Tofu Quiche with Fresh Garden Herbs / Vegan & Gluten-Free
Celebrate spring with this Tofu Quiche with Fresh Garden Herbs! It tastes just like traditional egg quiche thanks to kala namak salt. Each bite is bursting with satisfying flavor. Vegan, gluten & oil-free too!
Spring is such a special time of year, especially here on the North Olympic Peninsula, where winters are very dark and wet. As soon as Easter is on the calendar, I look forward to getting my hands dirty in the herb garden and creating recipes with all things fresh, like this vegan Tofu Quiche with Fresh Garden Herbs. The texture and layers of flavor in this holiday-worthy recipe are amazing. I find it’s well worth the effort to use fresh herbs, which are kinda fun to chop up. They add so much flavor and moisture and just taste like spring.
A key ingredient for creating “eggy” tofu in this quiche is kala namak salt or black salt. Black salt, which is actually a pinkish-grey color, has a mild sulfurous taste and smell, just like eggs. Turmeric’s golden hue, along with nutritional yeast, gives eggless quiche its classic yellow color while adding savory flavor. I also highly recommend using dry roasted almonds in the crust for a deeper, rich, roasted taste.
This vegan tofu quiche comes together in four steps:
1. Make and bake your crust.
2. Blend all the tofu ingredients in a blender.
3. Sautee your herbs, vegetables, and spices.
4. Mix your tofu into the veggies, spread in prepared crust, and bake.
Whether you’re celebrating the arrival of spring or Easter, or just wanna have some fun in the kitchen, Tofu Quiche with Fresh Garden Herbs is a wonderful way to enjoy the first harvest of spring herbs.
Ingredients for making Tofu Quiche with Fresh Garden Herbs
Ingredients for the Crust:
1½ tablespoons of flax meal (ground flax seed) whisked with 3 tablespoons of water
1 cup (100 grams) of rolled oats, blended into flour
1 cup (138 grams) of dry roasted almonds, blended into flour
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of almond butter
¼ cup of water
Ingredients for the Tofu:
12 oz. (340 grams) of extra firm tofu
¼ cup (2 oz.) of almond milk, unsweetened
¼ cup (15 grams) of nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of kala namak salt (aka black salt)
Ingredients for the Herbs and Vegetables:
1/3 cup (15 grams) of sundried tomatoes, rehydrated and small diced
1 medium leek, top and tail removed, cut lengthwise and sliced into thin half moons
¼ cup of water (divided)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of kosher salt (divided)
1 cup of asparagus, cut into small rounds (or broccoli)
1 small red pepper, diced (about ½ cup)
¼ cup of chives, finely chopped
¼ cup of basil, finely chopped
¼ cup of parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of oregano, finely chopped
½ teaspoon of black pepper
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Method for making Tofu Quiche with Fresh Garden Herbs
Method for Making the Crust, Steps 1-6:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C)
2. Grease or line with parchment a 9” tart pan or deep-dish pie pan
3. Create a flax egg by whisking the flax meal with water in a small bowl until it starts to gel and become creamy. You can use a fork, a small whisk, or a milk frother. Set aside to thicken.
4. Prepare the oat and almond flour by blending them separately at high-speed in a blender, until they resemble coarsely ground flour. You can also purchase pre-ground oat and almond flour. (I highly recommend using roasted almonds for a richer flavor.)
5. Whisk the flours, salt, and parsley together in a large mixing bowl. Add in the flax egg and almond butter. Using a wooden spatula, mix together until it looks crumbly with some chunks the size of peas.
6. Sprinkle with water. Work the water into the dough until large clumps form which hold together when you squeeze them.
Method for Making the Crust, Steps 7-8:
7. Spread the dough evenly around the bottom of the tart pan. Using your fingers, firmly press the dough into an even crust that covers the sides and bottom of the pan.
8. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 15 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the filling.
Method for Making the Tofu:
1. Add the tofu, almond milk, nutritional yeast, turmeric and kala namak salt to a blender container and blend until creamy. This may take a minute or more, depending on what type of blender you are using. If it’s not perfectly smooth, that’s okay.
Method for Making the Herbs and Vegetables, Steps 1-3:
1. Rehydrate the sundried tomatoes, in a small dish, by pouring boiling water over them, enough to cover. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Drain and small dice.
2. Sautee the leek in a large pan, over medium-high heat, with 2 tablespoons of water, sprinkled with ½ teaspoon of salt. Sweat the leek until soft and nearly translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, one more minute.
3. Add in the asparagus, red pepper, herbs, 2 tablespoons of water, and other ½ teaspoon of salt, black and cayenne pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft but not mushy, 5-7 minutes more. If the pan is drying out, sprinkle with more water.
Method for Making the Herbs and Vegetables, Step 4:
4. Turn off the heat. Stir the sundried tomatoes and tofu mixture into the vegetable mixture until well incorporated. Scoop into cooked crust. Smooth into an even layer, leaving a few swirls on the top just for fun.
Method for Making the Herbs and Vegetables, Step 5:
5. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy as a holiday centerpiece, or for a fancy weekend brunch.
Original recipe inspiration from Oh She Glows
Other Delicious Tofu Recipes to Enjoy:
Tofu Quiche with Fresh Garden Herbs / Vegan, Gluten & Oil-Free
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C)
- Grease or line with parchment a 9” tart pan or deep-dish pie pan
- Create a flax egg by whisking the flax meal with water in a small bowl until it starts to gel and become creamy. You can use a fork, a small whisk, or a milk frother. Set aside to thicken.
- Prepare the oat and almond flour by blending them separately on high speed in a blender, until they resemble coarsely ground flour. You can also purchase pre-ground oat and almond flour. (I highly recommend using roasted almonds for a richer flavor.)
- Whisk the flours, salt, and parsley together in a large mixing bowl. Add in the flax egg and almond butter. Using a wooden spatula, mix together until it looks crumbly with some chunks the size of peas.
- Sprinkle with water. Work the water into the dough until large clumps form which holds together when you squeeze them.
- Spread the dough evenly around the bottom of the tart pan. Using your fingers, firmly press the dough into an even crust that covers the sides and bottom of the pan.
- Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 15 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the filling.
- Add the tofu, almond milk, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and kala namak salt to a blender container and blend until creamy. This may take a minute or more, depending on what type of blender you are using. If it’s not perfectly smooth, that’s okay.
- Rehydrate the sundried tomatoes, in a small dish, by pouring boiling water over them, enough to cover. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Drain and small dice.
- Sautee the leek in a large pan, over medium-high heat, with 2 tablespoons of water, sprinkled with ½ teaspoon of salt. Sweat the leek until soft and nearly translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, one more minute.
- Add in the asparagus, red pepper, herbs, 2 tablespoons of water, and other ½ teaspoons of salt, black, and cayenne pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft but not mushy, 5-7 minutes more. If the pan is drying out, sprinkle with more water.
- Turn off the heat. Stir the sundried tomatoes and tofu mixture into the vegetable mixture until well incorporated. Scoop into cooked crust. Smooth into an even layer, leaving a few swirls on the top just for fun.
- Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
For step-by-step instructions with photos, see blog post!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
250.02Fat (grams)
15.33Sat. Fat (grams)
1.52Carbs (grams)
19.78Fiber (grams)
6.89Net carbs
12.89Sugar (grams)
3.65Protein (grams)
13.69Sodium (milligrams)
762.84Cholesterol (grams)
0.08Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.
