Vegan Tomato Spinach Quiche with Creamy Tofu Filling

What Is Vegan Tomato Spinach Quiche?

A vegan quiche may sound like a contradiction, but once you try this version you will never miss the eggs or cream.

This Vegan Tomato Spinach Quiche swaps out traditional custard for a silky blend of silken tofu and chickpea flour that bakes up into a tender, savory slice.

Roasted cherry tomatoes dot the top like little jewels, while wilted spinach and fresh basil weave through every bite. The crust is flaky and golden, just the right partner for the creamy filling.

I first made this quiche for a spring potluck, fully expecting the “where’s the real food?” looks. Instead, the entire dish vanished within twenty minutes, and my neighbor, a lifelong egg lover, asked for the recipe before she had even finished her slice.

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That moment sealed it: a well made vegan quiche can be just as satisfying, and even more interesting, than the classic version.

The beauty of this quiche lies in its texture. Silken tofu brings a custard like softness, while chickpea flour gives the filling body and a gentle bite reminiscent of eggs.

Nutritional yeast, miso paste, garlic, and mustard team up to deliver a deep, savory flavor that feels rich without being heavy.

It is the kind of dish that works equally well for a lazy weekend brunch, a light lunch with a green salad, or as a centerpiece on a buffet table.

What Do I Need to Make Vegan Quiche?

The ingredient list looks long, but every item plays a part. For the pastry you will need plain all purpose flour, a pinch of salt, cold vegan block butter, and just enough unsweetened non dairy milk to bring the dough together.

The butter must come from a block, not a tub spread, because the lower water content creates that crisp, short texture you want in a tart shell. In my kitchen I rely on a good quality vegetable block butter that stays firm in the fridge.

For the filling, the star is silken tofu. You must use the firm silken variety, not regular firm tofu; it is softer and blends into a perfectly smooth base. Chickpea flour, also labeled gram flour or besan, behaves as the binder.

It sets the mixture when baked and contributes a subtle eggy quality. Unsweetened non dairy milk, preferably soy or oat for creaminess, loosens the batter and helps everything blend.

Nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, white miso paste, and a little olive oil round out the savory profile. Do not skip the miso or mustard; they add depth you just cannot fake.

The vegetables are simple: baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and dried oregano. Roasting the tomatoes before assembling intensifies their sweetness, so even though it is an optional step I never leave it out.

The spinach must be wilted and squeezed thoroughly; otherwise the quiche can turn watery. A good hard squeeze with your hands after it cools makes all the difference.

Key ingredients have no direct substitute. Silken tofu and chickpea flour are essential for the signature texture; omitting either will change the result completely.

How to Make Vegan Tomato Spinach Quiche

The process unfolds in three acts: the pastry, the blind bake, and the filling assembly. I like to make the pastry a day ahead, but even an hour in the fridge works if you are moving quickly.

Start by rubbing cold, diced vegan butter into flour and salt until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in cold milk a tablespoon at a time, just enough to bring the dough together into a shaggy ball.

Shape it into a disc, wrap, and chill until firm enough to roll.

When you are ready, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a circle large enough to line a 23 cm (9 inch) pie dish. Press it into the corners, trim the overhang, and prick the base all over with a fork. Freeze the shell for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F).

Line the frozen pastry with baking parchment, fill with baking beans or dried rice, and blind bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment, then return the shell to the oven for 10 more minutes until pale golden. This two step bake keeps the bottom crisp when the wet filling goes in.

Meanwhile, roast the cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil for 15 minutes. Wilt the spinach, let it cool, and squeeze out every drop of moisture you can. Chop the spinach roughly and finely chop the basil.

Now blend the liquid filling: combine the silken tofu, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powders, mustard, salt, olive oil, miso, lemon juice, non dairy milk, and a generous grind of black pepper. Blend until perfectly smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. Stir this cream into the bowl of spinach and herbs until evenly mixed.

Pour the filling into the baked pastry case and gently press the roasted tomatoes into the top. Bake for 45 minutes until the surface is golden and the center is set.

The quiche will puff slightly and may crack a little around the edges; that is normal. Let it cool for at least half an hour before slicing. Clean, neat pieces are much easier to cut when the quiche has had time to settle.

