Vegan Spinach Quiche
on May 05, 2023, Updated Aug 25, 2024
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This delicious Vegan Spinach Quiche is the perfect savory breakfast or brunch recipe! It’s loaded with vibrant veggies and has a flakey, buttery crust. Best part? It’s completely egg-free and dairy-free!
Plant-Based Quiche Recipe
If you’ve ever wondered how to make quiche from scratch, this is the recipe for you! It’s delicious and really fun to make.
My sister and I recently watched King Charles III’s coronation on TV and I thought it would be fun to make a plant-based version of the quiche they were serving at the event.
The royal’s chef shared his recipe so fans could make it at home, and his version was made with garden-fresh spinach, onions, cheddar cheese, broad beans, and tarragon. Oh… and quite a lot of eggs and dairy.
So I set out to make it vegan, starting with my go-to vegan pie crust recipe. I filled it with a rich and creamy custard that’s made without dairy or eggs, and flavored it with all of the same tasty veggies and herbs that were used in the original Coronation Quiche recipe. The result is a Vegan Spinach Quiche that is rich and flavorful, and packed with colorful veggies.
It’s a breakfast that’s fit for a royal, and perfect to serve to your friends and family this weekend!
How to Make Quiche Without Eggs
Even though this is an eggless quiche recipe, it’s still packed with protein. The filling itself is made in a blender and comes together in a matter of minutes. Plus it’s just as silky-smooth and luxuriously fluffy as the original version, thanks to a combo of tofu, almond milk, and a touch of olive oil which mimics the protein-water-fat ratio of a chicken’s egg.
And if you’re wondering how to make quiche fluffy, the secret is a touch of baking powder. It helps lift the filling and give it a light and airy texture.
Vegan Spinach Quiche Recipe Ingredients
- Firm tofu
- Almond milk – unsweetened
- Baking powder – for lift
- Olive oil – for a rich taste and creamy texture
- Spices – onions powder, garlic granules, paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper
- Nutritional yeast – to create umami and a creamy, cheesy flavor
- Spinach, Onions, and Tarragon
- White Beans – also known as Cannellini Beans Beans or White Navy Beans
- Vegan Cheddar Cheese
- Vegan Pie Dough
How to Make Quiche
The measurements can be found on the recipe card below, but here’s a little overview to give you an idea!
Step One
Start by making your pie crust. You’ll need just a few simple ingredients for this, but the key is to keep everything nice and cold. Pie dough starts with flour, salt, and sugar – not enough to make it taste sweet, just enough to flavor the dough. Then add vegan butter. I like using Earth Balance sticks and I highly recommend using the sticks instead of the tub, as the moisture content is different. Use clean hands to mix the butter into the flour mixture and then add ice water until the dough comes together. It will look shaggy with large almond-sized pieces of butter still visible. Gently knead the dough and form into a ball, then chill until firm. About 2 hours.
If you’re new to making pie crust, watch this handy video for tips! You can also use a store-bought frozen pie crust and skip ahead to making the filling.
Step Two
Once the pie dough is prepped, roll it out and place into a pie plate. Par-bake for 15 minutes to make sure the bottom of the pie cooks evenly, and in the meantime, cook your veggies.
You’ll want to sauté onions, spinach, and tarragon until all of the moisture is cooked out. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the veggies cool down.
Step 3
Now it’s time to make the custard. Quiche custard is usually made from eggs and heavy cream. Instead, we’ll toss some firm tofu, almond milk, baking powder, nutritional yeast and spices (see recipe card below) into a blender and give it a whirl!
The result is a smooth and creamy egg-free custard.
Step 4
Next we’ll assemble the quiche. Add the white beans and the cooked veggies to the par-baked pie crust. Then add the custard and swirl in the remaining veggies. Sprinkle generously with vegan cheddar cheese and bake for about 40 minutes.
Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and enjoy!
Ways to Serve this Quiche
Serve this vegetable quiche warm or at room temperature alongside a simple green salad. I like a crunchy, refreshing lettuce or a delicate spring mix tossed with a simple vinaigrette. The punchy acidity compliments the butteriness of the quiche and flakey pie crust.
Recipes FAQs
Absolutely! Save time by using a frozen store-bought pie crust. Many of them are “accidentally vegan” so just check the ingredients first.
Before you begin preparing the quiche filling, par-bake the frozen pie crust for 15 minutes and the continue with the recipe below.
The trick to making a great homemade quiche is to cook the veggies before adding them to the quiche. This only takes a few minutes and it helps to draw out the moisture from inside the vegetables that would otherwise leak out during baking and create a soggy crust.
Blind baking also prevents a soggy bottom by partially cooking the crust before the filling goes in. This is easy to do, simply place a piece of parchment paper over the prepared pie dough and pour some dried beans or pie weights on top to weigh it down. Then bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. 
Resting the dough before rolling it out and before baking ensures the flour is properly hydrated (aka relaxes the gluten… aka creates a tender pie crust) and it also prevents the butter from melting inside the dough. If the butter gets too warm, the pie dough won’t be very flakey, so make sure to rest the pie dough in the fridge if it’s getting too soft.
Don’t want to make your own homemade vegan pie dough for this quiche recipe? No problem, simply use a store-bought pie crust and carry on with the recipe below. Pre-made pie dough can often be found in the freezer section of the local grocery store and most of them happen to be vegan. Always double check the ingredients though, just in case!
