Breakfast Quiche Recipe

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This Breakfast Quiche Recipe is deliciously creamy and rich.  Filled with breakfast sausage, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, and caramelized shallots, this is a delicious way to start the day.

this recipe

Deliciously silky smooth

Asiago cheese lends its nutty flavor which partners well with the savory ingredients to add more depth of flavor.  This quiche recipe is perfect for a spring brunch party or for weeknight dinner.

What is quiche?

At it's heart, a quiche is a versatile and savory egg custard baked in a crust.  All custards contain eggs and a dairy product such as heavy cream, whole milk, or a combination of the two.

Full of savory ingredients

However, because of the eggs, a gentle cooking process is required.  When the eggs are overcooked, the proteins start to bond together creating clumps while forcing out water.  This is generally due to baking at a high temperature or cooking for too long.

Technique and temperature are very important to create a custard with a silky smooth texture.

Quiche Crust

This quiche recipe requires a flaky, buttery pie shell.  There are two options - making homemade pie crust or using a store bought frozen pie crust.

If you are going the store bought route, make sure to use a deep dish pie crust.  Most deep dish crusts contain 7 cups of filling.

If you are preparing a from scratch pie crust recipe, it is best to make the dough a head of time so it can chill before you roll it out.  Here is a recipe for a buttery, flaky pie dough - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/buttery-flaky-pie-dough.

Prepare the quiche crust

Using chilled pie dough, roll from the center of the dough and turn, making sure there is still flour underneath. If the dough sticks to the counter or the rolling pin, dust with more flour. Roll out to the desired size for the pie pan. Make sure the dough is the same thickness across all edges. Before putting the dough in the dish, brush off any excess flour.

Buttery Flaky Pie Dough

Make a fluted edge

On the outside of the doubled fold of dough, hold the dough between your thumb and forefinger. On the inside of the dough, press into the pinch with the knuckle of your other forefinger. Continue all the way around the pie pan until the edge is completely fluted.

Making a fluted edge.

Blind Baking

Blind baking, sometimes known as par baking, is the process of prebaking a crust before adding a filling.  This helps prevent a soggy bottom when making a fruit pie or a quiche.  Blind baking also helps to keep the crust flat by preventing it from puffing up and from sliding down the sides of the pie pan.  No matter if the pie crust is homemade or store bought, it will need to be blind baked.

How to blind bake

Have the oven preheated to 350 degrees.

Prepare the crust for blind baking.

1. Once the dough has been rolled out, fitted in the pie pan, and chilled for 30 minutes, take it out of the refrigerator.
2. Line the shell you are using with either parchment paper or aluminum foil.  I prefer foil because it can be molded to the shape of the pie pan batter than parchment paper.  Make sure you don't push whatever type of liner you use, paper or foil, into the dough.
3. Add pie weights, rice, or dried beans to the pie dish.  Dried beans are economical and can be reused a multitude of times.  Make whatever you use, it fills the pie dish all the way to the top. This helps to keep the crust from collapsing while baking.
4. Bake the crust for approximately 25 minutes until the sides are lightly golden brown.  You don't want the crust to be too dark since it will continue to bake when the quiche is in the oven.  For a store-bought pie crust, consult the package directions for baking times.
5. Remove the parchment paper or the foil and the weights from the pie crust.  Remember it is delicate and can crack easily.
6. Put the pie pan back in the oven for 5 more minutes until the bottom crust is dry.  Let the crust cool to room temperature before filling.

Breakfast Quiche Filling Ingredients

Ingredients for breakfast quiche recipe.

• breakfast sausages - You can omit the sausage if you prefer a vegetarian quiche.
• olive
• shallots 
• water
• cremini mushrooms 
• asparagus
• spinach
• asiago cheese
• large eggs 
• heavy cream
• whole milk
• fresh thyme leaves
• kosher salt and ground black pepper

How to prepare Breakfast Quiche Recipe

After the crust has been prepared and blind baked, preparing the breakfast quiche filling comes together quickly.

• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add the breakfast sausages and fully cook until browned. Occasionally rotate the sausages so that they are completely cooked. Place them on a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
• While the sausages are browning, cut the shallots into ¼-inch slices. Add the shallots to the skillet to caramelize in the fat remaining from browning the sausages.  If the bottom of the pan starts to get dry, add a tablespoon of olive oil.

Prepare the quiche ingredients.

• As the shallots start to cook, cut the mushrooms into ¼-inch slices.
• After the shallots have cooked for 5 minutes, there may be cooking residue or fond on the bottom of the skillet. Deglaze the pan be adding ¼ cup of water , scraping the bottom of the skillet to release the fond.  Continue to cook the shallots, until the water is absorbed,  for 3-4 minutes.
• Add another ¼ cup of water to the pan. Let the shallots cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan.  Saute with the shallots for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Season with ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Set aside while preparing other ingredients.
• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus stalks.

Caramelized shallots and browned cremini mushrooms.

Note

The spinach is not cooked before adding it to the egg mixture.  It is easier to incorporate fresh spinach because the leaves are not stuck together.  The asparagus is added to the egg mixture uncooked, as well.  It will be tender without overcooking when the quiche is baked.

Prepare egg mixture

• Add 2 egg yolks and 3 whole eggs to a medium bowl. Completely combine the eggs with a whisk.  
• Add the heavy cream and whole milk to the bowl, whisking together.
• Season the filling with ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt with ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
• Add the fresh thyme leaves, browned sausage, caramelized shallots and mushrooms, asparagus, and baby spinach to the bowl. Add ½ cup of the shredded asiago cheese. Fold everything together with the egg filling.

Quiche Filling

• Place the pie or quiche pan on a sheet pan.
• Sprinkle ¼ cup of the asiago to the bottom of the pie crust.

Add shredded asiago cheese to the bottom of the quiche.

• Pour the filling into the pie shell. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of cheese on the top of the quiche.

Ready for the oven.

• Place the quiche in the preheated oven. Bake the quiche for 45 minutes. It should feel set to the touch ,with the center not wiggling. The internal temperature of the quiche should be 160 degrees.  Look at the beautiful browned cheese!
• Let the quiche cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing so that the filling solidifies.  The interior has carryover cooking when taken out of the oven.  Waiting will make it easier to have clean slices.

Let the quiche cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Note

Prep the ingredients the day before.  If you prepare the ingredients the day before, let them come to room temperature after taking them out of the refrigerator. If the ingredients are cold, you may need to adjust the cooking time by a few minutes.

What to serve with this Breakfast Quiche Recipe

Here are some suggestions of what to serve with quiche.

1. green salad tossed with a vinaigrette
2. hash browns
3. roasted potato wedges
4. fruit salad
5. simple tomato salad

How to prepare tomato salad

This is a quick and simple salad to prepare.  In a small bowl -

• Using grape or cherry tomatoes, cut them in half.  How many tomatoes depends on how many people you are serving.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Again, the amount of olive oil depends on the number of tomatoes.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of chopped chives.
• Sprinkle in up to ¼ teaspoon of flaky salt in the bowl.
• Add a pinch of ground black pepper.
• Toss everything together and let the salad marinate for 10-15 minutes.

Easy Quiche Recipe

This  delicious Breakfast Quiche Recipe is the perfect addition to a brunch table for a family get-together.  Get a head start!  This savory and rich quiche recipe is very easy to prepare ahead of time.

The flaky pie crust will shatter as you take a bite.  Celebrate the season with some tender spring vegetables in a creamy and cheesy egg custard.

Recipe

Breakfast Quiche Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Compliments many cuisines

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 464kcal

Author: Ten Pound Cake Company

This Breakfast Quiche Recipe is deliciously creamy and rich.  Filled with breakfast sausage, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, and caramelized shallots, this is a delicious way to start the day.  

