Tomato omelet is a tasty Indian snack that's vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free. It's made with tomatoes, besan and spices, and served as breakfast or snack. Make this Indian Frittata in 20 minutes.
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What is an eggless omelet
Eggless omelet or omelette is not a myth! It's very much possible using flour, and spices. Make it a notch delicious by adding tomatoes to the mix.
Tomatoes can easily be added to our daily diet because they can be eaten raw as well. They are rich in vitamins, plus they are so versatile to cook with. Tomato soup, Tomato Rava Upma, and Tomato rice are some of my favorite dishes to make with tomatoes.
Is it omelet or omelette
My Popsey's signature dish
Tomato omelet was the first dish I saw my Popsey (dad) cook for us. Though he would cook occasionally as mom did most of the cooking, he was a man of great taste who thoroughly enjoyed his food. His cooking style was different from mom's and he loved experimenting with recipes more.
My dad would leave the basic cooking for my mom to do and he would come into the kitchen only to prepare something different for us. He was the one who first introduced the Bombay-style French Toast to us and of course his most prized creation - the Tomato omelet! We are vegetarians and as a child, never ate an egg. I would see my neighbor friends eat omelets made of eggs and come home and pester my mom to make the same for me. She then explained to me that we being vegetarians, do not consume eggs. That is when my dad came up with this genius recipe.
He would market his dish as a meal for vegetarians and since it had the word 'omelet' in it, I was happy to eat it. However, over the years, we started consuming eggs occasionally, and that too because of him. He felt that we needed to include that in our diet and he would make it for us while my mom would not even enter the kitchen when it was being made. She even made him use a different pan and spatula for cooking the eggs! 🙂 Lol!
Why make this
- it's made restaurant-style
- easy and quick to make
- is eggless, vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free
- the batter can be made ahead of time
- made with very little oil
- a healthy nourishing breakfast or snack option
Ingredients needed 🧾
Tomatoes - Canned hand-crushed tomatoes or tomato puree work great. Sometimes, we also use finely chopped fresh ripe tomatoes to make this omelet.
Flour - I like to mix a couple of flours together to make this eggless omelet. Besan or chickpea flour, rice flour or all-purpose flour, and semolina or rava (coarse or fine)are what I have used. Rice flour and semolina give this vegan omelette a crispy texture.
Spices - ajwain or carom seeds and cumin seeds help with digestion. Turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and green chillies add color and spice to these vegan pancakes.
Veggies and herbs - Normally I add chopped onions, bell peppers, and cilantro. But sometimes I add some finely chopped spinach and cabbage to the omelet batter.
Baking soda is also added to the batter to make it light and fluffy. You can skip adding it if you want.
To make it a bit indulgent, also add some shredded vegan cheese. Kids will love this twist. Cook it in Thecha Butter, vegan butter, vegan ghee, olive oil, or any vegetable oil.
How to make it 🔪
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- In a mixing bowl add chickpea flour, rice flour, and semolina.
- Then add cumin seeds, ajwain (if adding) turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and chilly powder.
- Next, add chopped onions, minced green chillies, cilantro and salt.
- Also add shredded cabbage, chopped bell pepper, and chopped spinach to the bowl.
- Add tomato puree to the mixing bowl.
- Mix using a whisk and give it a pancake batter consistency by adding enough water. Let this batter rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Add baking soda and a tablespoon of water on top. Once it bubbles, mix it into the batter.
- Heat a pancake pan and pour a spoonful of batter over it. The pan should sizzle when you pour the batter. Spread the batter to cover the pan. Drizzle oil on all sides. Do not flip to the other side in a rush. Keep the flame low to medium. Once the edges loosen up, flip and continue to cook. Cook each side evenly it for 2-3 minutes. Then take the pancake off the pan.
The instant tomato omelet is ready. My dad would serve it with toasted bread (similar to how an egg omelet is served) but I prefer to enjoy it with some green chutney or ketchup. The tomatoes give this dish a certain tanginess that is required and the green chillies lend spice to the dish. Truly a mouth-watering meal that can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a light snack. You can prepare the batter in advance and then prepare the omelet as and when required.
It's especially convenient when kids come home hungry from school or you are too busy in the mornings to cook up an elaborate meal or even pack it in lunch boxes. A very versatile dish that's dairy and gluten-free. In India, these are served in a club sandwich which makes it even more delicious. It's served this way at restaurants and as street food and I have enjoyed this club sandwich many times over the years. You must give this recipe a try when you visit Bombay next time.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Normally when it's served at a restaurant, tomato ketchup, green chutney, and toasted bread slathered with butter are served with a tomato omelet. This snack can be eaten for breakfast, as an evening snack or you can even pack them in your lunchbox.
What to serve it with
A bowl of fresh fruits on the side is a good combo. You can also stuff the tomato omelet with some sauteed veggies, mushrooms, or tofu/paneer. Mashed Sweet potatoes or Mashed potatoes can also be used as stuffing. Salads like Cucumber salad or Tomato Croutons salad can also be served with it. Cucumber Lemonade, Rose Lemonade, Kiwi Detox Smoothie, or Watermelon Juice are some drinks that will go well with this vegan tomato omelet.
Top recipe tips 💭
This omelet is thicker than the regular egg omelet. Use fresh tomatoes to make a puree if you don't want to use a store bought one. To make it Jain, skip adding onions. Breadcrumbs can aslo be added to the batter. The toppings can also be mixed into the batter. Feel free to add whatever veggies (bell pepper, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots or spinach) you have at hand. You can also skip adding any veggies altogether.
Recipe FAQs📖
If the omelet breaks when flipping, it means the batter is too thin. Adjust by gradually adding tablespoons of besan to the batter. If the omelet is difficult to spread on the pan that means the batter is too thick. Dilute it by adding water gradually.
Leftover batter can be stored in the fridge for a week. The batter can also be frozen. Leftover omelets can also be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat and serve but it will lose its crispiness.
Besides making more tomato omelet, you can also use this batter to make Pudla Sandwiches or waffles. Use a mini pancake pan to make mini tomato omelets.
Do not add the tomato puree. Instead you can add chopped tomatoes as toppings along with the onions. You can also make besan chilla without any toppings. Also skip adding the chilly powder.
More breakfast pancakes
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Recipe 📖
Instant Eggless Tomato Omelette Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- ¼ cup semolina/rawa
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ajwain or carom seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1-2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1.5 cups water or dairy-free milk/yogurt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 3 green chillies minced
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- oil for making the omelet
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add chickpea flour, rice flour, and semolina.
- Add carom seeds, ginger paste, and cumin seeds.
- Then add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and chilly powder.
- Add tomato puree, tomato ketchup, salt and sugar.
- Add half cup water gradually to make a smooth and thick batter using a whisk. Let this batter rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Add baking soda and a tablespoon of oil on top. Once it bubbles, mix the batter.
- Add half cup water to get the right flowing consistency. The batter should be light and fluffy.
- Mix chopped onions, minced green chillies, and cilantro in a small bowl.
- Heat a pancake pan and pour a spoonful of batter over it. The pan should sizzle when you pour the batter. Spread the batter to cover the pan. Drizzle oil on all sides.
- Generously sprinkle chopped onions, green chillies and cilantro mix on top. Press them lightly into the chilla. Do not flip to the other side in a rush. Keep the flame low to medium. Once the edges loosen up, flip and continue to cook. Cook each side evenly it for 2-3 minutes. Then take the pancake off the pan.
Shanon Wong says
Hello I am not a vegan but looking to reduce meat consumption. This recipe looks amazing and I will try to make it.
Thank you for sharing!