Vegan Omelette (an affordable simple recipe)

This vegan frittata (The Simple Veganista) is super-simple to make. The tofu base is added to lots of fresh produce, a wonderful way to use up leftover veggies. Of course, you could also add in some grated vegan cheese, to make a ‘cheesy omelette’.

Before cooking, read our post on food safety for people and pets. Just bin allium scraps (onion, garlic, chives, shallots, leeks) as like tomato/rhubarb/citrus, acids could harm compost creatures.

Tofu or Chickpea Flour?

There are various recipes. A pinch of turmeric powder gives the yellow colour (not too much if you don’t want curried omelette).

Some use commercial ‘vegan egg’, but others use more natural ingredients like tofu (Tofoo is organic and made in Yorkshire). This is basically bean curd, and has no taste so once marinated, it takes on the taste of other ingredients.

Cookbook author Sarah Kramer said that ‘saying you don’t like tofu, is like saying you don’t like cake flour!’ Sarah (often dubbed ‘the world’s coolest vegan’) died recently age just 56, after a 7-week battle with aggressive brain cancer.

She wrote just before she died:

My last wish for all of you is that you find all the ingredients to make your life the most joyful recipe. But please don’t forget to taste your dish once in a while, to make sure the ingredients work together. The best part of a recipe gone bad, is that you can always just toss it in the bin, and start again from scratch.

A surprising but very popular ingredient for vegan omelette is chickpea flour (which produces the right texture and has plenty of protein). Chickpea flour is made from finely milled chickpeas and is naturally gluten-free, adding a nutty and slightly sweet flavour to many recipes including falafel and pakora. You can also use it to thicken sauces.

Himalayan Black Salt (kala namak)

The stand-out ingredient for good vegan omelettes is Kala Namak (Indian black salt) which gives the authentic sulphur smell and taste of real eggs. This is volcanic rock salt that is actually brown/pink when ground, and contains sulphur compounds to give food an ‘eggy flavour’.

Also used in vegan egg salad, quiche and mayo, it’s high in iron and potassium, and lower in sodium than regular salt, though should still be used in moderation.

You only need to add a pinch, to make tofu taste of eggs! You can also sprinkle it on top for a savoury boost, and use in chutney, raita and creamy dishes. Once opened, keep in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Above is an online link, but you may also find it in Indian grocery stores.

A Tofu-Free Omelette Recipe

This Tofu-Free Omelette (ElaVegan) replaces chickpea flour with red lentils (ground in a coffee machine) and tapioca flour to mix with black salt and spices. Add the dry mix to water, to make your omelette batter.