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This moong dal egg bake is a hearty, protein-packed, savory breakfast that cooks up in a single pan! And is freezer friendly! The lentil “egg” batter is packed with herbs, veggies, sundried tomato and amazing flavor to make a fantastic satisfying frittata bake!

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Moong dal, which is petite yellow lentils, or green moong beans with their skin removed and split, is a great substitute to make an egg-like batter. You can use these lentils to make omelettes, egg patties, frittatas, egg bakes, or even scrambles. This lentil omelet bake is versatile and delicious and a great option if you don’t want to make a chickpea flour omelette/frittata(which can taste bitter to some).

I have several savory breakfast options for you that use lentils, mung beans/moong dal, and chickpea flour as an egg substitute. You can try my moong bean omelette, chickpea flour omelette, chickpea flour frittata, and moong egg sandwich

If you don’t have moong dal, it is easily available online on Amazon or in Indian stores. Many stores ship as well. If you just can’t find it, you can use split red lentils instead, but the flavor will be slightly different. Many different lentils and chickpea flour can work here, but each of these has a slightly different flavor and texture. Play around with them, try my other recipes, and decide which batter you like best for which application.

These omelettes, frittatas, and egg patties type dishes made with these different lentils have been in Indian cuisine for a really long time. They’re just called different things and use slightly different spices. For a more egg-like flavor and texture, we add some kala namak, which is Indian sulfur salt. If you don’t have that, just omit it. If you can find some, it’s great for adding that extra eggy flavor to vegan egg dishes like this lentil frittata.

This lentil frittata is also pretty high in protein. There is protein from the moong dal, protein from some crumbled tofu that we add to it, and protein from some cashews or hemp seeds that we use to make the batter, as well as some nutritional yeast. All of that protein makes it a hearty and satisfying breakfast!

If you want to make this soy-free, omit the tofu, or you can replace it with chickpea flour tofu or white beans instead. If you don’t want to add nutritional yeast, you can omit that as well.

Why You’ll Love this Moong egg bake

  • hearty, protein-packed, savory vegan breakfast
  • cooks in a single pan
  • very little active cooking time
  • great for meal prep, it’s freezer friendly!
  • super flavorful and easy to make
  • naturally gluten-free with easy soy-free and nut-free options

More Moong Dal Recipes

Moong Dal Frittata/Lentil ”egg” bake

4.95 from 18 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Soaking Time: 3 hours
Total: 4 hours
Servings: 6
Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: fusion
This moong dal egg bake is a hearty, protein-packed, savory breakfast that cooks up in a single pan! The lentil “egg” batter is packed with herbs, veggies, and amazing flavor to make a fantastic satisfying frittata bake! Gluten-free
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Ingredients 
 

For the Egg Batter

  • 1 cup dried moong dal, , split and skinned mung beans or petite yellow lentils
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon kala namak, Indian sulfur salt, optional
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons cashews, , or use hemp or pumpkin seeds for nut-free
  • 1 cup water, or stock

For the Veggies

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 2 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup sliced onion
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon thyme, or oregano or both
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • pepper flakes or black pepper, to taste

Add-Ins

  • 1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomato
  • 2 tablespoons green onion
  • 2 oz crumbled firm tofu
  • 1 oz chopped baby spinach, or thawed and squeezed frozen spinach

Toppings

  • reserved cooked mushrooms,, peppers, and onions
  • black pepper, green onion, vegan Parmesan

Instructions 

  • Wash moong dal once or twice, and soak in some fresh warm water for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Make the batter.

  • Drain the soaked moong dal (lentils) and add it to a blender. Add salt, garlic powder, onion powder, kala namak, black pepper, baking powder, nutritional yeast, cashews, and water. Blend for 1 minute, then let the mixture sit to let the cashews rehydrate for 2 to 3 minutes, then blend again for half a minute until the mixture is super smooth. You might have to do another round of blending, depending on your blender. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a tablespoon or more of water, and then blend.

Roast the veggies.

  • Preheat the oven to 400° F (205° C) and line a 9×11” baking dish with parchment paper. Spread most of the bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions evenly in the dish. Drizzle with oil, then mix the smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper together and sprinkle that all over the veggies. Toss to coat, even the veggies out with a spatula, and bake for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prep the rest of the ingredients for folding in and topping the lentil frittata.

Assemble and bake.

