Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

This is a perfect base quiche recipe and it’s all baked in a super flaky homemade pie crust. Use a combination of milk and heavy cream for the richest, creamiest filling and add your favorites such as bacon, feta cheese, ham, white cheddar cheese, crab meat, or spinach. You can also try my mini quiche recipe in a mini muffin pan, too!

Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (1)

Often over-looked and underrated, quiche is a cornerstone brunch recipe. But don’t limit this dish to brunch! Quiche is fantastic for lunch, dinner, Easter supper, baby showers, bridal showers, potlucks, tea parties, and so much more. It’s my go-to food when I need a quick recipe that’s delicious, crowd-pleasing, and adaptable to what I have in the refrigerator.

This easy quiche recipe is simple, versatile, and consistently good.

What is Quiche?

Quiche is a savory egg custard baked in a flaky pie crust shell. Though you can certainly make a crustless quiche, too! The base of quiche filling are milk, cream, and eggs. The add-ins vary and can include meats, seafood, cheese, spices, and vegetables. One of the more popular quiche recipes is Quiche Lorraine, which combines bacon and cheese. Today I’m showing you how to make the perfect quiche with any add-ins you choose!

Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (2)

Video Tutorial: How to Make Homemade Quiche

The Texture of a Perfect Quiche

Quiche is egg pie. But “egg pie” doesn’t sound particularly appealing, does it? Let’s talk about the texture of a perfect quiche, the kind I’m teaching you how to make. Perfect quiche is creamy and soft with textural contrast from ham, crispy bacon, or sautéed vegetables. Each forkful is undeniably rich, but has a light and delicate mouthfeel. Think of the main ingredient being milk/cream, not eggs.

Quiche is not a frittata with crust. Frittata recipes (and their mini counterparts—breakfast egg muffins) use more eggs and less milk, so they are sturdy and solid, while quiche is moist and melts in your mouth.

Overview: How to Make Quiche

So now that we properly defined quiche and its texture, let’s dive into a perfect quiche recipe. I love quiche, so I’m REALLY excited about this!

  1. Blind Bake Your Pie Crust – I teach you in my how to blind bake pie crust tutorial, but scroll further down for a quick review.
  2. Prepare Add-Ins – This includes cooking meats and vegetables, shredding cheese, etc.
  3. Combine Eggs & Milk/Cream – Beat together, then whisk in the add-ins.
  4. Bake – Pour filling into crust and bake until just about set, at least 45 minutes.

Let it cool a bit, then slice and serve. To freeze, cool baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with a couple sheets of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (3)

Quiche Recipe Ingredients

This quiche recipe requires:

  1. Pie Crust – Don’t skimp on flavor and texture—make homemade pie crust. My favorite pie crust recipe is straightforward and you can make it ahead of time and freeze. One of my best baking tips is to always have pie dough in the freezer!
  2. Heavy Cream and Milk – For the best tasting quiche, use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. (Or simply use half-and-half.) Using just heavy cream produces an overly thick filling. Whole milk is great, but a combo of heavy cream and milk is better.
  3. Eggs– Use 4 eggs per 1 cup of milk. Some quiche recipes throw in an extra egg yolk or two, but I don’t find it necessary with the ratio of ingredients in my recipe.
  4. Salt and Pepper – I don’t add salt to the filling if I’m using a salty add-in, such as cheese or ham. However, if you are making a plain quiche I recommend both.
Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (4)

Add-Ins

Most quiche add-ins should be pre-cooked and can still be warm when mixing into the egg filling. I recommend patting them dry before using because excess moisture will create a soupy quiche. Spinach, kale, bell pepper, and tomatoes can be fresh, but you can definitely sauté them first if desired. Some of my favorite quiche add-ins:

  • goat cheese
  • cooked cubed ham
  • bacon
  • caramelized onions
  • sautéed mushrooms
  • sautéed chopped asparagus
  • chopped fresh parsley

Stick to 1/2 – 1 cup cheese and up to 2 cups vegetables and/or meat add-ins. (Fresh spinach packs down, so you can go heavy on it.)

Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (5)

Partially Blind Bake the Pie Crust

Pie recipes call for a raw pie crust, a fully baked pie crust, or a partially baked pie crust. For example, apple pie bakes the filling and crust at the same time. Coconut cream pie has a no-bake filling, so it requires a fully baked pie crust shell. Quiche, on the other hand, can bake in a raw pie crust but it will likely taste soggy. So let’s partially pre-bake it, also known as a blind bake pie crust.

  1. Make pie dough ahead of time, then refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to make the pie. Pie crust must chill for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
  2. Roll it out, then fit into your9-inch pie dish. Crimp or flute the edges.
  3. Chill the shaped pie crust for at least 30 minutes. This prevents shrinking. Remember that pie dough must be cold.
  4. Fill withpie weights. As the pie dough bakes, its fat will melt. The melting fat causes the pie crust to shrink down the sides of the pie dish. To prevent the pie dough from completely losing its shape, weigh it down with pie weights. Carefully line the pie dough with parchment paper first, then pour in pie weights or even dry beans. (Note: 2 packs ofthese pie weightsis needed!)
  5. Bake until the edges are lightly brown, about 15 minutes.
  6. Remove pie weights, then prick the crust with a fork.
  7. Bake crust for about 8 more minutes.
  8. Fill with quiche filling, then bake the quiche.

