Vegetable Quiche Golden Crust (Printer-friendly)

Golden-baked pastry with fresh vegetables, creamy custard, and melted cheese for a flavorful main dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet (8 oz) ready-made shortcrust pastry or homemade

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small zucchini, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) mushrooms, sliced
05 - 1 cup (2.8 oz) baby spinach, chopped
06 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Custard

08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 1 cup (8 fl oz) whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) heavy cream
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Cheese

14 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
15 - 1/2 cup (1.8 oz) crumbled feta cheese, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - Roll out the pastry and line a 9-inch tart or quiche pan. Trim excess pastry and prick the base with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
03 - Line the pastry with parchment paper, fill with baking weights or dried beans, and blind bake for 12 minutes. Remove weights and paper, then bake an additional 5 minutes until lightly golden. Cool slightly.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, zucchini, and bell pepper for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
05 - In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
06 - Spread sautéed vegetables evenly over the baked crust. Sprinkle Gruyère and feta cheese on top.
07 - Pour the egg mixture evenly over the filling.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.
09 - Let the quiche cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks fancy enough to serve guests but honest enough to eat alone on a Tuesday.
  • Everything happens in one pan before it even hits the oven, so cleanup is surprisingly civilized.
  • The vegetables stay tender and the custard sets perfectly every time once you stop second-guessing yourself.
02 -
  • Blind baking the crust is not optional if you want a crispy bottom rather than a soggy disappointment.
  • If your custard looks even slightly underbaked, give it another 5 minutes. It keeps cooking as it cools and will crack if you overbake it.
03 -
  • Don't skip the nutmeg. It's subtle but it's what makes people ask if something is different and better about your quiche.
  • If the top is browning too fast before the middle sets, loosely tent it with foil and keep baking.

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