Vegan Onion Quiche with Green Asparagus
Fall meets spring! Onion tart meets asparagus season! It sounds strange at first, but it tastes very, very delicious. We have transformed a hearty onion tart into a spring-like version that is at least as delicious as the original (which you've all eaten 292719 times, right?).
Onion tart is a real autumnal comfort food: we know the classic from southern Germany, which is an indispensable part of the wine-growing season. Just thinking about it brings the sweet and sour smell of Federweißer to your nose. The great thing about onions is that they are regional and virtually always in season. So why not try a springtime interpretation of this classic dish? Green asparagus has joined the onions for a seasonal touch. A fresh wild herb salad and dill also give the onion tart a fresh flavor. We use a classic shortcrust pastry, which we knead from flour, vegan butter, a little water and salt. It's placed in a quiche tin, pricked with a fork, and briefly pre-baked to be crisp later.
Instead of egg and cream, we make our quiche with natural tofu and vegan yogurt seasoned with yeast flakes, mustard and spices. As far as the onions are concerned, we start twice: white onions are sautéed for a really long time until they are soft as butter and red onions are caramelized for a sweet contrast. Then we add crunchy green asparagus to give the whole thing the perfect spring flavor.
So, grab your quiche dish and let's get started with this seasonal crossover! Perfect for anyone who fancies something different from the usual asparagus recipes.
Vegan Onion Quiche with Green Asparagus
Ingredients
For the base:
- 300 g (2.5 cups) wheat flour (type 405)
- 1 tsp salt
- 180 g (6.25 oz) vegan butter (cold)
- approx. 4 tbsp cold water (as required)
For the filling:
- 200 g (7 oz) natural tofu
- 200 g (0.75 cup) natural vegan yoghurt
- 250 g (9 oz) red onions
- 750 g (27 oz) white onions
- 400 g (14 oz) green asparagus
- 50 g (0.33 cup) cornflour
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 3 tbsp yeast flakes
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp caraway
- salt
- pepper
- oil for frying
To serve:
- wild herb salad
Instructions
- For the base, mix flour and salt in a bowl. Add the cold vegan butter to the flour and work it in until a crumbly consistency forms. Gradually add cold water and quickly knead into a smooth dough. Don’t knead for too long. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- For the filling, peel and dice the white onions. In a large pan, sweat them with oil over low to medium heat until they are very soft (about 20–30 minutes). Stir occasionally and ensure they don’t brown. Puree half of the soft onions for the filling later, and set the other half aside.
- Peel the red onions, slice them into 1-centimeter thick rings, and sauté them in a separate pan with oil until they’re lightly caramelized. Turn them carefully so they don’t break apart, as they will be used later as decoration on the quiche.
- Wash the green asparagus and cut off the woody ends. Slice it into 1-centimeter pieces and sauté briefly in a pan with oil until lightly browned. Set the asparagus tips aside for decoration at the end.
- For the filling, blend natural tofu, vegan yogurt and half of the white onions in a blender until smooth. Add cornstarch, mustard, nutritional yeast, nutmeg, salt and pepper and season to taste. Stir in the remaining white onions, green asparagus (not the tips) and caraway seeds.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F (convection). Roll out the dough on a floured surface and place it in a greased quiche or tart pan (25 centimeters / 10 inches in diameter). Press the dough along the edge and trim any excess. Prick the bottom several times with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.
- Pour the filling onto the pre-baked base. Decoratively arrange the sautéed red onion rings and asparagus tips on the surface. Bake the quiche for 40–45 minutes until golden brown and firm. Let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve the quiche with fresh wild herb salad.
