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.
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.
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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
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- 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.
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Do you have to use shallots or are onions fine? What type of recipes are shallots essential?
Hi Laura, Shallots are a bit more delicate in flavor, but it’s perfectly fine to substitute onions here and in most cases. The only time I wouldn’t would be in something like a vinaigrette, where the shallots are raw.
Hello! I made the recipe but made it in a cupcake pan. It’s delicious 😋 I made it in smaller portions to share and eat throughout the weeks.
Hi Jennifer!
I’m trying to use up what I have in my freezer. Can I substitute homemade cashew cream and mozzarella?
Thanks!
Hi Iliana, The mozzarella will work, but not sure about cashew cream. (It may work with it, but I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure.) If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
This is actually the best quiche I’ve ever made… I was hunting for a keto friendly recipe… it was so good …. I only had cheddar on hand but worked well …. thank you for testing and perfecting this delicious recipe
I am having a bridal brunch and want to serve individual servings of food. Can this be made in muffin tins and is so, how long would you suggest cooking them?
Thanks! Love your recipes.
Hi Nancy, You can make these as muffins, but they will be very delicate. (Several readers have commented that they have made mini versions successfully.) I would guess they’d need 30 to 35 minutes in the oven. Hope everyone enjoys!
Hi, Jenn! I’ve made this probably a dozen times and LOVE it! I am making it ahead for the first time and have three questions.
First, if we’re eating it on, say, a Monday, how early could I make it ahead? Would Saturday be too early?
Second, what would you suggest for reheat instructions?
And third, I don’t see any review questions about adding meat. If I wanted to do, say sausage and mushroom, would you change anything?
Thanks so much! I’ve loved everything of yours!
Colleen
Hi Colleen, so glad you like this! You can probably get away with making the quiche on Saturday and serving it on Monday but I wouldn’t push it any longer than that. To reheat it, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven until hot in the center, about 30 minutes. And regarding using mushrooms, any veggie is fine to use in place of the broccoli; just keep the ratio of veggies to custard the same – and cook and season the vegetables before adding them. Same goes for sausage. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
This recipe was so easy and fantastic! I prepared exactly per the recipe and it came out creamy and so flavorful. I was surprised at how well the slices held together. This one is a definite keeper. Thanks Jenn!
Great quiche. Used the gruyere cheese and it was perfect substituted 2% milk and 1/2 cup of buttermilk in place of the heavy cream.
Amazing recipe. Made Quiche for the first time and it was a hit with the family. Thanks Jenn!
LOVE this recipe! Thank you for sharing it.
I have some BABY zucchini I need to use. Do you think I could just chop them up into 1/2″ or 1/4″ slices and substitute for the broccoli?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Glad you like it! Yes, you can use zucchini here. Just keep the ratio of veggies to custard the same – cook and season the zucchini before adding it. 🙂
Once again I have made this great crustless broccoli quiche. I had to modify some ingredients. No cream so I made a substitute out of milk and salt-free butter. No gruyere cheese, so used coastal cheddar. It was still very delightful. I paired it with your carrot salad as suggested and because I had to use up some of the 10 lbs of carrots I had to buy as there were no smaller packets available. It is always a pleasure to turn to your pages for meal recipes. Thanks
I’ve made other broccoli quiches but this was by far the best. I used a 12 oz bag of steamed frozen broccoli florets drained well. I also didn’t have any gruyere chesse so used a combination of muenster and colby jack cheese. Everything else was the same. It came out delicious. The next time I will use gruyere to make a comparison. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Jenn!
Could I substitute aspargus as I have an ABUNDANCE from my garden??
Thank you!
Kristen Berry
Sure! Just be sure to cook and season it before adding them. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
This is my go to quiche recipe. My family of 15 loves it being crustless as it is lighter and tastier! I love it because it’s easy to prepare!
I didn’t miss the crust at all, the best quiche recipe I’ve ever made! The flavors really shine. Wouldn’t change a thing, thank you for a great recipe.
