These Savory Vegan Chickpea Flour Muffins are filled with veggies, seasonings, and cheesy goodness! They're packed with protein and fiber and can be enjoyed any time of day.
What are chickpea flour muffins?
These chickpea flour muffins are a savory alternative to traditional sweet muffins. They're made with chickpea flour, veggies, seasonings, and vegan cheese. They’re a little garlicky, a little cheesy, and even without eggs, they’re reminiscent of mini frittata muffins. The texture is bready and muffin-like, just slightly more dense.
They make a great snack, and just like my mango pineapple salsa, these muffins are a delicious addition to any spread or appetizer platter.
If you're wondering what chickpea flour tastes like, it has a mild chickpea flavor with a nutty, earthy quality. It tastes bitter when raw (don’t worry — these are baked), but once cooked, it becomes almost cornbread-esque, which adds to the savory factor of these muffins. Chickpea flour is also rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, making it a fun ingredient to experiment with in both sweet and savory recipes.
If you love savory plant-based dishes, you’ll enjoy my collection of savory vegan recipes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: These muffins come together in one bowl, with just 15 minutes of hands-on prep and about 30 minutes in the oven — simple and efficient!
- Delicious flavor: Unlike typical sweet muffins, these are seasoned with savory spices, vegan cheddar, and veggies like tomato, bell pepper, and spinach for a flavorful, cheesy bite.
- Healthy & satisfying: These muffins are naturally high in protein and fiber, packed with veggies, and make a nourishing breakfast or snack.
- Dietary-friendly: Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free.
- Staple ingredients: Aside from chickpea flour and nutritional yeast, you likely have everything else in your kitchen. Feel free to use whatever veggies and seasonings you have on hand — it’s a great “clean out the vegetable drawer” kind of recipe.
- Versatile: Customize them with your favorite vegetables, spices, or vegan cheese varieties.
- Enjoy any time: Great as a grab-and-go breakfast, quick snack, or side dish for lunch or dinner. They also freeze beautifully and are perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
- Chickpea flour: The star ingredient! Chickpea flour has a mild nutty, chickpea-like flavor and is naturally rich in protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. It bakes into a bready, muffin-like texture that’s slightly denser than muffins made with wheat flour, with a hint of cornbread-like flavor. It also gives the muffins structure and helps keep them filling and energizing. You can usually find chickpea flour in the baking aisle — I use Bob’s Red Mill.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a savory, “cheesy” depth of flavor. Nutritional yeast is high in protein and B vitamins (including B12), making it a great nutrient booster for all kinds of savory recipes.
- Seasonings: A simple blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and dried oregano creates a flavorful savory base. Feel free to mix and match — parsley, Italian seasoning, or fresh herbs would all work well.
- Baking powder: Helps the muffins rise properly.
- Water: The main liquid ingredient for the batter. You can use plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk instead if you prefer a slightly richer result.
- Olive oil: Just a tablespoon adds richness and helps keep the muffins moist.
- Shredded non-dairy cheddar cheese: Adds cheesy flavor and extra savory depth. My favorite brand is Follow Your Heart. You can omit it if you prefer.
- Vegetables (tomato, red bell pepper, spinach): These add color, moisture, texture, and extra vitamins and minerals — perfect if you’re trying to sneak more vegetables into your meals. Use whatever veggies you have on hand!
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is super versatile, so feel free to customize the add-ins based on your taste preferences or whatever you have on hand! You can even lean into a specific flavor theme — my version has a bit of a southwest vibe. Here are some fun ideas to try:
- Pizza muffins: Give these muffins an Italian twist! Use non-dairy mozzarella or cheddar and mix in your favorite pizza toppings like sliced olives, onions, mushrooms, or chopped vegan pepperoni or sausage. For an extra treat, add a small dollop of marinara sauce into the center of each muffin before baking. And don’t forget plenty of oregano.
- Greek muffins: Swap the cheddar for non-dairy feta and add in sliced olives for a simple Greek-inspired variation.
- Bacon and sausage: Stir in some crumbled plant-based bacon or breakfast sausage for extra savory oomph.
- Spinach, tomato, and feta: A classic combo! Use spinach, tomato (sun-dried tomatoes work great), and non-dairy feta for a flavorful variation.
- Spicy kick: If you love heat, add diced jalapeños, a pinch of cayenne, or red pepper flakes — or all three!
Note: The add-ins in the base recipe total to 2½ cups (including veggies and cheese). If you're using different add-ins, try to keep the total around the same amount. I don’t recommend exceeding 3 cups, or the muffins may become too dense or wet.
How to Make These Savory Veggie Muffins
Making these chickpea flour muffins is simple! Follow these easy steps:
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, baking powder, and seasonings.
Step 2: Pour in the water and olive oil and whisk until completely combined. The mixture should have a consistency slightly thinner than pancake batter.
Step 3: Fold in the diced tomatoes, red bell pepper, spinach, and shredded non-dairy cheddar using a large spoon or rubber spatula.
Step 4: Scoop the batter into a well-greased muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until firm. Let the muffins cool slightly, then remove from the tin. Serve warm and enjoy!
Chloe's Tips
- Grease well: Be sure to well-grease your muffin pan so the muffins don’t stick. A silicone muffin pan makes it even easier to pop them out.
- Cool before removing: Let the muffins sit for about 10 minutes before taking them out of the pan to prevent breaking — and to avoid burning yourself!
- Scale the recipe: You can easily adjust the ingredient amounts to make more or fewer muffins using the sliding scale on the recipe card.
Serving Suggestions
These chickpea flour muffins are similar to egg frittata muffins, making them especially great for breakfast. They're also delicious on their own as a snack or as a side for any meal!
To dress them up, try:
- A sprinkle of kala namak (black salt) — an Indian salt with a distinctive “eggy” flavor that gives the muffins an egg-like taste without any eggs.
- Sliced avocado and a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
- A spoonful of salsa or some freshly chopped herbs.
How to Store & Reheat Chickpea Flour Muffins
Refrigerate: After the muffins have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freeze: These muffins freeze very well for longer storage. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: These muffins maintain their texture when reheated and will taste just like freshly baked. For a single muffin, place it on a plate or in a small bowl and microwave for 30–60 seconds. If you're heating up a bigger batch, start with 60 seconds, and continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until heated through.
More Savory Vegan Recipes to Try
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Thank you!
–Chloe
Savory Vegan Chickpea Flour Muffins
By Chloe MartinIngredients
- 1½ cups chickpea flour
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1½ cups water or non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup shredded non-dairy cheddar cheese
- ½ cup diced tomato
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and well grease a muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, baking powder, and seasonings.
- Add in the water and olive oil and whisk until completely combined. The mixture should have a consistency slightly thinner than pancake batter. If it's too thick, add 1 tablespoon water at a time, as needed, and whisk again.
- Add in the cheese, tomato, red bell pepper, and spinach. Fold in until evenly incorporated.
- Scoop ¼ cup batter into each muffin cavity.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the muffins are firm. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. Serve warm and enjoy!
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