  • Remove the baking dish from the oven. Reserve a third of the mushroom pepper mixture into a bowl.Add crumbled tofu, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and green onions to the pan. Spread these evenly. Pour the moong dal batter all over the pan. Lightly mix together, and smooth out the top. Top with the reserved mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan and black pepper. Bake for 30 to 35 more minutes or until the center is set when you test with a toothpick. If it’s not done, let it bake another few minutes, then test again. When it’s fully set, remove the frittata from the oven, and let it sit for a few minutes before removing it from the baking dish using the parchment paper. 
  • Slice and serve. You can serve this frittata warm or cold. You can serve with some vegan butter, hot sauce or a side of sourdough, or vegan egg Benedict sauce. Or, you can make sandwiches with it, because this is kind of like an egg patty. For the sandwich, layer with lettuce, tomato, onion, vegan bacon, toasted bread!

Video

Notes

To make this nut-free, replace cashews with hemp or pumpkin seeds. If you don’t want to use the nuts or seeds, use a nut-free, non-dairy milk instead of the water. add in 2 teaspoons of oil while blending if using non dairy milk. Also be sure that your vegan parmesan is nut-free.
For soy-free, omit the tofu and use a soy-free vegan parmesan.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Store leftovers in the fridge wrapped in parchment for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Reheat by baking for a few minutes or in your toaster, and serve.
lentil substitute:  Use split red lentils or a mix of any split lentils or split peas such as split pigeon pea( any mix of split dals). 
veggies; use veggies of choice for variation. Some broccoli, fennel, cherry tomatoes on top etc . 

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 351mg, Potassium: 563mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1067IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 75mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
mung bean omelet ingredients on the kitchen counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • dried moong dal – Split and skinned mung beans or petite yellow lentils. This is the base for your omelette batter.
  • salt and spices – You’ll season the batter with garlic powder, onion powder, kala namak, and black pepper. Kala namak gives this an eggy flavor, but you can omit, if you can’t find it. You season the veggies with smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper and sprinkle some black pepper on top before baking the lentil omelet.
  • baking powder – Helps the omelet get fluffy.
  • nutritional yeast – Adds umami and is optional.
  • cashews – Adds richness. You can use hemp or pumpkin seeds, if you prefer. Or, you can omit the nuts and seeds entirely and use non-dairy milk instead of water (add 2 teaspoons oil to the batter when blending if using non dairy milk) .
  • water or stock – Adds moisture to the eggy batter.
  • oil – To sauté.
  • veggies – You’re going to roast up mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion before adding the batter to the pan. Along with the batter, you will mix in sun dried tomato, green onion, and baby spinach.
  • tofu – Adds texture and more protein. Omit or use chickpea tofu, if you don’t want to use soy. Or add some cooked beans
  • vegan parmesan – For topping.

💡 Tips

  • To save time, soak your moong dal the night before, so you can wake up and start cooking.
  • To save even more time, make the batter in the blender while the veggies roast in the oven.

How to Make a Moong Dal Frittata

Wash moong dal once or twice, and soak in some fresh warm water for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Drain the soaked moong dal, and add it to a blender. Add salt, garlic powder, onion powder, kala namak, black pepper, baking powder, nutritional yeast, cashews, and water. Blend for 1 minute, then let the mixture sit to let the cashews rehydrate for 2 to 3 minutes, then blend again for half a minute until the mixture is super smooth. You might have to do another round of blending, depending on your blender. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a tablespoon or more of water, and then blend again.

adding drained yellow lentils to the blender
adding water to the blender

Preheat the oven to 400° F (205° C) and line a 9×11” baking dish with parchment paper. Spread most of the bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions evenly in the dish. Drizzle with oil, then mix the smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper together and sprinkle that all over the veggies. Toss to coat, even the veggies out with a spatula, and bake for 15 minutes.

sprinkling spices over the veggies
mixing and spreading the veggie mixture

Remove the baking dish from the oven.Reserve a third of the mushroom pepper mixture into a bowl. Add crumbled tofu, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and green onions to the pan.

crumbling tofu into the roasted veggies
adding remaining veggies to the pan of roasted vegetables

Pour the moong dal batter all over the pan. Lightly mix together, and smooth out the top. Top with the reserved mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan and black pepper.

pouring on the frittata batter
adding veggies on top of the frittata

Bake for 30 to 35 more minutes or until the center is set when you test with a toothpick. If it’s not done, let it bake another few minutes, then test again. When it’s fully set, remove the frittata from the oven, and let it sit for a few minutes before removing it from the baking dish using the parchment paper. 

moong dal frittata in the pan after cooking

Slice and serve.

How to serve this vegan egg bake?

You can serve this frittata warm or cold. You can serve with some vegan butter, or hot sauce, or vegan hollandaise. Or, you can make sandwiches with it, because this is kind of like an egg patty. A vegan breakfast sandwich piled onto your bread of choice with lettuce, tomato, onion, vegan mayo or hummus, vegan bacon, roasted red pepper. Slice up the frittata and freeze individual portions. Reheat and serve. Make thinner slices of the frittata to make breakfast tacos with some salsa. Chop into small cubes and crisp on skillet, mix with roasted potatoes. Let me know how you would serve it in the comments!

