Healthy Onion, Tomato and Courgette Quiche

This Onion, Tomato and Courgette Quiche is delightful, full of flavour, and decadent. This vibrant and cheerful Quiche bursts with the colours and flavours of summer and it has a golden brown crust that is oil free, gluten free and dairy free. The sweetness of caramelized onions dances on your taste buds and is complemented by the subtle, earthy notes of courgettes. The juicy and succulent tomatoes add a bright and tangy twist.

It’s perfect for a weekend brunch, a meal with a side salad, or as the star of a delightful picnic. Served warm or cold this quiche embodies the essence of happiness and Summer.

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 Tbsp of ground Flaxseeds
4 Tbsp of filtered Water
1 cup of raw Sunflower Seeds
1 cup of Chickpea flour
1/2 cup of Tapioca flour
2 Tbsp of Nutritional Yeast
3 Tbsp of ice cold filtered water

For the filling

2 big or 3 medium Onions
5 Garlic cloves
Fresh Thyme leaves, Rosemary or Oregano
Courgette, red Pepper and Cherry Tomatoes
1 Tbsp of Miso paste
1 Tbsp of Soya sauce
1/2 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar

For the ‘no egg’ Mixture

1 pack (300gr) of silky Tofu
½ tsp of ground Turmeric
½ tsp of smoked Paprika
1 tsp of Garlic powder
1 tsp of Onion powder
½ tsp of Black Salt (Kala Namak)
2 Tbsp of Nutritional Yeast
2 Tbsp of Chickpea flour
1/4 cup of Plant milk
freshly cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp of Chilly flakes (optional)

About this recipe

I wanted to come up with a healthier alternative to a traditional Quiche and vegan of course. It is one of my husband’s favourite meals. Also, I was keen to make a gluten free and oil free crust, which was a big challenge as most gluten free recipes call for oil to bring the dough together. After a few to many attempts I managed to get a strong crunchy crust with a nutty flavour that’s easy to roll. The combination of Flaxseeds and Tapioca Flour binds it together while the sunflower seeds add heathy fat and a nutty flavour. Don’t skip the blind bake as this will ensure you will be able to hold the filling and even eat it with your hands like a slice of pizza. We don’t like soggy bottoms ;). The caramelised onion is the base of our filling and is also the most time consuming. I cook mine for 40-45mins but you only need to stir every few mins. It is super umami and totally worth the time it takes to cook. I’m using Thyme in this version but you can use your own variation of veggies and herbs. For the ‘no egg’ mixture I’m using the same spices I normally add to my scrambled tofu because it’s a winning combination. Though for this variation Silky Tofu works better and I’m adding Chickpea Flour to give it some body to hold when cut. Instead of a 24 cm form you can use 6-8 small tart forms and that will reduce the cooking time to 20 min. It is a bit time consuming to make this recipe but you can make it in advance and I promise you it’s worth all the time and love you put in to it.

Instructions

Step 1 – Start by mixing the ground Flaxseeds with the 3 Tbsp of filtered water for the crust and let it rest for 1 to10 mins. Meanwhile cut the onions in half and cut in thin slices.

Step 2 – Heat a Dutch oven pan over a medium-high burner. Once it’s hot add the thinly sliced onions. We aren’t using oil so cover them with a lid to allow the trapped steam to start cooking for 5 mins. If they release some water take off the lid and stir frequently to help dry the onions until they’re light brown. Later, add a few spoons of water to deglaze the pan if needed. Stir frequently to prevent burning and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until the onions are golden brown. Add the minced garlic and Thyme leaves and stir for 2 mins until fragrant. Add the Balsamic Vinegar, Soy Sauce and Miso paste then let it cook for another 10 mins on a lower burner.

Step 3 – While the Onions are cooking grind the sunflower seeds to a flour. Don’t over mix or it can turn into butter. Add all the dry ingredients for the crust to a bowl. Mix well before adding the Flaxseed mixture and the 3 Tbsp of Filter water. Mix to incorporate.

Step 4 – The mixture will look very dry but don’t be tempted to add more water. Kneed the dough with your hands to absorb the water then form into a ball. If it is very crumbly add a few splashes of water. Please keep in mind if it is too wet it will stick when rolling.

