We're Making This Ham & Cheese Quiche Recipe Just For The Crisp, Buttery Crust (2024)

A Delish favorite in the canon of classic recipes, quiche is the versatile dish we turn to again and again for occasions big and small. Our tried-and-tested version perfects every piece of the pie: a soft, creamy filling studded with ham, chives, and Gruyère all inside a crunchy, buttery pie crust. Read on to ace every part of this dream breakfast, from the crust to your dream filling:

The secret to the perfect quiche crust:
Blind baking is the secret for getting that perfectly crisp, firm base on any quiche. Be sure to chill the formed pie shell at least 30 minutes before baking, then line it with foil or parchment and fill to the brim with your choice of pie weights. (And please don’t think that you need to buy a ton of expensive ceramic baking beans either; I used a mixture of uncooked rice and dried lentils.) Some people like to dock (poke holes in) the bottom and sides of their pie crusts to prevent it from puffing up and out of shape during the blind bake; however, we found that if the foil liner is completely filled, the pie weights prevent any puffing, so docking isn't necessary.

After the crust has blind-baked for 20 to 25 minutes and the top and upper sides of the crust are dry to the touch, remove the pie weights and foil liner, brush the crust bottom with lightly whisked egg whites, and return the pie shell to the oven for 5 minutes more. Once baked, the egg white coating seals the crust, protecting it from the wet filling.

The key to the best quiche filling:
Everyone has their own ideal quiche filling combination. We’ve decided to feature one of our favorite flavor profiles, ham and cheese, with a few chives for some added pop. That said, feel free to customize the fillings according to your preference. Substitute cooked and drained sausage or bacon for the ham, or try Swiss, cheddar, or Monterey Jack instead of the Gruyère. You can also make this vegetarian if you like by exchanging the ham for 1 cup chopped cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus, or mushrooms. Just make sure the vegetables are drained and patted dry so they don’t leak out extra water or oil and spoil that rich, creamy filling.

Quiche variations:
We love this classic ham and cheese version, but we've got countless quiche recipes to experiment with once you've aced this one. Try our spinach quiche, crustless quiche (if you're looking for a low-carb version), crispy hash brown-crusted bacon and cheddar quiche, or our quiche Lorraine.

Made this? Let us know in the comments below.

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Yields:: 8 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 30 mins
Total Time:: 2 hrs 45 mins
Cal/Serv:: 235

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for rolling
1
batch basic pie dough, chilled
4
large eggs, 2 separated, 2 whole
3/4 c.
heavy cream
3/4 c.
whole milk
3/4 tsp.
kosher salt
1/4 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper
See Also
53 Delicious Squash Recipes to Cook in Any Season
6 oz.
cooked ham steak, finely chopped (about 1 c.), patted dry
3 oz.
shredded Gruyère (about 1 c.)
1/4 c.
thinly sliced chives

Directions

1. Step1On a lightly floured surface, roll pie dough to a 1/4"-thick round. Lift and carefully transfer to a glass or metal 9" pie pan, letting sides slump into place (do not stretch).
2. Step2Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, trim around edges of dough, leaving about 1/4" excess. Fold excess dough underneath dough lying on top rim of pie pan. Using clean fingers, crimp to seal.
3. Step3Refrigerate dough until cold, about 30 minutes.
4. Step4Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°. Cut a large square piece of foil or parchment and scrunch to wrinkle. Line dough with scrunched foil, then fill to the brim with pie weights, uncooked rice, or dried beans.
5. Step5Bake crust until top and sides are dry and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil with pie weights. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites until blended. Brush over bottom of crust.
6. Step6Continue to bake until bottom is dry and set, about 5 minutes more. Let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
7. Step7In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and 2 egg yolks until blended. Whisk in cream, milk, salt, and pepper until combined.
8. Step8Spread ham and cheese across bottom of crust. Top with chives. Gently pour egg mixture over top.
9. Step9Bake quiche until filling is puffed and set with just a slight jiggle in the middle when pan is shaken, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool. Slice and serve at room temperature.

Taylor Ann Spencer

Assistant Food Editor

Taylor Ann Spencer is the assistant food editor at Delish, where she develops recipes, creates recipe videos, and styles food. With a background in writing and theater as well as professional cooking, she enjoys sharing her love for global flavors and all things baking through informational posts, hosted videos, and just plain everyday conversations. When she's not cooking, she's brainstorming her next culinary mash-up. Mac 'n' cheese chili rellenos, anyone?

We're Making This Ham & Cheese Quiche Recipe Just For The Crisp, Buttery Crust (2024)

FAQs

Should I bake my crust first for quiche? ›

Blind Bake the Crust

This prevents it from getting soggy. Davila suggests blind baking your crust at 350 F for seven minutes, in addition to the overall baking time. Use professional pie weights to avoid bubbles in your crust, but any variety of raw dried beans poured into the crust would also work.

Discover More Details ›

Is milk better than heavy cream in quiche? ›

Heavy Cream and Milk – For the best tasting quiche, use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. (Or simply use half-and-half.) Using just heavy cream produces an overly thick filling. Whole milk is great, but a combo of heavy cream and milk is better.

Can I use milk instead of cream in my quiche? ›

Substitution Tip!

While it is not as traditional for quiches such as quiche Lorraine, you can use milk instead of heavy cream for quiche. While the results are not *as* rich as if heavy cream is used, I find that by the time you factor in the cheese and eggs, the quiche is not at all lacking in indulgence.

Find Out More ›

Can you put too many eggs in a quiche? ›

Using too many eggs in the custard results in a quiche that rubbery and too firm when baked, while not using enough will prevent the custard from setting. Follow This Tip: Remember this ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy.

Keep Reading ›

Why do you put flour in quiche? ›

Add flour to your filling: Adding a bit of flour to your quiche filling helps absorb moisture and stabilize things in general.

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How long do I blind bake a crust for quiche? ›

Line with the parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans, filling right to the bottom of the crimps. Place the pie tin on a baking sheet, and place in the oven. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven, remove the parchment paper and beans.

Can you make a quiche without blind baking the pastry first? ›

Do I need to blind bake pastry cases when cooking with wet fillings? As a general rule, you do need to blind bake when cooking a dish with wet fillings. For example, if you're making a quiche or frangipane, blind baking the crust first will help ensure the pastry case stays buttery and retains its crunch.

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What happens if you don't bake the pie crust first? ›

Recipes for most tarts, pies, and quiches call for pre-baking to ensure that the final product doesn't end up soggy. Pre-baking also prevents you from ending up with undercooked shells or undercooked fillings.

How long should I blind bake pie crust? ›

Add pie weights, dry rice, dried beans or (as I've done here) dry wheat berries, enough to fill the pan 2/3 full. Chill the crust for 30 minutes; this will solidify the fat, which helps prevent shrinkage. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven, and lift out the paper and weights.