Description
A rich and creamy homemade ham and cheese quiche made with a flaky pie crust, sautéed vegetables, and a savory custard filling of eggs, heavy cream, Gruyere and Gouda cheeses. Perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 Homemade Pie Crust Recipe (see notes to use store-bought pie crust)
Filling
- 4 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped ham
- 3 oz (about 3/4 cup) shredded Gruyere cheese
- 3 oz (about 3/4 cup) shredded Gouda cheese (may substitute cheddar)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Crust: Prepare pie dough according to recipe directions through fluting the edges and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 5 days. If refrigerating longer than 45 minutes, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Pre-baking the crust the day before is recommended.
- Blind Bake Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper and fill with baking beads, dry beans, or rice to weigh it down. Bake for 18 minutes, then remove weights and parchment paper. Prick holes in the bottom crust with a fork and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and let crust remain warm.
- Whisk Egg Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk the 4 large eggs and 1 egg yolk until lightly beaten. Whisk in the heavy cream and all the dried herbs and spices (parsley, oregano, thyme, paprika, ground mustard, pepper, salt). Stir in chopped ham, shredded Gruyere and Gouda cheeses. Set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large skillet, melt butter in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and asparagus and sauté for 3 minutes. Add red bell pepper and cook 2 more minutes until onions are softened. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds more. Transfer cooked vegetables to the egg mixture and stir gently until combined.
- Assemble and Bake Quiche: Pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the partially baked pie crust. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the custard is set but the center jiggles slightly. If the quiche is too liquid after baking, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving for best texture.
Notes
- Using Store-Bought Pie Crust: Use a 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie crust. Thaw about 10 minutes until pliable. Prick all over with a fork to prevent puffing. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes until lightly golden. No need to weigh down crust.
- Heavy Cream: Use heavy whipping cream for a velvety, rich texture. Half and half can substitute but results in a more frittata-like texture.
- Ham: Use leftover ham or deli ham cut into 1/4-inch dice. Avoid thinly sliced ham as it does not hold up well in the custard filling.
- Cheese: Gruyere and Gouda are recommended, but you can use any 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) of shredded cheese combining a melting cheese with a flavorful firm cheese like Parmesan or feta.
- Vegetables: Use up to 3 cups of vegetables. Cook raw vegetables before adding. Can omit vegetables if preferred.
- Prep Ahead: Make pie crust in advance and refrigerate or freeze. Prebake crust ahead up to 3 days. Egg filling can be mixed and refrigerated for 24 hours before baking.
- Chilling Crust: Chill pie crust before baking to prevent shrinking.
- Monitor Baking: If crust edges brown too quickly, cover edges with foil or use a pie shield.
- Storage and Reheating: Quiche keeps up to 4 days refrigerated. Reheat slices in microwave about 1 minute or in oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Whole quiche reheats 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Can freeze wrapped up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 255 mg
