^[1]If you no longer eat eggs but have a craving for the retro classic, deviled eggs, you’ll really enjoy these. The combination of chickpeas, nutritional yeast, and vegan mayo add up to a fairly egg-like flavor and consistency. And these are even easier to make than the originals. This would be a lovely vegan Easter appetizer, or a treat served at any brunch. It’s rather addictive, and with no need to worry about cholesterol, be prepared for them to disappear quickly.

Makes 16 or more

• 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (great with Vegenaise)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon curry powder, or more, to taste
• Pinch of ground cumin, or more, to taste
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or scallion
• 8 to 10 ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes
• Paprika for topping
• Shredded lettuce or baby greens, optional

Combine the chickpeas, mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, curry powder, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse on and off until the mixture is nicely melded, but don’t puree—leave a little texture. Add the chives or scallion through the feed tube and pulse on and off a few times to whirl in.

If you don’t have a food processor, simply mash the chickpeas well in a bowl, and stir in the mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, curry powder, pepper, and chives.

Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seedy center with a spoon. You’ll be left with a neat shell (save what you’ve scooped out for another use, such as blending into a juice or sauce). Stuff the tomatoes generously with the chickpea mixture. Sprinkle with paprika.

Serve on a platter atop a bed of lettuce or greens.

Variations: One VegKitchen reader recommends adding a little pickle relish; another recommends using a little black salt (available in Indian groceries) which adds a distinctive egg-like flavor.

• Here are more tasty vegan appetizers. ^[2]
• Explore more of VegKitchen’s easy, festive  ^[3]v ^[3]egan brunch recipes and menus ^[3].