Although French food has a reputation for being complicated, the best quiche recipes are actually pretty simple and convenient. Made from a base of eggs and pie dough, quiches are infinitely adaptable and ideal for every moment of the day, from breakfast to brunch to lunch to dinner (and even snack time!). As long as you understand a few basic quiche-making principles—like which veggies should and shouldn’t be included and the best ratio of eggs to milk or cream for an ideal texture—a flaky, protein-rich baked quiche is definitely within reach.
Along with being easy to make and so versatile, quiche recipes are also meal prep superheroes. Just one full quiche is enough to feed several people for days, and they freeze and reheat especially well, so you can always pack up what you won’t be able to eat right away for way later down the line.
To learn the basics, start by making the classics. Quiche Lorraine, for example, is perhaps the most iconic version of this dish—and you only need four ingredients (bacon, eggs, cream, and onion) to make this classic quiche. Traditional versions of the recipe may require you to make your own pie dough from scratch, but you can minimize your workload and get equally delicious results by using your favorite premade fresh or frozen pie crust option instead. From there, all you have to do is sauté a bit of bacon and onions, stir them into your egg mixture, pour everything in a pie pan, pop it in the oven, and kick your feet up while the whole thing cooks to perfection.
Once you’ve made a quiche like this, the sky’s the limit. Use the tips below to understand all the dos and don’ts of how to make quiche, as well as exactly how it’s different from other baked egg dishes—and the secret to getting it right every time.
What’s the difference between quiche, custard, and frittata?
Although all three of these dishes use eggs as a binder, each one has a couple key differences, Gill Boyd, culinary arts chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, tells SELF. He explains that custards are usually much sweeter than quiche, typically served for dessert—think flan or vanilla pudding—and can be made with or without a crust depending on your purposes.
By contrast, frittatas and quiche have a lot more in common. Both are savory (often including cheeses, whether we’re talking cheddar, Swiss, or any other tasty kind) and cooked in the oven, but the former rarely features a crust or dough of any kind.
What’s the best type of crust for quiche?
Boyd explains that the best crust for quiche also happens to be the most simple option—a savory pastry dough made from just flour, butter, salt, and water. “[This] dough keeps its shape while baking, has some flakiness to it, and holds a buffer from the cream-egg mixture,” he says. “If baked right, it does not get soggy.”
Although this option provides the most reliable results, according to Boyd, it’s definitely not the only one that will work. Puff pastry (like you would use for an easy pie crust) also makes an ideal base for quiche, though you may need to parbake it for 10 or 15 minutes before adding the filling to prevent any soggy bottoms. Alternatively, plenty of recipes provide excellent non-traditional alternatives that taste great and get the job done, including gluten and dairy-free options, and even crusts made from totally unexpected ingredients like thinly sliced sweet potato.
What are the best vegetables to put in a quiche?
For egg quiche filling, “you can use any type of vegetables, but those that have less moisture are better because excess moisture will work against the final texture you want,” Boyd explains. For example, vegetables that have a naturally high water content, like tomatoes or mushrooms, may prevent your quiche from firming up properly if added raw. When in doubt, he suggests cooking vegetables in a skillet before combining them with your egg mixture to remove as much moisture as possible.
How long do I need to cook quiche?
In general, Boyd says that a quiche baked in a nine-inch pie pan will need no more than 30–40 minutes in an oven heated to 375 degrees, but it may need a bit more time if you didn’t precook your vegetables. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s firm on the edges and jiggles slightly in the center when moved. If you notice that the quiche is beginning to brown or burn before it’s ready, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil and continue baking until it’s finished.
What’s the secret to a great quiche?
At the end of the day, it’s all about texture: The secret to making a great quiche depends on the ratio of eggs to milk or heavy cream used to make your base, Boyd says. Too much milk or cream will result in a quiche that never fully firms up, and too many eggs will produce an overly firm quiche. In general, stick with 1 ½ cup of milk or cream per every three large eggs, and you’ll be good to go.
Put your new knowledge to work with some help from these 17 easy quiche recipes. From classic options like broccoli cheddar and spinach quiche recipes to options made with plant-based and gluten-free alternatives, it won’t be hard to find your next breakfast, lunch, or dinner in this list.
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Alex Overhiser via A Couple Cooks1 Asparagus Quiche from A Couple Cooks
Along with asparagus, this simple quiche recipe gets a bunch of extra flavor from salty feta and smoked mozzarella. Pair it with a spicy arugula salad to balance all those rich flavors.
Get the recipe here.
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Brittany Mullins via Eating Bird Food2 Dairy-Free Spinach Quiche from Eating Bird Food
This spinach quiche recipe has a creamy, cheesy flavor without any actual dairy thanks to ingredients like oat milk and nutritional yeast. In addition to spinach, it’s also packed with onion, garlic, and bell pepper and tastes great served warm, room temperature, or cold.
Get the recipe here.
