Vegetarian Quiche

Vegetarian Quiche can be simple and perfect. Use this easy-to-follow recipe with culinary school tips to make it the best it can be!

Quiche is something that I traditionally make for my mom on Mother’s Day. It’s one of her very favorite foods, and who can blame her? It’s delicious.

We didn’t get to have our usual Mother’s Day gathering this year, and it turns out, I kind of missed the quiche.

That, coupled with the fact that I apparently have not ever published a quiche recipe on this blog (I can’t believe it!) makes this long overdue.

Culinary school tips make this the best vegetarian quiche recipe!

I was taught to make a proper quiche in my “Breakfast and Pantry” class in culinary school. The chef instructors were VERY particular about what constituted a good quiche, so we had lots of practice.

Below, I will share a few tips that translate to home cooks.

Beat the egg custard with a stand mixer or hand mixer.

Instead of using just a mixing bowl and hand whisk to whisk the egg custard mixture, use a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, if you have one.

You’re already dirtying a bowl and a whisk for this recipe anyway, so it won’t add any more dishes to your sink at the end of the project.

But, using an electric mixture will ENSURE a silky smooth custard by FULLY incorporating all of the eggs into the cream in a way that is much harder to achieve through whisking by hand.

Blind bake vegetarian quiche pastry for a crispy crust.

I think it’s very important to “blind bake” the pie crust for quiche before adding the vegetables, cheese and custard. 

Blind baking simply means to bake the pie crust for a little bit, before you add the filling. This allows the crust to get a head start on crisping up.

Nobody likes a soggy bottom crust, but that’s what you’ll be left with if you don’t blind bake, unfortunately.

To blind bake, I recommend arranging the crust in your quiche dish, then covering the crust with a piece of parchment paper.

On top of the parchment, place a handful of dried beans or pie weights. This will weigh the crust down so it doesn’t puff up during the blind baking.

After the blind bake, remove the weights and parchment and fill your quiche.

Make it easier to transfer in and out of the oven.

A little tip that might change your life: place your quiche pan on a rimmed baking pan before putting it in the oven.

We always did this in culinary school, because this just makes it WAY easier and safer to transfer to and from the oven, rather than trying to grab a thin, circular dish with oven mitts on (or, in culinary school, the flimsy kitchen towels we’d always use). 

I don’t know about you, but I’m quite clumsy with oven mitts on, and I’ve been known to drop a dish if I can’t get an good grasp on it.

What vegetables are best for quiche?

Just about any vegetable you love is perfect for quiche. However, keep in mind that most vegetables need to be pre-cooked a little bit before putting them in a quiche.

Otherwise, they may not cook all the way through, and you’ll end up with half-raw veggies in your finished quiche.

For this particular vegetarian quiche, I’ve used shitake mushrooms, spinach, sundried tomatoes (like in my spinach gemelli pasta salad), and a bit of red onion.

Can you freeze a vegetarian quiche?

Yes! Quiches freeze beautifully, and were one of our favorite freezer meals when my husband and I were on parental leave.

Simply bake the quiche per the instructions below, and then allow it to cool completely.

Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, place frozen quiche in a 350 degree oven and heat until warmed through.

Yield: 8 servings

Vegetarian Quiche

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Vegetarian Quiche can be simple and perfect. Use this easy-to-follow recipe with culinary school tips to make it the best it can be!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch nutmeg
• Pinch salt and ground black pepper
• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup sliced sundried tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 6 ounces shredded Gouda cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat eggs, cream, milk, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper until smooth.
2. Press pie crust into 9-inch quiche dish. Place parchment paper over crust and spread dried beans or pie weights across crust to weigh it down. Place quiche dish on rimmed baking pan and transfer to oven. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove pie weights and parchment paper.
3. Meanwhile, heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach, sundried tomatoes and thyme. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, while stirring, or until spinach is slightly wilted.
4. Sprinkle cheese in even layer across bottom of pie crust. Spread vegetable mixture in even layer over cheese. Evenly pour egg mixture over vegetables.
5. Transfer to oven and bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center of quiche is set. Transfer to wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

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  Quiche Dish
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  Stand Mixer
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  Box Grater

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 361Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 341mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 12g