This flavorful vegan frittata combines the texture of scrambled tofu–a little bit browned and crumbly–with the cohesiveness of an omelet. Incredible!
When I was living on my own for the first time, a friend’s mom gave me a battered, 1960’s edition of The Joy of Cooking, and for the next year I taught myself to cook by following its often dated but always instructive recipes. I was particularly fascinated by the chapter called “Eggs, Souffles and Timbales,” and though I don’t remember making any timbales, I learned to cook eggs in most every other way, from poached and over easy to omelets and quiches and simple souffles.
After I became vegan, I didn’t so much miss the taste of eggs as I missed putting what I’d learned to use. Silly me. It took me years to figure out that so many of the egg dishes I loved best, the omelets, quiches, and frittatas, were easy to duplicate using tofu. This frittata is my most realistic and delicious eggsperiment (sorry!) yet.
I wanted to combine the texture of scrambled tofu–a little bit browned and crumbly–with the cohesiveness of an omelet, so I started this frittata off by browning regular, extra-firm tofu before adding shredded zucchini. While that was cooking, I blended up silken tofu with seasonings and a thickener and then mixed the two together and baked. The results were amazing, if I say so myself.
One thing: I baked my frittata in a pie pan because I didn’t have a non-stick skillet the right size. If you have a medium-sized (about 9-inch), oven-safe skillet that you trust to be non-stick, you can skip the pie pan and bake right in the skillet. But if you’re not sure about the non-stickness of your skillet, don’t risk it or most of your frittata may wind up stuck to the pan. And that would be a real shame because you’ll want to devour every bite.
Vegan Zucchini Frittata
Ingredients
- 2 shallots minced
- 1/2 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu not silken, coarsely crumbled
- pinch black salt optional
- sprinkle of salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano packed, or 1 tsp. dried
- 1 medium zucchini about 10-12 ounces, shredded
- 1 12.3-ounce package lite firm or extra-firm silken tofu drained
- 1/4 cup water or non-dairy milk
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon tahini
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- generous grating of black pepper
- 1 pinch black salt optional
Instructions
- Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Spray pan with non-stick spray and place parchment in bottom. (Spray helps keep sides from sticking; skip this step at your own risk.)
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Heat a non-stick skillet. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften but not brown. Add the crumbled tofu, black salt, and a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu begins to brown in places. Add oregano and zucchini and continue to cook until zucchini softens, about 5 minutes.
- While the zucchini cooks, blend all remaining ingredients well in a blender. When zucchini has softened, remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the contents of the blender. Quickly stir well and pour into the prepared pie pan. Be sure to scrape out any tofu that becomes stuck to the skillet. Smooth the top and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until center is set and top is not yet browned.
- Loosen the frittata around the edges. Place a serving plate on top of the pie pan, and using pot holders, carefully invert the pan so that the frittata falls onto the plate. Slowly peel off the parchment paper from the top. (Use a knife to scrape off any tofu the clings to the paper as you pull it away.) Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Eleana
Hi, this recipe looks wonderful! I don’t usually eat began but my son is allergic to eggs so this is perfect for our family. I am guessing from some comments that the addition of the nutritional yeast gives a cheesy flavor? Is that the only reason for that ingredient it does it do something else? I guess I’m asking, can I leave it out or put real cheese instead? Thanks. I’m looking forward to exploring your blog & finding more great stuff!
Eleana
Sorry for the typos. I’m on my phone.
SusanV
I haven’t tried it with cheese instead of nutritional yeast, so I can’t say for sure, but my fear is that it may throw off the moisture balance and cause it not to firm up. Nut. yeast is a flavor enhancer, and it’s different than actual cheese. Give it a try–you may find you like it!
Andria
This looks amazing – how well does it hold up as left overs? I can understand if you’ve never made it to the leftovers stage, but thought i’d ask 🙂
SusanV
Sorry–we always eat every bite. But I have it on good authority that they hold well and even taste good cold.
