eggs b4 and they are ok.
I made this and it might be the closest thing for me! I do wonder if I could leave the hummus out next time? It was a little too garlicky for breakfast for me. As is I’d make again for lunch or dinner but I like to start my day blandish. I also wonder if you found a way to speed the prep or pre prep some of it. The nice thing about egg whites and veggies is it takes 4 minutes to make start to finish.
I love thoughts or tips on “quick eggs”
But very delicious as is!!
Aida says
You are the best vegan/gluten free chef out there. I have tried over 10 of your recipes and they have all cane out AMAZING. You are amazing. I am going to make this for Sunday brunch tomorrow!
Heidi says
OMG! FANTABULOUS! Graceful I’m not. I need to work on flipping it in one piece. Other than that I loved it. For veggies I used edamame, red pepper, red onion, corn, diced broccoli & baby portobello mushrooms. I think I used 1.5 cups total. For spices I used dried cilantro leaves, garlic salt, ground mustard,ground ginger and vegan parmesan. I baked it for 13 minutes and added the rest of the veggies and baked another 3 minutes. Too bad I can’t add a picture.
Tracy Hall says
This looks great. Can’t wait to try. I have tried some nutritional yeast in recipes before and didn’t care for it. Perhaps it was the brand. Do you have one you could recommend? So many vegan recipes call for it and I hate to keep excluding them as possibilities.
We like this one!
Rod says
I was asking too much from this recipe; I tried to make it with just cheese. I was hoping to use this as a base for a plain cheese omelet. I might try again rising it in the oven, but in a pan, it just won’t stick together to permit a flip. BTW, if you use black salt it adds a great deal of egg flavor; the darker the better. If you run accross another ingredient that would add cohesion, let me know.
R. says
Great recipe! I loved it! Hubby ate all the hummus so I made without. I bet it tastes even better with hummus. Can’t wait to try it out! ?
Marg says
Delicious-made it this morning. AM wondering what contributes to the high sodium content in this recipe?
Thanks
Hi Marg! It may be the hummus we used to calculate it. So use a low-sodium hummus and draw back on seasonings. Hope that helps!
Kalle says
I made this and loved the flavors. My problem was it stuck to the bottom of the pan. I am trying to cut back on oil use. Any suggestions on pan types or other alternatives to keep it omelet from sticking to the pan?
Hmm, a little oil on this one can go a long way. Otherwise, a nonstick pan should help. We’ve heard good things about GreenPan.
Amy says
Like others, I too had a hard time getting this done enough to fold into an omelet. I baked it for about 25 minutes and it still fell apart. It would’ve been helpful to know what consistency the egg mixture should be and how much we should put in the skillet. I interpreted the directions to mean that the batter should be as thin as possible, but what I found is that when baking, it cracked which meant it fell apart. The next batch I made, I was sure to pour in a lot more egg mixture. It was much better, but had to cook a long time to get it brown, and it still fell apart. Aside from all that, it is truly delicious, just probably beyond my cooking skills.
I’ll take this into consideration, Amy! Definitely not going for as thin as possible. I’m going to be retesting this recipe soon and will post any more helpful notes that I can!
Amy says
Thank you Dana! Aside from the technical issues, the flavor is fantastic! My husband loved it too. I would definitely like to try it again, so I will check back for an update. I also forgot to mention that the omelette I made was tomato and fresh basil. I highly recommend it :)
vero says
this recipe is absolutely delicious!! i’ve never liked animal eggs but have always craved the simplicity of an omelet. this recipe made that possible, and is so easy, i plan to incorporate it into my diet at least once a week (lazy sunday omelets anyone?)
so flavorful, and I plan to switch up the seasoning as i go along so i can keep it fresh!
i’m honestly so flabbergasted that this recipe is so simple and yet so life-changing!! thanks times infinity :)
vero says
Do these actually taste like eggs, or do they have their own flavor?
Hi Vero! With the added toppings, they are a great plant-based alternative and replicate the taste of an omelet!
Vero says
Sorry, I guess I should have clarified… I’ve never actually liked the taste of eggs (I’ve refused them ever since I realized I could -about 18 months old, much to my mother’s chagrin) so the less these taste like animal eggs the better. I’ve always wanted an omelette but there isn’t really anything to replace eggs in one.
If it does taste like eggs, is there a way I can alter the recipe to make that flavor less prominent? Which specific ingredients are providing the egg flavor?
Hi Vero, thanks for your reply! They do not taste like eggs and are a great plant-based version of an omelet so you should be in good shape!
Hari says
I tried following this recipe and it was not cooked and had to scrape it of the plate to make a scrambled version out of it. I avoided Humus, added 2 teaspoons non dairy creamer, water, 1/4 teas spoon of baking Soda and made 3 of them on a pan. I made it like a thin pan cake more like what is called a Dosa in Indian restaurants. Not sure how to attach photos here.
Charlotte says
What amount of tofu is to be used in grams? I’ve trhad to Google with no avail.
Thanks.
Bb says
This looks amazing ❤️❤️❤️ Have to make this
Lia de Ruiter says
I made it, but I am not a great cook, so it didn’t really look like an omelet. It was quite tasty though. My skillet was too small, so I had some of the batter left. The next day I made a scramble with the remaining batter. I stirred and stirred with a knife until the batter was all brown and crisp. It turned out delicious! Even better than the omelet of the previous day. I will probably make the batter again to make a good crisp scamble. It resembles minced meat (not taste, but texture) Thanks so much for the recipe!
silvia Velarde says
Jan 2018 just made it, and it was delicious .