Besan Chilla with Spinach and Spiced Tofu Filling
Thin, golden besan chilla with spinach in the batter, folded around a turmeric-spiced tofu scramble. A filling vegan Indian breakfast made with pantry spices.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Serves
- 3
Besan Chilla with Spinach and Spiced Tofu Filling is a vegan breakfast recipe made with chickpea flour (besan), water, baby spinach. It takes 50 minutes of hands-on time, plus 10 minutes resting, serves 3, and each serving has 525 calories, 35 g of protein and 10 g of fiber.
Letting the chickpea flour batter rest for 10 minutes hydrates the flour, so the chillas turn out tender and flexible and don't crack when you fold them. Finely chopped spinach goes straight into the batter, and the crumbled tofu is cooked like a bhurji with cumin seeds, tomato and kala namak for a savory, eggy note. Chickpea flour and tofu both add protein, so a couple of filled chillas will keep you full until lunch.
Ingredients
Chilla batter
- 1½ cups138 gchickpea flour (besan)
- 1¼ cups296 gwater, plus more as needed
- 1 cup30 gbaby spinach, finely chopped
- 1 tsp2 gfresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 tbsp2 gfresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 small14 gjalapeño or green chili, seeded and minced (optional)
- ¼ tsp0.8 gground turmeric
- ½ tsp3 gfine salt
- 2 tbsp28 gneutral oil, for the pan
Spiced tofu filling
- 14 oz397 gfirm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 1 tbsp14 gneutral oil
- 1 tsp2.1 gcumin seeds
- 1 small70 gyellow onion, finely diced
- 2 tsp4 gfresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 medium123 gtomato, diced
- ½ tsp1.5 gground turmeric
- ½ tsp1 ggaram masala
- ½ tsp3 gkala namak (Indian black salt)
- 2 cups60 gbaby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp15 glime juice
- 2 tbsp2 gfresh cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)
Kit: large mixing bowl, whisk, 10-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet, medium skillet, thin spatula
Tips
- The first chilla often comes out uneven while the pan settles to the right heat. If the batter sets before you can spread it, lower the heat a little. If it won't brown, raise it.
- Keep cooked chillas warm by stacking them on a plate under a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest.
- Kala namak smells sulfurous straight from the jar, but the smell fades in the hot tofu and leaves an egg-like savoriness. Add it off the heat so it keeps its flavor.
Swap ideas
- Kala namak → regular salt
- Still well seasoned, but you lose the eggy, bhurji-style flavor.
- Spinach → finely chopped kale or fenugreek (methi) leaves
- Kale is chewier and earthier. Fresh methi adds a pleasant, traditional bitterness.
- Water in the batter → unsweetened soy milk
- Makes softer, slightly richer chillas that brown faster, so cook them a touch cooler.
- Firm tofu → 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, lightly mashed
- Gives a heartier, chunkier filling with a nuttier taste.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
525kcal per serving
Everything else · 3 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 3.1 g 16%
- Sugars
- 7.4 g
- Sodium
- 506 mg 22%
- Potassium
- 1052 mg 22%
- Calcium
- 977 mg 75%
- Iron
- 8.2 mg 46%
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg 20%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Chickpea flour (besan), Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Spinach, raw, Ginger root, raw, Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw, Spices, turmeric, ground, Salt, table, Oil, canola, Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate, Spices, cumin seed, Onions, raw, Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average, ORGANIC GARAM MASALA (KHAZANA, SLT Foods Inc.; USDA Branded Foods, serving size 100 g), Naco Black Salt Kala Namak (Carb Manager food database), Lime juice, raw
Method
Make the batter: whisk the chickpea flour, turmeric and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup of the water until you have a thick, smooth paste with no lumps, then whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup. Stir in the chopped spinach, 1 tsp ginger, cilantro and jalapeño (if using). Let it rest for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
Crumble the tofu into small, uneven pieces with your fingers. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the cumin seeds and cook until they sizzle and darken slightly, about 30 seconds.
Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and turning golden at the edges, 4–5 minutes. Stir in 2 tsp ginger and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato and cook until it breaks down and looks jammy, 3–4 minutes.
Add the crumbled tofu, 1/2 tsp turmeric and garam masala and toss until the tofu is evenly yellow. Cook, stirring now and then, until hot and the excess moisture has cooked off, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the spinach until wilted, about 1 minute, then take it off the heat and season with the kala namak and lime juice. Cover to keep warm.
Check the batter: it should pour easily, like a thin crepe batter. If it has thickened while resting, whisk in 1–2 tbsp more water.
Heat a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat and brush it with about 1 tsp oil. Pour in a heaping 1/3 cup of batter and quickly spread it into a thin 7–8 inch round with the back of the ladle.
Cook until the top looks dry and set and the edges lift and turn golden, 2–3 minutes. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edge, flip, and cook until the second side has golden-brown spots, 1–2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter, lightly oiling the pan each time. You should get about 6 chillas.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of the tofu filling onto one half of each chilla, fold it over, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot.
Storage: Refrigerate the tofu filling and the cooked chillas separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days, with parchment between the stacked chillas. Reheat the chillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute per side and warm the filling in the pan or microwave. Uncooked batter keeps for 1 day in the fridge. Thin it with a splash of water before cooking.
Questions
- How much protein is in besan chilla with spinach and spiced tofu filling?
- Each of the 3 servings has 35 g of protein, 10 g of fiber and 525 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is besan chilla with spinach and spiced tofu filling vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does besan chilla with spinach and spiced tofu filling take to make?
- 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, so 50 minutes of hands-on time, plus 10 minutes of unattended resting.
- Can you make besan chilla with spinach and spiced tofu filling ahead?
- Refrigerate the tofu filling and the cooked chillas separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days, with parchment between the stacked chillas. Reheat the chillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute per side and warm the filling in the pan or microwave. Uncooked batter keeps for 1 day in the fridge. Thin it with a splash of water before cooking.
- What can I substitute in besan chilla with spinach and spiced tofu filling?
- Kala namak → regular salt — still well seasoned, but you lose the eggy, bhurji-style flavor.. Spinach → finely chopped kale or fenugreek (methi) leaves — kale is chewier and earthier. fresh methi adds a pleasant, traditional bitterness.. Water in the batter → unsweetened soy milk — makes softer, slightly richer chillas that brown faster, so cook them a touch cooler.. Firm tofu → 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, lightly mashed — gives a heartier, chunkier filling with a nuttier taste..
- Does besan chilla with spinach and spiced tofu filling contain gluten or nuts?
- None of the ingredients are a source of gluten, tree nuts or peanuts. That is a statement about the ingredient list, not a guarantee about the brands you buy — always read the labels if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published September 29, 2026 ·Indian
