Description
This Vegan Tomato Spinach Quiche is a delightful plant-based twist on the classic savory tart. Featuring a flaky vegan pastry crust filled with a creamy silken tofu and chickpea flour mixture, roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, and aromatic herbs, this quiche is golden, flavorful, and perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner. It’s dairy-free, egg-free, and packed with wholesome ingredients that come together to make a satisfying and nutritious meal.
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 250 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 125 g (½ cup) vegan block butter, cold and diced
- about 4 Tablespoons cold unsweetened non-dairy milk
Filling:
- 350 g (12 oz) cherry tomatoes
- 180 g (6 oz) baby spinach
- 30 g (1 oz) fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 349 g pack (12 oz) firm silken tofu (e.g. Yutaka brand)
- 45 g (½ cup) chickpea (gram) flour
- 25 g (½ cup) nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 Tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 140 ml (½ cup + 4 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy milk recommended)
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the pastry: In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt thoroughly. Add the cold, cubed vegan butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter.
- Form the dough: Gradually add cold non-dairy milk, stirring until the dough just comes together into a ball. Shape this into a disc without kneading excessively. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for about one hour until firm enough to roll out.
- Roll and prepare pastry shell: Lightly flour a surface and roll out the chilled pastry into a circle large enough to line a 23 cm (9 in) round pie dish. Press the pastry evenly into the corners and sides, trimming any excess dough.
- Blind bake the crust: Prick the base all over with a fork to prevent puffing, then freeze the pastry shell for 20 minutes until solid. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4). Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with baking beans or dried rice, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove parchment and beans, then bake for a further 10 minutes until the crust is pale golden. Set aside.
- Roast the tomatoes: Place cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in the oven for 15 minutes until softened.
- Prepare the greens: Wilt the spinach in a large pan over medium heat, then drain and allow to cool. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible by hand, then roughly chop the spinach. Finely chop the basil and combine both with dried oregano in a large mixing bowl.
- Make the filling: In a blender, combine the silken tofu, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, wholegrain mustard, salt, olive oil, white miso paste, lemon juice, unsweetened non-dairy milk, and a good grind of black pepper. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Combine filling and herbs: Pour the tofu mixture into the bowl with the spinach, basil, and oregano. Stir well until evenly combined.
- Assemble the quiche: Pour the filling into the pre-baked pastry shell, then gently press the roasted cherry tomatoes into the top.
- Bake the quiche: Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan/350°F) for 45 minutes, or until the filling is golden and set. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before serving to help it firm up and develop flavor.
Notes
- For most accurate and consistent results, use metric measurements with a digital scale rather than relying on cup conversions, which can be imprecise.
- Blind baking the pastry shell ensures a crisp, non-soggy crust that holds the filling well.
- Make sure to squeeze out excess liquid from the spinach to avoid a watery quiche filling.
- This recipe uses firm silken tofu for a smooth, creamy texture; avoid regular silken tofu as it is usually softer and may alter the consistency.
- Feel free to substitute the basil and oregano with other fresh herbs like thyme or parsley for variation.
- The quiche can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature and makes great leftovers stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling time for pastry and 20 minutes freezing after shaping)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (including blind baking 30 minutes, roasting tomatoes 15 minutes, and final bake 45 minutes)
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Modern European
