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.
Table of Contents
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
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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Easy to make. I don’t cook much anymore but was looking for a good breakfast meal; this is very good. – excellent
Hi Jenn, I’ve made your Quiche Lorraine recipe and it was the best quiche I’ve ever tried. I plan on trying this one but I’m wondering if frozen broccoli will work or do you think it will be too watery? Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the quiche Lorraine! Yes, you can use frozen broccoli here — just skip the step of cooking the broccoli since frozen broccoli is already cooked.
Hi there…thank you for the lovely and easy quiche. I used 4 eggs and reduced the other ingredients proportionately, as it was just for 2 of us. I will definitely make this again.
I love this recipe!! It is delicious!! I have used it and shared it MANY times- would you double or triple this recipe for a 15” x 10” Pyrex casserole dish? How would you adjust baking time? I am making this for a baby shower and will be refrigerating it overnight and reheating it the next day. Your recipes are amazing! Thank you!!
Hi Susan, I think I’d double it for that size dish. Bake time may be a little different but probably not much so just keep a close eye on it. Hope everyone enjoys!
hi!
I LOVE your recipes.
Do you think this quiche could be made into “mini” using cupcake tins? I would love to try to keep them in the freezer and pop them out for a quick breakfast for the kids on school days.
thanks!
Glad you like the recipes, Lindsay! You can make these as muffins, but they will be quite delicate. (Several readers have commented that they’ve made mini versions successfully.) Enjoy!
I’ve made this 4 times and every time is absolute perfection!!!
This was awesome! I was having 18 people for dinner so I doubled the recipe and made one portion in a 9 X 13″ ceramic baking dish and another portion in a 9 X 9″ aluminum pan (because that’s all I had available). I also made a small ‘taste tester’ portion in a mini 2 X 3″ loaf pan so I could taste it before serving for the family dinner. I baked all of it in the oven at the same time, for one hour @ 325F. I just rotated the baking pans after 1/2 hour. I made it the day before a family dinner and heated it up for 30 minutes @ 350F before serving it. It was fabulous. I used extra bold cheddar cheese. This recipe is now a family favourite — served with a salad and a side of bagels it was the perfect Yom Kippur break the fast meal. Thank you Jennifer for a fabulous recipe and for being so responsive via email.
I’d like to make this recipe to feed 80 people and need help to break down the ingredients and cooking time for 9×13” casserole dishes. I may be getting in over my head, but a healthier choice would be nice to have available for our Ladies Retreat. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Jean, I haven’t tried it in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, but I think it should work. The cook time will be a bit longer but it’s hard to say how much so just keep an eye on them. If you’re open to a different egg dish, this Spinach and Cheese Strata is baked in a 9×13 so there would be no guessing about timing. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Made this tonight and we both loved it. Didn’t even miss a crust.
I had 5 mini portobellos so added those to the sauté pan with the broccoli and shallots.
Used 2% milk because that’s all I had.
We’ll definitely make this quiche again!
Thanks for your recipes.
Jenn, could I make this in a very deep 8 in square dish
Yes, Carol, I think you could get away with that. It may take a tiny bit longer in the oven so just keep a close eye on it. Please LMK how it turns out!
Delicious! I made this last night for dinner after receiving your email in the morning with a link to the recipe. I cooked up some bacon and crumbled it on top of the broccoli. My young kids could not stop eating it and the four of us finished it all!
Your recipes have become a regular weekly occurrence in our house, especially the chicken tikka masala that happens every two weeks!
So glad your family is enjoying the recipes, Angela! 😊
Delicious. Wrote you about the cookbook. Just bought 2 – one for my daughter and I after noticing the ad. Would like suggestion about tasteless gruyere though. Thanks.
Glad you like the quiche and thanks so much for purchasing the cookbook! The brand of gruyere I like that is reasonably priced but has plenty of flavor is Le Gruyere Switzerland. I have gotten it at Whole Foods but believe that many large grocery stores carry it also. Hope that helps!
Jenn – Made this just now and cannot stop eating it! I added a bit more broccoli but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It is firm enough to cut and the eggs cooked perfectly. Thanks for another great recipe. Kathy
Would this recipe work with diced bacon or ham instead of broccoli or other vegetables?
Thanks so much for your help and for your countless delicious recipes!
Hi Max, you could try it with diced bacon or ham in place of the broccoli. While I think it would work, it won’t be super sturdy as the broccoli adds some firmness to the quiche. Also, I’d cut the added salt in half as the bacon/ham will add a decent amount of salty flavor. Please let me know how it turns out if you try it!
It held together and turned out well. My boys loved it! They won’t go near broccoli, and have an aversion to most other vegetables. So thank you, Jen!
Max
PS: Good warning about the salt–just a pinch is all that’s needed.
This is the second time I have made it and I doubled the recipe to have enough for leftovers. It’s also low carb which we track. It’s a good change from serving meat. I go in waves where I am tired of meat centered meals and I search for non meat meals. This quiche comes out thick, cheesy and delicious. My husband and son eat seconds and maybe a third serving. That’s proof that this quiche is worthy of serving to the people you love including to your dear friends at a dinner party. I’m thinking of cutting it up into small squares and adding to my appetizer spread. It’s really delicious! By the way, I used sharp cheddar cheese instead of gruyere.
Made this for dinner tonight–it was easy and SO delicious! This will definitely go into our regular rotation! Thanks for this great recipe:)
This quiche is fabulous! I’ve made it a couple times – it’s easy, loaded with flavor, the texture is superb – AND NO CRUST! I only added some diced ham. Gave my sister the recipe and she served it to guests and received accolades as well.