Since I used the last of my Gruyere for your mac and cheese the other night (also delicious), I used sharp cheddar. Worked perfectly well! Also, I threw in some bacon that I had leftover from the weekend. Delicious as always, Jenn.
Question: If I wanted to make this WITH a crust, would the egg and cream amounts still be the same?
Glad you like the quiche! If you want to add a crust, I’d reduce some of the ingredients: I’d use 4 eggs, 1-1/4 cups cream, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of cheese. Please LMK how it turns out!
Dear Jenn –
This recipe is absolutely amazing! This is the 8th recipe I have made and I will receive your cookbook within the week. Thank you for sharing your talent for cooking and creating with all of us.
❤️
I made this quiche this afternoon. The aroma coming out of the oven was so tantalizing. We decided to have dinner early with our HH drinks. It did not disappoint. I cooked it for 55 minutes as I had a 9 !/2″ deep dish glass pie pan. Perfecto mondo!!!
I did have to use about 1/4 C buttermilk. I was short on the amount of heavy whipping cream. No noticeable effects. In fact I may just add buttermilk next time. Maybe a 1/2 cup. Let’s live dangerously.
My husband thought it was so fantastic. Coodos to Jennifer.
Will have some tomorrow for lunch and then maybe freeze the rest for another day.
Thanks Jennifer. Wow.
Sunny D.
I have made this several times and it is delicious! Question, can I swap frozen SPINACH for the broccoli?
Glad you like it! Sure, spinach should work here. I’d use a 10 oz. box of frozen chopped spinach. Make sure to remove all the excess liquid so that the quiche isn’t watery. Please LMK how it turns out!
This quiche was delicious and easy to make. It was creamy and flavorful, not hard and eggy like some recipes. I think the Le Gruyere Switzerland gruyere is key to the recipe, along with the cream. I used the Baleine salt specified but would suggest to reduce the 3/4 t amount salt slightly. I baked my quiche for 55 minutes.
Would you recommend frozen broccoli spears or frozen chopped?
Hi Christi, I’m not sure how small frozen chopped broccoli is, but you basically want pieces of broccoli that are in 1-inch (or just under) pieces.
Hi Jenn,
Can a package of frozen broccoli (10 oz. pkg.) be used instead of fresh?
If so, would you recommend chopped or spears, and how would you cook the broccoli, so most of the liquid is cooked off?
Thank You!
Hi Christi, Yes, frozen broccoli will work here and I’d cut it into 1-inch pieces. Just skip the step of cooking the broccoli since frozen broccoli is already cooked. Please LMK how it turns out!
Should the frozen broccoli be thawed out first or use frozen?
Yes, I would thaw it first. Enjoy!
I just made this recipe with frozen broccoli chunks. I simply added a bit less water while cooking and cooked for only a few minutes as it was already blanched. It is delicious.
Enjoying a slice of quiche while typing up this review. This is so easy to make, pretty much fool proof. I used sharp cheddar instead and it turned out AMAZING and so yummy. Thanks again for another easy and delicious recipe!
BEST quiche recipe I’ve ever had!! I substituted a combination of monterey jack and medium cheddar cheese for the Gruyere (Gruyere very expensive and not my favorite cheese anyway). Followed the recipe otherwise but added a little black pepper. Love this quiche recipe.
Hi there, I’ve just found this recipe and it looks amazing! I want try making it but I’m not a fan of the egg taste in quiches, is there a way of reducing that “eggy” taste? I’m guessing I can’t just reduce the quantity of eggs as that would put the ingredients out of ratio.. any suggestions? thanks! 🙂
Hi Cleo, I wouldn’t reduce the number of eggs in this as the quiche really needs them to provide structure. That said, I don’t think this tastes overly eggy. (There’s enough cheese and heavy cream that it that the egg flavor is not overpowering.) Hope that helps and that you enjoy if you make it!
Can you make this with a cast iron skillet? Thank you! PS I LOVE your recipes!!!!
