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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Can I freeze this quiche before baking & bake when it’s ready to be served?
Hi Roslyn, I’ve never frozen it before baking, so I can’t say for sure how it will work, but you can definitely freeze it after.
This recipe was just what I was looking for. I love how flexible it is. I used a few different ingredients (Swiss, broccoli and mushrooms with cardamom and cloves). I’ll experiment with different flavors next time, too. So creamy and you don’t miss the crust whatsoever. The cheese forms a type of crust on top. Keeper!
This is delicious! I brought it to a brunch and everyone raved about it, including my husband who wanted to know why I hadn’t made it before!
TOO MANY ADS! I can’t even get to your recipe without being popped out of place. Please add a PRINT link so we can read recipe without interference. Thank you
Hi Jody, I’m sorry about your frustration with the ads! I do have a print link – when you’re viewing the full recipe (near the bottom of the page), look in the upper righthand corner of that box – you’ll see an icon there that looks like a printer. Hope that helps!
Love this recipe. Pair it with a salad with your Balsamic Vinagrette. The best. Your recipes and measurements are spot on. Thank you
A great recipe for a delicious, homemade vegetarian dinner. I’ve made it with spinach and broccoli on separate occasions. I’ve even substituted whole milk for half of the cream, still delicious. You don’t even miss the crust. A keeper.
Can I double the recipe and bake in a 9″ X 13″ casserole? If so, how long should it bake.
Hi Mary Jane, 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. Enjoy!
Thanks, Jenn. I’ll give it a try!
How did it turn out doubled in 9×13?thx
Made this quiche this afternoon. Wonderful recipe-so creamy and light. Husband loved it!
Thank you Jenn!
BTW I used Manchego cheese but next time I will go with 50/50 Manchego, good Cheddar and perhaps canned wild sockeye salmon.
It was great and all our guests loved it!
Amazing recipe! I used Havarti because I had it. It was great.
Could this be made with Stilton?
Hi Tina, I would use part Stilton and part Gruyère.
We LOVE this quiche at home. I found it when I was looking for a lighter carb but satisfying dinner and now I usually 1.5x the recipe and bake it in a casserole dish so we have lunch leftovers. It’s a treat since Gruyère is on the expensive side, but there’s simply no substitute for something so good. Thanks Jenn!
Amazing recipe, delicious and so easy to make for company – thanks Jenn for sharing this 🙂
Excellent and very light, very easy too! Would like to try a mushroom quiche using this recipe.
Best Quiche I have ever made, so says my family including my VERY FOODIE brother!!!
ANOTHE winner from Jenn ❣️
Wonderful recipe, I have made it too many times to count. I made it recently w/ cooked mushrooms. Great flavor, but the mushrooms ended up on the bottom. What do I do to have them more evenly dispersed in this outstanding quiche?
Hi Sandra, sounds like it would be delicious with mushrooms. I’d try dicing the mushrooms a bit smaller next time; hopefully that will keep them from sinking.
Thank you Jenn,
You’re the best!
Hi Jenn,
Your recipes are great and I never amend them! …but I do have a question about the flourless quiche, which is excellent! Would the recipe work if I did everything, except I just added the broccoli in small pieces without adding it while sautéing the shallots??
Thanks
Hi Joanne, I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!
Can a quiche be made with protein powder? I have a no-sweetener, unflavored whey protein powder that I’d like to add to this recipe, but don’t want to mess it up. But, it could be that a quiche would never turn out good with protein powder, not sure. Thanks!
Hi Christine, I have no experience with protein powder so I really don’t know if/how it would impact the recipe — I’m sorry!
If I could give this 10 stars I would. Absolutely delicious. It was a hit at my Mother’s Day brunch.
Excellent quiche! I’ve made this countless times. I’ve also made it into individual quiches using a 6 well fluted tart pan. The mixture is perfect for 6 individual quiches. The individual quiches bake perfectly at 52 minutes. Thank you for the recipe.
