This Trick Makes Vegan Scrambled Eggs Actually Taste Like Eggs

Vegan scrambled eggs sounds like an oxymoron, but if you’ve been out to brunch in the past few years, you’ve certainly noticed an option for a “tofu scramble” along with eggy options. Though tofu scrambles get the job done, crumbling soy product cooked in a pan can only create a fairly firm egg-ish texture. Enter: chickpeas. Chickpea flour and the brine from a can of chickpeas (also known as aquafaba) can be used to create soft, curd-y scrambled eggs that will rival anything that came out of a chicken.

The second secret to egglike vegan eggs is kala namak, also known as black salt. Kala namak has a high sulfur content, and because of that, a pinch or two will smell like hard-boiled eggs. When mixed in with the chickpea-egg mixture, the combination of scent and texture yields a final product that is strikingly similar to the real deal. Kala namak can be found in the Middle Eastern section of many grocery stores and online. Of course, if you’re in a hurry, omitting the kala namak will not break the recipe; you’ll just want to add a bit of kosher salt to amp up the seasoning.

Whisk together ½ cup chickpea flour, ½ cup aquafaba (save the chickpeas in the fridge for another meal), ¼ cup filtered water, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon kala namak (or kosher salt), and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Set the mixture aside and let it thicken for 10 minutes.

Use this time to saute any vegetables you’d like in your scramble: peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, etc. Scoop the vegetables out of the pan and keep aside until you’re ready to serve.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in the chickpea flour mixture and let it sit the the pan undisturbed for about 1 minute to set. Use a nonstick spatula to begin scrambling the mixture as you would with beaten eggs. Continue to scramble every 2 minutes or so (not constantly, or the mixture will form really small bits) until it no longer looks wet. If using, stir in the sauteed vegetables.

Serve the scramble solo, with a slice of two of toast, or with your favorite breakfast meat (or faux meat). A few shakes of hot sauce would also do good things here.