Imitate the texture of eggs with this oil-free, gluten-free, and nutrient-dense egg casserole! It is like a crustless quiche and is so simple to make. 

I am continuously amazed by how certain ingredients can be used to make vegan versions of classic dishes. A lot of creativity and test trials go into perfecting the texture and flavor of these foods. Eggs are often imitated with tofu, so I used soft tofu to make a delicious egg casserole, or crustless quiche, and the result was outstanding! The texture was exactly like a traditional egg quiche and the flavor was very similar as well! The flavor had a very subtle tofu flavor which was the main difference from eggs, but because the quiche has a lot of flavor itself, the tofu flavor is barely noticeable. Some people use in vegan quiche, which would likely mask the tofu flavor even more. In this recipe, I used vegan feta cheese instead of nutritional yeast flakes.

Because this quiche is quite nutritious, I am highlighting health benefits of the ingredients below:

Tofu: An excellent, low-calorie protein source that contains essential amino acids that can only be derived from food sources. Tofu is also packed with beneficial minerals.

Chickpea flour*: Another excellent protein source that is packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fiber helps the body remove waste. For culinary purposes, I highly recommend making your own chickpea flour at home! I purchased a 1 lb. bag of dried chickpeas for $0.75 (average price is $1.30 where I live), and threw them into a high speed blender. I sifted the mixture to get chickpea flour. Repeat until all the chickpea chunks are completely blended into flour. Store-bought chickpea flour costs an average of $3.50/lb, so I was able to save $2.75/lb. by making my own. Chickpea flour is needed in the recipe as a binder and also gives the casserole a cheesy/slightly nutty flavor.

Turmeric: Contains curcumin which is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound. Turmeric also gives the quiche a yellow color, which looks more like egg.

Potato: Potatoes get a bad reputation, but are actually quite nutritious when they aren’t deep-fried or cooked with plenty of fats and sodium. They are packed with fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant!

Spinach: Packed with vitamin A, C, K, and other minerals. Spinach can help decrease blood pressure levels and helps reduce oxidative stress.

Zucchini/Squash: Helps the gut with digestion, packed with vitamins that are anti-inflammatory and can help decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

As with any casserole, feel free to add any vegetables or other ingredients you may like. I recommend potatoes to give it a breakfast-feel, but you may consider adding onions, bell peppers, or more. This recipe is inspired by Bianca Zapatka.

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Vegan Egg Casserole

yield: 7 x 7″ pan

total cook time: 55 min.

Ingredients:

• 1 block 14 oz. soft tofu
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chickpea flour* (I used homemade chickpea flour. See above on how to make your own).
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2- 3/4 tsp. salt (I prefer less sodium so I used 1/2 tsp. Add as needed)
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 medium potato, grated
• 1/2 c. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, diced
• 1/3 c. vegan cheese (This is optional; I used feta, but may use mozzarella, cheddar, etc.) Reserve 2 tbsp. for topping.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Press the soft tofu for at least 10 min. to get rid of some moisture.
3. Place the tofu, chickpea flour, almond milk, salt, pepper, turmeric, and garlic powder in a food processor of blender. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. If you feel the mixture is too thick or too runny, add a little almond milk to thin it out or a little chickpea flour to thicken the mixture.
   

   
4. Stir in the grated potato, frozen spinach, zucchini, and vegan cheese. Pour the mixture into an 7″ x 7″ greased baking pan and bake for 35-40 min. Cover the pan with foil if needed. I baked mine without foil and the top did not burn.