• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • eBooks
  • Spring
  • FREE EBOOK

Create Mindfully

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • eBooks
  • Spring
  • FREE EBOOK
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • eBooks
    • Spring
    • FREE EBOOK
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Savory Breakfast

    Modified: Jun 3, 2025 · Published: Feb 11, 2019 by Willow Moon · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

    Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche

    Jump to Recipe Pin

    This easy sweet and savory Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche is made with tofu and has a chickpea flour crust. It's perfect for brunch!

    Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche on a plate close up and a pan of quiche in background.

    💌 SAVE THIS

    I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    "I love this! Have made it a couple of times, it's so delicious my non-vegan partner loves it too! It's becoming one of my go-to recipes. And it's so easy!
    (I switch out one cup of chickpea flour replacing it with wholemeal because I don't need gluten-free.) - Alison"

    Caramelized onions are one of my favorite ingredients. They take any dish to the next level.

    Many times I pair them with mushrooms, but for this Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche, they are the star of the show.

    For this vegan quiche recipe, I mixed the caramelized onions with tofu. Then I added tamari and white miso paste for a savory umami flavor.

    I added nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. You could add the caramelized onions to the quiche filling last, and pulse until you get your desired consistency.

    I saved about a quarter cup of the onions to spread on top.

    Whether you add the onions first or last, it'll taste great. It just depends on the textures you prefer.

    Another vegan quiche recipe is my Spinach and Broccoli Vegan Quiche. Other recipes to try are my Vegan Mexican Frittata recipe and Vegan Tofu Frittata recipe.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love It
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Tips
    • Do I Need To Press the Tofu?
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
    • Other Vegan Caramelized Onion Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ❤️ Why You'll Love It

    • It's rich, sweet, and savory.
    • It is perfect for a brunch get-together.
    • It's a hearty, healthy, and comforting meal.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Ingredients on a cutting board with labels.
    Ingredients on a cutting board with labels.

    Pie Crust

    • Chickpea flour: I used chickpea flour because I love the flavor. I haven't tried this recipe with any other flour. You could also use a store-bought pie crust.
    • Cold water
    • Olive oil: For texture.
    • Salt: Enhances flavors. I like to use sea salt.

    Filling

    • Onions: I used yellow onions. You could also use sweet onions or white onions.
    • Olive oil: For cooking the onions.
    • Balsamic vinegar: Adds sweetness to the onions. You could also use sugar or brown sugar, or leave it out.
    • Tofu: You can use extra-firm or firm tofu. I buy it packed in water found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
    • Tamari: I like to use low-sodium gluten-free tamari because I like to control the amount of sodium. You could also use soy sauce, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos.
    • Miso paste: I used white mellow miso paste because it is gluten-free and the mildest of the varieties of miso paste.
    • Nutritional yeast: Adds a cheesy flavor. You could try store-bought vegan parmesan, but I haven't tried that so I don't know how it will taste.
    • Salt and pepper: Enhances flavors and adds flavor. I like to use sea salt.

    To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    5 Secrets to Transforming Tofu

    Maple Dijon Baked Tofu Sandwich

    FREE 5 part email series to help you cook tofu like a pro.

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

    🔪 Instructions

    Collage photos with sliced onions in a pan, then cooked until caramelized, next crust ingredients in a food processor, then blended.

    Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a pan on medium-low heat. Add sliced onions. Sprinkle salt on top.

    Step 2: Stir the onions every few minutes or so. Cook for about 35-40 minutes until they are browned.

    Add a small amount of water if they start to stick. Add balsamic vinegar and cook until it's evaporated.

    Step 3: Add chickpea flour, ice-cold water, olive oil, and salt to a food processor.

    Step 4: Blend until a ball forms. It should be the consistency of play dough.

    Collage photo of pie crust in a pan, then baked, next filling ingredients in a food processor, then blended.

    Step 5: Oil a 9" pie pan with olive oil. Oil your hands as well so they don't stick to the dough. Spread the dough out in the pan, including the edges.

    Step 6: Bake until it starts to turn golden.

    Step 7: In a food processor add tofu, tamari, miso paste, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper. For a smooth consistency add caramelized onions at this point — saving ¼ cup to place on top.

    Step 8: Blend until smooth. For a chunky consistency, blend flour mixture first, then add the caramelized onions and pulse to get the desired consistency.

    Collage photo of quiche in pie pan before and after sprinkling caramelized onions on top.

    Step 9: Spread filling on chickpea flour crust.

    Step 10: Sprinkle reserved onions on top. Bake until browned.

