Step by Step Recipe to Make Tomato Omelette, an Indian Vegetarian and Vegan Eggless Omelette Recipe made with chickpea flour and tomatoes. Easy instant breakfast recipe popular in Maharashtra.
Tomato Omelette is an eggless, vegetarian omelette recipe made with gluten free chickpea flour (garbanzo beans or besan), tomato, onion and basic Indian spices. Serve with a side of coriander chutney, tomato ketchup and sliced bread as breakfast or quick snack.
Tomato Omelette is quite similar to Besan Chilla and widely popular in India especially Mumbai. This dish is quite popular on the menu in Udipi hotels of Mumbai.
Best part is that its vegetarian, made with gluten free chickpea flour and vegan too!
A quick breakfast or brunch option for morning rush hour. It is literally a one-bowl recipe with basic pantry staples. There is no soaking or grinding involved. All you need to do is chop, mix and prepare the pancakes on a hot griddle.
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About Tomato Omelette recipe
Think of Tomato Omelette as Besan Chilla with extra tomatoes. The extra tomatoes accentuate the taste and flavor of the chilla.
It is a vegetarian's omelette and absolutely delicious when served with chutney and tomato ketchup.
This recipe is quite popular from Udipi restaurants in Mumbai. In true restaurant style, I always serve omelette with chutney sandwich with a side of ketchup and chutney.
This dish transports me back to college. I used to enjoy a plate of tomato omelette with my friends after classes. It was filling, delicious and pocket friendly at the same time.
Today this is a staple breakfast at home as both me and husband love it.
The recipe requires basic ingredients and can serve as a filling breakfast or brunch on weekends.
Make-ahead extra omelettes and store in the refrigerator. You can use them as wraps, use as sandwich stuffing or just re-heat couple of omelette's for snacking.
Ingredients
Besan, Gram Flour, Chickpea Flour or Garbanzo beans flour – It is naturally gluten-free and vegan.
Rice Flour - Gluten Free. Makes the batter light and provides crispy texture.
Tomato - The recipe calls for using tomatoes in 2 ways - puree and chopped. The puree blends with the flours and adds tanginess and color whereas the chopped pieces provide bite. This is how its prepared in restaurants.
Onion, Ginger and Green chilies - Ginger aids in digestion. Chickpea flour can be heavy to digest.
Hing or asafoetida is also added to the batter for the same purpose. However, if you are looking for a 100% gluten free recipe, omit hing from the recipe.
I do not use baking soda for preparing chilla batter. Most restaurants add a pinch of soda for light and fluffy texture.
Spices - Turmeric and Kashmiri Red chili powder. I have also used fresh green chilies as we love a bit of heat. Feel free to adjust quantities.
How to make Tomato Omelette
Puree 2 tomatoes in a blender and finely chop 1 tomato and keep aside.
In a bowl, add chickpea flour (besan) and rice flour.
To this, add finely chopped onions, ginger, green chilies, finely chopped coriander leaves, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder and Hing or asafoetida.
Next, add tomato puree and finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well.
Add some water and whisk to a batter consistency. Add salt to taste.
Heat a flat tava or griddle, add few drops of oil and season the pan. Note - This step prevents the omelette from sticking or tearing.
Carefully pour a ladle of tomato omelette batter and spread in a circular motion. Drizzle oil in the center and side and let it cook until the edges are crisp and brown.
Using a spatula, lift the omelette, turn and cook on the other side. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter. Serve tomato omelette hot with a side of your choice.
Variations
This is a kid friendly snack option and packed for school lunch box.
Add vegetables to add nutrition. Finely chopped cabbage, steamed corn or beets, bell pepper, grated zucchini or squash, carrot are some of the options we regularly try at home.
We also love adding finely chopped spinach or Kale to the omelette batter.
More healthy Indian breakfast recipes
Moong Dal Chilla with Spinach (Yellow lentils pancake)
Sprouts Chilla (Mung bean Sprouts)
This post was first published in April 2018. I have updated the post with step wise pictures, fresh new photos and content.
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Tomato Omelette | Eggless Vegetarian Omelette Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor or blender cut onions, puree tomatoes etc.