Pie crust edges usually begin over-browning, so a pie crust shield is helpful. I always recommend a pie shield with any/every pie recipe.

Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (6)
Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (7)

Quiche Recipes:

Now that you’re fully prepped with all this quiche info, let’s bake! Here are 3 new quiche recipes for you and each are pictured above. Follow the quiche baking instructions in the recipe below. Leave out the added 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk these add-ins into the egg/cream mixture in step 4. After baking the quiche, top with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese or any cheese used in the filling. Feel free to add a small handful of fresh herbs such as chopped parsley, dill, or basil. I served each of these with homemade hollandaise sauce and definitely didn’t regret it. 🙂

  • Crab, Old Bay, & Gruyere: 1 and 1/2 cups fresh jumbo lump crabmeat (it’s sold as “fresh” but it is always pre-cooked), 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, dash of hot sauce.
  • Bacon, White Cheddar, & Scallion: 6-8 cooked and crumbled bacon slices, 1 cup white cheddar cheese, 3 Tablespoons chopped scallion.
  • Ham, Spinach, & Feta: 1 cup cooked and cubed ham, 3 cups chopped fresh spinach (sauté for a few minutes with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat), 1 cup crumbled feta cheese.

I have these favorite quiche recipes too:

  • Spinach Cheese Quichesimple & classic!
  • Goat Cheese Spinach Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche
  • Mini Quiche

Which flavor combinations will you try? I’d love to hear some new ideas because I bake quiche on the regular. Love having one in the freezer. Have fun customizing your own!!

Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (8)

What to Serve with Quiche

Here’s what I serve with quiche. It’s usually 1 or more of the following:

  • Fruit Salad, Bacon, or Sausage
  • Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
  • Nutella-Stuffed Muffins
  • Cinnamon Rolls
  • Blueberry Muffins or Banana Muffins
  • Strawberry Bacon Salad
  • New York-Style Crumb Cake

For even more inspiration, see 18+ of my favorite Easter brunch recipes—which includes this quiche, of course!

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Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (9)

Quiche Recipe

★★★★★4.9 from 231 reviews

  • Author: Sally
  • Prep Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours
  • Yield: serves 8
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

This is a perfect base quiche recipe and it’s all baked in a super flaky homemade pie crust. Use a combination of milk and heavy cream for the richest, creamiest filling and add your favorites such as bacon, feta cheese, ham, white cheddar cheese, crab meat or spinach.

Ingredients

  • 1 unbaked Flaky Pie Crust (what I used) or All Butter Pie Crust*
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk*
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream*
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper*
  • 1 cup shredded or crumbled cheese such as feta, cheddar, goat cheese, or gruyere
  • up to 2 cups add-ins (see recipe note)
  • optional toppings for serving: extra cheese, chopped herbs, hollandaise sauce, & freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare pie crust: I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin the quiche. Make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
  2. Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the disks of chilled dough (use the 2nd pie crust for another recipe). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth. To make a lovely edge, I do not trim excess dough around the edges. Instead, fold the excess dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. Chill the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap if chilling for longer than 30 minutes.
  3. While the crust is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  4. Partially blind bake: Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Bake until the edges of the crust are starting to brown, about 15-16 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the weights) out of the pie. Prick holes all around the bottom crust with a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven. Bake until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. (Crust can still be warm when you pour in the filling. You can partially pre-bake the crust up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover cooled crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill.)
  5. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
  6. In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper together on high speed until completely combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in add-ins and then pour into crust.
  7. Bake the quicheuntil the center is just about set, about 45-55 minutes. Don’t over-bake. Use a pie crust shield to prevent the pie crust edges from over-browning. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Top with optional toppings before slicing and serving, if desired. Or you can cool the quiche completely before serving—it’s fantastic at room temperature!
  8. This quiche makes great leftovers! Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can pre-bake the crust ahead of time too. See end of step 2. To freeze, cool baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with a couple sheets of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-25 minutes.
  2. Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-Inch Pie Dish | Pie Weights | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Whisk | Pie Crust Shield
  3. Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make 2 crusts. You only need 1 crust for this pie, so freeze the 2nd half for another use.
  4. Mini Quiche: Here is my mini quiche recipe and instructions.
  5. Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: Use this combination for best taste. If desired, use 1 cup of half-and-half instead.
  6. Cheese: Some favorites include feta cheese, goat cheese, cheddar cheese, white cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, and gruyere.
  7. Add-Ins: Add up to 2 cups add-ins including vegetables and meat/seafood. Most quiche add-ins should be pre-cooked and can still be warm when mixing into the egg filling. Pat dry prior to mixing in. See blog post for more information.
  8. Added Salt: Reduce or leave out salt if your add-ins and cheese are particularly salty. For example, in the 3 recipes listed in the next note, I don’t even add salt!
  9. Quiche Recipes: Leave out added salt, then whisk in these ingredients in step 4. Crab, Old Bay, & Gruyere: 1 and 1/2 cups fresh jumbo lump crabmeat (it’s sold as “fresh” but it is always pre-cooked), 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, and dash of hot sauce. Bacon, White Cheddar, & Scallion: 6-8 cooked and crumbled bacon slices, 1 cup white cheddar cheese, and 3 Tablespoons chopped scallion. Ham, Spinach, & Feta: 1 cup cooked and cubed ham, 3 cups chopped fresh spinach (sauté for a few minutes with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat), and 1 cup crumbled feta cheese.