Ruth
Hi, I just found your beautiful and delicious looking blog. Wow, talk about a ton of cooking here! Thanks for sharing it all.
In loving appreciation
Ruth from Texas
m
I recently gave up eggs and this looks really good; however, silken tofu grosses me out so bad. i like tofu but typically buy the firm or extra firm…the soft texture of the other just does not work for me. could i make this w/o it? or a substitute?
thanks – great blog
Bada
I made this tonight, I was really amazed at how frittata-like it was as so was my omni husband, he even said he can’t wait to take it to work tomorrow to show all his mates an eggless frittata!!
You’re really very clever!
Get Skinny, Go Vegan.
What is it about the black salt that gives the eggy quality??
SusanV
It’s the sulfur content, which can actually taste bad if you add too much–like rotten eggs!
annie
I can’t wait to try the frittata!! It looks gorgeous and so delicious. MMM!
Laina
Wow! Made this today and absolutely love it. It will be a top ten easily. I didn’t have a shallot so I used onion powder……..while I was at it I added some garlic powder as well. I also added a little green bell pepper and mushrooms. Next time I’ll use red for the color contrast.
Instead of salt, I sprayed some braggs liquid aminos for a little sodium flavor. Once it was done I flipped the pie plate over and peeled off the parchment paper.
I wanted to mention that the best way to peel the paper off is the same way you’d peel those abnoxious price stickers off of glassware. Start in one section and go slowly using a knife to help scrape the frittata away from the parchment paper. That’s how I did it and it worked perfectly.
Also, I hated using only half of the tofu block. I made some of the Creamy Zucchini and Basil Soup of yours today as well, so I cubed the other half of the tofu and added it to the soup. No waste. I’m sure I would have left it in the fridge and it would have gone bad before I got to it. I’m taking this camping with me. I hope it tastes good after it’s been refrigerated. I guess I’ll find out soon enough. 🙂
Thanks, Susan, for all the wonderful recipes you share with us. You are so appreciated!!!
eva @5fruitsNveggies
made this last night with some summer squash we had from my MIL’s garden….
it was lovely!
i took your advice in making sure my zucchini mixture was dry so the frittata would set…so i took out the widest saute pan out to increase surface area of evaporation of steam…..i did use a ton more zuccchini and it worked out just fine….and in anticipation of a watery mess (which i usually somehow end up with) i opted out of adding the water/extra liquids in the skilken tofu blended mixture because silken tofu is naturally so moist…i did add more nutritional yeast (but i personally love the flavor of the stuff)….i did not use the black salt—but now looking forward to finding some based on the flavor it will add…
me and the kids loved this recipe–it’s going into the keeper files..i am looking forward to using this recipe as a base for adding other veggies like broccili!
Shannon
I made this for dinner last night and though it was terrific! So satisfying and yummy! Thank you for this recipe.
Khlarisse
Susan this was delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I have a few questions though: how much black salt is too much? This is my first time cooking with it and I literally put a pinch in and got an initial “eggy” smell but couldn’t taste or smell it after it was all cooked. Also the sides of the frittata browned nicely (without parchment) but the whole thing for me wasn’t as firm as I wanted and it stuck to the parchment paper even when I carefully peeled it back. Should I have just left it in the oven longer? I was afraid that would’ve made the sides burn. Will definitely try again!
SusanV
The black salt is definitely a “to taste” thing. I can’t stand more than a pinch of it, but I’ve seen other people’s recipes where they measure it by the quarter teaspoon. If you like a more pronounced flavor, go for it!
