Vegan Tomato and Spinach Quiche Recipe for Brunch

Vegan tomato spinach quiche – a delicious egg- and dairy-free quiche made with silken tofu and chickpea flour. Soft, creamy and wonderfully moreish.

After trying several vegan quiche variations, I found the ideal texture by combining silken tofu with chickpea flour. Together they replace eggs and cream, producing a smooth, custardy filling that sets nicely while remaining tender. Nutritional yeast, miso, mustard and a few simple seasonings create a savoury, slightly cheesy flavour, while spinach, tomatoes and fresh herbs keep the quiche bright and fresh.

Set in a crisp shortcrust pastry, this quiche makes a satisfying main or a great addition to a buffet. Serve warm or at room temperature with a green salad for an easy lunch or brunch, or slice it for picnic-friendly portions in spring and summer.

What you need

Silken tofu: Use silken (soft) tofu for a creamy, custard-like filling — do not substitute with firm tofu.

Chickpea flour (gram/besan): This helps the filling set and gives an eggy texture. Essential to the recipe.

Unsweetened non-dairy milk: Choose a creamy variety such as soy, oat or cashew. Soy works well.

Seasonings: Nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic and onion powders, white miso and wholegrain mustard deliver a savoury, cheesy depth. I don’t recommend omitting these.

Herbs: Fresh basil and dried oregano are used here; feel free to swap or add tarragon or chives.

Olive oil: Adds richness to the filling. You may use another neutral oil if preferred, but avoid solid fats like coconut oil.

Spinach and tomatoes: Baby spinach and cherry tomatoes are used. Cook and squeeze the spinach well to remove excess water so the filling does not become soggy. Roasting the tomatoes for extra flavour is optional.

Vegan block butter: Use a solid block vegan butter or margarine for the pastry—avoid tub spreads, which contain too much water and can make pastry tough.

Plain (all-purpose) flour: Regular plain flour makes the pastry; the filling itself is naturally gluten-free if you use a gluten-free pastry.

Method overview

Full measurements and the recipe card are provided below.

Make the pastry first. Rub cold vegan block butter into the flour and salt with your fingertips until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add cold non-dairy milk a little at a time until the dough comes together, shape into a disc, wrap and chill until firm.

Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit a 23 cm (9 in) pie dish. Press it into the dish, trim the edges, then chill the lined case in the freezer for 20 minutes. Blind bake: line with parchment, fill with baking beans and bake until pale golden, removing the beans partway through to finish the base.

Roast the cherry tomatoes for about 15 minutes until softened and slightly blistered, or use raw tomato slices if preferred.

Wilt the spinach in a pan, then drain and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Roughly chop the spinach and finely chop the basil.

Blend the silken tofu with chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powder, wholegrain mustard, salt, olive oil, white miso, lemon juice, non-dairy milk and black pepper until completely smooth. Stir the blended mixture into the spinach and herbs, then pour the filling into the baked pastry case.

Gently press the roasted tomatoes into the top of the filling and bake until the filling is golden and set. Allow the quiche to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to get clean pieces; it is best served warm or at room temperature.

Bake time ensures a firm but tender texture that slices well once cooled. The finished quiche has a lightly golden surface with a creamy interior and bright tomato and herb notes.

Tips

• I develop recipes in grams and recommend using a digital scale for accurate, consistent results. Cup measures are much less precise.
• Keep the pastry cold and avoid overworking it to maintain a flaky, crisp texture. Chilling the lined tart shell before blind baking helps prevent shrinking.
• The pastry can be made up to 48 hours ahead (well wrapped) or you can use store-bought vegan shortcrust to save time.
• If you like an eggy flavour, a small pinch of kala namak (black salt) can be added to the filling.
• Let the quiche rest for at least 30 minutes after baking for neater slices; it’s best served warm or at room temperature rather than piping hot.

Storage

Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Serve cold or gently reheat slices. Freezing is not recommended as the texture of the filling can change.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• Pastry: 250 g plain flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 125 g vegan block butter (cold, diced), about 4 tbsp cold unsweetened non-dairy milk.
• Filling: 350 g cherry tomatoes, 180 g baby spinach, 30 g fresh basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 349 g pack firm silken tofu, 45 g chickpea flour, 25 g nutritional yeast, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzling), 1 tbsp white miso paste, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 140 ml unsweetened non-dairy milk, black pepper to taste.

Instructions (summary)

1. Make pastry: rub butter into flour and salt, add cold milk to form a dough, chill for about an hour.
2. Roll out to fit a 23 cm pie dish, press into the dish, prick the base, freeze 20 minutes, then blind bake until pale golden.
3. Roast tomatoes 15 minutes. Wilt and drain spinach, squeeze dry and chop; chop basil.
4. Blend tofu, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, seasonings, miso, lemon and milk until smooth. Mix with spinach and herbs.
5. Fill the baked pastry case, press in tomatoes and bake about 45 minutes until set. Cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

If you try the recipe, please rate or leave a comment to share how it turned out.