Crustless Broccoli Quiche

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Crustless Broccoli Quiche

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Who needs crust? Going crustless with this broccoli quiche cuts down prep and cook time, plus carbs, letting the rich, cheesy custard and veggies take center stage.

crustless broccoli quiche

There really is no other way to put it: this crustless broccoli quiche is insanely delicious. Whether you serve it for brunch, dinner, or any time in between, it’s worth every single calorie. Doing away with the crust cuts down on prep time, cook time, and carbs—and the cheesy custard is the best part anyway. To hold the quiche together, I spread the broccoli out on the bottom of the quiche to create a crust-like layer, making the quiche sturdy and easy to serve.

If you’d like to substitute other vegetables, like asparagus or mushrooms, feel free but keep the ratio of veggies to custard the same and, of course, always cook and season the vegetables before adding them. As with my classic quiche Lorraine and spinach quiche, the oven temperature is key. Quiche should be cooked at 325°F (not 350°F as most recipes direct) for the creamiest, silkiest custard. Eggs like to be cooked gently, and those 25 degrees really do make a difference.

What You’ll Need To Make Crustless Broccoli Quiche

Quiche ingredients including heavy whipping cream, broccoli, and shallots.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To begin, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Do not brown.

Shallots and butter in a skillet.

Add the broccoli, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/3 cup water.

Broccoli in a skillet with shallots.

Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is al dente and the water has evaporated, 3-4 minutes more. Set aside.

Skillet of steamed broccoli.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, nutmeg, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper.

Whisk in a bowl of egg and cream mixture.

Spread the broccoli and shallots evenly over the bottom of the prepared pie plate.

Broccoli and shallots in a pie pan.

Sprinkle the cheese over top. I think Gruyère is perfect here — it melts nicely and has a nutty, earthy flavor — but Comté, Beaufort or Cheddar would also work well.

Shredded cheese in a pie pan with broccoli.

Then pour the egg mixture over the cheese.

Egg mixture in a pie pan.

Bake for about an hour, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.

Crustless broccoli quiche in a pie pan.

Let cool for about 10 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve. This quiche reheats beautifully so don’t hesitate to make it ahead of time and warm up as needed.

Slice of crustless broccoli quiche on a plate.

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Crustless Broccoli Quiche

Who needs crust? Going crustless with this broccoli quiche cuts down prep and cook time, plus carbs, letting the rich, cheesy custard and veggies take center stage.

Servings: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 25 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
  • ½ cup chopped shallots, from about 2 shallots
  • 10 oz broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces or smaller
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1¾ cups heavy cream
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1½ cups (about 5 oz) shredded Gruyère

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F degrees and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with butter.
  2. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Do not brown. Add the broccoli, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ⅓ cup water. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is al dente and the water has evaporated, 3-4 minutes more. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, nutmeg, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper.
  4. Spread the broccoli and shallots evenly over the bottom of the prepared pie plate. Sprinkle the Gruyère over top. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese.
  5. Bake for about an hour, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve.
  6. Make Ahead: This quiche can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To warm up individual slices, simply reheat in the microwave for about a minute. To reheat the entire quiche, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven until hot in the center, about 30 minutes.
  7. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooled quiche may also be wrapped tightly in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating 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)
  • Serving size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 483
  • Fat: 43 g
  • Saturated fat: 25 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 17 g
  • Sodium: 492 mg
  • Cholesterol: 321 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.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • Hi Jenn: I just pulled the crustless broccoli quiche out of the oven, and it smells delicious. I’m counting the minutes until I can slice it. It’s beautiful, and I know it will be fabulous. I was surprised that it was baked at 325 degrees because I have a crustless spinach quiche that bakes at 350, but not anymore because from now on, I’ll bake them at 325.

    • — Pamela H on December 1, 2024
    • Reply
  • Delicious, just like all of Jenn’s quiche recipes. This time I used sautéed chopped Swiss chard leaves in lieu of broccoli and added small cubes of lightly browned slab bacon (then followed the rest of the recipe). We enjoyed it immensely. I’m glad the other reviewer asked about baking in mini muffin tins, as that would make for a great appetizer. Will give that a go next time.

    • — Gail on November 7, 2024
    • Reply
  • Hi, Jenn –
    Would an 8”x 8” casserole be an appropriate substitute for th 9” deep dish pie pan? Would adjustments to baking time be necessary?

    • — Terri on October 27, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Terri, I’ve never tried it that way, but assuming you’re making it without a crust, I think that would work. The baking time may be just a bit longer, but keep a close eye on it. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

  • I make your quiche recipes all the time, as-is and with variations like adding bacon or mushrooms, using different cheeses, crust or no crust. They always turn out perfectly. What do you suggest for cooking times if I use standard muffin tins or mini muffin tins for individual quiche?

    • — Lynette on September 13, 2024
    • Reply
    • So glad you like the quiches! If you make these in a standard muffin tin, I’d guesstimate they’ll need 30 to 35 minutes. For mini muffins, I’d start checking them at about 25 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!

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