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.
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
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.
Add the broccoli, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/3 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.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, nutmeg, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper.
Spread the broccoli and shallots evenly over the bottom of the prepared pie plate.
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.
Then pour the egg mixture over the cheese.
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. This quiche reheats beautifully so don’t hesitate to make it ahead of time and warm up as needed.
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Crustless Broccoli Quiche
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-in (2.5-cm) 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
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-in (23-cm) deep dish pie plate with butter.
- 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 (80 ml) water. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is al dente and the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, nutmeg, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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We’ve made this many times, adding whatever veggies, meat and cheese that we have on hand. It never disappoints. It’s always light and fluffy.
I’ve made this twice for different gatherings and it was very well loved. Rich, creamy, and conforting – exactly what we need especially during the holiday season! Use a deep dish pie pan (which I did not have) and I had to spoon off some mixture before baking.
Hi Jen, my work is having a breakfast potluck meeting on Thursday. I’d like to make something savory/with eggs because so many people have already signed up to bring sweet treats. However, I don’t have access to an oven at work and the meeting is about an hour after I have to get here. Do you have a suggestion of a savory dish that is delicious at room temperature? Thank you for all your amazing recipes!
Hi Katie, A frittata would work nicely as can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature. Maybe this Zucchini and Cheddar Frittata would appeal to you. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
Silly question, but what size pie pan works best with this recipe? Thanks so much! Ps – I’m receiving my cookbook tomorrow and can’t wait – I’ve gotten so many amazing recipes from your website.
Hilary
Glad you like the recipes and thanks for purchasing the cookbook! You’ll need a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn- I make lots of your recipes and they make me look like a much better cook than I really am. But this recipe was fantastic. My husband said ” This is probably one of the best things you have ever made- its light, creamy and delicious” And best of all- it was easy to make. Thank you for helping me to be a good cook!
❤️
Absolutely delish! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!
I would really like to add sausage to this recipe, what do you recommend?
Hi Alese, That sounds delish – I think 1/4 pound would be about right. I would omit the butter…remove the sausage meat from the casings, crumble and brown in a dry pan, then remove the meat with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat in the pan to proceed with the recipe and cook the shallots. Please lmk how it turns out!
This was SO good!! My husband who doesn’t even like quiche or scrambled eggs, actually ate ALL of the leftovers. We subbed out spinach and mushroom in place of the broccoli and it worked perfectly.
Not only was this dish simple to make it was absolutely delicious and it freezes beautifully. We recently became empty nesters and this is the type of dish that can easily be reheated once frozen for a quick and elegant dinner when paired with a simple salad. Love your cookbook and the new site design. Please keep the recipes coming.
can swiss cheese be substituted for the gruyere? I have a lot of it.
Hi Mary, Gruyere is my preference here but swiss will work — the quiche just won’t have as much flavor.
I used gruyere and it was delicious (and I’m not a broccoli fan)! Making your classic tomato soup today…just want to echo what others have said: your recipes are DELICIOUS and I always feel confident making them…even experimenting on guests! Thank you for sharing your cooking wisdom with us!
Glad it turned out well, Mary — and so happy you’re enjoying the recipes! ❤️