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Parmesan & Leek Quiche

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A variation on the classic French cheese quiche, this Parmesan and leek quiche is rich and flavorful.

Slice of parmesan and leek quiche on a plate with greens.

When I was studying abroad in France, every day for lunch I would walk to the pastry shop near my university and treat myself to an individual quiche fromage — a delicious little habit that quickly cost me all my skinny jeans. Over 20 years later, it is still one of my favorite things to eat. This parmesan and leek quiche is a wonderful variation on the classic French cheese quiche; the leeks impart a mellow, almost sweet onion flavor while Parmesan cheese makes the custard filling extra flavorful.

What You’ll Need To Make Parmesan & Leek Quiche

ingredients for parmesan leek quiche

I use a good-quality store-bought crust to save time but feel free to make your own if you prefer. The secret to success, whether you make the crust yourself or use pre-made, is to pre-bake it so it won’t be soggy.

For the cheese, it’s important to use authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for this recipe. You can always tell if it’s authentic by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”

Leeks are part of the onion family, but they have a milder flavor. They’re notoriously sandy and dirty (and very good at hiding it) so it’s important to wash them well. To clean them, cut off and discard the root ends and thick dark green parts, then cut the leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse each half under cold water, pulling apart the layers to remove any grit that’s tucked inside.

How To Make Parmesan & Leek Quiche

poking the crust with a fork

To begin, preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the pie shell from the freezer and thaw it until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork (10 to 20 minutes). Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork and bake on the center rack until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F.

Baked crust in a pie pan.

While the crust bakes, melt the butter in small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and season with a bit of salt and pepper.

sautéing leeks

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Do not brown. Taste and adjust seasoning (they should be well-seasoned). Set aside to cool.

sautéed leeks

In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, eggs, thyme, nutmeg, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

ingredients for custard in mixing bowl

Whisk well.

Bowl of whisked custard.

Spread the cooked leeks over the pre-baked pie shell, taking care not to puncture the crust. spreading cooked leeks over crust

Pour the egg mixture over top.

custard poured over crust; ready to bake

Bake at 325°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the custard is set and puffed.

baked parmesan and leek quiche

The quiche will deflate as it cools. Slice into wedges and serve hot or warm.

Slice of parmesan and leek quiche on a plate with greens.

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Parmesan & Leek Quiche

A variation on the classic French cheese quiche, this Parmesan and leek quiche is rich and flavorful.

Servings: One 9-inch quiche

Ingredients

  • 1 frozen deep-dish 9-inch pie shell
  • 1½ tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped leeks, white and light green parts only, from 1-2 leeks
  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1¼ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the pie shell from the freezer and thaw it until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork (10 to 20 minutes). Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork and bake on the center rack until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Don't worry if the crust cracks while baking; see note below on how to fix it. Turn the oven down to 325°F.
  2. Melt the butter in small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Do not brown. Taste and adjust seasoning (they should be well-seasoned). Set aside to cool.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, thyme, nutmeg, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
  4. Spread the cooked leeks over the pre-baked pie shell, taking care not to puncture the crust (it may be fragile around rim, or where there are air bubbles). Pour the egg mixture over top. Bake at 325°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the custard is set and puffed. The quiche will deflate as it cools. Slice into wedges and serve hot or warm.
  5. Notes: Be sure to clean the leeks well, especially between leaves where there can be a lot of grit.
  6. Note: Don't panic if your crust cracks -- you can easily fix it. Make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
  7. Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This quiche can be made up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to serving and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Calories: 551
  • Fat: 44 g
  • Saturated fat: 24 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 15 g
  • Sodium: 553 mg
  • Cholesterol: 229 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Hey Jenn, is this freezable? If so, should reheating instructions that you’ve already given above be followed? Thinking of making this for a friend that just had a baby and want to make freeze friendly recipes…thank you!!

    • Hi Jennifer, It should freeze just fine. Yes, just follow the reheating instructions above 🙂

      • Thank you!!

  • This was delicious! I made this as a trial because I’m assigned to bring a quiche for a French program at my daughters’s school and it came out perfectly. Even my picky daughter tried it!

  • Please try this recipe with potato’s! Sliced thin (sauteed) layered in over the leeks~ I did and it’s a fantastic combination! Sooo uymmy! The potatoes thickened the custard, so less cream can be used. Bon Appetit!

  • This quiche was amazing….so creamy! It was a huge hit in our house! It will be my go-to quiche from now on. Also, I made it earlier in the day and then heated it in the oven as Jennifer suggested to another poster (covered with foil, 325 degrees for about 20 minutes in my oven). It wasn’t piping hot, but I didn’t want to overcook it – however, it was just perfect and really made dinner easy! Thank you so much!

  • This recipe is great! I made some changes only because I didnt have cream I used light cream cheese and loosened it up with a splosh of milk. also to the leeks I added bacon snips. big hit ! thank you

  • I have tried so many quiche recipes – this is by far the best!

  • I replaced the heavy cream with 1% milk and it tasted great! We also use this as a base recipe and add broccoli, mushroom or just make plain cheese.

  • Pulled fresh leeks from my garden,picked fresh tyme-this recipe is deliscious! It tasted so gourmet,first quiche I ever made and looked just like the picture. Will make it again and a friend is making it for a July 4th party tomorrow!
    THANKS!

