Vegan Quiche with Garden Vegetables | Chickpea Tofu Quiche Recipe (2024)

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Easter is coming up and I thought it was about time to finally photograph and share my vegan quiche recipe. I’ve been really pleasantly surprised with how much non-vegans seem to enjoy this tofu quiche. Made with a combination of tofu and also chickpea flour, and full of vegetables and savory flavor, this is a crowd-pleaser that I hope you’ll really enjoy.

Vegan Quiche with Garden Vegetables | Chickpea Tofu Quiche Recipe (1)

There seem to be two camps with vegan quiches. The tofu camp, and the no tofu camp. Making a vegan quiche without tofu seems to involve a mixture made with pure chickpea flour. And my delicate sensibilities just cannot handle that onslaught of chickpea flour flavor. I love the ingredient here and there, but if it’s even slightly undercooked, or dominant in a dish, it kinda makes my stomach churn.

Chickpea flour does do wonders for creating a cohesive texture, which is something that’s often lacking in basic tofu quiches, I’ve found. So my chickpea tofu vegan quiche is the best of both worlds! I base the batter on extra-firm tofu, but I also add a tasteful amount of chickpea flour to help firm it up. The result is an eggless quiche that’s super slice-able, creamy, and delicious.

Vegan Quiche with Garden Vegetables | Chickpea Tofu Quiche Recipe (2)

Talking about crust for a moment,I went with Wholly Wholesome brand spelt crust for the pictured version of my vegan quiche. (Consequently this is also the one I used to calculate the nutrition facts). Hence the darker brown color compared to traditional pie crust. I LOVE this brand though, and used to purchase it quite frequently prior to having a gluten-free boyfriend.

I have tested a crustless version of this and it’s great too, and obviously a lot lighter. I went to three stores trying to track down a vegan, gluten-free pie crust for the bf, but sadly my search was not successful. Thankfully, this can be turned into more of a frittata type of dish by omitting the crust. I recommend baking it in a springform pan if you have one. If not, a regular casserole dish also works!

I have heard murmurs of aquafaba and cashew-based quiches if you’re of the soy-free persuasion and, like me, don’t care for intense chickpea flour applications. The one in Zsu Dever’s Aquafaba cookbook looks like a good start. However, I have not tried it. If you do, please let me know- I am very curious!

Vegan Quiche with Garden Vegetables | Chickpea Tofu Quiche Recipe (3)

I added a verdant spring-appropriate assortment of vegetables and herbs to my vegan quiche this time around: fresh asparagus, spinach, spring onions and chives. In previous versions I’ve done all sorts of mixes of veggies. Chopped broccoli is a great addition, as is diced zucchini. I’ve also gone the puttanesca route before and added olives, capers, and sundried tomatoes. Super yummy. Just be sure to properly sweat any veggies, including leafy greens, in your saute mixture so that they don’t make the batter runny.

Fair warning: I don’t remember what non-vegan quiche tastes like anymore. I wasn’t a huge fan of eggs back in the day. So I’m not prepared to make any claims about how much this vegan quiche resembles its counterpart. However, I can tell you that I’ve served variations on my tofu quiche to omnivores, including my parents on Christmas morning this past holiday (!), and it was VERY well-received.

Vegan Quiche with Garden Vegetables | Chickpea Tofu Quiche Recipe (4)

For that special occasion, I cubed up some of my absolute favorite vegan cheese, Vtopian (<- linking to their Facebook page because their website seems to be down). This is wholly unnecessary to make a tasty eggless quiche. I just happened to have some on hand. I suppose you could also add some smoky crisped tempeh or tofu pieces to go all the way with a vegan quiche lorraine type of thing. Sadly, my rice paper bacon would probably not hold up well mixed into the batter.

I hope you enjoy this delicious vegan quiche! If you give it a try, let me know in the comments or by tagging me @yupitsvegan on Instagram!

Vegan Quiche with Garden Vegetables | Chickpea Tofu Quiche Recipe (5)

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4.73 from 11 votes

Vegan Quiche with Vegetables

Hearty vegan quiche, made by baking up a creamy tofu chickpea filling with seasoned mixed vegetables in a flaky vegan pie crust.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, vegan, vegetarian

Keyword eggless quiche, vegan frittata, vegan quiche

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 337kcal

Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

For the tofu-chickpea quiche base:

For the vegetable mixture:

  • 1 and 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bunch scallions or green onions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 2 tbsp dry white wine (optional)
  • 10 oz asparagus woody ends removed, chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 4 oz fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
  • salt to taste

For assembling the vegan quiche:

  • 1 pie crust of choice
  • 6-8 asparagus spears (optional, for bedazzling the quiche)
  • 1/4 cup thinly-sliced cherry tomatoes (optional)

Instructions

  • Par-bake your pie crust in a pie dish, according to the recipe or package instructions. Afterward, set the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Open the tofu, drain any excess liquid, and either press it in a tofu press, or wrap it in a clean towel and stack something heavy on top of it.

  • Meanwhile, prepare the vegetable mixture. Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and softened, about 2-4 minutes.

  • Add the tomatoes to the pan, as well as the white wine, if using. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes have somewhat thickened and lost their excess liquid. Add the asparagus to the pan, and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 more minutes.

  • Stir in the spinach and cook until fully wilted. Season to taste with salt, and stir in the chopped chives. Remove from the heat and set aside.

  • In a food processor, combine all of the filling ingredients (including the pressed tofu) EXCEPT for the chickpea flour, blending until smooth. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper. Add the chickpea flour and blend to combine.

  • Add the tofu mixture to a mixing bowl, and gently stir in the vegetable mixture. Transfer the mixture into the to par-baked pie crust, and smooth it out evenly. If desired, top with asparagus spears and sliced tomatoes.