- Cast Iron flat Griddle or Non Stick Tava
- Mixing Bowl, measuring cups, spoons, spatula
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Besan (Garbanzo Flour / Chickpea Flour / Gram Flour)
- ½ cup Rice Flour
- 3 Tomatoes 2 tomatoes pureed and 1 chopped
- ¾ cup Onions finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger (grated)
- 1 - 2 Green Chillies finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder or Haldi Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida or Hing
- 1 ½ cup Water Read Notes Below
- salt to taste
- Finely chopped coriander leaves as required
Instructions
- Puree 2 tomatoes in a blender and finely chop 1 tomato and keep aside.
- In a bowl, add chickpea flour (besan) and rice flour.
- To this, add finely chopped onions, ginger, green chilies, finely chopped coriander leaves, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder and Hing or asafoetida.
- Next, add tomato puree and finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well.
- Add some water and whisk to a batter consistency. Add salt to taste.
- Heat a flat tava or griddle, add few drops of oil and season the pan. Note - This step prevents the omelette from sticking or tearing.
- Carefully pour a ladle of tomato omelette batter and spread in a circular motion. Drizzle oil in the center and side and let it cook until the edges are crisp and brown.
- Using a spatula, lift the omelette, turn and cook on the other side. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter. Serve tomato omelette hot with a side of your choice.
Notes
- Both Besan, Gram Flour, Chickpea Flour or Garbanzo beans flour and Rice Flour are naturally gluten-free and vegan. Rice flour makes the batter light and gives a crispy texture to the omelette. Note - Sift the flours for best results.
- Tomato - The recipe calls for using tomatoes in 2 ways - puree and chopped. The puree blends with the flours and adds tanginess and color whereas the chopped pieces provide bite. This is how its prepared in restaurants.
- Hing or asafoetida - if you are looking for a 100% gluten free recipe, omit hing from the recipe.
- I do not use baking soda for preparing chilla batter. Most restaurants add a pinch of soda for light and fluffy texture.
- Feel free to adjust quantities of red chili powder and fresh green chilies used.
- Please note that the quantity of water specified in the recipe is the approximate value. Use your judgement and adjust the quantity depending on the required batter consistency.
- This is an instant batter and does not require resting or fermentation.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan
Simple but beautiful recipe, love the addition of tomato puree which gives a nice tangy kick to our taste buds, perfect for busy moms and tiffin boxes too? lovely new week Vidya?
Adding puree helps in even spreading of the mixture and the pickly eaters, read - kids end up happily eating than picking out the tomato bits as they are sour. Thank you my dear for all the kind words.
I love tomato omlette too..Love to eat with bread, plain roti or just alone with tomato along with side salad..I usually make it at my home but never tried with rice or adding tomato purée your version of tomato looks really tempting me to try your version..Thanks for sharing dear ? recipe of tomato omlette in your style..love it !!
My pleasure entirely. We both are big fans of this I can see that clearly so I should try your version sometime too. Thank you so much dear.
This is very tempting Vidya. Yummy <3
Thanks a ton Jyoti!
IAfter reading, 'm curious to know how this will taste so will definitely try it ! Thanks for sharing 🙂
My pleasure. I am sure you will love it.
Looks and sounds yummy! Loved reading the sweet stories as well!
Thank you dear.
I have been preparing this but I used to add chopped tomatoes only, loved the idea of using tomato puree and
then stuffing this between pav..Thank you for this amazing share !!
Glad you liked it dear, the puree brings even tanginess and ability to pour the batter evenly on the griddle too.
We both are big fans of this I can see that clearly so I should try your version sometime too. Thank you so much dear.
thanks and glad you liked it.
Wow. Looks so yummy.. My mom used to make this, we call it as veg masala omelette. Love your photography as well.
Thank you so much my dear for the lovely words.
Tomato omelette or chila whatever whoever wants to call it, but it looks like a wholesome and filling snack. I never would have thought of serving chilas with bread, but will do so to make it as a brunch treat.
I am sure you will love it, my husband doesn't eat it minus a bread now.
Tomato omelette is for non-Indians, for us desi is tameta ka chilla 🙂 Such a healthy and delicious dish one can have, especially when you are on a Low carb diet this recipe is bliss!
absolutely - agree with you on this!
This sounds like the perfect brunch dish, savoury, spicy and tasty. It looks a little like pudla / chila we make but they are thinner nad like pancakes.
Agree with you Nayna and yes the pudlas are thinner, love them too.
This sounds like the perfect brunch dish, savoury, spicy and tasty. It looks a little like pudla / chila we make but they are thinner and like pancakes. I love that you can serve it between bread rolls.
What a great recipe!Vegetarians would literally hog this to eternity!Wow!
Haha.. I agree, we did the same. Thank you so much