30 Minute Breakfast Quiche

Breakfast Quiche is a classic breakfast or brunch staple that is great for even picky eaters. It’s delicious, easy, and will have food on the table in under 30 minutes.

WHAT IS IT?

Basically, quiche is egg pie. Yes, you read that right. It’s egg pie.

I’m sure everyone’s reaction to calling that is why they chose to come up with a more elegant name for the dish– because this is one you don’t want to sleep on.

A quiche is a beautifully golden flaky pie crust with a fluffy and creamy cooked egg center. Dress it up or dress it down however you like, but all quiche recipes will have these two things in common.

IS QUICHE A HEALTHY BREAKFAST?

Honestly, quiche can be as healthy as you want it to be. If you want to load it with veggies and use it as a way to get a few extra servings of greens in, a quiche can be extremely healthy. Not to mention it is high in protein with all of the eggs you use for the filling.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, breakfast quiche can also be as unhealthy as you want it to be. Load it up with bacon, sausage, ham, hashbrowns, and cheese, and you have a totally indulgent and filling breakfast that is a little less kind to your waistline (but totally my kind of comfort cook).

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

Eggs– Scrambled well so they are nice and fluffy for your quiche.

Pie Crust– I use the refrigerated kind, but feel free to make your own homemade pie crust.

Cheese– Use your favorite blend. I used shredded sharp cheddar for an extra punch of flavor.

Bacon- Cook a few strips ahead of time or buy some of the precooked at the grocery store.

Heavy Cream– Just a splash is all you will need to add a creamy texture to your quiche.

Salt – Just a pinch. The saltiness of the bacon adds quite a bit to this recipe already.

Black Pepper– Adds just a hint of spice and helps balance the flavors.

HOW TO MAKE BREAKFAST QUICHE

Step 1: Spray your pie plate with nonstick spray. If you don’t have nonstick spray, rubbing some butter will work just as well. I’m just lazy and prefer the convenience of the spray-on can.

Step 2: Press your pie crust into your pie pan. If you’re using refrigerated dough, they have a tendency to become dry in the package. Take a few extra seconds to make sure you’ve pressed the crust against all of the edges of the pie plate so the crust doesn’t break and there’s plenty of room for the filling. Then cut off any overhang of the pie crust and crimp the edges to make it a little easier on the eyes.

Step 3: Mix up your breakfast quiche filling. I have listed a few different varieties below, but for this recipe, I used the traditional breakfast variation.

Step 4: Add your egg mixture to the pie shell. It would look like you need more filling. Your pie shell will only be filled about halfway with the mixture. DON’T WORRY. The eggs will rise as they cook to create a full quiche.

Step 5: Bake the quiche. Pop the quiche in the oven and try to have a little patience. I know, it’s hard. As soon as it starts to cook, it smells amazing. And you’ll want to check on it every few minutes to see if you can dig in. Try to have a little willpower with this step. The more you open the oven, the longer it will take to bake.

Step 6: Remove and enjoy! It’s finally time. Your quiche is set in the middle and your pie crust is perfectly golden brown on the edges. Carefully take your quiche out of the oven and allow it cool for a minute or two. The middle may need a couple of minutes to set completely after taking it out of the oven. Once it’s safe to touch, slice your quiche and enjoy!

VARIATIONS

The beauty of quiche is how versatile it can be. Feel free to completely customize your ingredients to make a quiche that is perfect for whatever mood you may be in or whoever you may be cooking for.

Here are a few examples of ingredient combinations that make for a delicious breakfast quiche (note-all meats used in this quiche recipe should be precooked before adding to the egg mixture):

• Simple– Egg and cheese
• Traditional– Bacon egg and cheese
• Meat lovers– Bacon, ham, sausage egg and cheese
• Veggie lovers– Egg, cheese, broccoli, asparagus, onion, and red pepper.
• Southwest– Egg, cheese, red pepper, green pepper, and onion.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FRITTATA AND A QUICHE?

The difference between a frittata and a quiche is all in the crust! As in, quiche has a crust and a frittata doesn’t. They’re both equally delicious, but I prefer a quiche over a frittata because of the buttery and flaky pie shell. If you’re watching your sugar or carb intake, a frittata is a great way to get most of the delicious flavors of a quiche while still maintaining your dietary lifestyle.

I do have to say that one of the perks of making a frittata over a quiche is that you can make on in your Instant Pot! If you know me, I will use any excuse I can to use a kitchen gadget that makes cooking easier and faster. A quiche in your Instant Pot will only leave you with a soggy, dense pie crust with a perfectly cooked middle.

WHAT GOES WITH QUICHE FOR BREAKFAST?

I love breakfast quiche because it is so filling and packs some of my favorite breakfast foods into one convenient little package. Sometimes you have that one member of your family that needs just a little extra something that no one else wants in their quiche.

For times like these, making it on the side is the best bet. Here are a few of my favorite things to serve with this quiche recipe.

• Hashbrowns
• Bacon strips
• Sausage links or patties
• Grits
• Biscuits and gravy
• Toast with jam

MAKE AHEAD/STORAGE

This quiche recipe comes together so quickly, making it ahead of time likely won’t save you much time.

If you want to precook some of your ingredients (like bacon or sausage), go right ahead. I like to do this, too! However, adding the egg mixture to the pie crust too long before baking can lead to a soggy quiche.

Worried you won’t be able to finish the whole thing or want to bake your breakfast quiche ahead of time? You can store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat it as the craving strikes or for a quick breakfast option.

This recipe freezes like a dream. I prefer to bake mine before I freeze it so it’s not quite so messy to try to store in the freezer. You can store it for up to 3 months in the freezer before it starts to lose some of its flavor or texture.

To reheat frozen quiche, simply pop it in the oven at 350F for 40 minutes or until warm all of the way through.

If you love this Breakfast Quiche as much as we do, make sure you share the recipe with your friends and family and Pin it so you can make it again soon!