  • This looks so perfect and delicious.

  • This is amazing – perfect exactly as is – a wonderful combination of flavors!

  • Another great recipe! I made the spinach gruyere quiche the other night, and it was great, so I couldn’t wait to try this one. I once again omitted the crust and subbed in egg whites. My oven broke after I mixed everything together, so I had to microwave the quiche. I microwaved it for about 25 minutes. (My microwave is older.) I didn’t know what to expect microwaving it, but the quiche still turned out amazing! Thanks!

    • — Jamie Christine
    • Reply
  • I substituted the heavy cream with lower fat cream cheese and 2% milk. It came out beautifully! I added chopped sauteed bell peppers and mushrooms. “Wow!” Yumm-oooh!

    • — Elizabeth C. in Kansas
    • Reply
  • I made this for dinner tonight with some changes and it was great! I added mushrooms in with the leeks (because I love them) and substitued a combo of greek yogurt, milk and cream cheese for the heavy cream. My husband said it was the best quiche i’ve made. Thanks!

  • This quiche sounds wonderful!. Will have to see if I can find leeks in our local stores. I am very fond of quiche!

  • I loved the rich flavors in this recipe – I would recommend baking it for a crowd, otherwise you will simply eat it all weekend like me and my husband.

  • This is my new favorite meatless dish. Very yummy!!!

    I just used a store-brand frozen pie shell, salted butter, less cream (I substituted a half cup of the cream with fat-free milk), and used Stella Shredded Parmesan-Romano instead of the “good stuff.” Nevertheless, this recipe was a big hit with everyone.

    I found it easier to put the pie on a cookie sheet before baking because the shell was VERY full of the egg mixture.

    Thanks for the great recipe, Jen.

    • — Jennifer Smith
    • Reply
  • This Quiche looks and sounds awesome. Will definitely try this one!

  • I love Quiche .. our little local Secret Garden tearoom makes an asparagus quiche .. I shared your recipe with them!

  • What a great recipe to make for a brunch on a Sunday morning. This is so great! Very good and nutritious

  • This looks great, making it TODAY.

  • Looks DELISH!

  • So glad I found your website. Had a huge gathering over the weekend and made your cinnamon rolls, chai banana bread and this quiche. Everyone loved everything and requested recipes. Easy to make and tastes amazing! Thanks!

  • Sounds yummy – I love a good quiche recipe!

  • This quiche is simply delicious. Everyone in my family loves it.

  • The first time I ever used leeks was in this recipe and it turned out great!

  • I’m a sucker for quiche as well so I had to use your recipe as an excuse to make it yet again. I thought I’d miss a meaty aspect because I usually make with ham, but it was perfect without.

  • Wonderful spring quiche!

    • — Kara Murphy Schmidt
    • Reply
  • Yummy! looks really good! imma try that tonight for dinner

  • Incredible! This is one sure winner!

  • quiche is the only way I can get my husband to eat eggs for dinner. this one looks yummy, can’t wait to try it!

    • — susie dyksinski
    • Reply
  • Looks delish!
    Sorry, I’m totally a novice cook….but could you interchange the leeks for other veggies, keeping the egg/cream/seasoning ratio?

    • Hi Rachel, You could use shallots or onions, but leeks are definitely preferred.

  • This recipe is the first and only quiche I’ve made. Turned out amazing and my husband loved it!

  • this looks great

  • Made my first quiche and everyone loved it! I used half and half rather than heavy cream and it was rich and perfect, the whole family loved it! Used Trader Joe’s pie crust, comes in a 2 pack so I’m planning to try your spinach and gruyere quiche recipe soon! Thank you!

  • Buying the ingredients for this very soon so I can try it – YUM!

  • Looks fabulous. I’m on the way to get the ingredients now. Someone said Trader Joe’s pie crust is better than Whole Foods.

  • I made this for a shower and everyone loved it!

  • Making out my shopping list, so I can make this tonight.

  • Looks delicious… can’t wait to try!

  • This is delicious. I found it a little salty, so next time I will leave out salt. I used my own homemade crust, made with butter. My family loved this.

  • This was soooo good. Made this the day you posted the recipe! …. Need to make this again soon!!

  • i have leeks, fennel and green onions in the crisper. i think this would be a good use for those vegetables. thabks for the idea.

  • I made this to bring to a quiche cook-off that my church hosts, and i won… 😉

    BTW – I forgot to buy heavy cream and was thinking I would def come dead last since I used a combo of skim milk and greek yogurt instead.

    Nope, still won.

    THANK YOU!!

    • That is so exciting, Lora! Thanks for letting me know!

  • That is one luscious looking quiche – yummy!

  • Sarah, You can reheat it, covered w/ foil, in a 325 degree oven until hot, about 10-15 minutes.

  • This quiche was unbelievable – I will definitely be making it again! Question – I would love to make it in advance and reheat it to make entertaining a little bit easier. What is the best way to reheat a quiche?

  • Made this last night and we absolutely loved it. The cream is what makes it sinfully good! Thanks!

  • Delicious! Great and simple.

    • — Aysegul - nysdelight
    • Reply
  • mmm… looks yummy!

    • — the domestic mama
    • Reply
  • This quiche would be worth stepping up to the next size jeans.

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