This post may include affiliate links; for details, see our disclosure policy.
This easy vegan breakfast sandwich is packed with flavor! It’s a filling, plant based way to start the day.
Looking for a plant-based way to start the day? Try this vegan breakfast sandwich! Many vegan breakfast ideas are on the sweet side, like oatmeal, pancakes, and French toast. But this breakfast sandwich is a fun savory breakfast that takes just minutes to whip up! The savory chickpea pancake filling surprisingly has a similar flavor and texture to scrambled eggs. Pile it high on a toasted sourdough muffin with tomato and avocado and it’s so satisfying: and totally plant based!
Ingredients in this vegan breakfast sandwich
Since most breakfast sandwich recipes have egg and cheese, many vegan breakfast sandwiches use items like vegan cheese or vegan egg substitutes. For this recipe, we wanted a filling that was full of protein without using a vegan substitute. The answer? A chickpea pancake! Use chickpea flour to fry up a quick savory pancake, which surprisingly has a similar flavor and texture to eggs. It’s an interesting savory way to make a vegan filling that sticks with you throughout the day! Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Chickpea flour
- Nutritional yeast
- Baking soda
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Sourdough English muffin
- Tomato
- Avocado
- Hummus or vegan mayonnaise
- Microgreens
Chickpea flour makes a protein-packed filling
What is chickpea flour? I’ll admit, we didn’t keep this as a staple in our pantry: until now! Chickpea flour is a flour made of finely ground chickpeas, making it a gluten-free alternative. It’s a traditional ingredient in Indian cuisine and also popular as the base for socca (or farinata), a chickpea pancake that originated in Italy and is also popular in Southern France.
For a vegan breakfast sandwich, chickpea flour makes an excellent stand-in for eggs. When it’s cooked into a pancake and seasoned, it has a similar texture and flavor. Chickpea flour also has other nutritional benefits. One cup of chickpea flour has:
- 20 grams of protein
- 10 grams of fiber
- 101% of your daily folate
- Other vitamins (source)
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast is a popular ingredient in vegan cooking, but it might sound odd if you’ve never worked with it before. What is it? Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast that looks like powdery yellow flakes. It often stars in vegetarian and vegan dishes because of its cheesy, savory taste. Sometimes called “nooch” by its fans, it’s amazing sprinkled on popcorn. Or use it in recipes like vegan Parmesan cheese, vegan polenta, or vegan queso.
Find a vegan English muffin
Not all bread is vegan, since it often includes dairy products like butter, eggs or milk. However, sourdough bread and other artisan style-breads are vegan.
We were able to find sourdough English muffins that were vegan for this breakfast sandwich recipe (we used Aunt Millie’s brand). When you’re shopping, make sure to look at the ingredients list to ensure the English muffin or bread is vegan.
Tips for making a vegan breakfast sandwich
Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, it takes just minutes to make this vegan breakfast sandwich! Here are a few tips:
- Pan fry the filling in 5 minutes. Chickpea flour is a shelf-stable ingredient that makes a filling in just 5 minutes. Make it up to order, or you can make it in advance and refrigerate for breakfast throughout the week.
- Find a vegan bread. Depending on the brand, a sourdough English muffin is often naturally vegan.
- Use a great vegan spread. Hummus or vegan mayonnaise both work! The spread is important for adding the final flavoring to the sandwich.
- Pick your favorite veggies. The sliced tomato is key, then add whatever other vegetables you like: avocado, microgreens, etc. (Microgreens can add a slightly bitter flavor, so don’t overload on them!)
And that’s it! Let us know if you try it and what you think in the comments below.
More vegan breakfast ideas
Love eating plant-based? Here are more of our top vegan breakfast ideas:
- Try an Easy Tofu Scramble
- Go for Vegan Pancakes or Vegan French Toast
- Opt for Vegan Baked Oatmeal
This vegan breakfast sandwich recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free. For gluten-free, use a gluten-free English muffin.
Print
Easy Vegan Breakfast Sandwich
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 sandwich 1x
Description
This easy vegan breakfast sandwich is packed with flavor! It’s a filling, plant based way to start the day.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- ½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Several grinds black pepper
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Sourdough English muffin or bread (check the packaging to ensure it is vegan)
- 1 slice tomato
- Sliced avocado (optional)
- Hummus or vegan mayonnaise*, to spread
- Microgreens (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, baking soda, salt, and black pepper. Add the water and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and whisk until combined.
- Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a small (8-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in the batter and cook 1 to 2 minutes until bubbles form and the bottom is golden brown. Then flip and cook for about 30 seconds more. Remove to a plate. Fold the circle in half two times so that it fits onto the English muffin.
- Toast the English muffin. Spread each side with hummus or vegan mayonnaise. Place the tomato on one slice of the English muffin (sprinkled with a bit of salt), then top with the chickpea pancake, avocado or microgreens, and the remaining English muffin half. (If desired, you can make a few batches of chickpea pancakes and store them refrigerated for 1 week.)
Notes
*We like the flavor of vegan mayonnaise (depending on the brand), but hummus also works as a tasty vegan spread. You can also make Spicy Mayo using vegan mayonnaise.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Keywords: Vegan breakfast sandwich
interesting protein swap, nice change in protein for me if only just mix it up, good idea, thank you!
★★★★★
looking for alternate protein for me and this is a good choice and also tastes so good
★★★★★
soo happy to see a sandwich that has no meat and perfect for breakfast
★★★★★
Hey, Sonja! I’ve made this twice and like the sammich :) and the flavor of this chickpea pancake in it, but both times I have a heck of a time flipping this sucker. I’m using a non-stick pan, medium heat, olive oil on the pan — and still getting lots of “stick” so that it falls apart. (I eat it anyway.) Any tips for me?
I really wanted to like this recipe, but found it very bland. I did like how easy it was to make the pancake and probably will make it again to substitute for an omelet, and top it with onion, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms etc.
★★★
I love the taste rate 5 star, but could you please give an idea on how I can prevent this from sticking to my stainless still pan?
Thank you
★★★★★
This is why we use a non-stick! You can try really getting the pan preheated prior to adding the ingredients for best performance though.