Tarragon is often described as having a licorice flavor but don’t let that put you off! The overall flavor is mild, and I think it’s more akin to anise or the subtle spiciness of fennel.
Of course! Fresh basil, dill, or Italian parsley would be great!
More Delicious Brunch Recipes!
- Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
- Everything Bagel Breakfast Burrito Boats
- Cheddar Bacon Breakfast Taquitos
- Orange Chai Spiced French Toast
Vegan Spinach Quiche Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10.5" pie dish (10.5" Dia. x 2.3" H)
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Blender
- Parchment Paper
- 2 cups Dried beans or pie weights optional
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt, I use Morton's
- 1 tsp cane sugar
- 1 stick cold vegan butter, I use Earth Balance sticks, not the tub
- 3 tbsp cold water
For the Filling
- 12 oz firm tofu
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ¾ tsp onion granules
- ¾ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Veggies
- ½ medium yellow onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz spinach
- ½ cup white beans
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- ¾ cup vegan cheddar cheese
Instructions
Make the Pie Dough
- If you're using a store-bought frozen pie crust, skip ahead to the next section. If you're following this recipe and you're new to making pie crust, check out the notes below for helpful tips 🙂
- Start by cutting the vegan butter sticks into small cubes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Next, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk to combine, and then add the cold butter cubes. Use clean hands to press the butter into the flour, and stop mixing when a shaggy dough appears with some chunky pieces of butter still remaining.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the cold water. Start with 3 tbsp and add another ½ tbsp if needed. Mix for just long enough to bring the dough together into a crumbly mixture (it doesn't need to stick together yet) and then turn it out onto a clean countertop.
- Gently knead the dough just long enough to bring it together, then shape the pie dough into a ball, working quickly so that the butter doesn't get too soft. Form the dough into a disk, and wrap tightly with cling wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Roll, Shape, Bake
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Unwrap the pie dough disk and allow it to come to just under room temperature so it's easy to roll out without cracking.
- Then lightly flour the the countertop and a rolling pin and roll the dough into a 14 inch circle. I start with the rolling pin in the middle of the disk and roll forward, backward, to the side and then to the other side. Then rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat. Tip: Flip the dough over every fourth rotation to prevent sticking. This helps a lot!
- Place the dough into a 10.5" pie dish, press it against the side of the dish to prevent air pockets, and then trim off any excess so that only 1 inch of overhang remains. Then fold the dough under itself around the edge of the pie pan to create a crust.
- Crimp the edges, and poke the bottom of the pie with a fork to allow steam to escape. Cover and chill for 5-10 minutes to harden the butter.
- Next, blind bake the dough by placing a piece of parchment paper on top and weighing it down with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven, remove the beans and parchment paper, and set aside to cool.
Cook the veggies
- In the meantime, dice the onions, roughly chop the spinach, and finely chop the fresh tarragon.
- In a large frying pan set to medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the onions. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the spinach, garlic granules, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and no liquid remains in the pan. The remove from the heat and cool.
Make the filling
- Drain the water from a package of tofu. Then squeeze the water out of the tofu and cut it into 8 pieces.
- Add the tofu, almond milk, olive oil, garlic granules, onion granules, paprika, turmeric, salt, pepper, baking powder, and nutritional yeast in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds or until very smooth and creamy.
Assemble
- Now it’s time to assemble the quiche. Add half of the beans and the cooked veggies to the par-baked pie crust. Then add the custard and swirl in the remaining beans and veggies. Sprinkle generously with vegan cheddar cheese.
Bake
- Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from burning in the oven. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 375 and bake for another 25 minutes or until set and not wobbly in the center.
- Then remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes to allow the quiche to fully set before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
I hope you enjoy this Vegan Spinach Quiche recipe! Please rate and review if you make it at home!
Hey Nicole! I’m so excited to try this out. How much of the nutritional yeast good into the filling? I usually cook while watching your video so you guide me through. I see you add a while package of tofu and 2 tablespoons of the nooch, but I wasn’t sure if that was for a double batch of the filing since you were making two quiche. Should it be half a package of tofu and 1 tablespoon for 1 quiche?
Thank you so much for all of your recipes!
Good question, sorry for the confusion in the recipe! I was making a double batch of the pie crust but for the filling its 2tbsp of nutritional yeast 🙂 I just updated the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious! Just like I remember Quiche but vegan! I used a store bought crust and it worked out just fine. I’m adding this to my holiday menu
That’s so good to hear! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it 🙂 Love that you’re adding this recipe to your holiday menu! It will be perfect for holiday gatherings!
How much is a “stick” of butter? Not sold that way in other countries.
1/2 cup 🙂
This was delicious. I used store bought pie dough, so it was incredibly easy and fast to make. Even my omni son liked it!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you and your son enjoyed this recipe! That’s music to my ears 🙂 Thanks for making my recipe!
Hi Nikki! can i use a gluten free flour? If yes, do you have a suggest?
Thanks!
Viviane.
Hey Viviane! I haven’t tried it with GF flour so I can’t so for sure. I usually recommend using a 1:1 gluten free flour when substituting for all purpose but I haven’t tested it with this recipe. You may be able to find a gf store bought crust and make this recipe with the filling 🙂 Hope you enjoy!