For people going vegan, the hardest part of their journey is often pressure from family (whether real or perceived) to conform to tradition––especially when a holiday rolls around. All of those old buttery favorites evoke temptation, and explaining your new vegan lifestyle can start to feel like a burden. I experienced this when I first became vegan just four years ago. Not touching the sweet potato pie was torture, and it made me question my resolve.
The hardest things to give up in life are our habits, especially with food, and especially if that food is connected to family and culture.
When you become vegan you need not sacrifice all of the delicious things that connect you to your people. Traditions are beautiful and important, and they can be altered without losing a single pinch of goodness and love. Replace animal products with compassionate plant-based alternatives in favorite dishes. Share them with your family and a fresher tradition can be born. Quiche, for example, was a dish my mother always loved and made when I was growing up. I simply replaced the eggs with tofu and the cheese with nutritional yeast. We can both enjoy it again!
One could argue that Jesus himself was a vegetarian, so in the spirit of compassion for all of God’s creatures, let’s enjoy a vegan Easter brunch this year. If you’re sharing a meal with family, why not bring a delicious and recognizable dish that everyone will love? I think this vegan broccoli and kale tofu quiche would be a beautiful addition to your table.
Happy Easter!
Vegan Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 store-bought vegan crust Or homemade crust
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or other oil
- 1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups broccoli chopped
- 2 cups kale chopped & packed
- 1 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms, or other mushrooms chopped
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped (soaked ahead of time to soften if necessary)
- 1 tsp Italian spice blend
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 7 basil leaves chopped or chiffonade
- 1 package firm tofu
- 1 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and ready your pie crust––if necessary.
- Warm oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, and sauté the onions and garlic. Add about 1/2 tsp of sea salt, and cook until translucent.
- Stir in the rest of the veggies, and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes (careful not to overcook and lose the color). Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the Italian spice blend, fennel, chili flakes, and basil, and season to taste with sea salt.
- While you are sautéing the veggies (or after), you can work on the tofu filling.
- Place the tofu, nutritional yeast, vinegar or lemon, salt, and pepper into a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Spoon the tofu mixture into the cooked veggies, and stir to combine.
- Scoop the tofu and veggie mixture into the pie crust evenly. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before eating.
Lora / July 25, 2022 at 2:32 am /
I know, I know, I should always read a recipe ALL the way through before attempting it. However, when I read “Prep time 25 minutes, Cook time 22 minutes, I thought sure, I can get this done before I go to bed, leave it to chill and have it ready to eat cold or warmed up for brunch the next day. WOah! I neglected to notice at the end of the sentence in step 8 of instructions (not in its own step where it may have jumped out in my initial read through: BAKE 40 MINUTES And that is in addition to the 47 minutes of prep and cook, even though I did process the tofu during some of the veggies “cook” time.
Nonetheless, when I read at the top nothing about the BAKING time, I feel a bit misled. Having licked the spoon after scooping the mixture into the crust, I am certain it twill be delicious. I will just miss out on a half hour of sleep I was hoping to get to be rested up for company. (YAWN?)
Judy / March 26, 2022 at 10:33 am /
Can I use extra firm tofu?
Emily M / April 19, 2019 at 4:07 pm /
Hey! I wondered if you have any reheating instructions for this dish? I would love to make it the evening before and take it to be heated up in the oven the following if possible! Thanks 🙂
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / May 12, 2019 at 1:51 am /
Hi! Sorry for the delay. I rewarm mine in the toaster oven or microwave 🙂
Julie Perteet / April 7, 2019 at 5:36 pm /
This looks great! Do you reccomend pressing the tofu first?
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / May 12, 2019 at 4:13 am /
Thanks! Not necessary for this recipe.
Elsje Massyn / May 7, 2015 at 11:42 am /
Jenne – I totally also believe Jesus was a vegetarian. I am from South Africa and I’m so glad I stumbled upon your blog via One Green Planet. Thanks for your amazing recipes and sharing them so selflessly. Paying it forward is definitely something that has amazing power.
Ps. Its so hard to find TOFU in South Africa and its VERY expensive. Gonna see if I can try and replace TOFU with Chickpea flower – maybe it will work, maybe not – will see and let you know.
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / May 11, 2015 at 8:53 pm /
Hi Elsje!!
Thank you for your kind words. I’m so glad you came here from OGP 🙂
I’ve seen recipes using chickpea flour for the tofu sub in vegan quiche. I haven’t tried it myself yet though. Please let me know if you do, and how it comes out 🙂 Sending my love to SA! xo
Madiha M.K / April 7, 2015 at 3:29 am /
Is there a substitute for nutritional yeast? I can’t find any where I live (in Egypt). I can only find active brewers yeast, and I hear that doesn’t taste as good.
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / April 7, 2015 at 2:39 pm /
Hi Madiha! Do you have access to miso? You could put a tsp of that into the filling 🙂
Madiha M.K / December 6, 2015 at 10:07 pm /
Yeah I do! Awesome! Thanks 😀
Cynthia / April 2, 2015 at 11:26 pm /
Is there a substitute for the tofu? I would really love be to try this recipe but I don’t care for tofu.
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / April 2, 2015 at 11:32 pm /
Good question. I haven’t done it with anything else, BUT I did find this recipe for you http://goodnessgreen.com/sweet-potato-paprika-spanish-omelette-gluten-free-soy-free-dairy-free/
I’m going to give it a try. Let me know if you do too 🙂
Cynthia / April 3, 2015 at 1:05 am /
That looks good! Thanks
Sam / April 1, 2015 at 8:48 pm /
Look so tasty and creamy, I can’t wait to make this recipe 🙂
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / April 2, 2015 at 12:29 am /
Thanks Sam. I’m glad its tastiness came through in the photo. Let me know how you like it 😉