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Lindsay Landis via Love and Olive Oil3 Savory Goat Cheese and Squash Quiche from Love and Olive Oil
Pureed squash gives this goat cheese-infused quiche both a luxurious silky texture and bright, vibrant color. You can make the squash puree yourself if you’re up for it, or use a store-bought option (like canned pumpkin) to save time. Pair it with an earthy winter salad for the ultimate seasonal experience.
Get the recipe here.
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Richa Hingle via Vegan Richa4 Vegan Quiche with Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes from Vegan Richa
This plant-based quiche uses a blend of firm tofu and chickpea flour to mimic the taste and texture of eggs, and the results are uncanny. Spices and seasoning like Indian sulfur salt and nutritional yeast pump the cheesy flavor without any actual cheese.
Get the recipe here.
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Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park via Spoon Fork Bacon5 Hash Brown Crust Bacon and Cheddar Quiche from Spoon Fork Bacon
The ingenious hash brown crust in this quiche recipe is totally gluten-free (if that’s something you’re interested in) and completely irresistible, and you don’t even need to make hash browns from scratch. Your favorite frozen, premade option will work just as well!
Get the recipe here.
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Rosalynn Daniels6 Egg White Quiche with Kale, Tomatoes, and Feta from Rosalynn Daniels
Be sure to sauté the kale for this quiche before adding it to your filling. Doing so tames kale’s infamous bitter flavor and tough texture and produces a delicious dish full of nourishing yet tasty leafy greens.
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LaKita Anderson via Simply LaKita7 Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche from Simply LaKita
Unlike fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes contain little to no moisture, so you can add as many as you want to a quiche without negatively impacting its overall texture. It’s a great breakfast quiche!
Get the recipe here.
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Sam Linsell via Drizzle and Dip8 Asparagus, Blue Cheese, and Parmesan Quiche from Drizzle and Dip
If you don’t have a pie plate handy, this quiche can be made in just about any baking pan you have lying around. Eat it alongside a protein source, like slow-cooker chicken, for a well-rounded meal.
Get the recipe here.
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Meiko Drew via Meiko and the Dish9 Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Quiche with Potato Chip Crust from Meiko and the Dish
The potato chip crust (yes, you read that right) in this quiche is so much easier to make than a traditional quiche crust (and definitely easier than homemade pie crust) and the flavor and texture is out of this world.
Get the recipe here.
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Ania Marcinowska via Lazy Cat Kitchen10 Vegan Quiche Tarts with Wild Garlic from Lazy Cat Kitchen
These mini quiches are perfect for meal prep because they’re so easy to freeze and you don’t even have to turn on your oven to heat them up. Just pop them in the microwave, serve with a side of one of these soups to freeze, and enjoy.
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Lisa Lin via Healthy Nibbles and Bits11 Mexican Quiche with Oat and Almond Crust from Healthy Nibbles and Bits
This recipe uses a homemade crust made from a mix of oat and almond to keep everything gluten-free and just as crispy as a dish like this should be. Ingredients like chopped tomato and pepper, pepper Jack cheese, and spices like cumin give the whole thing a Mexican-inspired flavor.
Get the recipe here.
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Eric Jones via Dude That Cookz12 Broccoli Quiche with Cherry Tomatoes from Dude That Cookz
Though broccoli and cherry tomatoes are the stars of this quiche, the recipe suggests adding as many vegetables as you desire. Consider this recipe a great opportunity to empty out your fridge crisper drawer. You can even throw in a bit of deli meat for a bit of extra protein if you so desire.
Get the recipe here.
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Andrea Bemis via Dishing up the Dirt13 Ratatouille and Sausage Quiche from Dishing up the Dirt
Eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes—all the usual fixings of a great ratatouille also happen to make for one exceptional quiche. The addition of cheddar cheese makes it even better. The recipe provides instructions for making your own crust from scratch, but you can always use store-bought to save time.
Get the recipe here.
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Beth Moncel via Budget Bytes14 Bacon, Broccoli, and Cheddar Crustless Quiche from Budget Bytes
Don’t have time to bother with dough (homemade or store-bought) but still want some bacon quiche-y goodness? This crustless recipe has all the flavors you’re looking for and only needs six ingredients—cheddar cheese, Parmesan, broccoli, bacon, milk, and (of course) eggs!
Get the recipe here.
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Elizabeth Stark via Brooklyn Supper15 Sheet Pan Quiche with Spring Alliums from Brooklyn Supper
This sheet-pan recipe is further proof that you don’t actually need a pie dish to make a perfect quiche. Spring greens like ramps and dandelions not in season? Feel free to swap in whatever is, like kale in the winter.
Get the recipe here.
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Adrianna Adarme via A Cozy Kitchen16 Silky-Ass Quiche with Gruyère and Fresh Herbs from A Cozy Kitchen
This quiche is silkier than most thanks to the use of both cream and milk. Throw in a bit of diced ham for some extra protein and an exceptional ham and cheese quiche recipe.
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17 Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust from Ambitious Kitchen
No dough? No problem. This inventive recipe uses thinly sliced sweet potato to make a gluten-free yet totally satisfying crust alternative. Consider it a cheesy, tasty potato quiche.
Get the recipe here.
