We're Making This Ham & Cheese Quiche Recipe Just For The Crisp, Buttery Crust (2024)

A Delish favorite in the canon of classic recipes, quiche is the versatile dish we turn to again and again for occasions big and small. Our tried-and-tested version perfects every piece of the pie: a soft, creamy filling studded with ham, chives, and Gruyère all inside a crunchy, buttery pie crust. Read on to ace every part of this dream breakfast, from the crust to your dream filling:

The secret to the perfect quiche crust:
Blind baking is the secret for getting that perfectly crisp, firm base on any quiche. Be sure to chill the formed pie shell at least 30 minutes before baking, then line it with foil or parchment and fill to the brim with your choice of pie weights. (And please don’t think that you need to buy a ton of expensive ceramic baking beans either; I used a mixture of uncooked rice and dried lentils.) Some people like to dock (poke holes in) the bottom and sides of their pie crusts to prevent it from puffing up and out of shape during the blind bake; however, we found that if the foil liner is completely filled, the pie weights prevent any puffing, so docking isn't necessary.

After the crust has blind-baked for 20 to 25 minutes and the top and upper sides of the crust are dry to the touch, remove the pie weights and foil liner, brush the crust bottom with lightly whisked egg whites, and return the pie shell to the oven for 5 minutes more. Once baked, the egg white coating seals the crust, protecting it from the wet filling.

The key to the best quiche filling:
Everyone has their own ideal quiche filling combination. We’ve decided to feature one of our favorite flavor profiles, ham and cheese, with a few chives for some added pop. That said, feel free to customize the fillings according to your preference. Substitute cooked and drained sausage or bacon for the ham, or try Swiss, cheddar, or Monterey Jack instead of the Gruyère. You can also make this vegetarian if you like by exchanging the ham for 1 cup chopped cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus, or mushrooms. Just make sure the vegetables are drained and patted dry so they don’t leak out extra water or oil and spoil that rich, creamy filling.

Quiche variations:
We love this classic ham and cheese version, but we've got countless quiche recipes to experiment with once you've aced this one. Try our spinach quiche, crustless quiche (if you're looking for a low-carb version), crispy hash brown-crusted bacon and cheddar quiche, or our quiche Lorraine.

Made this? Let us know in the comments below.

Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 45 mins
Cal/Serv:
235

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour, for rolling

  • 1

    batch basic pie dough, chilled

  • 4

    large eggs, 2 separated, 2 whole

  • 3/4 c.

    heavy cream

  • 3/4 c.

    whole milk

  • 3/4 tsp.

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 tsp.

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 oz.

    cooked ham steak, finely chopped (about 1 c.), patted dry

  • 3 oz.

    shredded Gruyère (about 1 c.)

  • 1/4 c.

    thinly sliced chives

Directions

    1. Step1On a lightly floured surface, roll pie dough to a 1/4"-thick round. Lift and carefully transfer to a glass or metal 9" pie pan, letting sides slump into place (do not stretch).
    2. Step2Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, trim around edges of dough, leaving about 1/4" excess. Fold excess dough underneath dough lying on top rim of pie pan. Using clean fingers, crimp to seal.
    3. Step3Refrigerate dough until cold, about 30 minutes.
    4. Step4Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°. Cut a large square piece of foil or parchment and scrunch to wrinkle. Line dough with scrunched foil, then fill to the brim with pie weights, uncooked rice, or dried beans.
    5. Step5Bake crust until top and sides are dry and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil with pie weights. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites until blended. Brush over bottom of crust.
    6. Step6Continue to bake until bottom is dry and set, about 5 minutes more. Let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
    7. Step7In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and 2 egg yolks until blended. Whisk in cream, milk, salt, and pepper until combined.
    8. Step8Spread ham and cheese across bottom of crust. Top with chives. Gently pour egg mixture over top.
    9. Step9Bake quiche until filling is puffed and set with just a slight jiggle in the middle when pan is shaken, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool. Slice and serve at room temperature.

We're Making This Ham & Cheese Quiche Recipe Just For The Crisp, Buttery Crust (3)

We're Making This Ham & Cheese Quiche Recipe Just For The Crisp, Buttery Crust (5)

We're Making This Ham & Cheese Quiche Recipe Just For The Crisp, Buttery Crust (2024)

FAQs

Should I bake my crust first for quiche? ›

Blind Bake the Crust

This prevents it from getting soggy. Davila suggests blind baking your crust at 350 F for seven minutes, in addition to the overall baking time. Use professional pie weights to avoid bubbles in your crust, but any variety of raw dried beans poured into the crust would also work.

Can I substitute milk for heavy cream in quiche? ›

To replace 1 cup (237 mL) of heavy cream in your recipe, add 2 tablespoons (19 grams) of cornstarch to 1 cup (237 mL) of milk and stir, allowing the mixture to thicken. You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe.

Why isn't my quiche creamy? ›

Too little dairy, and your quiche will be dry instead of creamy.

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

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

A standard large egg weighs two ounces and 1/2 cup of dairy (whole milk) is four ounces, therefore a handy 1:2 ratio! 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.

Do I have to blind bake quiche crust? ›

I used a flour-butter-water crust and I see that most recipes require pre-baking, but I never remember my mother doing this step. Editor: Yes, I recommend pre-baking the crusts for quiches because I think it helps keep them from getting soggy from the filling.

How to get the bottom of quiche crispy? ›

Some people like to paint the surface of the pastry base with lightly beaten egg white after the beans have been removed and before returning the dish to the oven as the egg white cooks onto the surface of the pastry and can act as a slight sealant to help to keep the pastry crisp.

Do you poke holes in pie crust for quiche? ›

Poking holes allows steam to escape

The reason for this, as The Spruce Eats explains, is that unless you create a place for the steam to escape, it'll get trapped within the dough. As a result, the crust will puff up and cause your pie to warp from the bottom.

Is heavy cream or half-and-half better for quiche? ›

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.

What happens if I use milk instead of heavy cream? ›

Keep in mind that flavor and fat content will determine where you can successfully make a substitution. For example, because milk doesn't have enough fat, it won't maintain a structure when whipped. So it wouldn't be ideal as a dessert topping, nor will it hold up in a pan sauce.

Can I substitute Greek yogurt for heavy cream in quiche? ›

If you're low on dairy ingredients, don't fret. Greek yogurt can substitute milk, sour cream and heavy cream. Milk: If you're short on milk, half and half or light cream, Greek yogurt can be used to make up for the difference.

Can you put too many eggs in a quiche? ›

Using too many eggs in the custard results in a quiche that rubbery and too firm when baked, while not using enough will prevent the custard from setting. Follow This Tip: Remember this ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy.

Should you beat eggs for quiche? ›

BEAT eggs, milk, thyme and salt in medium bowl until blended. Carefully POUR over filling in pie shell. BAKE in center of 375°F oven until center is almost set but jiggles slightly when dish is gently shaken and knife inserted near center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

Is quiche supposed to be crunchy? ›

Regardless of filling, the real key to an excellent quiche is a flaky, crisp, buttery crust that isn't soggy on the base. The filling does matter, too: You want the proper balance of eggs and milk so the custard is firm and smooth but not too eggy.

Are you supposed to bake the pie crust first? ›

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.

How long should I blind bake pie crust? ›

Line with the parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans, filling right to the bottom of the crimps. Place the pie tin on a baking sheet, and place in the oven. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven, remove the parchment paper and beans.

References

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