    💭 Tips

    • For caramelized onions, you need some patience. It takes a good 40 minutes to get nicely browned onions. Slow and steady wins the race.
    • If the onions start to stick, add a little water, like a quarter of a cup or so.
    • Balsamic vinegar adds a wonderful flavor to caramelized onions. I always add a couple of splashes near the end of the cooking time.
    • If you want a chunky onion filling, add the caramelized onions last to the tofu mixture and pulse until you get the desired consistency.
    • Save about a quarter cup of caramelized onions to top the quiche.
    • Pre-bake the chickpea flour crust, then add the filling and bake some more. That way you'll have a crunchy flaky crust.
    • Don't have a cover for your quiche pan? No problem! Just use that shower cap you got from your last vacation. It works great in place of plastic wrap.
    Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche in a pie pan.

    Do I Need To Press the Tofu?

    For this recipe, it isn't necessary to press the tofu. Drain it if it's the refrigerated kind.

    Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche on a plate with fork.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    What is a vegan quiche made of?

    For this vegan onion quiche recipe, I used caramelized onions, tofu, miso paste, tamari, and nutritional yeast for the filling. To make the crust I used chickpea flour, olive oil, and cold water.

    Other Vegan Caramelized Onion Recipes

    • Caramelized Onion Fritters on a plate.
      Caramelized Onion Fritters
    • Vegan Mashed Cauliflower with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms with a fork.
      Vegan Mashed Cauliflower with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
    • Portobello Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Sliders
      Portobello Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Sliders
    • Vegan Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Grilled Cheese
      Vegan Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Grilled Cheese

    If you tried this Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how you like it in the 💬 comments below. I love hearing from you!

    This sweet and savory vegan quiche has a creamy filling with a flaky crust. It will be the hit of your next brunch.

    📋 Recipe

    Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche on a plate with fork.
    Pin Print Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    5 from 9 votes

    Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche

    This easy sweet and savory Caramelized Onion Vegan Quiche is made with tofu and has a chickpea flour crust. Perfect for parties!
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine French inspired
    Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 331kcal
    Author Willow Moon
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • food processor

    Ingredients

    Caramelized Onions

    • 2 large onions (4 cups) sliced
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2-4 splashes balsamic vinegar
    • 2 pinches salt

    Chickpea Flour Crust

    • 2 cups chickpea flour
    • ½ cup ice cold water
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • Pinch salt

    Filling

    • 14 ounces extra firm or firm tofu
    • 1 tablespoon low sodium gluten free tamari
    • 1 tablespoon white gluten free miso paste
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • Salt and pepper
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Caramelized Onions

    • Heat olive oil in a pan on medium-low heat. Add sliced onions. Sprinkle salt on onions. Set aside.
    • Stir the onions every few minutes or so. Cook about 35-40 minutes until they are browned. Add a small amount of water if they start to stick. Add balsamic vinegar and cook until it's evaporated.

    Chickpea Flour Crust

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Mix all ingredients in a food processor. It should be the consistency of play dough. Oil a 9" pan with olive oil, including the sides of the pan. Oil your hands as well.
    • Spread the dough out in the pie pan, including the sides, pressing down to get it even. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are starting to turn golden.

    Filling

    • In a food processor, mix caramelized onions* - reserving ¼ cup to place on top, tofu, tamari, miso paste, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste.
    • Spread filling on chickpea flour crust. Sprinkle reserved onions on top. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until browned.

    Notes

    If you prefer chunky caramelized onions in the quiche, add them last and pulse until you get the desired consistency.
    This recipe will last about 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

    💌 SAVE THIS

    I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 575mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3.2mg
    SIGN UP for my newsletter, get a FREE 30 Minute Vegan Dinners 7-Day Meal Plan as a welcome gift! 💌

    *Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.

    More Savory Breakfast

    • Vegan Monte Cristo on a plate.
      Vegan Monte Cristo
    • Spicy Chickpea Scramble
      Spicy Chickpea Scramble
    • Tofu bacon on an open faced sandwich.
      The Most Incredible Tofu Bacon
    • Vegan Tofu Omelette on a plate.
      Vegan Tofu Omelette

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 9 votes (3 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Peter says

      August 11, 2024 at 10:27 am

      I omitted the crust and added some chickpeas and chopped tomato to the quiche. It turned out very well and I know I'll be making it again!5 stars

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        August 12, 2024 at 1:35 pm

        I'm glad you liked it and you were able to customize it to your liking!