Print Recipe

Equipment

• 1 quiche pan or pie dish (I used a quiche an that was 2" deep and 9" in diameter.)
• 1 knife
• 1 cutting board
• 1 medium sized skillet
• 1 box grater
• 1 whisk
• 1 medium-sized bowl
• 1 sheet pan

Ingredients

• 1 recipe buttery flaky pie dough or a frozen deep dish pie crust. (recipe link in notes below)
• 5 breakfast pork sausages (4.21 ounces/120 grams)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 shallots (¾ cup/2.5 ounces/74 grams)
• ½ cup water
• 10 cremini mushrooms (1 cup/2.4 ounces/71 grams)
• 8 stalks asparagus (¾ cup/2.7 ounces/76 grams)
• ¾ cup baby spinach (1.1 ounces/32 grams)
• 1 cup shredded asiago cheese (3.5 ounces/100 grams)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 °.

Prepare the quiche shell

• If using homemade pie dough, roll the dough out to fit your pie or quiche pan. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork on the bottom and the sides.  There is a recipe link in the note below.
• The pie crust needs to be blind baked. Line the crust with a piece of aluminum foil, making sure it fits completely without pressing it into the dough. Add pie weights or dried beans to the top of the pan.
• Place the pie or quiche pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges of the crust are lightly browned. Remove the foil and pie weights.
• Place the pan back in the oven and continue to bake the crust for 5 more minutes. The bottom of the crust should feel dry. Prepare the quiche filling.

Prepare the quiche filling

• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add the breakfast sausages and fully cook until browned. Occasionally rotate the sausages so that they are completely cooked. Place them on a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
• While the sausages are browning, cut the shallots into ¼-inch slices. Add the shallots to the skillet to caramelize in the fat remaining from browning the sausages. If the bottom of the pan starts to get dry, add a tablespoon of olive oil.
• As the shallots start to cook, cut the mushrooms into ¼-inch slices.
• After the shallots have cooked for 5 minutes, there may be cooking residue or fond on the bottom of the skillet. Deglaze the pan be adding ¼ cup of water , scraping the bottom of the skillet to release the fond. Continue to cook the shallots, until the water is absorbed,  for 3-4 minutes.
• Add another ¼ cup of water to the pan. Let the shallots cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan. Saute with the shallots for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Season with ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Set aside while preparing other ingredients.
• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus stalks.
• Add 2 egg yolks and 3 whole eggs to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together making sure the egg yolks and whites are completely combined.
• Add the heavy cream and whole milk to the bowl, whisking together.
• Season the filling with ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt with ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
• Add the fresh thyme leaves, browned sausage, caramelized shallots and mushrooms, asparagus, and baby spinach to the bowl. Add ½ cup of the shredded asiago cheese. Fold everything together with the egg filling.
• Place the pie or quiche pan on a sheet pan.
• Sprinkle ¼ cup of the asiago to the bottom of the pie crust.
• Pour the filling into the pie shell. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of cheese on the top of the quiche.
• Place the quiche in the preheated oven. Bake the quiche for 45 minutes. It should feel set to the touch ,with the center not wiggling. The internal temperature of the quiche should be 160 degrees.  The cheese on the top of the quiche will be browned.
• Let the quiche cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Buttery, Flaky Pie Dough - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/buttery-flaky-pie-dough/

Note

The spinach is not cooked before adding to the egg mixture.  It is easier to incorporate  fresh spinach because the leaves are not stuck together.  The asparagus is added to the egg mixture uncooked, as well.  It will be tender without overcooking when the quiche is baked.  

How to prepare tomato salad

This is a quick and simple salad to prepare.  In a small bowl - 

• Using grape or cherry tomatoes, cut them in half.  How many tomatoes depends on how many people you are serving.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Again, the amount of olive oil depends on the number of tomatoes.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of chopped chives.
• Sprinkle in up to ¼ teaspoon of flaky salt in the bowl.  
• Add a pinch of ground black pepper.

Nutritional information is for the filling only.  It does include any data for the pie crust.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 206mg | Sodium: 988mg | Potassium: 472mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1177IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 2mg

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