Vegan Potato Crust Quiche (Gluten-Free)

slice of vegan potato crust quiche on a cream plate with arugula, the rest of the quiche on a wooden board behind.

This delicious Vegan Potato Quiche with potato crust was actually an Instagram follower request! I just love it when you guys tell me what you’d like to see next. You always come up with the best ideas, so don’t hesitate to send me some requests in the comments.

Potato crust has been all over our feed lately, and I have a couple of delicious versions with cold fillings if you’d like to check them out, but this warm version might be my favorite one yet. We have a crispy mashed potato crust, which might be the best way to make a gluten-free crust. And the filling is so delicious, think caramelized leeks, mushrooms, and greens, all wrapped up in a high-protein filling.

Quiche filling is usually made with a mix of eggs and heavy cream, which can be quite high in saturated fat, so of course I had to give it a heart-healthy glow-up! I made my filling using mung beans. I got the idea from seeing JUST Egg, the egg replacement product, being rolled out around the world. Unfortunately, we don’t have it in Australia, but the good news is that you can make it at homemade for a budget-friendly and healthy option. It’s packed with protein, fiber (and this is where the advantage of plant protein really shows up), and some key micronutrients, including folate, magnesium, and iron. It works so well, is super quick to put together, and makes the most delicious high-protein filling for these quiches.

And now the best part: this is a great meal prep-friendly meal. Actually, as I type this, I have a slice in the air fryer because it’s a busy day and I don’t have time to make a full 30-minute lunch! You can have it for breakfast or for lunch with a delicious side of greens or a side salad. Each slice brings 21 g of protein, 14 g of fiber, and 6 mg of iron. French and nutritionist-approved!

the baked potato crust quiche coming out of the oven in its springform pan.

Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)

Heart-healthy: a quiche normally gets its richness from butter pastry, cream and eggs. No saturated fat in this one, and in fact mung beans support heart health by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, and improving blood vessel function.
Mung beans do the work of the eggs: soaked overnight and blended with soy milk, they set firm in the oven and carry the biggest share of the 21 g of protein in a slice. They’re the same bean the bottled vegan eggs are built from.
14 g of fiber a slice: most of that is the potatoes and the mung beans. The potatoes also boil and then cool right down before you mash them into the pan, and cooling cooked potato forms resistant starch, which is great for your gut microbes.
Kala namak: a sulfurous black salt, it gives it an eggy taste, which is quite surprising.
6 mg of iron: paired with allium to enhance absorption. Soaking the mung beans also make some of the nutrients easier to absorb.
Six slices out of one pan: it’s amazing for meal prep. I make it once, and breakfast or lunch is sorted for the rest of the week.

Ingredient notes

vibrant ingredients for a vegan potato crust quiche on a white surface.

Potatoes: 3 lb sounds like a lot until you remember they’re the entire crust. They go into the pot whole and skin-on (for more fiber and iron!).
Dried split mung beans: these are the eggs. They soak for 4 hours or overnight, then blend with the soy milk into a batter that sets in the oven. There’s no swap for them here.
Kala namak: also sold as black salt or Himalayan black salt. It smells strongly of sulfur in the jar and that’s exactly the point, it reads as egg once it’s baked in.
Button mushrooms and leek: the mushrooms start in a dry pan so they give up their water first, and the leek goes in after and cooks down until it starts to caramelize.

Step by Step Photos

Press the cooled potatoes into an oiled springform pan with the bottom of a clean mug, working them evenly over the base and up the sides. Brush the surface generously with olive oil and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 25 minutes.

Sarah Cobacho pressing boiled potatoes into a springform pan with the bottom of a glass.

an oiled potato crust pressed into a springform pan, ready to bake.

Start the sliced mushrooms in a large covered pan over medium heat with no oil, for 5 minutes, until they begin to release their liquid. Then add the olive oil, leek, garlic, sea salt flakes and dried thyme, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the leek starts to caramelize.

sliced button mushrooms cooking in a dry pan over medium heat.

sliced leek, garlic and dried thyme added to the mushrooms in the pan.

Stir in the baby spinach and cook until it just wilts, then set the pan aside. When the crust comes out of the oven, spread the filling straight over it.

baby spinach wilted through the cooked mushroom and leek filling.

mushroom, leek and spinach filling spread over the baked potato crust.

Pour the blended mung bean mix over the top. It comes out of the blender bright yellow from the turmeric, smelling like eggs from the kala namak. Stir very gently, only enough to combine.

pouring the blended mung bean mix over the filling in the springform pan.

stirring the mung bean mix gently into the filling with a spoon.

Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 25 minutes, then let it sit for 10 minutes before you release the springform ring. Slice it, and look at that layer of potato underneath! View recipe card below for detailed instructions.

lifting the first slice of potato crust quiche, showing the potato base underneath.

Sarah Cobacho holding a plate of vegan potato crust quiche with a side of arugula.

Variations and tips

No kala namak: the ingredient list has the swap, sea salt flakes instead. It’s still delicious without!
Change what’s in the middle: mushroom, leek and spinach is the version I make, but the potato crust and the mung bean mix will take most vegetables you have in the drawer.
Conventional oven: the recipe is written for fan-forced. Without a fan, go about 35°F (20°C) hotter and turn the pan halfway through each bake.
What I serve it with: a simple side of greens. I love arugula with this, dressed with equal parts olive oil, Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar.

Why you’ll love this Vegan Potato Crust Quiche TL;DR

Potato crust
No eggs
Gluten-free
21 g protein
Meal-prep friendly

FAQ

Is this potato crust quiche really gluten-free?

Yes. There’s no pastry and no wheat flour anywhere in it, and the tapioca flour that binds the filling is naturally gluten-free. The only label worth a glance is the Dijon mustard, since a few brands use a wheat-based additive.

Can I make it nut-free?

It already is. There are no nuts or peanuts in the crust, the filling or the mung bean mix.

Can I make it soy-free?

The soy milk is the only soy in the recipe, so use another unsweetened plant milk in its place. Pick one with no added sugar or vanilla, because the mix is savory.

Do I really have to soak the mung beans?

Yes. They soak for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, then you drain and rinse them before they go in the blender. It’s the one part of this recipe you can’t start and finish in the same hour. It’s important for the texture, and it helps make some of the nutrients more absorbable.

How do I store the leftovers?

Let the quiche cool, then keep it covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat slices in the oven, or airfryer so the potato crust firms back up. It keeps in the fridge for 5 days, I do not recommend freezing.

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