Quiche used to be one of my go-to meals when I was vegetarian, and so it has been something I have wanted to try and transform into a vegan dish for ages. Having saved one of Bianca Zapatka’s recipes a few months ago, Husband and I decided to give it a whirl the other night, with great success. It was remarkably easy to make, particularly as we used time saving Jusrol’s accidentally vegan shortcrust pastry. We decided to blind baked it for 10-15 minutes before adding the mixture and continuing to cook. It made for a much crispier crust and was worth the time.
Quiche is a fantastic and versatile dish- you can use any vegetables you like for the filling- for our first attempt we kept it simple with just spinach and tomato. But I am looking forward to experimenting with different flavours and perfecting the taste a little more.
We cooked the quiche a day ahead, and it was delicious the next day cold. It is easily reheated in the oven, baked at 180°C for approximately 10-15 minutes, so it is a great dish for work lunches, or if you have the need to prepare a meal in advance. I am certain this recipe will become one of our staples for brunch, lunch or dinner!
Next time, I want to try and make our own pastry and again Bianca Zapatza has an easy vegan recipe – so that is next on my to do list!
If you haven’t already do check our Bianca’s website, it is full of inspiration and great easy to follow vegan recipes with beautiful food photography.
The Recipe!
Vegan Spinach Quiche
I have included lots of optional steps and alternative ingredients – it is a robust recipe so you can experiment and interchange flavours and ingredients to suit your tastes.
Ingredients:
Spinach mixture:
🔸1 tbsp olive oil
🔸1/2 stick leek (light green or white part only) OR 4 scallions, OR 1 regular onion
🔸fresh spinach 350g, (optional frozen spinach)
Tofu filling:
🔸silken tofu 350g, drained
🔸1 tbsp chickpea flour OR soy flour OR plain flour
🔸2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
🔸 1 tsp salt
🔸1/2 tsp pepper
🔸1/4 tsp turmeric (optional for colour)
🔸1 clove of garlic (crushed) OR 3/4 tsp garlic powder
🔸(optional) vegan feta cheese 125g OR other shredded cheese
Method:
Pie Crust:
1) Line a pie dish with shortcrust pastry, cover with baking paper and top with dried beans or chickpeas to avoid collapsing, and blind bake for 15 minutes at 200°C.
Spinach mixture:
1) In a large pan, heat the oil. Add in the leek or scallions or onions, and sauté for about 3 minutes until lightly browned and softened. Add the spinach, and continue cooking until wilted, about 2 minutes (or simply thaw frozen spinach).
2) Transfer into a colander and drain. Then wrap in paper towels and squeeze to remove any excess liquid.
Tofu filling:
1) Blend the tofu, flour, nutritional yeast, and seasonings until smooth and creamy.
2) Add spinach mixture and mix to combine.
3) If using… stir in crumbled vegan feta cheese.
4) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. (If the filling seems too thick, add a bit of non-dairy cream, or if it seems too watery, stir in a bit of flour.)
5) Fill the filling into the prepared crust, smoothing out evenly.
6) Bake for 30-40 minutes 180°C until filling is set and light golden brown on top. (*If the crust seems getting too dry during baking, brush with a little non-dairy cream for a shiny golden colour, and if it’s getting too dark, cover loosely with foil or baking paper).
7) Allow the quiche to cool slightly before slicing.
8) Enjoy!
I am so happy to have my first attempt under my belt; it really was tasty albeit rustic! I am looking forward to perfecting it in the coming months.
If you do give it a try, let me know!