You can also streamline the day by using a good quality store bought vegan shortcrust pastry. Check the label carefully; some brands are accidentally vegan, which saves time without sacrificing that buttery crust.

Top Tips

Over the years I have learned a few tricks that make this quiche sing. First, keep everything cold. Cold butter, cold milk, and a good chill in the fridge keep the pastry flaky and easy to handle. If the dough feels too firm after resting, let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling.

Second, use a digital scale. Weighing your flour and butter yields far more reliable results than measuring by volume. Baking is chemistry, and a little precision goes a long way.

Third, do not overwork the pastry. Once the dough comes together, stop. Over kneading develops gluten and leads to a tough, shrinking crust. For an even more eggy note, some cooks add a pinch of kala namak (black salt) to the filling, but I find the flavor from the miso and chickpea flour is already persuasive enough.

If you want to work ahead, the unbaked pastry dough can be stored in the fridge for up to two days. You can also blind bake the crust a few hours in advance and keep it covered at room temperature. The original recipe that inspired my version is available on Domestic Gothess; you can find it here.

How to Store This Quiche

This quiche tastes best freshly baked, when the crust is crisp and the filling still carries a whisper of warmth from the oven. That said, leftovers are wonderful to have on hand. Once completely cool, cover the dish tightly or transfer slices to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.

I love cold quiche straight from the fridge for a quick lunch, but you can also reheat it gently. A few minutes in a 180°C (350°F) oven refreshes the crust without drying out the filling. Avoid the microwave if you can; it tends to make the pastry soft and the filling a bit rubbery.

Freezing is not recommended. The tofu base breaks down when thawed, and the texture becomes watery and unappealing. Stick to making this a fresh or next day treat, and you will be rewarded with every slice.

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Vegan Tomato Spinach Quiche

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What Is Vegan Tomato Spinach Quiche? A vegan quiche may sound like a contradiction, but once you try this version you will never miss the eggs or cream.

• Total Time: 115 min
• Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

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Pastry
250 g plain (all-purpose) flour
0.25 teaspoon salt
125 g vegan block butter, cold and diced
4 Tablespoons cold unsweetened non-dairy milk

Filling
350 g cherry tomatoes
180 g baby spinach
30 g fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
349 g firm silken tofu, I use Yutaka
45 g chickpea (gram) flour
25 g nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
0.5 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 Tablespoon white miso paste
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
140 ml unsweetened non-dairy milk, I use soy
black pepper

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Instructions

Instructions
1-Start by making the pastry: Start by making the pastry. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and no lumps of butter remain.
2-Gradually stir in enough cold milk to: Gradually stir in enough cold milk to bring the pastry together into a ball. Shape the pastry into a disc (don’t knead it), wrap and refrigerate for about an hour until firm enough to roll out.
3-Roll the pastry out on a lightly: Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle big enough to line a 23 cm/9 in round pie dish. Press the pastry right into the corners then trim off the excess.
4-Prick the base of the pastry shell: Prick the base of the pastry shell all over with a fork then place it in the freezer for 20 minutes until solid. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
5-Line the pastry case with baking parchment,: Line the pastry case with baking parchment, pressing it right into the corners, then fill with baking beans or dried rice, making sure that the sides are propped up.
6-Bake for 20 minutes then remove the: Bake for 20 minutes then remove the parchment and baking beans and return the tart shell to the oven for a further 10 minutes until very pale golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
7-Place the cherry tomatoes in a roasting: Place the cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes.
8-Cook the spinach in a large pan: Cook the spinach in a large pan until wilted. Allow to cool then use your hands to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of it. Roughly chop the spinach and finely chop the basil. Place in a large bowl along with the dried oregano.
9-Place the silken tofu, chickpea flour, nutritional: Place the silken tofu, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powders, mustard, salt, olive oil, miso paste, lemon juice, milk and a good grinding of black pepper into a blender.
10-Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides: Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Pour into the bowl with the spinach and stir until well combined.
11-Pour the filling into the baked pastry: Pour the filling into the baked pastry case and press the tomatoes gently into the top.
12-Bake for 45 minutes until golden and: Bake for 45 minutes until golden and set. Allow to cool for half an hour before serving.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 40 min
• Cook Time: 75 min
• Method: baking