There are quiet mornings when I pull a warm Breakfast Quiche from the oven, the kitchen glowing as the cheese browns and the custard settles, and it feels like a small, stylish celebration for one or a crowd, the kind of thing I make when friends say drop by for brunch or when I want a comforting, hands-off breakfast that still looks pulled together.
Why You’ll Love It
This quiche is a perfect blend of elegant and everyday, it bakes ahead and still tastes fresh the next morning, and the crisp crust with a creamy, savory custard makes it a crowdpleaser for brunches, potlucks, or slow weekend breakfasts, especially if you like recipes that photograph beautifully and slice cleanly for serving.
Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes |
Cook Time: 40 minutes |
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie crust store bought or homemade, chilled
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere or sharp cheddar, divided
- 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped and lightly sautéed and drained
- 1/2 cup diced cooked bacon or ham (or roasted mushrooms for vegetarian)
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced and sautéed until soft
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for sautéing
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F 190°C and place a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- If using store bought crust, let it rest at room temperature 10 minutes, then fit it into a 9 inch tart pan, trim edges and chill 5 minutes. If making your own crust, roll and fit into the pan and chill.
- Blind bake the crust for 12 minutes with pie weights or dried beans on parchment, remove weights and parchment and bake 5 more minutes until just set and slightly golden, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile sauté the onion in butter over medium heat until soft and lightly caramelized about 6 minutes, toss with the chopped spinach and cooked bacon or mushroom, and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth, stir in 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese.
- Scatter the cooked vegetable and meat mixture evenly in the prebaked crust, pour the egg mixture over it until nearly full, and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.
- Bake the quiche on a rimmed baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is set but still slightly wobbly and the top is golden. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing so pieces hold their shape.
- Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Variations
- Mediterranean Spinach and Feta Swap Gruyere for crumbled feta add sun dried tomatoes and oregano for a tangy take.
- Crustless Low Carb Omit the pastry and bake in a greased pie dish 30 to 35 minutes for a lighter, gluten free option.
- Smoked Salmon and Dill Replace bacon with flaked smoked salmon and add fresh dill for an elegant brunch quiche.
- Mushroom and Swiss Make it vegetarian by using a mix of sautéed cremini mushrooms and Swiss cheese with thyme.
Make Ahead: You can blind bake the crust and prepare the filling components up to 24 hours ahead store the crust wrapped in plastic and keep sautéed vegetables and cooked meats refrigerated in an airtight container, whisk the custard and assemble right before baking, or bake the full quiche and refrigerate for up to 3 days and gently rewarm slices in a 325°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this quiche dairy free
Yes swap the milk and cream for an unsweetened plant based milk plus a tablespoon of cornstarch for body and use a dairy free cheese alternative or omit cheese.
How do I prevent a runny center
Ensure you bake until the center is mostly set with a slight wobble and allow 10 to 15 minutes resting time; over mixing or excess liquid from fillings can cause runniness so drain ingredients well.
Can I freeze slices of quiche
Yes cool completely then wrap individual slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months, reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes until hot.
What is the best cheese for quiche
Gruyere melts beautifully and gives nutty flavor, sharp cheddar is more assertive, and Swiss or fontina are also excellent choices depending on the flavor profile you want.
Breakfast Quiche
This quiche is a perfect blend of elegant and everyday, it bakes ahead and still tastes fresh the next morning, and the crisp crust with a creamy, savory custard makes it a crowdpleaser for brunches, potlucks, or slow weekend breakfasts, especially if you like recipes that photograph beautifully and slice cleanly for serving.
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie crust store bought or homemade, chilled
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere or sharp cheddar, divided
- 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped and lightly sautéed and drained
- 1/2 cup diced cooked bacon or ham (or roasted mushrooms for vegetarian)
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced and sautéed until soft
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for sautéing
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F 190°C and place a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- If using store bought crust, let it rest at room temperature 10 minutes, then fit it into a 9 inch tart pan, trim edges and chill 5 minutes. If making your own crust, roll and fit into the pan and chill.
- Blind bake the crust for 12 minutes with pie weights or dried beans on parchment, remove weights and parchment and bake 5 more minutes until just set and slightly golden, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile sauté the onion in butter over medium heat until soft and lightly caramelized about 6 minutes, toss with the chopped spinach and cooked bacon or mushroom, and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth, stir in 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese.
- Scatter the cooked vegetable and meat mixture evenly in the prebaked crust, pour the egg mixture over it until nearly full, and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.
- Bake the quiche on a rimmed baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is set but still slightly wobbly and the top is golden. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing so pieces hold their shape.
- Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
Conclusion
This Breakfast Quiche is the kind of recipe that makes mornings feel considered without fuss, it balances a flaky crust with a silky custard and versatile fillings so you can make it weeknight simple or brunch worthy, and once you get comfortable with the basic steps you can swap cheeses, proteins, and herbs to make it your own, so take a breath, assemble the filling, and bake something that looks as good as it tastes.