It sounds like you didn’t give it quite enough time if it wasn’t firm enough, but next time you might try increasing the starch a little just to make sure that didn’t cause the problem. The sticking parchment paper sounds normal. I have to peel it back very slowly and carefully–I think there’s a previous comment where someone describes exactly how she does that.
mrsf
I can’t believe this isn’t made with eggs…you are making this so easy to transition from vegetarian to vegan…would love to see your holiday menu’s as thanksgiving is approaching and would like to get ideas early to be as vegan as possible that day. Keep it coming and thank you! : D
Lisa
Hi Susan, this was delicious (and will be again for lunch tomorrow)! I have tried so many vegan frittata recipes and have been disappointed each time , but this recipe is a keeper! Thank you 🙂
Lianne95519
Thanks for a very clever dish. Mine worked great except the zucchini was bitter. I used a medium sized one and shred it in my food processor. Is that just to be expected sometimes or did I miss something. Can you suggest another veggie? Otherwise it was beautiful and I ate it anyway.
Thanks for your help and I am a new fan of this site. I have been Vegan for almost 2 months. You have helped me make the switch with ease.
Thanks
Lianne
SusanV
Hi Lianne, Congrats on making the switch! I think you must have gotten a bad zucchini. They’re usually very mild, but the small ones are usually better so maybe using 2 of them would work. Just about any veggie you can shred will work, especially fast-cooking ones ones like zucchini. Also, spinach would make a great frittata.
Christine
This recipe was so delicious! I’m making it again this weekend. Thank you.
Gaby
This is sooooooooo delicious! Thank you for sharing these AMAZING recipes. I have discovered I love cooking thanks to you 🙂
PJD
This was stupid delicious. I didn’t have any black salt but it still worked really well! It’s especially tasty the next day.
Kat Snyer
About how many cups is 10-12 oz. of shredded zucchini? I have three GIGANTIC zucchinis from the garden (each one is about two feet long) so I have been combing the Interwebs for zucchini-laced items to cook. This looks fabulous btw can’t wait to try it!
SusanV
It will probably only take a third of one of your giant zucchini’s–whatever looks close to a medium zucchini.
trace
i’ve made this twice now for my carnivorous family and my husband actually prefers it over the egg frittatas i used to make. if you knew my husband your jaw would be on the floor. anyway – thanks for sharing w all of us your great recipes and tips. 🙂
Marsha
This recipe looks delicious, but my daughter can’t digest corn. Any suggestions for a cornstarch substitute? Do you think flour would work as well?
Susan Voisin
You can use the same amount of potato starch. I haven’t tried it with flour. Good luck!
Ninufar
Of course go w/what Susan V recommends first — I just wanna add that arrowroot starch and tapioca starch can serve some of the same functions.
Vibeke
Oh Susan, this is so good! My clients love it too!
Kristin
Ok, the frittata looks AMAZING. Even though I’m still fearing tofu at this point. Had a horrible tofu experience once and I just can’t bring myself to play around with it….
But what I’m mostly curious about is WHAT are you drinking? It looks amazing!
Susan Voisin
It’s been a while, and I’m afraid I don’t remember what the drink was! But it was definitely just a 100% juice or juice blend that I buy for my daughter.
And you should definitely give tofu another try!
Kristy @ Tips on Healthy Living
My friend made this for Easter brunch and I made her share the recipe. It is AMAZING! Truly gone in 60 seconds, because everyone had seconds immediately. Thanks for a great frittata alternative.
Lyz
I made this today and was disappointed after all the great comments, so I’m thinking I must have botched it somehow. It didn’t set up well even though I left it in the oven for the maximum recommended time – I should have drained my zuchini shreds I think before putting them in the pan. And I didn’t have any black salt, so no eggy flavor, and in fact I found it really didn’t have much flavor at all. It looks really gorgeous, though, so I want to give it another try. Next time I will be sure to drain everything really well, try spinach instead of zuchini, and increase the spices. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
nicoleliston
My husband loooooves eggs. Like reallly really loves them. He used to eat an egg sandwich every morning. Since going vegan its probably what we both miss the most. I set my alarm a little early this morning and hoped I would actually get up to spend a little extra time on breakfast. Im so happy I did! We loved this! We both ate our piece on top of toast like we used to with our eggs. Thank you so much for the great recipe!
Lisa A.
Just wanted to stop by and say that since I saw this recipe on your blog, I have made it at least 10 times. My husband loves it!
