These little vegan quiche cups will wake up any meal of the day! If you’re craving the taste of a classic quiche paired with an easy-to-prepare crispy crust, then this delicious plant-based recipe is for you! Serve these cute cups with a simple side dish and you have an excellent family meal.
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
These Cute Lil’ Zucchini Quiche Cups with Rustic Bread Crusts are an excellent choice for a festive, vegan meal. Serve them for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or supper!
Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 to 2 teaspoons vegan plant butter (to coat muffin cups)
- 3 very large slices whole-grain, country style bread (use gluten-free if needed, see IMPORTANT note)
- 1/2 block (about 8 ounces) extra-firm regular tofu, well-drained and broken into chunks
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing tops of quiche cups
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup grated (or shredded) zucchini, plus 6 thin slices to top quiche cups
- 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, to taste (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thoroughly coat each cup in a six-cup jumbo muffin tin with vegan plant butter. (See note!)
Put 1 slice of bread on a cutting board. Compress the bread slice to about 1/8-to 1/4-inch thick, using a rolling pin. If you are using very large slices of bread, cut each slice of bread into two triangles (see IMPORTANT note). Prepare the remaining 2 bread slices, in the same manner. Gently press each bread triangle into a muffin cup, to form a rustic crust. (The bread does not have to fit perfectly into the cup).
Put the tofu, water, Dijon mustard, olive oil, tamari, and turmeric into a high-performance blending appliance, and process until very smooth. Fold in the grated zucchini and the vegan cheese, using a rubber spatula.
Evenly divide the filling into each of the six prepared jumbo muffin cups. Lightly press a reserved zucchini slice into the top of each quiche cup. Smooth the top and brush each quiche cup with a bit of olive oil.
Sprinkle each quiche cup with several grinds of black pepper and a dash of optional chili powder. Cover loosely with parchment paper, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until slightly golden. The centers of each quiche cup will be slightly soft. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and loosen the sides of each quiche cup with a knife.
Let rest for 10 minutes, and then carefully lift each quiche cup out of the pan. Serve warm, or refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours, and serve cold.
Chef’s note: IMPORTANT! If you do not have very large slices of bread, use 6 smaller slices of bread. If you are using smaller slices of bread, after you roll the bread out, use the entire slice for each “crust.” (Do not cut it into two triangles). Proceed with recipe as directed.
Chef's note: Each cup in a jumbo muffin tin measures approximately 3.5-inches, in diameter.
