Vegan Chickpea Flour Frittata with Broccoli, Kale and Caramelized Onion
An egg-free chickpea flour frittata with broccoli, kale and sweet caramelized onion, seasoned with kala namak for eggy flavor. Baked in one skillet.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Serves
- 4
Vegan Chickpea Flour Frittata with Broccoli, Kale and Caramelized Onion is a vegan breakfast recipe made with chickpea flour (besan), water, nutritional yeast. It takes 75 minutes of hands-on time, plus 10 minutes resting, serves 4, and each serving has 256 calories, 11 g of protein and 7 g of fiber.
This frittata uses a turmeric chickpea-flour batter instead of eggs. Kala namak, a sulfurous black salt, gives it the eggy taste, and nutritional yeast adds a savory, cheesy note. Letting the batter rest while the onion caramelizes helps the flour absorb the water, so the frittata sets tender instead of gritty. Bake it in the same skillet you cooked the vegetables in, and the edges turn golden and slightly crisp.
A dietary (fully vegan and egg-free, with a turmeric chickpea-flour batter and kala namak for eggy flavor instead of eggs and feta) + seasonal produce (broccoli, kale and caramelized onion instead of butternut squash and sage) take on our Roasted Butternut Squash Frittata with Kale, Feta and Sage.
Ingredients
Batter
- 1¼ cups115 gchickpea flour (besan)
- 1½ cups356 gwater, room temperature
- 3 tbsp15 gnutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp14 golive oil
- ¾ tsp4.5 gkala namak (Indian black salt)
- ½ tsp1.5 gground turmeric
- ¾ tsp3.5 gbaking powder
- ½ tsp1.6 ggarlic powder
- ¼ tsp0.6 gblack pepper
Vegetables
- 2 tbsp27 golive oil
- 1 large150 gyellow onion, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp3 gfine salt
- 2 cups182 gbroccoli, cut into small bite-size florets
- 2 tbsp30 gwater
- 2 cloves6 ggarlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups63 gkale, stems removed, leaves chopped
- ¼ tsp0.5 gred pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 30 ggreen onions, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)
- 1 tsp5 ghot sauce, for serving (optional)
Kit: 10-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron works best), mixing bowl, whisk
Tips
- Kala namak gets its eggy smell from sulfur, and the smell fades with heat. For a stronger egg flavor, sprinkle a pinch more over the wedges just before serving.
- Cut the broccoli florets small, about 3/4 inch. Large chunks keep the batter from setting evenly around them.
- A well-seasoned cast iron or oven-safe nonstick pan gives the cleanest release. Stainless steel needs generous oil on the sides.
- If the center is still tacky when the edges are done, bake 5 minutes more. Undercooked chickpea flour tastes raw and beany.
Swap ideas
- Spinach instead of kale
- Gives softer, milder greens. Stir it in at the very end, since it wilts in about 1 minute.
- Smoked paprika (1/2 tsp) in the batter
- Gives a smoky, bacon-like depth that goes well with the sweet onion.
- Unsweetened soy milk instead of water in the batter
- Makes a slightly richer, more custardy crumb.
- Mushrooms (1 cup sliced) instead of broccoli
- Adds a meatier, earthier flavor. Brown them well with the onion before adding the kale.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
256kcal per serving
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 1.7 g 9%
- Sugars
- 5.7 g
- Sodium
- 483 mg 21%
- Potassium
- 597 mg 13%
- Calcium
- 143 mg 11%
- Iron
- 3.4 mg 19%
- Vitamin C
- 59 mg 65%
- Vitamin B12
- 14.07 µg 586%
% 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, Nutritional Yeast Seasoning by BRAGG (fortified; legacy USDA Branded Foods entry as reproduced by NutritionValue.org), Oil, olive, salad or cooking, Naco Black Salt Kala Namak (Carb Manager food database), Spices, turmeric, ground, Leavening agents, baking powder, double-acting, sodium aluminum sulfate, Spices, garlic powder (SR Legacy), Spices, pepper, black, Onions, raw, Salt, table, Broccoli, raw, Garlic, raw, Kale, raw
Method
Whisk the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, kala namak, turmeric, baking powder, garlic powder and black pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the 1 1/2 cups water and 1 tbsp olive oil until smooth with no lumps. Set aside to hydrate while you cook the vegetables.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and salt, then cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onion is soft and deep golden brown, 18–20 minutes. If it starts to stick or scorch, lower the heat and add a splash of water.
While the onion cooks, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the middle.
Add the broccoli and 2 tbsp water to the skillet and cover. Cook until the florets are bright green and just tender when pierced with a knife, 3–4 minutes.
Uncover and stir in the garlic, kale and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook until the kale wilts and any liquid evaporates, 2–3 minutes. Spread the vegetables evenly over the bottom of the pan and make sure the sides are well oiled. Add a little more oil if the pan looks dry.
Whisk the batter again, then pour it evenly over the vegetables. Gently shake the pan so the batter settles into the gaps. Cook on the stovetop for 2 minutes to start setting the bottom.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is firm and dry to the touch, the edges are golden and pull away from the pan, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, 30–35 minutes.
Let the frittata rest in the pan for 10 minutes so it firms up. Run a spatula around the edge, cut into wedges and serve warm with green onions and hot sauce, if you like.
Storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate wedges in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or a covered skillet for 8–10 minutes, or microwave for 60–90 seconds. You can also eat it at room temperature. Freezing makes the texture spongy, so it's best kept in the fridge.
Questions
- How much protein is in vegan chickpea flour frittata with broccoli, kale and caramelized onion?
- Each of the 4 servings has 11 g of protein, 7 g of fiber and 256 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is vegan chickpea flour frittata with broccoli, kale and caramelized onion vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does vegan chickpea flour frittata with broccoli, kale and caramelized onion take to make?
- 15 minutes of prep and 60 minutes of cooking, so 75 minutes of hands-on time, plus 10 minutes of unattended resting.
- Can you make vegan chickpea flour frittata with broccoli, kale and caramelized onion ahead?
- Cool completely, then refrigerate wedges in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or a covered skillet for 8–10 minutes, or microwave for 60–90 seconds. You can also eat it at room temperature. Freezing makes the texture spongy, so it's best kept in the fridge.
- What can I substitute in vegan chickpea flour frittata with broccoli, kale and caramelized onion?
- Spinach instead of kale — gives softer, milder greens. stir it in at the very end, since it wilts in about 1 minute.. Smoked paprika (1/2 tsp) in the batter — gives a smoky, bacon-like depth that goes well with the sweet onion.. Unsweetened soy milk instead of water in the batter — makes a slightly richer, more custardy crumb.. Mushrooms (1 cup sliced) instead of broccoli — adds a meatier, earthier flavor. brown them well with the onion before adding the kale..
- Does vegan chickpea flour frittata with broccoli, kale and caramelized onion 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 October 8, 2026 ·American