I probably have commented about this wonderful quiche recipe before, but I have to say it is and always been a winning recipe. I have made it several time over the years and it is a family favorite! Today I made it with shallots, mushrooms (cooked ahead), Black Forest ham and gruyere. We took it for our contribution to the Easter dinner today and it was a hit! First time, my one sister-in-law every asked me for a recipe! That is a win for sure! Thank you and Happy Easter!
I did make this recipe. Delicious ! I followed your directions completely and would not change anything.
Brought it and two other egg bakes to a brunch. Labeled each one with all ingredients and this was the first to go .
Cant wait to try more of your recipes
I need to make a quiche to take to a village lunch and I have made three this week, to practice……the one was by FAR the best. Wow, it was really good, nice and creamy!
So delicious! Excellent Keto friendly option. It was super easy, taste even better than expected and turned out perfectly with little effort. Will add to the rotation !
This is an amazing recipe! I’ve never had a crustless quiche before and I was surprised by how flavorful it tasted and by how appetizing it appeared. I didn’t miss the crust at all. This is definitely going into my favorites file! I used a sharp cheddar instead of Gruyère and it was great.
Hi Jenn,
This quiche is to die for. I’m going to be having a hip replacement soon and my husband will be my caretaker. I’d like to make things a little easier for him and have some meals made and in the freezer. Do you think it would work if I baked this quiche in muffin cups?
Glad you like it! 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. Best of luck with the surgery!!
Wow!!! I didn’t expect this to be so delicious! I’m on a low carb diet and when I saw this recipe, I told myself that every recipe of Jen’s is good. This surpassed my expectations. My weekly rotation is a gaining new easy-to-make addition.
Love this recipe and have made 2x now. It is quite forgiving and did some subbing of the cream. Precooking the broccoli a bit adds flavor and makes the quiche less chunky. I like to eat it with a little hot sauce or salsa.
Followed the recipe to a T. Quiche is creamy and delicious!
Hello and thank you for this recipe! Loved your directions and photographs. I used fresh green beans instead of the broccoli because that’s what I had on hand, and also some different seasonings: Lawry’s salt, curry powder, garlic powder and pepper. Also used Swiss cheese which I grated from a block. We’ll see how it turns out!
Yummy delicious!
Modified the ingredients and created a beautiful end of 2022 pie!
Thank you Jenn!
Can’t wait to try your Orecchiette w/ broccoli & sausage next…
… but a crust less quiche is just a frittata…
Hi Gabi,
that’s not true.
There are distinct differences between a frittata & quiche (whether it has a crust or not).
A quiche is a custard filling, where a frittata is like an open faced omelette.
Lisa
We made this for our Christmas Day buffet. It was fabulous! So light and fluffy with delicious bursts of fresh broccoli. This is now a go to recipe!
Thank You, Jen!
Made this for Chanukah lunch and it was really good. Doubled the recipe and made it in an 9” X 14” Staub baking dish. I prepped it all a day ahead — shredded the cheese, steamed the broccoli, chopped the shallots and put it all together the next morning.
Next time I will use a bit less cream as I found that it was a bit liquidy even after baking for just over an hour and letting it rest for 10 minutes.
Got rave reviews. Thanks for the great recipe. It definitely will be made and enjoyed many more times.
Good morning!
I made this recipe and it was fantastic! Can it be adapted to a 13×9 pan and if so how?
Thank you 🙂
Glad you liked it! 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.
Good morning Jennifer,
BTW I love this recipe as is, but I want to add more crustless quiches to my dinner options. Is it possible to substitute the broccoli for mushroom or do you have a separate crustless mushroom quiche recipe?
Thank you,
Michelle D.
Hi Michelle, Glad you like this! Feel free to substitute other vegetables, like mushrooms. Just keep the ratio of veggies to custard the same – and cook and season the vegetables before adding them.
What advance prep can I do? I made this a while back and it was outstanding. Want to do it as part of a brunch spread and save myself time on the day. Cook broccoli ahead? Mix all liquid/grate cheese so it’s just an assembly job?