Leigh-Anne
Hi Susan! I’m excited to try this fritatta! Do you think I can leave out the tahini, turmeric, and nutritional yeast? I know it would alter the flavor but would it change the consistency? I just don’t typically like those ingredients. When I make tofu scramble I usually just saute some onions and veggies, brown extra-firm tofu, and sprinkle Herbamare (love that stuff). Could I just make the frittata with those ingredients and add the cornstarch and silken tofu?
Susan Voisin
Sure, the only thing that might affect the consistency is the nutritional yeast, so you could just add a little more cornstarch. I hope it works out!
Laina
Hi Susan,
I made this again (2 of them) just out of the oven. Peeling back the parchment paper reminded me of the time I prepared this without completely following the directions.
I was sautéing the onion (in place of shallots) and preparing some of the other ingredients and realized I was out of parchment paper. So I sprayed and sprayed the pie plates really, really well thinking they’d turn out fine. Well they didn’t; they stuck to the plate like super glue. 😉 So in case anyone here thinks like me and wants to try that, I’d recommend you don’t and instead, wait until you get to the store. Unless you have non-stick pans you can use.
I also wanted to share that I added to the ingredient list some red bell pepper and mushrooms. I questioned myself because I didn’t want to have the frittata so thick and dry with little sauce, but it came out great with plenty of moisture and it is oh-so-delicious!
The frittata is one of my most favorite dishes and I eat it for breakfast, lunch or supper. Next time I’m going to add maybe some broccoli in place of the zucchini and maybe some cut-up frozen artichoke hearts.
Another thought is I want to try some steamed kale in place of the zucchini. One of my favorite combinations I might do will be in place of the tofu (not the silken tofu) I may try some cooked potato and add some frozen green chili. I live in NM so we have frozen green chili year round. Red too! 🙂
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe. I love the fact that it’s so easy and versatile. You make eating heathy so tastefully delicious!!!
Laina 🙂
Vegease
I made this today for my Vegan Brunch Club with some modifications – sun dried tomato and mushrooms instead of the zucchini – it was delicious. I’m hope you don’t mind me sharing the recipe with them, with the appropriate credit.
I had been eyeing this recipe for a while and am so glad I made it. I didn’t follow your instructions on the parchment paper but I will next time – that didn’t affect the taste though….Delicious! Thanks for your recipe.
Maureen
love it!
Andrea @ Vibrant Wellness Journal
I just made a broccoli version of this for my cooking class and it was amazing. Thanks for the inspiration!
Laina
I’m making this again today, but I don’t have tahini. Do you think raw sesame seeds will work okay if I blend them first?
Thanks!
Susan Voisin
Yes, if you think your blender can pulverize them, it should work. I’ve used sesame seeds instead of tahini in hummus when I make it in my Vitamix, and it comes out beautifully.
Laina
Thanks, Susan! I used my food processor and learned a lesson. I added my liquid and then the seeds and then everything else.
A few of them were stuck underneath the blade when I poured the tofu sauce into the zucchini pan. Next time I’ll add them at the end. I think the liquid and with them on the bottom caused them to get stuck, but it looks like the rest of the sauce is smooth as silk.
It’s in the oven now, can’t wait! I absolutely love this recipe. It’s one of my favorites. 🙂
Imaan
This looked so good but I must have done something wrong- the taste of the tofu (which admittedly we don’t eat much of) was overpowering.
Tracy
Susan, my wife and I loved this frittata! I, like many others, have had a hard time finding a good quiche recipe as well. So I decided to use your frittata filling and put it in a pie crust as well. I did add a few additional items when I made the quiche. Now my wife is begging me to make another one. I’m also going to try the Monterey Frittata. Love your recipes and can’t wait to try more!
Judith Kingsbury
Hi Susan,
This frittata looks wonderful! The only kind I’ve made is with chick pea flour, which turned out a bit heavy. This seems lighter, and a great way to use up zucchini as well!