This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This is the quiche recipe to beat all others! From the flaky pie crust to the creamy, perfectly set egg filling and savory mix-ins, this classic quiche delivers every time. It's simple enough for a weekday, but special enough for a holiday brunch or entertaining guests.
What I love most about this quiche recipe is how flexible it is. Whether you go classic with ham and cheese, keep it veggie-packed, or use what you have on hand, it is suited to serving any time of the day. Serve it with Honey Lime Fruit Salad for a balanced brunch, or pair with a Strawberry Spinach Salad or Cold Asparagus Salad for a light, yet satisfying dinner.
Kristen's Keys for Perfect Quiche
If you've ever had a quiche turn out watery, rubbery, or just underwhelming, these tips will help to fix that.
- Prebake the pie crust. This keeps the crust crisp instead of soggy.
- Opt for cream or half-and-half. Higher fat creates that smooth, custardy texture. Lower-fat options tend to bake up watery or slightly rubbery.
- Keep mix-ins to no more than 3 cups total. Overfilling can prevent the custard from setting properly, leaving you with a dense or uneven texture instead of a creamy, sliceable quiche.
- Cook and drain fillings well. Vegetables and meats release moisture as they cook. If they go in raw, that moisture ends up in your quiche, leading to a watery filling.
- Don't overbake. Pulling the quiche from the oven when the center still has a little movement ensures a creamy texture. Bake it until fully firm, and it becomes dry and rubbery.
How to a Classic Quiche
While quiche can be prepared using a variety of different fillings, this recipe starts with a buttery, tender pie crust and velvety, rich egg base. From there, you can customize it to your liking, and still feel confident it will turn out perfectly every time.
Step One: Prepare Pie Crust
Whether you start with pie dough or a frozen pie crust, the crust needs partially baked to keep the crust crisp and flaky.
For refrigerated pie crust sheets or a homemade pie dough: Roll it out, fit it into your pie plate, crimp the edges, then thoroughly chill to prevent shrinkage. Once chilled, cover the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and continue baking until the bottom crust is golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly.
For a frozen pie crust: There is no need to use pie weights or dried beans, simply bake from frozen for 10 minutes and then cool slightly.
Step Two: Prepare Egg Base
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Trust me on the nutmeg. It adds a bit of warmth, without making it taste like dessert.
Step Three: Add Fillings
Add 2-3 cups of your fillings (cheese, cooked meats, sautéed veggies) into the prebaked crust. Pictured here is a quiche made with diced ham and shredded cheddar. Then slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the top.
Give the pie plate a gentle tap on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles. This helps the custard bake up smooth instead of slightly spongy.
Step Four: Bake
Bake until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle. As the quiche rests, the eggs will continue to set, resulting in a perfectly creamy texture.
After baking, let the quiche sit for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This rest time allows the eggs to finish setting up and keep the slices intact.
Flavor Combinations for Quiche
While the options for fillings are endless, limit the mix-ins to 3 cups and aim for balance. I recommend using no more than 1 cup each of cheese, cooked meat, and sautéed vegetables.
From there, let your tastebuds guide you, or use my favorite combinations for inspiration.
- Ham and Cheddar: 1 cup diced cooked ham + 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Mushroom and Asparagus: ⅔ cup sauteed mushrooms + ⅓ cup blanched asparagus tips + ½ cup of shredded Swiss cheese
- Sausage and Cheese: 1 cup cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage + 1 cup shredded cheese of choice (cheddar or Swiss work well)
- Spinach: ½ cup defrosted and drained chopped frozen spinach (or 4 cups fresh spinach sauteed and drained of excess moisture) + ½ cup to 1 cup Swiss cheese or ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Olive and Feta: ¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives + ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers + ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Quiche Lorraine: Caramelized onions + 1 cup Swiss Cheese +1 cup cooked, chopped bacon
Make-Ahead Instructions
Quiche tastes just as delicious whether served freshly baked, at room temperature, or reheated. It can be assembled and baked the day you intend to serve it or prepped in advance for effortless entertaining.
