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When breakfast meets lunch you know you’re in for a treat! Today we’re bringing you some next level brunch ideas that fancy both the sweet & savory.
First is this braided breakfast calzone, perfect for any carb craving tofu scramble lovers. It pairs perfectly with a warm side of pizza sauce plus your favorite shows on Netflix, and if you’re feeling crazy, maybe even a beer too. Get ready to eat like it’s the weekend any day of the week.
We put together this braided breakfast calzone as part of our monthly collaboration with Caitlin of From My Bowl, and this month’s video is all about Vegan Brunch! You can check out our video above.
Caitlin put together an epic savory brunch recipe as well, these Vegan Potato Pancakes that are healthy, oil-free and easy to make. I am a big fan of savory breakfasts, and that has my name written all over it!
We also put together a new take on a breakfast classic along with this calzone, check out our Vegan Avocado French Toast. A sweet base topped with vegan cream cheese and avocado, we tried to marry some of our favorite breakfast components in one and it created a dangerously delicious breakfast or brunch option.
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
PrintVegan Braided Breakfast Calzone {healthy + oil-free option}
- Total Time: 2 hours 51 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
Get ready to eat like it’s the weekend! This breakfast calzone recipe is the perfect to serve as an appetizer, at parties, or just enjoy!
Ingredients
Glazed Tempeh
- 1/2 block tempeh, cut into strips
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon coconut nectar (or maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
- 3/4 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
Tofu Scramble
- 1/2+ cup water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 medium tomato, diced
- 1/2 medium zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 block (about 8 oz.) firm tofu, drained & pressed
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Calzone
- 1 premade pizza dough (we used the herbed from Trader Joe’s)
- 3–4 tablespoons pizza sauce + more to serve for dipping
- Optional: 2 slices vegan cheese, cut into strips* (we used Follow Your Heart)
Instructions
- Remove the pre-made pizza dough from refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Bring aย small pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add in the tempeh, bring down to a simmer and allow it to cook for 10 minutes. Discard water, and add tempeh into a bowl or reusable ziplock bag.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and carefully mix together. Place into the refrigerator and marinate for 1 hour or overnight if making ahead.
- As the tempeh marinates, prepare your tofu scramble. In a medium pan over medium heat, add in 1/4 cup of water or vegetable broth. Once warmed, add in the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until fragrant. Add the zucchini and tomato, and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until the zucchini has mostly cooked through. Add more water or broth as necessary to prevent burning.
- Using your hands, crumble in the tofu, and then sprinkle over the remaining spices. Mix until uniform, again adding more water or broth as necessary to prevent burning (about 2-3 tablespoons at a time). Cook for 8-10 minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Set aside.
- In a medium pan over medium heat, add in the tempeh and all of the marinade. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden, being sure to flip to cook each side. If needed, add 2-3 tablespoons of water or broth at a time to prevent burning. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out into a 1/4โณ thick rectangle roughly about 8ร12โณ. Using a sharp knife, trim the edges to be sure each edge is straight. Place the dough onto the lined baking sheet.
- Using a sharp knife*, cut strips into the sides of the dough at a downward slope. You can either discard of the top piece of the dough or save it with the other scraps for another recipe. See a step by step how to in the video above.
- Spread in the pizza sauce, about 3/4 of the tofu scramble (or as much as fits), tempeh, and vegan cheese if using.
- Fold the bottom flap up, sealing the sides. Take the first strip of pastry on the right and cross it over, then seal the end by pressing it into the other side. Repeat this on alternating sides until you are left with 2 strips of dough (see photos for reference).
- Tightly fold the top end over as you did on the bottom, then tuck the last two strips over, trying your best to seal the end. Prior to placing it into the oven, you can brush it with almond milk to help it give it a golden color.
- Place into the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely, then slice and serve with pizza sauce or marinara.
Notes
- Use a sharp knife to ease the cutting so that you don’t have to press down hard and risk scratching your baking sheet.
- Refer to video on how to cut the cheese.
- Check out how to press tofu here (without a tofu press!)
- Find a step by step tutorial on how to braid the dough in the video above or find it here.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. However, this page may contain affiliate links, thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
Honestly, I ALWAYS look forward to your collaborations with Caitlin. Both of you are really talented recipe creators! On another note, this recipe looks incredible. I love the fillings inside and I bet you can customize the calzone any other way by substituting and switching out other ingredients! But I don’t think any other combination could top the one you already have!
Aw Cassie, that makes me so happy to hear! I get so excited to put them out ๐ I hope you can try this out!