Filling, simple, and quick this crustless quiche will deliver deliciousness and happiness in equal measure. Absolutely superb for your next brunch, lunch, or light supper.
Has it been a century since you made, or ate, quiche? It has for me. Loaded with cheese, heavy cream, and a high-calorie pastry, it is definitely not the healthiest dish to consume. Unquestionably, however, when done correctly, a quiche makes the loveliest lunch or brunch dish and is very much worthy of the occasional indulgence.
Exceptionally versatile, quiche has been making a comeback in recent years. Particularly during the Covid lockdowns, likely due its adaptable use-what-you-have-in-the-fridge allure, it seems everyone is making quiche again. Including me. But, to eliminate a lot of extra work, and to take it a small step into a healthier direction, for this quiche we are going without a crust.
Is it still a quiche without a crust? Perhaps not, and I realize a crustless quiche is not likely going to be sanctioned by the quiche authorities. But let me assure you, with its uber silky egg custard and irresistible savoury filling, this crustless quiche is every bit as delicious.
Without the hassle of making a crust, this quiche can be assembled in no time. Sweet bits of shallot are sautéed along with salty bacon then layered in a baking dish with melty gruyere cheese and topped with the creamiest custard. Baked until puffed and golden, the result is a soft, fluffy dish that feels rich, yet delicate and light. When sliced, this crustless quiche maintains its structure and you will absolutely thrill to its deliciousness.
What Is Quiche?
Not to be confused with frittata, quiche is a savoury egg custard that is baked in a pastry pie crust. Associated with French cuisine, it became super popular in the 1950’s. The basic quiche custard is made up of eggs, milk, and/or cream and from there, many filling combinations can be added to the quiche. Bacon, ham, cheese, mushrooms, greens, and vegetables are all great ingredients to add to a quiche.
Perhaps the most popular quiche of all time is the Quiche Lorraine which combines cheese and bacon (or lardons).
About This Crustless Quiche Recipe
Though this quiche recipe calls for cheese, bacon, and onions, we won’t call it Lorraine. The crustless quiche recipe I share with you today is like a first-cousin to the infamous Quiche Lorraine. The difference, other than the obvious missing crust, is that is also contains onions (or shallots) which technically makes it a Quiche Alsacienne. In fact, many will argue that a true, true classic Quiche Lorraine, does not even contain cheese. I like onions in my quiche, and I like cheese, though I keep the amount of cheese fairly moderate so as to not overwhelm the custard, or my veins.
This recipe also deviates from most quiche recipes in that it has a few tablespoons of tapioca flour mixed into the custard. It is by no means essential and you can leave it out if you wish. But adding just a bit of tapioca flour provides a little insurance to avoid the dreaded curdled custard. Tapioca flour is gluten-free, paleo, and is brilliant at helping the custard set beautifully while still remaining smooth, fluffy, and light.
If you’re celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend, consider including this exquisite quiche in your menu. It champions modest ingredients but offers a spectacularly special treat for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Heavy Cream and Whole Milk – I have tried many combinations and I get the best results when I use both whole milk and heavy cream. All half-and-half would be my second choice. If you prefer to use only whole milk, consider adding one more tablespoon of tapioca flour.
- Eggs – This recipe calls for 6 eggs which works out to 4 eggs per 1 cup of dairy. To me, this ratio seems to hit the perfect balance of a not too eggy, or runny custard.
- Tapioca Flour – Adding a few tablespoons of tapioca flour ensures the custard will not curdle or be too runny. If you can’t get a hold of it, you can use all-purpose flour. I have not tried using cornstarch which I feel might alter the texture of the custard too much.
- Bacon – Hard to resist the combination of salty bacon and eggs. If you can find a thicker cut bacon, just 4 strips will work really well for tis recipe. If you have thin bacon, you may need more like 6 strips.
- Gruyère Cheese – Melty and delicious, it’s a classic in quiche for good reason. That said, pretty much any cheese will be delicious in a quiche.
- Salt and Pepper – Though the bacon and cheese are salty, the amount of eggs in this quiche requires a pinch of extra salt. I like to add quite a bit of freshly cracked pepper, but you can add to taste, of course.
- Chives – Optional, for garnish.
How To Make Crustless Quiche
Here is the step-by-step with images and lots of tips to follow:
Grease a 9-inch baking dish, set aside.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat.