Step 5 – Pre-heat the oven at 180C fan. Sprinkle some Chickpea flour on a parchment sheet then with a floured rolling pin start rolling and stretch the crust dough to a bit bigger than the size of your tin tart. I’m using a 24cm (9 inch) form.

Step 6 – With the help of the parchment sheet turn the dough into the tart form. Use your fingers to lightly press the dough against the sides and cut the excess dough. Poke a few holes with a fork across the bottom. Bake for 14 mins or until it turns light golden.

Step 7 – To the cooked onions add the sliced red Pepper and sliced Courgette then let them soften for another 5 mins stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Take it off the burner and pour it into a bowl to cool down.

Step 8 – Add all the ingredients of the ’no egg’ mixture to your food processor and blitz until smooth.

Step 9 – Pour the mixture into the bowl with the cooked Onions, Pepper and Courgette.

Step 10 – Fill the blind baked crust with the onion, Peppers, Courgette and ‘no egg’ mixture up to the top.

Step 11 – Decorate the top with sliced Tomatoes and Courgette to taste then sprinkle with some Thyme leaves and bake for 35 mins at 180C.

Step 12 – Allow to cool at least 15 mins before removing the form to cut. Serve cold or warm with a fresh Salad or on it’s own and enjoy it 🙂

About the Ingredients

Ground Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds are incredibly healthy and full of fibre. When you grind them and mix with water they bind like glue similar to egg whites. They also contain some healthy fat, helping the dough to come together. I’m using golden flaxseeds to get a golden crust but any flaxseeds will work here.

Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds are especially high in vitamin E and help reduce inflammation and blood pressure. You can substitute for other seeds or nuts you have in hand but choose one high in fat.

Chickpea flour: Chickpea flour is an excellent substitute for wheat flour and makes this recipe gluten free. It has a better nutrient profile than refined flour as it provides more vitamins, minerals, fibre, and protein but fewer calories. You can substitute for Almond flour, Quinoa flour, Buckwheat flour or Oat flour.

Tapioca flour: Native to South America, tapioca flour is made by crushing cassava root and dehydrating it into a fine powder. It has a slightly sweet flavour with a starchiness that’s especially good for thickening sauces, soups, pie fillings, dips and puddings. It’s a great gluten substitute and helps to bind together our dough. You can substitute for corn starch, potato starch, cassava flour, or arrowroot but you may need to adjust the water content.

Nutritional Yeast: This adds a savoury, cheesy, umami flavour to our crust and it’s a great source of protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals. If you don’t have it just omit.

Fresh Thyme leaves, Rosemary or Oregano: I’m using Thyme but lots of herbs work within this recipe so be creative and use your favourite herbs.

Courgette, red Pepper and cherry Tomatoes: You can substitute for any vegetable you like or have in hand. In the spring I make it with Asparagus and garden Peas. In the fall I love it with Mushrooms and Leeks.

Miso paste, Soya sauce and Balsamic Vinegar: This trio helps to intensify the caramelisation of the onion and gives depth of flavour without the need of adding processed salt. The balsamic vinegar add a zingy tone that elevates and brings together all the flavours. If you don’t have one just omit it.

Silky Tofu: Silken tofu crumbles very easily and you don’t need to press it. Use a very gentle hand as it may otherwise fall apart. You can gently tap it with a paper towel. Blended silken tofu gives a thick and creamy texture, making it a suitable substitute for the eggs and dairy in this recipe. It is also very low in fat making it a much healthier alternative. You can substitute with firm Tofu but you’ll need to increase the Plant Milk amount to get the same texture.

Turmeric, smoked Paprika, Garlic powder, Onion powder and Nutritional Yeast: These spices and condiments are the star of the ‘no egg’ mixture. They will cling to the Tofu to bring life to this creamy sauce. With all these flavours ticking your tongue you will not think about eggs.

Black Salt (Kala Namak): This is the secret ingredient. Due to its high sulfur content it adds an eggy taste and smell which makes it perfect for this tofu ‘no egg’ mix.