What to Serve with a Moong Dal frittata

You can serve this as part of a breakfast spread with breakfast potatoes and toasted sourdough or hash browns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

To make this nut-free, replace cashews with hemp or pumpkin seeds. If you don’t want to use the nuts or seeds, use a nut-free, non-dairy milk instead of the water. Omit the nuts and add in 2 teaspoons of oil while blending. Also be sure that your vegan parmesan is nut-free.

For soy-free, omit the tofu and use beans or chickpea flour tofu , and use a soy-free vegan parmesan.

This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

How do I store leftovers? Can I freeze this lentil vegan egg bake?

Store leftovers in the fridge wrapped in parchment for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Reheat by baking for a few minutes or in your toaster, and serve.

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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4.95 from 18 votes

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42 Comments

  1. Mary says:

    Perhaps you could add to my last comment: we made this with churi dal, an excellent sub for moong dal.

  2. Mary says:

    I agree that this recipe welcomes the right leftover veggies. In our case, we added leftover stir fry veggies ( mushroom, Japanese brocolli, cabbage) on top of the recipe ones. It came out great! And we also had leftover vegan butter chicken sauce from your smash burger taco recipe. That drizzled on top, with a slice of buttered sourdough toast on the side, was a feast for my hubby and me. Yum!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yum! Thanks for sharing.

  3. INKEN GADDASS says:

    5 stars
    This frittata is amazing! Had it yesterday for lunch and this morning straight from the fridge as second breakfast with some leftover garlicky creamy cashew and silken tofu sauce … yummy! Even my omnivore husband loves it. As I am a little sensitive to the taste of the moong dal I just added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the batter (this trick also works with chickpea flour and vital wheat gluten). Grabbed the wrong tofu so ended up using smoked tofu which I really loved 😀 I hate wasting food so love that this recipe is perfect to use up old veggies that really need to be eaten or / and like I did adding some lonely peas and edamame beans that were left in nearly empty bags at the bottom of my freezer.
    Love everything about this recipe – very tasty warm and cold, high in protein, it’s different, helps to reduce food waste (using old veggies), can be stored in the fridge for a few days and it can be frozen. Highly recommended!
    Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe Richa!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      So good to hear! Thank you for taking the time to comment!

  4. Angie says:

    5 stars
    Truly the most surprising recipe. Flavor and TEXTURE… amazing. I used a frozen bag of vegetable medley for roasting. This is going in my family favorite recipe book!

    1. Richa says:

      Yay!!!!

      1. Aman says:

        5 stars
        This frittata was out of this World good. It was fluffy and so easy to make. My carnivore husband really enjoyed it. It’s a high protein, healthy, delicious and easy recipe- all in one. Amazing. Highly recommend!

        1. Vegan Richa Support says:

          So happy you enjoyed it!

  5. Shelaki says:

    5 stars
    Wow! This one is a keeper. I made it when I had a bunch of house guests (vegan and non-vegan) and it was a hit! Also really good the next day in a sandwich with a bit of mayo and hot sauce.
    Thank you Richa

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay!! So glad you liked it!

  6. Sandi says:

    5 stars
    This was wonderful! My whole family loved it!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome!

  7. Marilyn says:

    5 stars
    I love this recipe. I made the mistake of trying to cook it on the stovetop (all the batter in a 14″ skillet). In the oven it would have been puffy and nice, because it was that way in the pan until I had to flip it in 1/6 pieces. I will be making it again until I get it right.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Oh no! Hope it comes out soon!!

  8. Katie says:

    Can I use moong dal flour in this recipe instead?

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Use 1 cup flour and start with 3/4 cup water. Make the batter and let it sit for 15 mins. Adjust consistency And then fold in the baking powder and starch. You might need more batter depending on your baking dish so you can make more and decide on a quantity for that baking pan size for the future.

  9. jaNEL 💗🤟🏼🌈 says:

    4 stars
    Oops- please delete the last comment I wrote- it was meant for the mung daal fritters which was a great recipe. We made the frittata this morning and it made it feel like a very gourmet cozy morning at home. We served with fresh bread, the delicious suggested hollandaise sauce (highly recommend it), and on a bed of wilted spinach greens. Yum. Thank you! Love, Janel and Eric

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  10. Elaine says:

    5 stars
    Terrific meal for anytime of the day. I made this for last night’s dinner after realizing I really wanted to soak the lentils. It was such an amazing dish. The directions are great. It really help me through something that would have intimidated me in the past. I used hemp seeds since I had forgotten to soak the cashews. I used Vegan Richa’s Hollandaise sauce which made a delicious gravy for this meal. I hope I will have the patience and foresight to make it again.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      So glad you enjoyed it again!!