3-Ingredient Vegan Pesto Muffins (Grain-free, Gluten-free)

Straightforward, 3-ingredient vegan pesto muffins are the savory breakfast you are craving! Chickpea flour is thenot-so-secret ingredient that makes this portable breakfast possible (as well as nutritious).
Hallelujah: January is almost over.

January is a fine month in many respects (e.g., clean slate, new possibilities, and, personally, my birthday month), but sheesh, it is a challenge to make it through without freezing, succumbing to flu, or suffering from the post-holiday blues. Like a marathon, it’s an exhilarating rush at the start (This is it! Here I go!), followed by a long haul, and a strong possibility of hitting the wall (i.e., aloha resolutions, show me the sofa and some chocolate).

But here we are, days away from February, and I am here to say “You’ve got this!!!” But to make it through, you will need some great fuel to stay on task.

I’ve got some straightforward eats that can help you do just that. For example, my 3-ingredient vegan pesto muffins, (i.e., vegan egg breakfast cups, made with chickpea flour ).

Vegan Pesto Muffins Made with Chickpea Flour

Breakfast egg cups / egg muffins, mixed and studded with all matter of extras, are a great (and extremely popular; google and see) option: straightforward, minimal ingredients, make ahead, & portable. But if you cannot (or do not) eat eggs, you’re out of luck.

Or so you may have thought.

With some chickpea flour, water and baking powder–plus some pesto, for an instant punch of flavor–you can have light, fluffy “no-egg” breakfast muffins that are everything you want in an straightforward, nourishing portable breakfast.

Reliable Portable Food (No Refrigeration Required)

Unlike traditional egg breakfast muffins, my no-egg version requires no refrigeration while toting from point A to point B. You can wrap, tote, and go without any worries of spoiling.

I used mystraightforward vegan pesto recipeto make these, but you can use a ready-made pesto, too (opt for a cheese-free variety if you need to keep these vegan).

No pesto? No problem. You can whip up a wintery, inexpensive pesto in no time using kale or parsley, plus some garlic, nuts/seeds and olive oil (perhaps some nutritional yeast, too–it delivers a great cheese-y flavor, plus protein).

Alternatively, replace the pesto with 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or the oil of your choice), along with the seasonings you prefer. It’s still January, so you deserve to flavor these any which way that you like!

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Grain-free
• Portable breakfast
• 3 ingredients
• Quick and straightforward to make and bake

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• chickpea flour
• baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• vegan pesto, kitchen-made or purchased (look at mystraightforward recipe here)

Step by Step Directions

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

• Preheat oven to 425F (210C). Liberally grease or spray 9 cups of a standard size muffin pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and baking powder. Slowly whisk in the water until blended and smooth.
• Whisk in the pesto.Taste batter and add salt (to taste) as desired (the batter should taste somewhat salty; it will vary by type of pesto).
• Divide batter equally between prepared cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 24 to 27 minutes until lightly puffed and light golden on top (do not overbake, or they will lose their “eggy” texture).
• Cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges of each cup with a knife and carefully remove each muffin from its cup.
• Serve warm or cool completely.

Be Careful, Do Not Overbake

Be careful not to overbake these, or they will become more bread-y than egg-y.

They will still be satisfying, but more like a savory muffin (mmm…savory muffin…). Stick with the cooking time range provided and they will be fluffy, but also slightly custardy towards the middle (truly, they are like eggs).

So if you’ve got five minutes, whip up a batch tonight. No need to wait for the morning to eat them: breakfast for dinner sounds mighty fine for a cold, grey January night.

Eat well, and be kind to yourself, readers!

FAQ

• Is there a substitute for the pesto?Yes. Replace the pesto with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt for plain egg cups. Add in any herbs, spices, or cooked vegetables you like!
• I calculated different nutrtion numbers. Why?The nutrition calculation will vary slightly depending on the type of pesto you use.
• How should I store the muffins?Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for 6 months.
• Are there any substitutes for the chickpea flour?No, this recipe will only work with chickpea flour.

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