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Use your family’s favorite meats, vegetables, and cheeses to create the quiche of your dreams using this easy quiche recipe.
Does anyone else like doing “breakfast for dinner”? Breakfast is arguably the best meal of the day, so it’s not hard to convince my family to eat things like hash brown breakfast casserole or sheet pan pancakes for dinner.
This easy quiche recipe is the perfect “breakfast for dinner” option because you can use any of your favorite fillings to fit your family’s tastes. Or use it as a chance to clean out the fridge of leftover veggies and cheeses that need to be used up.
Whether you’re making it for dinner, a weekend breakfast, or for a special brunch, this is one recipe you’ll want to save to come back to again and again.
Build your own easy quiche recipe
I love a good ham and cheese quiche or quiche lorraine, but sometimes I want to be able to use up whatever vegetables and random bits of cheese I have in the refrigerator. That’s where this easy quiche recipe comes in.
Quiche is one of those dishes that Alton Brown would call “refrigerator velcro” because there are so many flavor combinations you can make, so it’s a great way to use up whatever you have lying around.
(Make-ahead breakfast casserole is like that, too!)
For this recipe, I have given you the ratios you need to build whatever flavor of quiche your family or brunch guests want.
Whether you’re feeding a crowd of vegetarians or meat lovers, this is an easy quiche recipe you can adapt to be whatever you need.
Filling suggestions
So what kinds of things can you use in this quiche recipe?
There are three categories of things that go into this recipe:
- Vegetable and/or meat mix-ins
- Cheese
- Herbs
Veggies and meats
For this recipe, we’re using up to 2 cups of veggies and/or meat mix-ins. This means that you can use whatever you want, in any combination you like, as long as the total amount isn’t more than 2 cups.
Some of my favorite meats include, but are not limited to:
- Diced ham
- Cooked and crumbled bacon
- Cooked and crumbled sausage
- Diced Canadian bacon
- Lump crab meat
- Cooked Mexican chorizo
- Diced smoked sausage/kielbasa/andouille
- Smoked salmon
Some great vegetable options include, but are not limited to:
- Sautéed or roasted asparagus
- Sautéed onions
- Roasted broccoli
- Sautéed zucchini
- Sautéed bell peppers or jarred roasted red peppers
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sautéed or roasted mushrooms
- Olives
- Roasted or air fried green beans
- Roasted or air fried potatoes
- Sautéed fresh spinach or thawed, frozen spinach (press out as much moisture as you can)
- Thawed, frozen peas
As you can see, most of the meats and vegetables need to be cooked before going into the quiche. The exception is anything that is already cooked when you buy it (such as smoked sausage or ham), or vegetables such as tomatoes, jarred roasted red peppers, or olives.
This is a great way to use up leftover roasted vegetables, leftover holiday ham, or random veggies you picked from your garden.
Make sure all of your meats and vegetables are cut into small pieces. No one wants to bite into a huge broccoli floret or a whole stalk of asparagus in their quiche!
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For this easy quiche, you will add 1 cup of your favorite shredded or crumbled cheese.
Some great options include:
- Cheddar
- Gruyere
- American swiss
- Mozzarella
- Gouda
- Goat cheese
- Feta
- Fontina
- Oaxaca cheese
- Queso fresco
- Cotija
- Parmesan
- Asiago
Just like with the meats and vegetables, you can use a mix of your favorite cheeses. Try pairing something salty, like parmesan, with a milder, melty cheese such as fontina.
Herbs
Fresh herbs add a pop of color and brightness to this easy quiche recipe. You can leave them out if you want, but I really recommend adding them.
Choose herbs that will pair well with the mix-ins and cheeses you have chosen. Some options include:
- Scallions
- Parsley
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Basil
Make sure scallions are thinly sliced and leafy herbs are finely chopped.
Flavor combination ideas
Ok, so now that I’ve given you some options of what can go in your easy quiche, let’s talk about some flavor combinations you can try!
Asparagus, sweet onion, goat cheese, and scallions. Swap out the asparagus for broccoli florets when asparagus isn’t in season!
Mexican chorizo, diced green chiles, Oaxaca cheese, scallions, and cilantro. Try adding spices like chile powder, cumin, and smoked paprika along with the salt and pepper.
Spinach, mushrooms, gruyere, and chives. Add a tablespoon of dijon mustard for an extra tang.
Sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Add some fresh cherry tomatoes when they are in season!
Smoked salmon quiche with goat cheese and spinach. Add in some fresh dill, too!
These are only a few ideas. Be creative and have fun – that’s what this easy quiche recipe is all about!
How to make this easy quiche
Honestly, the hardest part about making this easy quiche is deciding what fillings to use! Actually making it is a breeze.
Place a pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate. You can use a homemade crust, but a refrigerated pie crust will work just as well.
Poke holes along the bottom and sides of the crust, line it with a piece of parchment, and fill with dry beans or pie weights. This will help keep the crust from shrinking while we blind bake it.
Bake the crust at 425°F for 12 minutes. Take out the parchment and the pie weights and set the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
Place your veggies and/or meats in the pie crust. Top evenly with the cheese and the herbs.
Whisk together the eggs, cream, hot sauce (if using), and the salt and pepper. Slowly pour the custard over the fillings, then wiggle the pie plate to help it settle into the gaps.
Bake the quiche for 45-55 minutes, or until the center is puffed and set.
Let the quiche cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This easy quiche can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled, so feel free to bake it right before serving or make it ahead of time.
Make-ahead tips
Quiche is a perfect make-ahead dish because it can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. And it’s equally delicious no matter how it’s served!
If you’re serving this easy quiche for a special brunch, especially if you’re making more than one, feel free to make it the night before.
Let the quiche cool, then refrigerate it until ready to serve. It will totally streamline your prep the next day, giving you more time to assemble the rest of your menu.
If you do want to bake it the same day you’re serving it, try prepping all of the fillings ahead of time.
Cook your vegetables and meats, chop your herbs and grate or crumble your cheeses. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Whisk together the custard and store that in a container in the fridge as well.
That way, you can fill and bake the quiche the day-of without having to do as much prep work.
Frequently asked questions
I like using heavy cream for the richest quiche filling. If you don’t want to use heavy cream, I would recommend using half-and-half (a combination of heavy cream and whole milk).
Blind baking the crust helps prevent a “soggy bottom” on your quiche. If you are blind baking the crust and you still are having trouble, try baking the quiche on the very bottom rack in your oven.
Since ovens are heated from the bottom, I find that baking pies and tarts on the lowest rack can help the bottoms of the crust get extra golden and insure against a soggy crust.
Easy Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
- 2 cups vegetables and/or meat mix-ins see notes
- 1 cup shredded or crumbled cheese cheddar, gruyere, gouda, goat cheese, feta, etc
- 2 tablespoons sliced scallions or chopped fresh herbs optional
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3-4 dashes hot sauce optional
- ¼-½ teaspoon fine sea salt see notes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Use a fork to poke holes on the bottom and sides of the pie crust. You can also line the pie crust with parchment paper and add dry beans or pie weights to doubly insure against the crust shrinking.
- Bake the crust for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. If using, use the parchment paper to remove the beans or pie weights. Set the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
- Layer the veggies and/or meats in the bottom of the par-baked crust. Top evenly with the cheese and scallions and/or herbs.
- In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, cream, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour this mixture evenly over the fillings. Wiggle the pie plate to help the custard settle into the fillings.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the center is puffed and set.
- Allow the quiche to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