        Reply
    2. BikeWalkBakeBarb says

      January 01, 2023 at 8:17 am

      My rating is for the filling, made with a few adjustments. I didn't make the crust. Instead I sliced yams very thin, lined the pie plate with them, and baked for 35 minutes at 375 degrees before adding the filling and baking another 30 minutes.
      Based on a tofu mushroom pie from the cookbook Almost Vegetarian that I liked (but which includes sour cream), I added 1 t. fresh ginger (the paste that comes in a tube and keeps in the fridge makes it easy to keep fresh ginger on hand), and 1 T. white wine vinegar. I had made caramelized onions in an instant pot and used 2 cups of those, which may be a bit more than what 2 onions would produce since they cook down so much. It was fabulous! And so easy since I already had the onions caramelized. I plan to make it again this way, and will also make just the filling and serve it as a hot dip.5 stars

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        January 03, 2023 at 9:18 am

        I like the hot dip idea for the filling! I'm going to have to try that.

        Reply
    3. Alison says

      December 09, 2021 at 10:44 am

      I love this! Have made it a couple of times, it's so delicious my non-vegan partner loves it too! It's becoming one of my go-to recipes. And it's so easy!
      (I switch out one cup of chickpea flour replacing it with wholemeal because I don't need gluten-free.)5 stars

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        December 09, 2021 at 2:02 pm

        Thanks Alison, that makes me so happy!

        Reply
    4. Satin says

      July 13, 2020 at 7:12 am

      This was absolutely delicious. Thank you Willow. My family are one and a half years into being vegan and there’s no turning back! So I’m always looking for new recipes that the kids will enjoy too. They devoured this and have asked me to make it again now. The only adjustment I made was to use a different crust (one cup wholemeal flour plus 1 cup almond flour mixed with water and a little oil). Thank you again!5 stars

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        July 13, 2020 at 11:06 am

        Thank you so much Satin! Since I don't have kiddos myself, I love hearing when a recipe is kid approved!

        Reply
    5. Janice says

      January 03, 2020 at 3:56 am

      We loved it!!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        January 04, 2020 at 3:09 pm

        Thanks Janice!

        Reply
    6. Jeannie says

      July 22, 2019 at 4:33 pm

      I have to be completely honest here. The crust was terrible, very dry, and not flavor. The quiche itself was just ok. I'm not trying to be a downer, but I read reviews myself before trying a recipe. Maybe you have a suggestion to improve the crust. I love chickpea flour so that wasn't the issue.

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        July 23, 2019 at 7:50 am

        I'm sorry that you didn't like it Jeanne. I haven't tried it myself, but you could use vegan butter instead of olive oil in the crust or add in herbs or spices.

        Reply
    7. Jan says

      February 21, 2019 at 9:01 am

      This has to be my favorite breakfast! This is perfect for Sunday brunch get-togethers! Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        February 21, 2019 at 9:33 am

        Thanks Jan, I'm so glad you like it!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Willow Moon with green shirt and tie dye scarf.

    Namaste, I'm Willow!

    I've been vegan for 25 years and
    gluten-free for 13 years. I share easy and delicious vegan gluten-free recipes the whole family will love! Read more →

    Spring Recipes

    • Broccoli Fritters on a plate.
      Broccoli Fritters
    • Benedictine Tea Sandwiches on a plate.
      Benedictine Tea Sandwiches
    • Green Detox Juice
      Green Detox Juice
    • Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pasta (vegan, gluten free) - This rich vegan gluten free pasta is perfect for date night. It has only a few ingredients, but tastes like it came from a restaurant.
      Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pasta

    Popular Recipes

    • Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt Bites
      Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt Bites (Vegan)
    • Apple Pecan Chickpea Salad Sandwich on a plate.
      Apple Pecan Chickpea Salad Sandwich
    • Vegetable Fritter being dipped into vegan chipotle ranch dressing.
      The Most Amazing Vegetable Fritters
    • Homemade Payday Bars on parchment paper.
      Homemade Payday Bars
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia pudding in a bowl.
      Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding
    • Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats
      Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for my newsletter and get a FREE 30 Minute Vegan Dinners 7 Day Meal Plan as a welcome gift!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Tip Jar

    Featured In:

    A list of magazines that Create Mindfully has been featured in like Good Housekeeping, Dr. Axe, Peta, and more.

    Copyright © 2014 - 2025
    Create Mindfully - All Rights Reserved.

    Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Willow Moon and Create Mindfully with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. All photos and artwork are property of Willow Moon and Create Mindfully. Do not duplicate or copy without proper consent.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

    My family loved this!
    Thank you for sharing this recipe, I loved it!
    This worked exactly as written, thanks!

    Or write in your own words:

    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.