If you're craving something elegant yet easy, this Ultimate Quiche with Buttery Crust and Creamy Filling checks all the boxes. Think homemade quiche perfection: a perfectly flaky, melt-in-your-mouth shell encasing a smooth, velvety custard. Versatile enough to showcase vegetables, mushrooms, or even your favorite dinner quiche recipes, it’s upscale enough for brunch yet simple for a cozy weeknight. Personally, I love how the buttery crust elevates the creamy filling—every bite feels like a hug for your taste buds.
Ultimate Quiche with Buttery Crust and Creamy Filling
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 8 generous slices
9″ (23 cm) quiche or tart pan with removable bottom ideal for serving; alternatively use a 9″ pie pan
Rolling Pin or a wide, flat-bottomed glass
Mixers Mixing bowl (for crust) and another for filling; whisk or fork for eggs
Knife and cutting board for chopping fillings
Baking sheet to pre-bake crust and catch any spills
For the butter crust
- 1½ cups 190 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar optional, for a subtly sweet crust
- 10 tablespoons 140 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 3 –4 tablespoons ice water
(Alternative tip: For a gluten-free quiche option, substitute with 1⅓ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons almond or oat flour.)
For the creamy filling
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups 360 ml half‑and‑half or heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus extra to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or Swiss, cheddar, fontina; choose your favorite
Filling additions (pick one or mix)
- 1 cup sautéed spinach or swiss chard drained
- 1 cup sautéed mushrooms a lovely mushroom quiche recipe twist
- ½ cup diced bell peppers and zucchini—great for a vegetable quiche recipe
- ¼ cup cooked and crumbled bacon or diced ham
Make the Easy Quiche Crust
In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt, and sugar.
Add cubed butter, tossing gently. Use a pastry cutter or fingertips to press until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with pea-sized bits of butter.
Sprinkle ice water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing just until dough starts to hold.
Form dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes.
Roll Out and Blind-Bake (aka Make the Quiche Dough Recipe)
Lightly flour surface and roll dough to ~12 inches (30 cm) diameter.
Transfer to pan, gently pressing into bottom and sides, letting edges hang over. Trim or crimp edges elegantly.
Chill crust 10 minutes—helps prevent shrinking.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Line crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, bake 5 more minutes until pale golden. Let cool slightly.
Prep the Filling
Sauté chosen fillings: mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, spinach, etc., until tender; season lightly. Drain if needed. Cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, cream or half‑and‑half, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Spread cheese on crust bottom, top with fillings, then pour custard over evenly.
Bake to Custardy Perfection
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–35 minutes, until edges are puffed, center slightly wobbles.
Rest on wire rack ~10 minutes before slicing so flavors settle.
Pairings
Wine
- Crisp white like Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay balances rich custard.
- Light red like Pinot Noir works if your filling is meat-forward.
Sides
- Mixed green salad with lemon vinaigrette, fresh fruit platter, roasted asparagus, or hot soup makes a complete brunch or dinner spread.
Serving Ideas
- Warm from the oven for breakfast or brunch.
- Let cool to room temperature, refrigerate, and enjoy cold for an easy packed lunch.
- Make ahead and reheat gently in a low oven or air fryer.
FAQs
1. Can I use chicken breast or thigh in this?
Yes! Dice and sauté cooked chicken breast or thigh (boneless) first, then fold into the filling for a protein-packed dinner quiche recipe twist.
2. How do I convert this to gluten-free?
Replace the crust with a gluten-free quiche crust using 1⅓ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons almond or oat flour. Follow rest of crust steps the same.
3. Can I skip blind-baking?
Blind-baking improves crust crispness by preventing sogginess from the custard. Skip only if pressed—then roll crust slightly thinner and bake an extra 5 minutes with just parchment.
4. What’s the best cheese?
Gruyère gives nutty depth; Swiss adds mellow creaminess. Sharp cheddar or creamy fontina are great too. For vegetable-based quiche, try a tangy goat cheese!
5. Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely. Bake, let cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Rewarm at 325°F (160°C) for 15 minutes or serve cold. Ideal for brunch prep.
