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    Home » Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner » Lunch and Dinner

    Published: May 23, 2019 · Modified: Mar 29, 2022 by Anthea

    Vegan Beetroot Quiche with Pumpkin Crust

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    4.88 from 8 votes

    This healthy vegan quiche is packed with earthy vegetables and is perfect for the colder seasons! It has a creamy tofu filling, 3 ingredient pumpkin crust, is high protein, gluten free and can be oil free.

    If you're after something different for lunch or dinner, this eggless quiche is perfect for you! When I had a catering business, I made hundreds of tofu quiches based on this recipe for customers. It was high in demand and enjoyed by vegans and non-vegans alike!

    Vegan beetroot quiche in ceramic dish. The quiche has a bright orange pumpkin crust, golden filling and dollops of soft dairy free cheese.

    What you'll get from this vegan quiche

    This is a fun wholefoods twist on the classic quiche. It's a great weekend lunch/dinner or something you prepare on Sunday as meal prep for the week.

    I won't lie, it takes some time to prepare the quiche from scratch (as there are lots of different veggies). But it's an *easy* tart as you really just have to boil/cook plain vegetables, mix them in a food processor and bake them in a quiche pan!

    This eggless quiche has a few different components:

    • Easy 3 ingredient pumpkin crust which is sweet, earthy and wholesome
    • Creamy and eggy tofu-based filling
    • Sweet balsamic onions
    • Sauteed spinach and beetroot
    • Pockets of cheesiness!
    Eggless quiche with slice taken out revealing soft interior.

    How can you make eggless quiche?

    Traditionally a quiche is laden with eggs and cream. However, you can mimic this texture and flavour using tofu, dairy free milk and a few umami-packed ingredients!

    All together, you'll need:

    • Cooked pumpkin (roasted, steamed, boiled or even microwaved)
    • Chickpea flour, a wonderful flavoursome gluten free flour which is high protein.
    • Ground chia seeds as the binder in the crust
    • Extra firm tofu as the main ingredient for the quiche filling.
    • Dairy free milk to add moisture to the filling
    • Beetroot (roasted, steamed, boiled or even microwaved)
    • Onion for flavour
    • Nutritional yeast for a cheesy umami flavour
    • Black salt or Kala Namak, which is a South Asian salt with an egg-like taste and smell
    • Herbs/spices including turmeric (for colour), onion powder and garlic powder (for taste)
    • Vegan cheese (optional) for that classic flavour

    If you're short on time or simply don't want to prepare everything, you can use canned pumpkin puree, canned beetroot and even a store-bought shortcrust pastry!

    Flatlay of ingredients for quiche.

    But does the filling taste like tofu? If you add enough flavourings (nutritional yeast, black salt etc), the filling will taste just like a quiche!

    I once served this quiche to my partner's conventional cheese-loving Nonna and it blew her mind that it was eggless :)!

    3 ingredient pumpkin crust

    The pumpkin crust for this vegan quiche is easy to make, healthy and oil free! Unlike a traditional shortcrust pastry (used in my easy tomato quiche), the pumpkin crust is more like a sturdy flatbread with flavoursome pumpkin or a vegetable packed pizza base.

    I used butternut pumpkin (otherwise known as butternut squash) for this recipe. Even though pumpkin/squash tastes better when it's roasted, for this recipe I prefer boiling/steaming it because it's quicker! Or you can just use canned pumpkin p uree.

    To make the crust, all you need to do is mix the 3 ingredients in your food processor until it forms a thick, smooth yet sticky paste. If it's too dry, just add more water and process again. The crust is pale in colour at this point but will intensify after baking.

    Two image collage of ingredients for pumpkin crust in food processor.

    The crust is more delicate than a regular shortcrust pastry so I'd highly recommend greasing and lining (the bottom) of your quiche dish.

    Rather than rolling out the pastry, you should use a spoon or wet hands to spread the mixture along the bottom and sides of your quiche pan. If the dough starts to stick to your spoon or hands, just clean it, wet the spoon/your hands and repeat.

    Once you have a crust, par-bake it in the oven for just 5 minutes (not too long otherwise it'll dry out and crack). It's ready when it's *just* dry to the touch.