Glad you like the recipes! And I do think this would work in a cast iron skillet. Please LMK how it turns out that way!
Delicious and an easy and last minute meal. The gruyere cheese makes it very special and the Swiss is superior to any other. Leftovers as good the next day!
i have onion (no shallots) and cheddar cheese (no gruyere). think it will work?
Sure, Dawn, those tweaks will still give you a good finished dish. Enjoy!
Delicious! I used what had on hand. Substituted sour cream for cream, and used extra-aged Irish cheddar. Baked in a countertop oven at 325, and then turned down to 300 after 30 minutes since I used a glass pie pan. The custard set properly, and it all held together when cutting the slices. Thank you, Jenn.
This turned out so good! My whole family loved it. I did have a little liquid seeping out of the quiche when I cut it, but it wasn’t that much. Maybe I used too much broccoli?
Hi Olivia, Sorry to hear it was a bit watery. Did you cook broccoli until the liquid evaporated or drain off any extra liquid? Did you use heavy cream? If you used ½ and ½ or milk, it will end up watery.
I made this with a can of full fat coconut milk to cut down on the dairy and it was phenomenal!!! Super silky, creamy, light and still easy to cut! So so so good. Thank you!
I made this recipe today and it turned out awesome. I love quiche and I did not miss the crust. I used fresh broccoli and havarti as this is what I had on hand. I will definitely make this again. I did not know how to upload a photo of my finished product with my review. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Very good recipe, as usual. Thanks! My quiche turned out really well, but it took only 50 min to bake. I think my oven may be a little too warm. It tasted great too, but next time I’ll cut back even more on the salt. I think half a teaspoon in total should be enough. The cheese is salty.
I tried this recipe, sautéed onions in bacon grease, this was absolutely a very easy and delicious recipe! Going to make it again but maybe try different cheeses, add different veggies, thanks for the recipe!!
I just made this tonight, super super easy, added sautéed onions in bacon grease, used 2 bags 10oz frozen broccoli, 8 extra-large eggs and 2 cups heavy cream, mixed all very well, poured into deep-dish pie plate, pressed the broccoli down and to the sides of pie pan, added crumbled cooked bacon. Sautéed onions in bacon grease them added to egg mixture with gruyere and Cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste, baked it 325 degrees for one hour. 10 minutes to cool down. Absolutely delicious and will make this again but add bacon, etc. Easy to make and so yummy. thank you form sharing this.
I made this and it is easy and delicious! I made some homemade salsa and it was a Mexican quiche for us. Viva Once Upon a Chef!
Hi Jenn, Was looking for a meatless dinner idea for tonight and your email with broccoli quiche recipe is just what I needed. I am a low carber so it is even better that it is crustless!
Can you give me some tips on how to convert the typical quiche recipe to be crustless? Also, would your spinach quiche recipe work as is without a crust or would I need to make adjustments to recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Ann, glad the email with this recipe was well-timed! I don’t think there are one-size-fits-all rules when it comes to converting traditional quiche to crustless versions — it really depends how sturdy the quiche is. (And I think my spinach quiche is sturdy enough to be made crustless as well). Hope that helps!
Thanks for your earlier response, Jenn. I made your broccoli quiche without changing anything and it was delicious and very filling. My husband liked it too and he is not a quiche fan! I plan to make it again this Friday for a great meatless Lenten dinner. Thanks again! Anne
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
For lactose intolerant family, what can I substitute for the heavy cream?
would almond milk or lactose free milk work? or?
Many thanks
Lynne Mitchell
Hi Lynne, For a non-dairy alternative to heavy cream, some readers have mentioned that they’ve used Rich’s non-dairy coffee creamer (frozen) and Trader Joe’s unflavored non-dairy creamer. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried it with either of these.)
Turned out really well. Will definitely make again. I didn’t have a deep dish so I reduced the eggs to four and only put 1 Cup of heavy cream. One question: why can’t we brown/caramelize the shallots a bit? Wouldn’t that add a nice flavor?
