Description

This classic Ham and Cheese Quiche is a rich, creamy delight perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner. Featuring a flaky homemade pie crust, a custard filling infused with savory ham, Gruyere and Gouda cheeses, and sautéed vegetables including asparagus, onions, and red bell peppers, it offers a flavorful balance of textures and tastes. The recipe includes detailed instructions for blind baking the crust and tips for using store-bought crust, making it accessible yet impressive to prepare.

Ingredients

Scale

Pie Crust

1 homemade pie crust (9-inch deep dish)

Egg Mixture

4 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped ham
3 oz (about 3/4 cup) shredded Gruyere cheese
3 oz (about 3/4 cup) shredded Gouda cheese (may substitute cheddar)

Vegetables and Sauté

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3-4 cloves garlic, minced

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare Pie Crust: Prepare pie dough as directed, shape edges decoratively, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 5 days. Ensure the crust is well chilled to prevent shrinking during baking.
Blind Bake Pie Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with baking beads or oven-safe weights. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove weights and parchment carefully, prick bottom crust with fork, and bake an additional 10 minutes until lightly golden. Let crust cool slightly.
Mix Egg Filling: In a large bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolk until lightly beaten. Add heavy cream, dried parsley, oregano, thyme, paprika, ground mustard, pepper, and salt; whisk to combine. Stir in chopped ham and shredded Gruyere and Gouda cheeses.
Sauté Vegetables: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and asparagus; sauté for 3 minutes. Add red bell pepper and cook for 2 more minutes or until onions are softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer vegetable mixture to egg mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
Assemble and Bake Quiche: Pour the combined egg, cheese, ham, and vegetable mixture into the prepared pie crust. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the quiche is set but the center still jiggles slightly. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. If the center is still runny, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Notes

When using store-bought pie crust, select a 9-inch deep-dish crust. Thaw slightly before pricking with a fork and bake without weights until lightly golden to prevent sogginess.
Heavy cream creates a rich, velvety filling; for a lighter texture, substitute with half and half but expect a more frittata-like consistency.
Use diced ham either leftover from holiday meals or fresh from the deli cut into 1/4-inch cubes; avoid thinly sliced ham to maintain texture in the filling.
Cheese choices can vary; combining a soft melting cheese like Gruyere with a flavorful cheese such as Parmesan or feta improves taste and texture.
Vegetables may be varied or omitted, but total volume should not exceed 3 cups. Pre-cook any vegetables if substituting.
To prevent crust shrinkage, always chill before blind baking, and consider using a pie crust shield or foil if edges brown too quickly during baking.
You can make the pie crust and blind bake it up to 3 days in advance; store covered in the refrigerator.
Egg filling mixture can be made and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before assembling the quiche.
Quiche can be stored in the refrigerator covered for up to 4 days; reheat in microwave or oven as needed.
For freezing, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months; whole quiche should be double wrapped in plastic wrap and foil.
Reheat frozen quiche slices by microwaving briefly then baking for about 10 minutes, or thaw whole quiche in refrigerator overnight and reheat at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6 of quiche)
Calories: 400 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 550 mg
Fat: 32 g
Saturated Fat: 18 g
Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 15 g
Cholesterol: 220 mg