Sauté the shallots (or onions) in remaining bacon fat until soft.
Sprinkle the cooked bacon and shallot evenly over the bottom of the prepared pie dish.
Sprinkle the grated Gruyère over top, holding back about 1/4 cup.
Place the tapioca flour in a large bowl and add a splash of the measured milk you are using. Whisk until the flour mixture is completely smooth, adding more milk if needed. Add the rest of the milk, cream, eggs, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture over the bacon-cheese mixture and scatter remaining cheese over top.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and just starting to crack, but with a slight jiggly center. Place on a wire baking rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Tips To Make The Best Quiche
This crustless quiche is incredibly easy and quick to make but these few key tips will ensure it’s always successful.
- Don’t use low-fat dairy. Sorry, it just won’t work in a quiche. Using low-fat dairy could result in a watery, or rubbery custard. No bueno.
- Don’t overcook the quiche. When a quiche is overcooked, the custard will have an unpleasant texture. You want to see a slight jiggle in the middle, and it will continue to set as it cools.
- Pre-cook any meat or vegetables before incorporating. Un-cooked vegetables will not cook properly in the custard. Pre-cooking the vegetables also gets rid of any excess moisture so the custard does not become watery.
- Use room-temperature eggs. The custard will set faster and better if the eggs are not fridge cold.
- For the ideal texture, make sure to let it rest before serving. This one is so important. The quiche will not slice properly, or have the proper texture, if you slice while hot. Be patient and let it sit at least 20 minutes before slicing, 30 is best.
Add-Ins And Substitutions
You can definitely play around with this crustless quiche recipe. Here are some of my favourite add-ins and/or substitutions:
- Use a different cheese: Pretty much any cheese will work in a quiche. Some of my favourites are cheddar, manchego, goat cheese, fontina, cream cheese, or ricotta though if using the latter two, I’d back off the cream a little.
- Add fresh herbs and/or leafy greens: Add fresh herbs to the custard or use them for garnish. Greens such as spinach, kale, or chard are wonderful in a quiche.
- Pre-cooked vegetables: My favourite is broccoli that has been blanched and sautéed. Mushrooms a re another favourite but really any sautéed, grilled, or roasted vegetable will work, just be mindful you don’t add more than 2 cups total and that they are pre-cooked.
- Replace the bacon with any other cooked meat: Ham, prosciutto, or sausage are all great choices.
To Store And Freeze
- To Store. Refrigerate the baked quiche in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Leftovers can be reheated in the oven at 350 degrees F. If you reheat in the microwave, use a very low setting for just 1 minute or so.
- To Freeze. Cool the baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with plastic wrap, or a couple sheets of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make Ahead Tip
You can completely assemble the crustless quiche then place in the refrigerator, unbaked and covered tightly, up to 1 day in advance. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan on baking it, then follow baking directions.
What to Serve with Quiche
This crustless quiche pairs well with a simple salad for a delightfully filling lunch. Here are some great dishes to serve with your quiche:
- Buttermilk Manchego and Chive Scones
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Romesco Sauce
- Lentil and Brown Rice Soup
- Summer Tomato Panzanella
- Easy Pantry Tomato Soup
- Grapefruit Mimosa
If you give this Crustless Quiche recipe a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!
Crustless Quiche Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2-3 medium shallots (or 1 medium onion) thinly sliced
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese grated, divided
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk or half-and-half
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 6 eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- chopped chives optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a deep 9-inch pie dish with unslated butter or a neutral oil.
- Heat a large skillet over medium and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered and bacon is cripy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
- Sauté the shallots (or onions) in remaining bacon fat until soft.
- Sprinkle the cooked bacon and shallot evenly over the bottom of the prepared pie dish. Then sprinkle the grated Gruyère over top, holding back about 1/4 cup.
- Place the tapioca flour in a large bowl and add a splash of the measured milk you are using. Whisk until the flour mixture is completely smooth, adding more milk if needed. Add the rest of the milk, cream, eggs, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Pour the egg mixture over the bacon-cheese mixture and sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden around the edges. It's okay if the center is still slightly jiggly.
- Place on a wire baking rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To Store. Refrigerate the baked quiche in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Leftovers can be reheated in the oven at 350 degrees F. If you reheat in the microwave, use a very low setting for just 1 minute or so.
- To Freeze. Cool the baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with plastic wrap, or a couple sheets of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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