This vegan chickpea scramble is made with whole chickpeas, and it’s packed with plant-protein. It’s so easy to make, and it incorporates nutrient-dense foods and spices, including mushrooms, peppers, onions, and turmeric. I love to serve the scramble as an alternative to tofu scramble, and it’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

One of the first recipes that I learned as a new vegan was tofu scramble. I must have made it at least three times a week for a year.

It was quick, easy, nutritious, and it made for good breakfast or take-to-work lunch leftovers.

I’ve never lost my love of tofu scramble, but I do have one alternative that I make nearly as often. It’s a vegan chickpea scramble, made with whole chickpeas.

This is something that you can whip up in your frying pan with two cans of chickpeas from the pantry and whatever veggies you have on hand. It’s gluten-free, soy free, super nutritious, and delicious, to boot.

The chickpea scramble is a perfect example of a savory vegan breakfast. I have a soft spot for savory breakfast options like this one, or my savory steel cut oatmeal or split pea coconut porridge.

That said, I’ve served the scramble for lunch and dinner more times than I can count. This is truly an anytime recipe, and it always delivers on satisfaction and flavor.

What is chickpea scramble?

This chickpea scramble results from scrambling chickpeas and vegetables with a spice mixture in a hot skillet. Like any one of my tofu scramble recipes, this dish features sautéed veggies, turmeric, and nutritional yeast. It’s just a different protein base.

Because I make tofu scramble as often as I do, chickpeas are a nice change of pace! They have a plump, firm-yet-soft texture.

It’s possible to use chickpea flour to create a chickpea scramble that mimics the texture of eggs (or a frittata). I like that kind of scramble, but I make this scramble with whole chickpeas much more often.

It’s quick cooking, totally unfussy, and I love that it emphasizes whole legumes.

Needless to say, between three cups of chickpeas and a nice portion of mushrooms (a relatively protien-rich vegetable), the scramble is a great way to get plant protein into your breakfast.

Can I substitute another bean for the chickpeas?

You can. I really prefer the texture of chickpeas to most other beans. But I’ve made this sample skillet meal with white beans, black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans.

You can use the scramble as a way to use up the beans you have, incorporating them into a nutritious meal.

Do I need to cook chickpeas from scratch for this recipe?

No, definitely not. While I do sometimes cook chickpeas from scratch to save a little money, I use canned chickpeas all the time. They’re a staple ingredient in my home, as my many vegan chickpea recipes go to show.

You can use either scratch-cooked or canned chickpeas in the chickpea scramble recipe. If cooking from scratch, you’ll need three cups of cooked chickpeas total.

How to make a whole chickpea scramble

The process of making this whole chickpea scramble is so simple. First, you’ll sauté some onions and garlic in your skillet (I like to use cast iron for this recipe). Next, you’ll add mushrooms.

While everything cooks, you’ll stir together a seasoning blend. The one I like to use has turmeric, chili powder, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast (for umami), and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes for heat.

Finally, you’ll throw in the chickpeas and seasoning blend. Continue to cook everything in the skillet until the chickpeas are hot and maybe starting to get a little crispy, about 5-8 minutes.

Taste your scramble. Adjust the seasoning as you need to, and that’s it! Breakfast is ready.

How to serve chickpea scramble

It’s so easy to enjoy the chickpea scramble and its leftovers! My favorite way to eat it is over a bed of cooked rice, with some chopped fresh herbs. You can serve it similarly with any cooked whole grain you like, or with baked or air-fried sweet potato.

I also love to pile the scramble over toast or avocado toast, and I’ve incorporated it into wraps and pita pockets.

For a lighter meal, the scrambled chickpeas can be piled over a bed of sautéed leafy greens. This is especially nice if you drizzle it with some yum sauce or cashew queso.

Can the chickpea scramble be frozen?

It can be. I tend to think that chickpeas freeze and defrost really well. I’d suggest freezing the scramble for up to four weeks.

If you’re not freezing, the leftovers can be stored for up to five days in an airtight container in the fridge.

I’ve found that the scramble makes for a really excellent vegan meal prep breakfast. Pack it up in a divided container with some cooked rice or wake up and roll it into a whole grain wrap, and you’re good to go.

5 from 3 votes

Easy Vegan Chickpea Scramble (with Whole Chickpeas)

Author – Gena Hamshaw

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
• 8-10 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Dash crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 14.5-ounce cans, rinsed and drained
• cooked whole grains, for serving
• lime wedges, for serving
• hot sauce, for serving (if desired)

Instructions

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and peppers. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the onion is clear and soft. Add a few tablespoons of water as needed to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
• Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Mix the vegetables and cover the skillet. Allow the mushrooms to cook for another five minutes, or until they’ve released their liquid and are soft and cooked through.
• While the vegetables cook, mix your spices (salt, turmeric, chili powder, smoked paprika, and pepper flakes) together. When the mushrooms are cooked, add the spice blend, the nutritional yeast, and the chickpeas, as well as about a third or half cup of water. Stir the mixture thoroughly to be sure everything is well combined. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until everything is hot and and the chickpeas are just starting to get crispy. Check the mixture for seasoning and season to taste with additional spices, salt, or pepper.
• To serve, divide the chickpea scramble over even portions of cooked rice, another whole grain, or toast. Garnish with lime wedges and a sprinkle of parsley. Add some hot sauce, if you like. Enjoy!

Hopefully this recipe will come in handy the next time you need to throw together something ultra-wholesome together quickly.

Enjoy!

xo