  • Bake uncovered for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown on the surface, slightly puffed up, and firm. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

Notes

GLUTEN-FREE: Use a gluten-free crust, or make a crustless version. Generously grease a baking dish and cook the filling in it directly. Bake for the same amount of time.

GRAIN-FREE: Make the crustless version described above; use tapioca starch rather than cornstarch.

SOY-FREE: Sorry, I do not have a reliable way of making this dish soy-free. Chickpea tofu will NOT work.

VARIATIONS: Mix and match vegetables. Tested vegetable variations include (added when the asparagus is added) zucchini, broccoli, and kale. Other tested add-ins (stirred in after cooking the vegetable mixture) include chopped artichoke hearts, sliced olives, sliced sundried tomatoes, and drained capers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2650IU | Vitamin C: 25.6mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 3.6mg

Recipe adapted from One Dish Vegan and America’s Test Kitchen.

Vegan Quiche with Garden Vegetables | Chickpea Tofu Quiche Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should vegetables be cooked before putting in quiche? ›

Cook the Veggies First

"Vegetables will take longer to cook than your egg custard, so always sauté onions, steam broccoli, etc. before you add them to your egg mixture to ensure every bite of quiche will be perfectly cooked," says Kristin Beringson, executive chef at Henley in Nashville.

Can I use extra firm tofu instead of silken tofu? ›

Both silken and regular tofu can be found in soft, medium, firm, and extra-firm consistencies. They are made with the same ingredients, but they are processed slightly differently and are not interchangeable in a recipe.

What can I substitute for eggs in quiche? ›

Chickpea flour, also referred to as garbanzo flour, besan flour, or gram flour is gluten-free, high protein, and creates a beautiful texture for the vegan quiche. When using chickpea flour, you also get to avoid the high cholesterol and fat levels found in eggs.

Should you Prebake crust for quiche? ›

And yes, as you'll see, you should always prebake quiche crust to avoid a gummy pastry. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out your homemade or purchased refrigerated dough into a 12-inch circle.

Is it necessary to Prebake pie crust for quiche? ›

You need a par-baked or fully baked crust if you're making quiche, no-bake pie, custard pie, cream pie, pudding pie, or simply want an extra-crisp pie crust. If you're making a pie that doesn't require a baked filling, you still need a baked crust.

Is silken tofu healthier than regular tofu? ›

Tofu Nutrition

For relatively similar serving sizes, the nutrition differences between silken and firm tofu are pretty big. Silken tofu contains only about half the calories and fat, while firm tofu contains over twice the protein. The reason for this is water content.

What's the difference between silken tofu and tofu? ›

Silken Tofu. Silken tofu is the next most common tofu style. It's made in a similar process to block tofu, except that the soy milk is coagulated without curdling the milk. It's also left unpressed, so every cake retains all of its moisture while cooling.

Is silken tofu better than firm tofu? ›

The main difference between each type of tofu is the amount it has been pressed – Silken Tofu has the lowest protein content (and highest water content), while Super Firm has the highest. Each variety of tofu has a different texture, and thus is best used in different types of recipes.

How do vegans replace eggs in baking? ›

What are the best egg substitutions?
  1. Aquafaba. That's right, you can make an impressive egg white substitute using the water from a drained can of chickpeas. ...
  2. Ground flax seeds. ...
  3. Apple purée. ...
  4. Yogurt (regular or dairy-free) ...
  5. Mashed banana. ...
  6. Silken tofu. ...
  7. Chia seeds. ...
  8. Coconut oil.

What is a quiche without pastry called? ›

WHAT IS A FRITTATA? Frittatas are Italian in origin and can be described as a cross between an omelet and a crustless quiche.

What is a healthy substitute for heavy cream in quiche? ›

Best 11 healthy replacements for heavy cream
  • Coconut cream.
  • Milk and olive oil.
  • Milk and cornstarch.
  • Silken tofu and plant-based milk.
  • Greek yogurt and milk.
  • Cottage cheese and milk.
  • Vegan yogurt and plant-based milk.
  • Cashew cream.
Dec 2, 2021

How to get the bottom of quiche crispy? ›

Some people like to paint the surface of the pastry base with lightly beaten egg white after the beans have been removed and before returning the dish to the oven as the egg white cooks onto the surface of the pastry and can act as a slight sealant to help to keep the pastry crisp.

Why isn't my quiche creamy? ›

Figuring out your proportions couldn't be simpler – for each egg you use, you need half a cup of milk. Too little dairy, and your quiche will be dry instead of creamy. Too much, and it won't set properly.

Why does my quiche sink when I take it out of the oven? ›

Excess moisture is one reason why quiches collapse in a watery pool on your plate. Vegetables and meats like ham give off tremendous amounts of water when they're cooked. Therefore, if you're using vegetables in your quiche, it's imperative that you cook them first.

Why is my quiche always soggy? ›

Wet pie fillings + raw dough are a tricky combination. If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

Why did my quiche curdle? ›

Quiche should not be cooked at too high of a temperature to avoid curdling the eggs. Many recipes call for baking quiche at temperatures between 325° F and 375° F. If you are baking at a high altitude, the temperature and bake times will need to be adjusted.

Why is my quiche watery? ›

According to Real Simple, this typically occurs when adding too-wet ingredients to the quiche filling, layering the egg custard with, for example, large slices of raw tomato or raw zucchini. These vegetables, while tasty, have a high water content when raw, which will weep into the quiche as it bakes.

Should I cover my quiche when baking? ›

At 375F, it requires 25 minutes of baking time uncovered. At that point, you'll want to check things out because you don't want the crust to get too brown. If it's looking a bit well-done, cover it with aluminum foil and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.

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