Hi Jeanette, Glad you enjoyed it! If you prefer to shallots to be a bit browned, that’s perfectly fine!
I’ve been using lactose free whipping cream.
Can I assemble this and cook it later in the day?
Sure, Mary, that will work. Enjoy!
This was absolutely fantastic. We make flourless egg casserole type dishes but never cooked one at 325. I craved breakfast every morning until it was gone
Thank you for a delicious breakfast!
🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Love, love, love this quiche. I agree with Holly, we don’t miss the crust at all. So tasty and easy to make, it’s my go to meal on a busy week night.
This broccoli quiche is delicious! Even a crust-lover like me didn’t miss the crust! I will be making this again and again, with different veggies such as spinach and mushrooms. Every single recipe of yours (about 20) that I have tried has turned out as promised – easy to prepare with readily available ingredients and most important…..delicious! Thank you Jenn!
I forgot to add the 5 stars!
After my disappointing store bought crust for the Quiche Lorraine I decided to try this crustless quiche. I added a few slices of bacon crumbled with the hopes of enticing my two school aged kids. No dice. While both like broccoli they would not eat this quiche. That’s ok because it meant more for my husband and I. I found that I didn’t miss the crust at all. This reheated well and was breakfast for a few days.
Absolutely delicious and a cinch to make. Thank you for yet another wonderful family meal option😁
I love this quiche but are there any other vegetables suitable to use in this recipe
Sure, Rosemarie, other veggies will work here (I like asparagus or mushrooms). Just make sure to keep the ratio of veggies to custard the same – and cook and season the vegetables before adding them. Hope you enjoy!
The crustless quiche is excellent, easy to make and flavorful! Thank you!
First quiche, turned out perfect.
Easy to make and nice custard texture. Will make often and add other ingredients. Your recipes never disappoint!
I love this quiche! It’s my go-to recipe for breakfast when I’m having overnight guests. Because everyone gets up at different times, I like to make it the day before, so they can just zap a slice in the microwave when ready to eat. It’s both delicious and convenient.
Hi would spinach be a good substitute for broccoli? If so, how much would you recommend? Thanks! Love your recipes!!
Sure, Vee, spinach should work here. I’d use a 10 oz. box of frozen chopped spinach. Make sure to remove all the excess liquid from the broccoli so that the quiche isn’t watery. Please LMK how it turns out~
My spinach quiche turned out great! I used a 10 oz bag of baby spinach that I chopped up because that’s what I had. I added that to the sautéed shallots in the pan. I also added the 1/3 cup water like in the broccoli recipe. Maybe I should have omitted adding that water because it never seemed to evaporate, so I had to squeeze the spinach/shallot mixture before I added it to the pie plate. Your thoughts on that? Also, what do you think about sautéeing minced garlic with the shallots? Maybe that’s not considered traditional. And what’s a “pinch” of nutmeg? Maybe I should add more. Thanks Jenn! I just love your recipes!
Hi Vee, glad to hear the spinach quiche turned out well. And yes, if you make it again, I’d avoid adding the water. The water is used for this quiche to help cook the broccoli but it’s not necessary for the spinach quiche (and sauteed minced garlic would be a nice addition). And a pinch of any seasoning is just that — it’s the amount you can pick up between your thumb and index finger. (If you measured it, it would be somewhere between 1/16 and ⅛ tsp.)
Can this be frozen after baking?
Sure – hope you enjoy!
My second recipe of yours in 3 days! This came out amazingly delicious–the eggs were so custard-y and light. Some minor modifications: broccoli was already steamed so I just sauteed the shallots in butter; half & half instead of full cream, and doubled the recipe. Awesome that this freezes well too! Thank you!
Has anyone added tomatoes to this recipe
I keep it vegetarian and kick it up a notch by adding dried shallots to the egg/cream mixture and it gives it a little extra saltiness akin to bacon and comes out with crunchy bits so the texture has some bite. Love it.