    Two image collage showing how to spread pumpkin crust batter in quiche dish.

    Easy tofu quiche filling

    Tofu is regularly used in vegan cooking as it can mimic the texture of eggs. And when you add a few ingredients, it tastes just like eggs!

    First I'd recommend sauteeing the onion and spinach. My biggest tip is to ensure the onion is soft and cooked through!

    If the ingredients are burning on your saucepan, add a dash of water and/or reduce the heat.

    Close up of sauteed onion and garlic in saucepan.

    For the tofu quiche filling, simply add the tofu, dairy free milk, nutritional yeast, tahini and spices to a food processor. Process until it forms a thick smoothish paste! If it's chunky or too grainy for your liking, simply add a little more milk and process until it's smoother

    Next, remove your food processor blade (and scrape off any of the excess filling).

    Add your delicious onion and spinach mixture and stir using a spatula/spoon! At this stage, you can taste your vegan quiche filling and add any seasonings if needed.

    Four image collage of how to make tofu quiche filling in food processor.

    Assembling and baking the vegan quiche

    We can now assemble our quiche!

    Simply spread the tofu quiche filling in the pumpkin crust using a spoon or spatula. Then scatter the beetroot on top and press them into the filling.

    The quiche needs to be baked for around 15-20 minutes or until the filling firms up and turns slightly golden. It doesn't take too long as the filling is already quite firm. And that turmeric colour will intensify!

    Two image collage of how to assemble the thick quiche filling in pumpkin crust.

    Serving the quiche

    The tofu quiche is wonderful topped with some soft vegan cheese such as feta, ricotta or cream cheese. It can be served warm with a side salad... or just cold from the fridge.

    The quiche can also be frozen so is great for high protein meal prep!

    Close up of eggless quiche with bright beetroot, dollops of soft cheese and cracked pepper.
    Close up of slice of vegan quiche on plate.

    My other vegan lunch and dinner recipes

    • Easy Vegan Tomato Quiche
    • Deep Dish Pizza Quiche
    • Vegan Margherita Pizza with sweet potato crust
    • BBQ Jackfruit Tacos with homemade tortillas
    • Vegan Rainbow Lasagna
    • Moroccan vegetable tray bake
    • Easy Thai Red Curry Potato Lentil Soup
    Print Recipe
    4.88 from 8 votes

    Pumpkin and spinach quiche (vegan)

    This healthy vegan quiche is packed with earthy vegetables and is perfect for Autumn or Winter! It has a 3 ingredient pumpkin crust, high in protein and gluten free.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 8
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    Pumpkin crust (note 1)

    • ~1 ½ cups (350g) roughly chopped pumpkin, boiled, steamed or roasted (or 350g canned pumpkin puree)
    • 1 cup (80g) chickpea flour
    • 1 tbsp ground chia or flax seeds, (note 2)
    • Pinch of salt
    • ¼ cup (65g) water, if needed

    Spinach mixture (for filling)

    • 1 x (110g) medium-size onion, diced
    • 2 cups (120g) spinach, kale or leafy greens, packed
    • extra virgin olive oil, or water, as needed
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, to taste

    Filling

    • 1 cup (250g) firm tofu
    • ¾ cup (190g) dairy-free milk, more if needed
    • 3 tablespoons (8g) nutritional yeast
    • 2 tablespoon (30g) tahini
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon black salt (kala namak), optional but highly recommended
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • 1 x (110g) medium-size beetroot, boiled, steamed or roasted then diced (or use canned)

    To serve (optional but recommended)

    • ¼ cup (80g) soft vegan cheese, such as cream cheese
    • Salt and pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (320°F). Grease or line a 23cm (10 inch) pie or quiche dish.

    To make the crust:

    • Add the pumpkin, chickpea flour, ground chia and salt to a food processor. Process until smooth and it resembles a thick and sticky paste. If the mixture is too dry, add a little water and process again.
    • Scoop the mixture into your pie/quiche dish (you don't have to wash the food processor yet). Using very wet hands or a spoon, spread the pumpkin mixture on the bottom and sides of the dish. The crust should be about 6 mm (¼ inch) thick. If the mixture sticks to your hands or spoon, wet them again and repeat.
    • Bake the crust in the oven for 5 minutes until it is *just* dry to the touch. If in doubt, err on the side of underbaking rather than overbaking the crust.

