What is Quiche?
It is a French tart made with a simple pastry crust (with flour, butter and water) that is filled with a savory egg custard. If often includes veggies, meats, seafood, cheese or herbs mixed in as well. It’s a classic timeless recipe and it always makes for an impressive brunch (or lunch). You’ll love leftovers too! This ham and cheese version is one of my favorites but the mix-in options are endless. You can just replace the ham with 2 cups of other fillings of your choice. Just stick with the base custard recipe: 5 eggs to 1 1/4 cups heavy cream. You can also use half and half in place of cream but it’s not quite as rich and the crust doesn’t seem to stay as crisp.
Frittata vs. Quiche
A frittata is an egg based dish similar to an omelette and has no crust. Generally frittatas are filled with pre-cooked vegetables and they’re started cooking on the stovetop until eggs are set on the bottom then finished in the oven. A quiche has a crust and is usually richer and less eggy than a frittata (though the quiches I make still tend to err on the side of eggy, I prefer the flavor and texture this way). It is completely oven baked.
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Variations
There are so many ways to make it. Here are a few of the most popular options. Omit the ham then stir in one of these options into the egg mixture instead. Quiche Lorraine: Cook 8 oz bacon until crisp, drain then chop. Also add 1/8 tsp nutmeg to recipe. Spinach Quiche: Defrost 1 (10 oz) bag spinach. Ring dry to remove excess liquid. Broccoli or Asparagus Quiche: Use 2 cups small chopped steamed broccoli or asparagus. Mushroom Quiche: Saute 8 oz sliced mushrooms in butter or olive oil until shrunken and golden brown.
Make it Crustless
To make a crustless quiche simply omit the crust from the recipe. Spray the pie dish with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 350 for about 35 minutes or until center is just set.
Use a Store-Bought Crust
For an easy quiche recipe you can use a store-bought, frozen deep-dish pie crust. If doing so thaw 10 minutes. Pierce bottom and sides all over with a fork. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes until dry (seal up an cracks with a mixture of 1 Tbsp water 1 Tbsp flour, bake a minute longer). Reduce custard mixture to 1 cup heavy cream and 4 large eggs. Bake with filling at 350 degrees. Reduce bake time by about 5 minutes or so.
Quiche Recipe Ingredients
All-purpose flour: I prefer unbleached all-purpose flour as it has a better flavor than bleached. Granulated sugar: This helps tenderize and brown the crust. Only a hint is needed. Salt: The crust has a decent amount but you can definitely reduce slightly as desired. Unsalted butter: We use plenty of this for a rich and buttery pie crust. Ice water: Making sure the water is super cold is a must. It helps keep the butter cold, in turn it doesn’t melt and you end with a flakier pie crust. Eggs: Pasture raised eggs are best (and it’s a better quality of life for the chickens who lay them as well). Heavy cream: Whipping cream works great as well. Ham: You can use leftover ham from a ham roast, ham steak, thick-cut deli ham, or pre-cut cubed ham. Shredded cheese: Cheddar, swiss, or gruyere are great choices here. Green onions: If you want a milder flavor only use the greens for slightly bolder flavor also include the whites (which is what I do). Parsley: This just adds a hint of extra flavor. You can omit if you don’t have any on hand. Salt and pepper: Season to taste.
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How to Make Quiche Crust
How to Make Quiche Filling
Can you make ahead or freeze quiche?
Yes prepared quiche refrigerates well for 3 days or freezes well for 3 months. Cool before freezing. If freezing wrap in foil then store in an airtight container. If refrigerating simply wrap top with foil. Thaw frozen quiche for 1 day when ready to serve. Reheat cold quiche in a 325 degree oven until heated through.
Quiche Mix-ins Ideas
I’ve listed lots of ideas already, but let’s bring them all together along with the others, for a quick list to refer to when needed.
COOKED MEATS: Ham, bacon, chicken, turkey, breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, chorizo, salami, pastrami, smoked salmon, or crab meat. VEGETABLES: Mushrooms, grape tomatoes (or sun-dried), bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, olives, kale, spinach, radicchio, arugula, peas, potatoes, zucchini onion or shallot. Note that the vegetables should be cooked beforehand by sautéing, steaming or roasting. CHEESES: Cheddar, Swiss, gruyere, Monterrey jack or pepper jack, mozzarella, Romano, parmesan, goat cheese, feta, provolone, gouda, fontina, or ricotta. HERBS and SEASONINGS: Basil, parsley, chives, tarragon, dill, thyme, marjoram, chervil, oregano, red pepper flakes, paprika, or nutmeg.
Helpful Tips
Blind bake crust before filling for a non-soggy crust. Use a glass or metal pie pan not ceramic for a crispier crust. Bake quiche just until center is set. A toothpick inserted should be free of wet batter, though quiche may just barely wiggle slightly. Remember there will be a little carryover cooking upon removal from oven so careful not to over-bake so it’s not rubbery.
What to Serve with Quiche
Fruit Salad Roasted Potatoes Tomato Salad or Avocado Salad Tomato Soup
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Baked Oatmeal Crepes Eggs Benedict French Toast