You can actually make and bake it ahead and reheat it — see the Make Ahead guidance at the bottom of the recipe. If you don’t want to do that, what you’ve suggested above in terms of prepping sounds perfect. Hope everyone enjoys!
I make this so often that I know the recipe by heart. Great for brunch or a light dinner paired with a green salad. Five stars from me!
Made this quiche for the first time for a ladies luncheon. It turned out beautifully and was a huge hit! Several friends requested the recipe. Absolutely delicious and a snap to make! I will definitely make it again!
Outrageously awesome quiche! I made this recipe strictly to plan. My end result straight from the over looked just like yours in the photo. Those in my family wary of quiche devoured their servings and wanted more. One had to put it away out of sight; she said she would have eaten the whole pan otherwise. This recipe is a splendid new addition to my list of quick and easy brunch entrees. Thanks a billion!
I’m making this quiche AGAIN today. At this point, I could almost make it with my eyes closed (lol). I occasionally substitute Emmental for Gruyère, and I put a little less salt. Otherwise, I follow your recipe exactly, and it always turns out great. I would recommend watching the quiche towards the end of the baking time, as I found that 1 hour is a maximum. It depends on the oven, I guess. Thank you for another great, easy, recipe. Gluten-free too!
Are there syns in this crust less one
Hi Wendy, I think there may be a typo in your question and I’m not sure what you’re asking. Can you clarify? Thanks!
The quiche I made came out a bit moist, too much water from not squeezing the water from the broccoli florets. I assume I ended up going beyond an al dente’ for this to have happened to me. I usually check for that but didn’t today and am sorry since this could have been wonderful but is now sub-standard.
Can I substitute frozen spinach for the broccoli? If so how much would I need? Thanks!
Hi Staci, It should work, but it won’t be quite as sturdy. I would use 1 lb frozen spinach, very well drained.
Hi Jenn,
Can I substitute anything else for the heavy cream? I always have 2% milk.
Thank you!
Hi Erin, I think you could get away with half & half in place of the heavy cream here, but I wouldn’t recommend milk – sorry!
This recipe came in my email this morning. I made it at noon and it’s amazing!! It’s definitely a keeper and will be made again and again. Love the low carb. Just delicious!
Can you use frozen broccoli florets
Can you use Romanesque broccoli
Can you use a 9inch quiche pan or is it too shallow
Hi Amy, Frozen broccoli is fine. Make sure you thaw it and once thawed, put it in a strainer to strain off any liquid. You can also skip the step of cooking it since it’s already cooked. I’ve never cooked with Romanesque broccoli so I can’t say from experience, but I think it should work. And as long as you’re quiche pan is at least 1.5 inches deep, it should be okay. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious and SO EASY to make! It will be a regular from here on out!
Delicious! I made this last night for dinner and it came out great. We both loved it. It was served with a mixed green salad and a simple balsamic dressing. I substituted cheddar cheese and we loved the flavor. Will make again with other veggies-asparagus. I liked the idea of it being crustless. It had such great flavor.
This was my first time making quiche. I will definitely make it again.
I originally made this quiche several years ago for my foursome bridge group, they loved it. Of course my husband needed me to make it again for him, a big hit!! I and two other helper cooks made this outstanding quiche for 40 women for Christmas sit down Luncheon and Meeting in December of 2021. Everyone “had” to have the recipe. I shared your recipe along with your website and names of your great cookbooks! I have made so many of your great recipes and every single one has been a rave hit in our home and with friends. Jenn, I can’t thank you enough for bringing new delicious recipes to our table. 🥰👍
Thank you so much for your kind words — so glad you like the recipes! 💗
To use frozen broccoli florets; i know to defrost them, but I want to make sure they dont get watery. Any suggestions?
Hi Joni, As you mentioned, thaw it first. Once thawed put it in a strainer to strain off any liquid. You can also skip the step of cooking it since frozen broccoli is already cooked. Please LMK how it turns out!