This recipe is absolutely delicious and easy to follow for extreme beginners like myself!
I make this recipe all the time and it turns out perfect and delicious. I also add cauliflower in with the broccoli. This is the first recipe of Jenn’s that I made and kept me coming back to try more. I have not been disappointed in anything I have made so far. Finally bought her cookbook and that has more great recipes.
❤️
Made it for dinner tonight , along with the suggested French carrot salad ! Everything came out great , sooo delicious.
Thank you !
Loved it and ate double the amount as so good! Some left for a lunch with salad so we can try it cold, also froze a bit to see how it freezes. Will ensure that the water is allowed to evaporate fully from the vegetables to avoid any hint of a soggy bottom.
How long would you cook in 3 five by five inch pie plates? I’m just about to make this?
Hard to say, Lesley, but I’d start checking around 40 minutes. Hope that helps!
If I was going to double this, what size pan would you recommend? Also, would the cooking time change?
I love ALL your recipes and look forward to trying more
Hi Nora, I’d use a 9×13-in baking dish. The cook time will be a bit longer but it’s hard to say how much; I’d just keep an eye on it.
Another five star recipe! I used sharp cheddar because that’s what I had on hand and it was delicious! Great week night meal!
I made two of these two months ago. One we ate right away and I recall – it was awesome. I had cooked them both off- andI forgot all about the other one that I had wrapped well and placed in the freezer. Until I was cleaning the freezer and sent the frozen quiche to my parents who were returning from several weeks away from their home and an empty fridge.
It defrosted on the three hour drive there, got popped in the oven at 350* for twenty minutes and provided an awesome dinner for two tired grandparents home from a really long stay with four grandchildren.
As always, rockstar recipe, taste and happy humans eating happy food! Thank you!
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
💕
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!
Creamy, cheesy and delicious.
Hi Jen. I just made this and it was delicious. You mentioned that we could make the spinach gruyere quiche crustless too. I would like to serve them both at a shower and I have 4 of the same size pans, Would you add 2 more eggs and more cream to the spinach one in order to have the same level as the broccoli crustless in the deep dish pie plate? Or should I keep the proportions the same?Would you still put the gruyere on the bottom – or the spinach on the bottom.
Thanks in advance
Hi Kodie, Glad you liked this! For the spinach and gruyere quiche, what size are the pans you want to use?
This is just insanely delicious! Everything I’ve made from your site is delicious and this is no exception. I just started a keto diet and was hoping to find another great recipe that happened to be low-carbohydrate. This was perfect. Thank you!
The pans are 9 inch – deep dish
Should I put the spinach on the bottom?
Yes, Kodie, I’d start with the spinach. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
This recipe is delicious. I have a comment and a question. My oven is a convection oven and at the 325 cooking temp, within a few minutes, it looked like the quiche was starting to curdle so I reduced it to 300 then 280. It turned out fine. My question is whether it is necessary to pre cook the broccolli? I cooked it exactly as you suggested, and while the quiche tasted great I thought the broccolli was a little overcooked in the end, losing it’s very bright green color and a bit on the mushy side.
Hi Carolyn, Glad you enjoyed it! That makes sense re. the temperature, as the general rule for cooking in a convection oven is to reduce the heat by 25°F. I always pre cook vegetables for quiche but you might be able to get away with using the broccoli raw if you cut the pieces small. I think the broccoli will lose its bright green color either way, but it will definitely be more crisp.
Hi Jenn,
If I use a frozen pie crust, does it change the recipe? Would I need to pre-bake the crust first? I love your version, but I’m cooking for a traditional crowd. Thank you so much!
Hi Ivy, Yes I would pre-bake the crust in a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F. Also, you’ll need to reduce some of the other ingredients or it will overflow – I’d use 4 eggs, 1-1/4 cups cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt (in the custard, keep the 1/4 teaspoon for the broccoli), and 3 oz gruyere. Hope that helps!
Amazing-as per almost every recipe of yours I’ve tried. Made exactly according to instructions. Loved it. A wonderful site. I tell everyone I know who loves to bake or cook to head here AND to purchase your cookbook. One suggestion? Maybe allow reviews to be left online for the recipes only in the cookbook. It might convince others of the value of owning your cookbook.
Without a doubt the best quiche recipe ever! I make it often. Tonight I stirred in a spoonful of your sundried tomato pesto into the egg mixture, it was insanely yummy! Thanks Jenn.
I have made this recipe as is and it is wonderful! I also made it last night with I/2 yellow diced in place of the shallots. ( I didn’t have any shallots) and used 10 large mushroom tops (baby Bella) in place of the broccoli. It was so good too! Great recipe. And pretty simple too!
This has become my go to quiche to make. I’ve made it with cheddar and swiss but I have to say the gruyere is my favorite. It is so creamy. Everybody loves it. My one cheat is I use frozen broccoli florets because I’m lazy. I put the bag in the fridge the night before to thaw and I don’t add any water when adding to the shallots. It turns out wonderfully. I just bought your cookbook and I’m looking forward to trying more recipes.
The first time I made this recipe, my daughter said its was the best quiche she has ever had. When she asks “what’s for dinner” and I say quiche, she gets a huge smile on her face. I was looking for a way to cut down the fat and calories so I used plain greek yogurt (non-fat) instead of the cream and it out comes out perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Carol — I want to try this quiche using your idea of Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt. Did you replace the entire 1 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream with the exact same amount of Greek Yogurt OR did you do a combo of the two? Just curious what you did there since you were happy with the results. That adjustment would make it a very friendly Weight Watcher Recipe for those dieting. Thanks!
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! ❤️