- Refrigerate for easy leftovers or prep-ahead meals. Once baked, let the quiche fully cool to room temperature (~2 hours). Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and then foil. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 250°F oven for about 20 minutes to warm it through gently.
- Freeze for longer storage. Bake and cool the quiche completely, then freeze it until solid. Wrap tightly in foil and place in a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, bake from frozen at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, just until warmed through.
More Classic Brunch Recipes
- Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Easy Cheese Danish
- Asparagus Frittata
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Still need inspiration? Check out my ideas for Christmas Breakfast and Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes to create a spread your guests will rave about!
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Classic Quiche
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (9-inch) pie crust, refrigerated, homemade, or frozen
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup cream , or half and half or whole milk
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, optional
- 2-3 cups flavor additions, see notes for suggestions
Instructions
Pre-Bake Pie Crust
- If using a refrigerated pie sheet or homemade pie crust, roll out pastry dough into a ¼-inch thick circle and place it into a 9-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish tart pan. Trim off excess pie dough and crimp edges using your fingers. Place pie dough into the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- If using a refrigerated pie sheet or homemade pie crust, line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 375℉ (190℃) until lightly golden and set, 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and continue baking until the bottom crust is golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly.
- If using a frozen-ready to bake pie crust, bake the frozen crust for 10 minutes at 375℉ (190℃) , before filling with the egg mixture. Let cool slightly.
Assemble Quiche
- Once the pie crust has been baked, whisk or blend together 4 large eggs, 1 cup cream , ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg until light and fluffy.
- Sprinkle the desired additions (cheese, ham, veggies, etc.) evenly over the prebaked pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over the pie crust. Top with additional cheese if desired. Gently tap the pie pan on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake quiche at 375℉ (190℃) until eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes, checking on the pie crust after 25 minutes, and covering the crust with pie shields or foil to prevent over-browning. The quiche is done when the edges are set, but the center wiggles slightly.
- Let quiche cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and enjoying.
Equipment
Notes
- Ham and Cheddar: 1 cup diced cooked ham + 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- Mushroom and Asparagus: ⅔ cup sauteed mushrooms + ⅓ cup blanched asparagus tips + ½ cup of shredded Swiss cheese
- Sausage and Cheese: 1 cup cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage + 1 cup shredded cheese of choice
- Spinach: ½ cup defrosted and drained chopped frozen spinach + ½ cup Swiss or crumbled feta
- Olive and Feta: ¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives + ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers + ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally shared in 2019 and updated in 2026.
Wonderful! Can't wait to make it! HNY and thanks!
Make this all the time for my husband, who loves it as his meal of the day. Freezes really well.
Another great recipe, Kristen! I made this for Easter breakfast and it was a huge hit. For my husband, if there's no meat, it's not breakfast, so I made half with ham, spinach, and swiss. I made the other half with just spinach and swiss for my parents. It came out absolutely perfect! My only advice to people is that if you use a salty ingredient like ham or a saltier cheese, leave the salt out of the egg mixture. Loved this and will definitely make it again (and again and again!).
I love hearing you all enjoyed Kayla! And that is a great reminder about salty ingredients.
But how much cheese? I don't see the amount or what kind of cheese in this recipe.
Sue
Hi Sue! In the recipe card notes, there are combination flavor ideas. For ham and cheese, I use 1 cup chopped ham with 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Enjoy
This is a great simple quiche that is guaranteed to please. I made it for my last brunch date and everyone loved it
I am so glad this was a hit Krissy!
This is the perfect way to use up some eggs and feed our crowd! So delicious!
I am glad you enjoyed Suzy!
We love Quiche and this was perfect! We can't wait to make it again !
Hi Eden! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe so much! Thanks for sharing!
Love to start my day with a quiche! Great yummy meal for everyone .
It really is such a versatile recipe! And it keeps you full for hours!
Quiche is such a perfect idea for a brunch! Perfect classic recipe!
Thank you!!!