Keywords: quiche, brunch

Perfect Quiche Recipe (Any Flavor!) - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for quiche? ›

Quiche Ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy

You'll need to increase the amount of eggs and milk based on the size of your quiche, so knowing the basic ratio makes it really easy to scale up or down. For a standard 9-inch quiche: Use 3 large eggs (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups of whole milk or cream (12 ounces)

Do you have to Prebake pastry for quiche? ›

And yes, as you'll see, you should always prebake quiche crust to avoid a gummy pastry. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out your homemade or purchased refrigerated dough into a 12-inch circle.

What's the difference between quiche and quiche lorraine? ›

To be considered Quiche Lorraine, the quiche must be made with eggs, heavy cream, bacon, and Swiss cheese. Any quiche that strays from this formula with the omission of bacon or the addition of other ingredients such as ham, sausage, vegetables, etc. is considered quiche, not Quiche Lorraine.

What is the key to a good quiche? ›

What is the secret to a good quiche?
  • Texture! The custard should be creamy and silky smooth – not eggy, spongy, or overly firm. ...
  • Pre-bake the Crust! Pre-baking, also called “blind-baking,” ensures the crust is cooked all the way through without overbaking the custard.
  • Don't overcook.
Apr 14, 2022

What is the best ratio of eggs to milk in a quiche? ›

The key to a foolproof quiche is the ratio of eggs to liquid – 2:1. I used 3 eggs and 1 1/2 cups liquid ( a mix of whole milk and heavy cream) – this is enough for a deep dish crust. This is definitely a recipe to have in your repertoire. Consider it a keeper with endless filling possibilities!

Do you poke holes in pie crust for quiche? ›

Air bubbles can also lead to cracks, and cracks inevitably lead to leaks. Therefore, for a level, leak-proof crust, a perforated crust is key. If, however, the recipe you're working with has a particularly liquidy filling, poking the bottom isn't a necessary step.

Should I bake my pie crust before filling quiche? ›

Editor: Yes, I recommend pre-baking the crusts for quiches because I think it helps keep them from getting soggy from the filling.

Why does the pastry on my quiche have a soggy bottom? ›

If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

How to get the bottom of quiche crispy? ›

Blind Bake the Crust

One of the fool-proof ways to ensure a crisp bottom pie crust is to do what is called blind baking. This simply means that you bake the crust—either fully if you are adding a custard or cream that won't be cooked, or partially if the whole pie needs to bake—before adding the filling.

Why does my quiche sink when I take it out of the oven? ›

Excess moisture is one reason why quiches collapse in a watery pool on your plate. Vegetables and meats like ham give off tremendous amounts of water when they're cooked. Therefore, if you're using vegetables in your quiche, it's imperative that you cook them first.

Why is my quiche wobbly in the middle? ›

The best quiche jiggles a little when you cut into it — that's a sign that it's extra creamy and silky. If you overbake it, you'll cook the jiggle right out of it. Instead, bake your quiche until the edges are set, but it still wobbles a little in the center.

What is a quiche without pastry called? ›

WHAT IS A FRITTATA? Frittatas are Italian in origin and can be described as a cross between an omelet and a crustless quiche.

What is the best milk substitute for quiche? ›

Eggs: the base of any quiche is eggs, so we're keeping things traditional there. Almond milk: instead of cream/milk, we're swapping with unsweetened almond milk. I think you could also add a bit of cashew cream if you're wanting to make it a tiny bit richer.

Is quiche healthy or unhealthy? ›

Is quiche healthy? Quiche is bad news when it comes to a healthy diet. It's usually made with cheese and cream in the filling as well as butter in the pastry case, so it's often high in saturated fat and calories. Ingredients like bacon will add salt and more saturated fat.

What is quiche filling made of? ›

Quiche is a savory custard that's made with a combination of eggs and cream or milk. It's typically baked in a pie crust and can be made with a variety of different fillings ranging from meats, vegetables, cheeses, and seafood. Quiches are perfect for serving as any meal- breakfast, lunch or dinner.

What is a quiche base made of? ›

Quiche crusts are made with shortcrust pastry. The name “shortcrust” refers to the baking term “short” which means pastries that are flaky and crumble when you cut into them.

How many eggs make 1 cup? ›

Five large eggs equals approximately one cup volume. Substitute four extra large eggs, six medium eggs or seven small eggs. Six large eggs equals approximately one cup plus three tablespoons volume.

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