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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Jenn – I have to tell you that I don’t eat eggs and especially quiche because of so many eggs in it. I made this for a small dinner party as an appetizer. I took one small taste and ended up eating all the leftovers the next day. It was absolutely delicious. Making it again for the Easter Holiday. Your recipes are simply wonderful. Thank you. Bought your book. Love it.
Marylu
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Love that is crustless.
This is so tasty and delicious and also easy to prepare. Everybody enjoyed it.
Jenn,
Love so many of your recipes! Wanted to let you and your fans know that I tried substituting the cream in your crustless quiche with a low-fat option and am delighted with the result. I subbed the cream for 1 cup Greek nonfat plain yogurt plus 1/2 cup cashew milk. Wisked until smooth, and proceeded with the recipe.
Tofurky Italian sausage and spinach makes a savory quiche. Personal fave. I have used different cheeses, usually a combination. Comes out delicious. 👍🏽
I had to substitute half and half, regular onions and cheddar cheese. Still absolutely divine. It also freezes beautifully.
I served this when the bridesmaids were getting ready at my house. To make mini quiches I put them in cupcake pans. they really turned out perfect! Thanks!
I made this Quiche today and we all loved it! I was testing it partly to try to find more Company worthy breakfast ideas……I found it would be great for company, but also just for a nice Weekend Breakfast/Brunch since it is easy to make. It actually could work for any meal of the day depending what type of sides it is paired with (fruit salad / lettuce salad / breakfast meats, etc.). The only thing I changed was the type of cheese in order to use what I had on hand; I used Sargento’s “4 State Cheddar Cheese Blend”………..it turned out wonderful. This is the second recipe I have tried from your web-site…….loved them both……I’m looking forward to trying some more! Thank you!
Thank you Jenn, for another beautiful recipe! I like this no crust version. Question: Can I make this Vegan by using firm tofu instead of the cheese? Or can you recommend something else. Margarita
Hi Margarita, I’ve never worked with tofu, so I can’t say for sure how it will work here. In terms of a substitute for cheese, you could try a non-dairy version. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it with either of these tweaks!
This is a very easy and tasty recipe. Made exactly as written for first go around and will continue to do so except changing up veggie for variation. It is rich but balanced with a green salad, perfect combo. Thank you, Jenn!
Dry ingredients listed in ounces? No cook time listed in actual instructions..just color and set? Terrible instructions.
Hi Cynthia, I’m sorry you found the instructions unclear! The recipe actually has metric conversions. To view them, scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. And the baking time for the quiche is an hour (which you can find in the first sentence of the 5th paragraph). Hope that clarifies!