Description
This Ham and Cheese Quiche recipe features a crispy homemade pie crust filled with a rich, velvety custard made from eggs, heavy cream, savory ham, Gruyere and Gouda cheeses, and sautéed vegetables including asparagus, onion, and red bell pepper. The quiche is baked until set with a slightly creamy center, making it perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 Homemade Pie Crust (see notes for store-bought substitution)
Filling
- 4 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped ham
- 3 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese (about 3/4 cup)
- 3 ounces shredded Gouda cheese (about 3/4 cup, may substitute cheddar)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Crust: Prepare the pie dough following your preferred recipe, shaping and fluting the edges. Refrigerate the crust for at least 45 minutes (can refrigerate up to 5 days). Cover with plastic wrap if refrigerating longer.
- 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 down the crust. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights carefully, prick holes in the crust with a fork, and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Mix Egg Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolk until lightly beaten. Add heavy cream and all seasonings (parsley, oregano, thyme, paprika, ground mustard, pepper, salt). Stir in the chopped ham and shredded cheeses until combined.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and asparagus and sauté for 3 minutes. Add chopped red bell pepper and cook 2 more minutes until onions soften. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
- Combine Filling: Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the egg and cheese mixture, stirring until evenly combined.
- Assemble and Bake Quiche: Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes until the quiche is set but the center jiggles slightly. If the center is still liquid after cutting, bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cool and Serve: Let the quiche cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving to allow the custard to fully set.
Notes
- If using store-bought pie crust, select a 9-inch deep-dish crust and blind bake it for about 10 minutes until lightly golden to avoid sogginess. Prick the crust with a fork before baking and repair any cracks with a flour-water paste if needed.
- Heavy cream adds luxurious creaminess; half and half may be substituted but will yield a less creamy texture like a frittata.
- Use diced ham that is about 1/4 inch thick for better texture; thin sliced ham will not hold as well in the custard.
- Gruyere and Gouda cheeses melt well and add rich flavor, but you can substitute cheddar or other favorites. Combining one soft melting cheese with a more flavorful cheese like Parmesan or feta in smaller amounts is recommended.
- Use up to 3 cups of vegetables raw or cooked; adjust quantity as cooked vegetables reduce volume. Fully cook vegetables before adding to the filling.
- Chill the pie crust before blind baking to prevent shrinking.
- Cover the crust edges with foil or a pie shield if they start browning too quickly during baking.
- You can prepare the pie dough and blind bake the crust up to 3 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator.
- The egg mixture can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated separately from the crust.
- Fully assembled quiche can be baked ahead and refrigerated up to 4 days; delicious served warm, room temperature, or cold.
- Reheat quiche slices in the microwave for about 1 minute or in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Whole quiche reheats well for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Quiche freezes well up to 3 months. Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and a freezer bag. Whole quiche should be double wrapped with plastic and foil. Thaw before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6 of quiche)
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 215 mg
