10 Vegan Breakfast Ideas (Compilation #51)

You'll see a lot of berries here. I had bought a huge bag of frozen blueberries just before a work event that had leftover fresh blueberries and blackberries I adopted. And then strawberry season hit and I was not missing out on all those strawberries. But there are also savory options and veggies here, so choose your own adventure!

1. Lemon Poppyseed Cornmeal Pancakes with Blueberry Compote (Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free Option)

I made this from a recipe I found at The Mostly Vegan. Although I've made pancakes with cornmeal before, I hadn't thought of adding poppyseeds to them! Lemon and poppyseed are a classic combination, of course, and so are cornmeal pancakes with blueberries, so why not bring them all together? Be generous with the compote--it really makes this dish something special. I made this with soy milk, but if you need to avoid soy, grab an alternative.

2. Cheesy Grits Bowl with Tofu Bacon and Balsamic Collard Greens (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

I've had all sorts of bacon, but never tofu bacon, so this recipe from Not Like Mama really intrigued me. Plus, I could marinate the tofu overnight and just cook it in the morning, which is always nice. I tend to like my collards cooked down more than many, so mine are not as vibrantly green as the original recipe photos, but they were still really tasty.  And tofu bacon? You have to try that.

3. Blackberry Pie Blended Overnight Oats (Gluten Free)

Blending up oats has been such a game changer for me! I made this recipe from Desiree Nielson using soy milk and blending up all the base ingredients until smooth. After I tasted this mixture, I found it a bit bitter (possibly because of the blended-up blackberry seeds), so I added a teaspoon of maple syrup. This was perfect, so I put it into a bowl and stuck it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, I topped it with more blackberries, almond butter, granola, and a bit more maple syrup. I realize now this means you can't see the lovely purple oat mixture, but trust me when I say it was quite pretty! In any case, it was also delicious. Here's to breakfasts you don't have to prep in the morning!

4. Leftover Barley Porridge with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Walnuts, and Maple Syrup

Serious Eats has an easily adaptable barley porridge recipe for when you have some leftover barley on hand. Just use plant-based milk (I used soy) and adjust the toppings. I made the porridge, then topped it with blueberries, chopped walnuts, and a drizzle of maple syrup. I recommend adding a bit of salt, too, to bring out the flavors. I had this with a Cafix latte and was very satisfied.

5. Silken Tofu-Chickpea Flour Spanish Tortilla (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

This amazing breakfast was made on a morning I was headed to the grocery store, so I wanted to eat up odds and ends; I would easily make all this again, though, whether or not I had to finish off some potatoes. The recipe is found at Forkful of Plants. I had the rest of a bag of spinach and the end of a package of mushrooms sauteed together on the side of my slices of tortilla, and it was perfect. A traditional Spanish tortilla is an omelet with eggs and potatoes and perhaps onions; here, chickpea flour and silken tofu stand in for the eggs. Next time I make it I'll let it set a bit more before flipping it, as I found it wasn't solid enough to manage that easily, but I pulled it off anyway. And this makes for great leftovers, too.

6. Coconut Rhubarb Amaranth Porridge (Gluten Free, Soy Free)

If my rhubarb had been more vibrant, this dish would be, too; it doesn't matter, because it is still delicious! The recipe is from Naturally Ella. It's very rich and creamy, as well as a wonderful balance of tart and sweet. Although I might make it with light coconut milk rather than full fat next time (because it is very rich), it's definitely something I'd make again--if only rhubarb were more readily available!

7. Strawberry Apricot Smoothie (Gluten Free, Soy Free)

Apricots and strawberries are in season at the same time, so it's a great opportunity to have them together! This recipe is from My San Francisco Kitchen, easily veganized with some non-dairy Greek yogurt. Though the orange juice and banana do add sweetness, this smoothie is still on the tart side; you may want to add a bit of agave if you're not keen on the tart flavor. But I loved it! This went great with my leftover Spanish tortilla, too.

8. Blueberry + Blackberry Breakfast Bake (Gluten Free, Soy Free Option)

Every so often, a cool, foggy spring day comes along, and I get to use the oven at breakfast time. The original recipe for this calls this a cobbler, but to me, it wasn't very cobbler-like. However, I'm happy to call it a breakfast bake! It's not very sweet, and it is a healthy (I mean, probably; I'm not a medical doctor) mixture of blackberries, blueberries, almond flour, tapioca flour, and unrefined sweeteners, among a few other things. If you need it to be soy free, use a different plant milk, but I didn't label it as such here because I used soy milk. I also drank soy milk alongside my little mini casserole, and it was great--the combination really works well!

9. Sweet Potato Silken Tofu Pudding with Coconut Whipped Cream and Chocolate Shavings (Gluten Free)

This recipe is from Abby's Kitchen. It's a tiny bit more involved than some other tofu puddings I've made, but hey, you make it ahead, so it won't use up time in the morning. I used soy milk and it worked out great, plus it helped layer in some more protein. The pudding itself is only very mildly sweet, which is one reason I think the coconut whipped topping and chocolate shavings are good addition, but you can also up the maple syrup if you want. A tip for chocolate shavings: You can generate a surprisingly large amount of delicious chocolate dust if you just grate a chocolate chip with a microplane grater. (Be careful with your fingers, of course.) You'll be surprised how much chocolate is in one little chip.

10. Strawberry Apricot Salad with Spinach and Walnuts (Gluten Free, Soy Free)

We are not done with the glorious combination of strawberries and apricots! This recipe is from Go Eat Green and for me it made for a great breakfast component. You'll want something else, like nut butter toast, probably, to round it out, because it's very light. (But I am not a medical doctor, so you do what's best for you.) To a fruity combo of strawberries, apricots, spinach, and walnuts, you add a citrusy dressing of orange juice, lemon juice, agave syrup, and fresh mint. If you're looking to get more greens, and you're not feeling interested in a smoothie, this is another way to sneak some in.

I'm never keen on hot weather, but the produce might ease the pain. I'm looking forward to tomato season--what about you?