Vegan quiche with Swiss chard, corn and red pepper
I’m always in search of good savory brunch recipes that don’t include eggs, butter and cheese. When I had a brunch for Brooklyn food bloggers a while back, I came across Heidi Swanson’s recipe for vegan quiche. I simplified the cooking method to suit my “OMG, 20 bloggers are coming over this morning” mood, but otherwise left the recipe the same. With a sesame oat crust and a flavorful tofu, spinach and mushroom filling, the quiche was very well-received at the brunch – even among the non-vegans.
I made the quiche a second time this summer when I needed something to take to a barbecue. I found an interesting variation on the recipe on the beautiful blog jugalbandi. Replacing the spinach and mushrooms with Swiss chard and corn sounded like a great idea, but I also added red bell peppers to highlight the sweetness of the corn. I think there was some eye-rolling when I told people I was bringing vegan quiche, but let me tell you, it was a major hit. I actually made the original spinach and mushroom version along with this chard, pepper and corn version, and it was no contest. The new variation had worlds more flavor and zing. Just goes to show….sometimes it pays to tinker with a recipe.
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Crust:
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup plain soy milk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oilFilling:
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup finely diced onion
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 large bunch (or 2 smaller bunches) Swiss chard, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dry white wine or water
1 pound firm tofu (use very high-quality tofu for this dish)
10-12 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or cider vinegar
Paprika, for dusting
Heat the oven to 350.
Toast the oats and sesame seeds on a baking sheet for 7-8 minutes. Process the toasted oats and seeds in a food processor with the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika and oregano, until the mixture is finely ground. Place in a large bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the soy milk and oil. Gradually mix into the dry ingredients to form a dough, holding back the final few teaspoons if the dough is in danger of getting too wet or sticky.
Spray a 9-inch pie pan or tart pan with oil. Put the dough in the pan and press down to fill the bottom and all the way up the sides (you can place plastic wrap on the dough to make this easier.) If using a pie pan, crimp the edges as shown in the photo.
To make the filling, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add the onions and pepper flakes and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and red bell pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the corn chard, thyme, cumin, wine and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook for 2 minutes.
Crumble the tofu into the bowl of the food processor. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, basil, lemon juice, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt, and puree until very smooth. Add the puree to the vegetable mixture and gently mix well.
Fill the tart shell with the filling and smooth the top. Dust with paprika, if desired. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until firm. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Serves 6
Looks splendid, Cathy! I have been experimenting with tofu lately as well and finding it very versatile. Can’t wait to try this!
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i wanted to drop by and say that i made this last night for supper, i did end up making the crust gluten free and basically used up veggies from this week’s csa. it turned out wonderfully. my beloved devoured half of it and the rest was for our lunch today, unfortunately, none leftover to take pretty pix! this will definitely be added to the remake list. thank you so much for sharing.
That’s great to hear, Lan!
Cathy,
I’m so happy I found your site and awesome recipes. My dad just had a massive heart attack and also was diagnosed with advanced stage Prostate Cancer. In the past 2 months I have been working really hard to help my family convert to a vegan/vegetarian diet with very little prior cooking skills, and am always on the hunt for recipes that will satisfy and not make my dad and mom feel deprived and sad. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY AND I APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO KEEPING THE FLAVOR!!!!
Sincerely,
Celeste
Wow, Celeste. Your comment really means a lot. Thank you, and keep coming back!
I made this quiche last night and used chard, fennel, carrots and shallots. Aside from this change of a couple star veggies, I followed all other instructions. It was delicious! My favorite quiche yet. I usually don’t even comment on recipes that I make, but this one was too good not to. Thanks!
Thanks, Jen. I really like it, too. Carrots and fennel are interesting additions, I’ll have to try that!
Hi Cathy this looks looks lovely i was just wondering how long would it keep for in the refrigerator.
Hi Jooles. It would keep well for three days, although I think it tastes best the first day, before it’s refrigerated.
Its looks great. I’ll be making this tonight, my husband and I are eating much healthier this past year and losing lots of weight in the process – effortlessly! My daughters are vegans, so we use tofu a lot, and I like it a lot. This recipe will work for us.
Made this for a family birthday get together it was loved and highly praised by vegans, vegwgies and meat eaters alike.. Thanks cathy x
Sorry for typos on my message my phone has a mind of its own….
I made this and it was utterly yummy !!!! Thanks so much for sharing such an awesome recipe
This is always soooo good, Cathy! I sub spinach for the chard (we’re not fans of Swiss chard), add mushrooms to the sauté, and add black lava salt and turmeric to the tofu mixture to render an egg-like taste and color. Delish!
After reading your post, I must give this a try. I’m trying to “educate” friends that being a vegan does not mean your life is over! People love eggs, dairy products and definitely meat that most can’t seem to comprehend that eating daily meals without those mean you can still enjoy life, so I’m trying to “prove” them that isn’t really the case.
I love quiche, but haven’t eaten one for a very long time for fear that quiche must use an insane amount of eggs! Thanks for the post!
Thanks, Adelina. I look forward to hearing what you think of the quiche.
I made this last night and it was delicious! I sauteed the vegetables in water and didnt add oil to the tofu filling – still came out great and a good way to cut some calories. Thanks for this recipe, I will definitely make it again!
It looks so good! Thank you for sharing the recipe! Gonna try it for today dinner.
Woowzers! I LOVED this recipe. You can get creative and use veggies you like, but the crust was amazing. Altogether, delicioso! Healthy, too! Great job, Cathy! I’ll be trying more recipes on your website.
Thanks, Michele! I’m not blogging any more but glad people are still finding good things to try. This is one of my favorites, too.
Cathy