    To prepare the filling:

    • Add the onion and oil (or water) to a saucepan over medium heat and saute for 5 minutes. Add the spinach (or greens) and balsamic vinegar then saute until cooked through. Set aside.
    • Add the tofu, dairy free milk, nutritional yeast, tahini and spices to your food processor. Process until it forms a smooth paste. If the mixture hasn't broken down, add more milk and process again.
    • Remove the blade of the food processor. Add the sauteed onion and greens and mix through using a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    To assemble, bake and serve the quiche:

    • Spoon the tofu filling into the pumpkin crust and smooth the top. Scatter the cooked beetroot on top and press them into the filling.
    • Bake the quiche for 15-20 minutes or until the filling is golden and has set. The filling should firm up a little (if you touch the centre, it should spring back a little and not feel like there's any liquid filling inside).
    • If desired, spoon the vegan cheese on top of the tart. Season with extra salt and pepper.
    • Serve the quiche warm or cold with a side salad. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

    Notes

    1. The pumpkin crust is softer than a classic pastry and has the texture of firm flat bread (but is sturdy enough for a quiche). If you'd like a classic buttery pastry, use 1 ¼ cups (155g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (110g) vegan block butter or solid coconut oil, 2 tbsp cold water and a pinch of salt. Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until combined. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and transfer to your pie dish. Parbake for 10 minutes and use in the above recipe.
    2. If you only have whole chia or flax seeds, you can add them to a blender with your pumpkin and blend until there are no whole seeds.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serve | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 527mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5143IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    I originally published this recipe in July 2016 and have updated it a few times since to improve the recipe and process.

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jennifer says

      December 24, 2022 at 4:58 am

      Have you tried assembling this the day before and baking the following day? I want to make it for our Christmas brunch but would prefer to do most of the work prior. TIA

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        December 24, 2022 at 11:14 am

        Yes it should work fine that way! I haven't tried it myself but I imagine the crust will hold up.

        Reply
    2. mia says

      October 25, 2020 at 4:11 pm

      Oh great! Thanks so much. I will make this today 🙂

      Reply
    3. mia says

      October 22, 2020 at 3:49 pm

      Hi! I am making this quiche this weekend. I don't have the n. yeast or black salt, and for the filling I will use some other ingredients which is probably ok. But I was wondering about the crust. I don't have chia so I will use ground linseed. Is that ok? Do I use the same amount? And also... It seems some had the problem with cracked crust. Over the years, did you came up with some ideas for improving this part of the recipe? Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 23, 2020 at 10:43 am

        Hi Mia, if you don't have the nutritional yeast or black salt for the filling, I'd recommend you add a little table salt or herbs, to taste. For the crust, ground linseed is fine. For the crust, it cracks from a mixture of things. If it's not packed firmly, there'll be fault lines or if there's too much moisture to start with, it'll evaporate during cooking and crack. I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • mia says

          October 24, 2020 at 8:24 pm

          Thanks! I will try to add some psyllium to, maybe that will help... One more thing. How big is your quiche tin?

        • Anthea says

          October 25, 2020 at 10:11 am

          No worries. I just double checked the comments you were referring it and they are by the same person (so the cracking is not a common thing). I actually don't think psyllium will help as the crust cracks from lack of moisture abd the psyllium will make it more dry! My tart pan was about 18cm big

    4. Rosemary Andrykanus says

      August 27, 2020 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      I have your cookbook and have recently discovered your website! Legit you are my favourite vegan cook! Your recipes are easy, nutritious, good-looking (for the gram!) and I know whatever I make will be a hit! This quiche was no exception! Light, tasty and easy! I loved the pumpkin crust - something different. Thank-you for making wholesome vegan cooking accessible to the rest of us, Anthea! SO appreciated

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 27, 2020 at 9:41 pm

        Aw *thank you* for buying my cookbook! And that's sooo sweet and makes me smile! I'm so glad you enjoyed this quiche - it's definitely wholesome and healthy and glad it hit the spot for you. Thanks again for your lovely comment. It made my day! xo

