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.
I never leave a comment. But, this recipe was spectacular! Thank you so very much for sharing.
I was wondering if this would work in silicon muffin cups for easter brunch. If so, any idea of how long to cook?
Hi Allise, It may work but I hesitate to say for sure because a number of readers who have made my egg bites in silicone muffin cups have had problems with them baking evenly and taking longer to set. If you have a metal muffin tin, you can make these as muffins, but they will be very delicate. (Several readers have commented that they have made mini versions successfully.)
Another hit Jennifer! I have to make a lot of substitutions due to allergies, but even with my soy ‘creamer’ and my Chao shreds (fake cheese) it was delicious! Thank you for yet another amazing recipe that even “I” can eat! You are the best!
Made mine in cast iron skillet for less cleanup and turned out perfectly, as do all your recipes. Great for breakfast. I may make it in little tart pans so I have individual portions for portable lunches (will leave in the tins). When I was in France, I always purchased small quiches. They were handy when I needed to walk while eating (if short of time) or window shop. Neither my husband nor I missed the crust, and no crust saves a few calories. That’s saying a lot as he would design recipes with crust on everything if possible!
Thanks for another wonderful recipe Jenn. I will be treating quiche loving friends to this one!
Absolutely my go to quiche recipe, it’s fabulous!!!
Hi Jenn,
I’ve made this quiche before and it is so delicious! I’d like to make it again but add jumbo lump crab meat. Are there any alterations you suggest for the recipe? How much crab meat do you think I should add? Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes, I have been a fan for years!
Hi Christine, So glad you like the quiche! I think this would be nice with crab meat. I’d probably cut the broccoli in half and supplement it with the same amount of crab meat (so about 5 ounces). Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Thank you so much! I followed your suggestions and substituted asparagus for the broccoli. It worked out beautifully and the crab was delicious in the quiche. I highly recommend this variation!!
So glad it came out well — thanks for reporting back!
Did you use a lump crab meat in a container in the meat section? Or canned from shelf?
I just discovered this recipe on 3/21 when searching for a recipe to use up a bunch of extra broccoli. I love trying new recipes and had been wanting to make a quiche for awhile now. Oh my goodness! This recipe is amazing! My husband and I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to make it again. It’s so perfectly fluffy! I didn’t have gruyere on hand so I used pepper jack. We like a little bite to our foods and just loved it. I would like to try it with gruyere and maybe extra sharp. I’m just a big fan of cheese. Haha I like the idea above of adding crab also, so I’ll experiment. But I wanted to leave a great review because we can’t stop raving about this to everyone.
This looks delicious! I need to make a couple egg casseroles/stratas for an early-morning Easter breakfast at church. Could this possibly be done in a 9×13 pan, made the night before and cooked the next morning? I have the same question for the quiche Lorraine. Thank you!!!
Hi Joani, for the crustless broccoli quiche, I think you could double it and use a 9 x 13“ pan. The baking time may be a little different but probably not much so just keep a close eye on it. For the quiche Lorraine, are you proposing making that crustless? If so, I think that will also work. Hope that helps!
Can I make this the night before and bake in the morning?
Sure, that will work. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious! Made it exactly as written, except that mine was done after about 50 minutes. Flavor and texture were perfect! I am a crust lover, but didn’t miss it at all. I had never made quiche before, but have now made this and your quiche Lorraine…both excellent. Thanks for the recipes!
I love this recipe and w/shelf stable whipping cream often in our pantry, as well as shallots, I am able to whip this up quickly. I have made this for many friends and it is always an appreciated gift.
Also, your two cookbooks are the only ones I use now, because your recipes are foolproof, I learn a lot of helpful hints and my family wholeheartedly approves of your recipes.
Thank you, SH
💗
We love this recipe! First time I made it my husband thought just broccoli and cheese sounded a bit bland, so we added 1/4 pound prosciutto. Was delicious! Next time I made it was for the vegetarian entree at Thanksgiving (minus the prosciutto) and it was a big hit. Either way, you will love this!