Breakfast tomatoes are a quick, simple, healthy breakfast/ brunch dish. Thick tomato rings are stuffed with a chickpea flour-based tomato filling and pan-fried until golden. This egg-free tomato omelette is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and full of fiber and protein!
Quick and Delicious Breakfast Tomatoes
Looking for a healthy vegan breakfast idea the entire family will enjoy? It’s the perfect time to try ‘egg’ stuffed breakfast tomatoes. Tomatoes and eggs are already a classic breakfast pairing – whether in a shakshuka, baked eggs, a fry-up, or these vegan egg tomato rings.
Just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the ‘eggy’ fun, either. I’ve already posted recipes for tofu scrambled egg, vegan omelette, quiche, frittata, vegetable muffins, and now these chickpea-stuffed tomato rings.
In this ‘egg in a hole’ style recipe, thickly sliced tomato rings are cored and stuffed with an egg-free chickpea flour-based tomato omelette to replace a fried egg. With just a handful of pantry spices, this vegan breakfast recipe is packed with flavor, fiber, and protein – perfect for your breakfast, brunch, or lunch table.
The Ingredients
These healthy breakfast tomatoes rely on primarily simple kitchen and pantry staples, including:
- Tomatoes: Use large, ripe tomatoes for the best flavor – like beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes. Firm tomatoes are needed, so they don’t fall apart while cooking. Alternatively, use onion, bell pepper, or zucchini rings if preferred.
- Chickpea flour: Chickpea flour (or gram flour) makes up the base of our egg mixture and makes for a delicious and nutritious gluten-free breakfast recipe.
- Water: To combine with the flour to make the eggy batter.
- Nutritional yeast: While it’s known for its nutty, cheesy flavor, it also helps increase the ‘eggy’ flavor.
- Kala Namak: AKA black salt, is the key to recreating that sulphury eggy flavor in vegan egg. Alternatively, use regular kosher salt/ sea salt if preferred.
- Spices: To boost the flavor of the vegan omelette, I used a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, and black pepper.
- Fresh chives: Fresh herbs will help to add some freshness to this vegan breakfast recipe. Parsley, cilantro, or scallions would also work.
- Oil: Use a neutral cooking oil like vegetable oil, avocado oil, or light olive oil. Vegan butter also works.
Optional Add-ins
- Other spices: Like cumin, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, or chili/cayenne pepper.
- Jalapeño peppers: Deseeded and finely chopped for some spice.
- Vegetables: Though there isn’t a lot of space, you could add some finely chopped, pre-sauteed vegetables to the tomato omelette. I.e., grated carrot, zucchini, diced bell pepper, sautéed spinach, corn, etc.
- Vegan cheese: Use shredded cheese like vegan cheddar or my 3-ingredient vegan cheese sauce to top the tomato breakfast bites (add pan lid to help it melt or broil for 1-2 minutes).
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.
How to Make Breakfast Tomatoes?
- First, slice the tomatoes into even-sized rings (about ½-inch thick) and, depending on their size, use a knife or glass to remove the middle of the tomato rings. Set the rings aside and dice the remaining inner flesh (core and seeds) into tiny pieces.
- Transfer the chopped tomato to a bowl with the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, kala namak, and all the spices.
- Pour the water into the bowl, a little at a time, whisking between each addition. Add the chives and stir once more.
The juiciness from the tomatoes should help achieve the correct medium-thick batter. However, if it’s too thick, add more water, one tablespoon at a time.
- Add a swirl of oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add as many tomato rings as you can fit in a single layer.
- Spoon the chickpea egg batter into the middle of each tomato ring and cook for several minutes (3-5), flipping halfway, until both sides are set and golden.
- Repeat with more tomato rings until no batter is left, then sprinkle them with fresh chives and enjoy!
What to Serve with Pan-Fried Tomato ‘Egg’ Rings?
Unsurprisingly, these delicious breakfast tomatoes are the perfect addition to your breakfast plate with:
- Toast (or avocado toast) or bagels
- Hash browns
- Sauteed spinach
- Mushrooms
- Breakfast potatoes / pan-fried potatoes
They’ll also work wonderfully in a brunch spread alongside fruit and yogurt parfaits, waffles, muffins, French toast, granola bars, and more.
Storage Instructions
Store: While I think the vegan egg tomato rings taste best fresh, allow any leftovers to cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheat: The breakfast tomatoes will reheat well in a skillet or microwave (At 50% power). You can pop large batches in the oven at 350F/175C until warmed through, or in the air fryer.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- For the eggiest flavor: Don’t omit the kala namak.
- Cut thick tomato slices: If they are too thin, there won’t be enough space for the omelette. They can also become overly soft/fall apart while cooking.
- Water content may vary: If the chopped tomato isn’t very juicy, it won’t add enough moisture to the batter, so you may need to add more.
- Tomato halves: This method is best baked. Core the tomato halves and set them in a baking dish. Fill them with the vegan egg mixture, then bake at 400F/ 200C until set (about 20 minutes). Covering with foil may help it cook faster.
Experiment with other veggies
These tomato omelette rings will work with other sliced veggies, too, like onion, zucchini, bell pepper, etc. Optionally sauté for 1-2 minutes per side before adding the filling.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes
- Pajeon (Korean scallion pancakes)
- Vegan breakfast burritos
- Nut-free granola
- Homemade cocoa puffs
- Cinnamon apple crepes
- Banana baked oatmeal
If you try this easy vegan breakfast tomatoes recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan—I love seeing them.
Breakfast Tomatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large (400 g) tomatoes
- 1 cup (100 g) chickpea flour
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp black salt or salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ⅛ tsp turmeric
- Black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) water (see notes)
- 2 Tbsp fresh chives chopped
- A little oil to fry
Instructions
- You can watch the short video for visual instructions.First, slice the tomatoes into even-sized rings (about ½-inch / 1-1½ cm thick) and, depending on their size, use a knife or glass to remove the middle of the tomato rings. Set the rings aside and dice the remaining inner flesh (core and seeds) into tiny pieces.
- Transfer the finely diced tomato to a bowl with the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, kala namak, and all the spices.
- Pour the water into the bowl, a little at a time, whisking between each addition. Add the chives and stir once more.The juiciness from the tomatoes should help achieve the correct medium-thick batter. However, if it's too thick, add more water, one tablespoon at a time.
- Add a swirl of oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add as many tomato rings as you can fit in a single layer.
- Spoon the chickpea batter into the middle of each tomato ring and cook for several minutes (3-5), flipping halfway, until both sides are set and golden.
- Repeat with more tomato rings until no batter is left, then sprinkle them with fresh chives and enjoy!
Notes
- Experiment with other veggies: These tomato omelette rings will work with other sliced veggies, too, like onion, zucchini, bell pepper, etc. Optionally sauté for 1-2 minutes per side before adding the filling.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Made these today with yellow bell peppers. So good!
Sounds awesome, Amelia. Glad you liked them. 🙂
Absolutely delicious. Found this recipe just before dinner time…..when tonight’s dinner was going to be a “fend for yourself affair”. All ingredients were on hand, and the recipe seemed simple enough. Perfect timing. Breakfast for dinner.
Yay, so happy to hear, Oriana. Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Let me preface this by saying, I am not a vegan. I’m not even strictly a vegetarian, though my food choices would grant me that title. That being said, I love chickpea flour and just acquired black salt for a different vegan recipe. I’ve currently got a bumper crop of tomatoes and I threw this together this morning. Brilliant! If not proposed as eggs, I think many omnivores would love this recipe! super easy and tasty!
So happy you liked it! 🙂