Crustless Broccoli Quiche
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
You May Also Like
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.
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Delicious! Surprisingly light considering all the cream and cheese. I did not have gruyere cheese so used 1 c regular Swiss and 1/2 c Monterey Jack. Definitely a keeper!
What temperature is this cooked at?
Hi Gloria, It gets baked at 325°F/160°C. Hope you enjoy!
Absolutely wonderful! I first made with Gouda but then used Gruyere the next time I made it. Creamy, smooth, delicious!
Jen, your quiche rivals the best we have here in France. Délicieux! Thank you for helping us all during these days where so much more cooking takes place in our homes as we feed and nourish our loved ones. I will be forever grateful for all your recipes and kind help; and know I am not the only one to say Merci Once Upon a Chef! Un grand merci from my family as well! All the best to you and your family Jen.
You’re so welcome, Damienne!! 🙂
Jenn, you never fail to disappoint. I had been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now. I don’t know why I waited so long. It is amazing.
Imagine sitting at an outdoor cafe in France, white linens on the table, overlooking the water on a perfectly sunny day. A piece of Jenn’s crustless quiche served on a fancy, flowered bone china plate. One bite of this creamy, delicious, decadent quiche sends you into oblivion! SERIOUSLY AMAZING!!!
During this challenging time, our imagination has to be at its best. Jenn’s quiche transported me there! ❤️
I doubled the recipe to share one quiche with a new Mom and the other with my daughter, also a new Mom! RAVE REVIEWS! Absolutely PERFECT! Thank you Jenn once more for sharing your gift with us 🥰
I followed this recipe exactly and my quiche was over baked in 30 mins. I make custards all the time in my oven – it does not run hot. The recipe was very disappointing.
This was absolutely delicious! Really lovely, creamy deliciousness! I did not miss having a crust. We had it for dinner with a salad and it was a nice change from our usual dinners. I would definately make this for a ladies lunch or anytime, really. My husband enjoyed it too. The gruyere gave it a nice nutty taste and the cream added to the richness making it satisfying but you did not leave the table feeling stuffed like you do when you eat some rich dishes. I would not change a thing.
Hi Jen, I have been making your quiche recipes for the past year; with the crust and without crust. I always have used the heavy cream and they ALWAYS came out perfectly yummy!
I only have sour cream and 2% milk. Can I use those instead of heavy cream? If so, what amount of each would you recommend?
Hi Penny, the sour cream will give the quiche a bit of a different flavor but a few readers have commented that they’ve made substitutions like that successfully. I’m not sure what the ratios would be; you’re basically looking to achieve the consistency of heavy cream so you may need to play around with it a little. Please LMK how it turns out!