        Reply
    5. Dana says

      June 23, 2019 at 9:48 am

      Hi,
      This recipe looks so yummy! Is it possible to use pumpkin purée instead of fresh pumpkin? If so how much would I need? I have a few cans and want to use them and would love to try this recipe!
      Thank you!
      Dana

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        June 23, 2019 at 12:31 pm

        Hi Dana, thank you! And yes you can absolutely use pumpkin puree! Try 350g of puree and adjust if it doesn't feel right. It should be very pasty after you mix in the other pastry ingredients 🙂

        Reply
    6. Cubby Ohara-close says

      May 31, 2019 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      Well I made this Anthea and posted on my Instagram page and Facebook. It was truly delicious. It's a great recipe that one could easily tweak, to suit one's preferences or dietry requirements. We eliminated the nutritional yeast and black salt due to my daughter's issues. But there's loads of flavour in it. We loved the pumpkin crust! It was so moreish we all went back for seconds. My crust cracked on the base a little but as the filling is not too liquid, it was completely unnoticed. Thankyou for another great recipe xxx PS. I used the Braun food processor I won from you. It's always so useful!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        June 23, 2019 at 12:33 pm

        So so glad to hear!! I used to use the pumpkin crust as a pizza base and it's amazing (it's probably easier as a pizza crust as it's flat rather than a quiche crust). Glad you thought the filling and pastry go well together too! Sending love xo

        Reply
    7. Cubby says

      May 29, 2019 at 7:25 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this today. It tasted really nice. Of course I tweak things, but it's a great basic recipe you can build on. My crust cracked as it cooled but no worries as the filling is not runny. Thankyou Anthea. Positing on my Instagram and FB pages xxx tagging you of course!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        June 23, 2019 at 12:32 pm

        HI Cubby! Aw thank you! I'm a firm believer of cooking intuitively and tweaking things as you need. Glad you enjoyed it! Much love xo

        Reply
    8. Jan Buck says

      May 26, 2018 at 8:02 am

      Im American, whats a silver beet? Is it the same as our red beets??

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        June 12, 2018 at 10:54 am

        Silverbeet is chard in America 🙂

        Reply
    9. Little Vegan Bear says

      July 30, 2016 at 10:34 am

      This looks gorgeous! I love the sound of the pumpkin crust - will have to give it a crack.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 01, 2016 at 4:42 pm

        Thank you so much! I have to admit, the pumpkin crust was my favourite! It was like a sweet and savoury cookie. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did xo

        Reply
    10. Zlata says

      July 29, 2016 at 11:15 am

      Hi anthea.... Your recipes are SO good ( and I am a fuss-Pot????) and I am very grateful that you share them because they inspire me to eat better!!!!
      R u going to the living green festival this year?? Or do you have a market stall anywhere??? I look forward to meeting you xX

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 01, 2016 at 4:42 pm

        Hi Zlata! Nice to see you on my blog as well as social media! Haha, I know the feeling - I'm quite a fussy eater as well!

        Yes, I'm definitely having a stall at the LGF. I can't wait! I've been thinking of places where I could have a market stall but I have to allow my wrist to recover. I'm hoping to do an easy rawish vegan cooking class sometime soon and holding a few foodie events over the next few months! It'd be lovely to meet you too! xo

        Reply
    11. Angela says

      July 28, 2016 at 10:13 pm

      Anthea I only just found you - as in the last hour! Your photos and recipes are truly wonderful - you are so gifted : )

      Please be kind to yourself and try not to do so much (I know it's hard) because good health is so important. Most of us take it as given but it's not. My daughter was rather like you then she got very sick and sadly has never got better. Please take time for yourself - you are so worth it.

      With much love. Angela X

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 01, 2016 at 4:39 pm

        Hi Angela! Nice to meet you and thanks for stopping by!

        Thanks so much for your thoughtful and compassionate words. I also know the feeling of chronic illness which is perpetuated by working hard so your message is a real wake up call for me. I think I need to schedule in more holidays and learn to practice compassionate self-talk. Thanks for sending your love xoxo

        Reply

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