The Ultimate Six-Layer Quiche: Easy, Versatile & Irresistibly Cheesy

 

There’s nothing quite like a quiche when you need a quick, satisfying meal that feels special without requiring hours in the kitchen. At its heart, all you need are eggs and cream, the rest is pure creativity. 

 I always reach for plenty of shredded Gruyère cheese; nothing else delivers that rich, nutty depth quite like it. A fresh grating of nutmeg takes it from delicious to downright unforgettable, adding a subtle warmth that has everyone asking for the recipe.

 

The beauty of quiche is its flexibility. It’s my go-to way to rescue odds and ends from the refrigerator—wilting scallions, a lonely half-pepper, leftover mushrooms, or the last bits of roast chicken. Depending on what you add, it can be hearty and comforting or light and elegant. 

 

Perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner, it can be assembled ahead of time and baked when needed. Versatile, forgiving, and always impressive, that’s quiche. One of my favorite versions for both simplicity and flavor is this one.

Six-Layer Quiche

1 refrigerated piecrust

1 c. shredded Gruyère cheese

½ c each: chopped green pepper, chopped scallions, sliced mushrooms, diced ham, diced bacon

3 large eggs

2 c. half-and-half

2 T. flour

¼ t. freshly grated nutmeg (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Let the pie crust come to room temperature, then unroll and fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate (or use a deep-dish frozen shell). Sauté the peppers, scallions, mushrooms, ham, and bacon together in a medium skillet until cooked through. Drain well, then spread the mixture in the bottom of the unbaked crust. 

 Sprinkle the Gruyère evenly on top. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, then blend in the half-and-half and nutmeg. Add the flour and whisk until completely smooth. Pour this custard over the fillings. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 25 minutes more, or until the center is just set. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

 Serves 6

Crustless Quiche

If you love quiche like I do, but sometimes just aren’t quite up to battling with the crust, particularly during this frantically busy time of the year, I have good news for you.  I give you the crustless quiche.  Just as delicious as quiche with crust, but lower in carbs, calories, and spent time.  It will serve you for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, can be made with almost any ingredients that you have on hand (as long as you have the basic eggs, cheese, and cream), and looks as if you have spent far more time than you did in its preparation.  Pair it with a cup of soup, small salad, muffin or roll, and you have a tasty and impressive meal.  Wipe your brow when people commend you for all of your hard work, and tomorrow maybe they’ll give you the day off.

I made the recipe as follows, but feel free to add anything your heart desires (or refrigerator holds).  Here are some suggestions:

Cooked and (well) drained spinach

Artichoke hearts, diced

Hearts of Palm, sliced

Ham, cubes or strips

Peppers, red, green, or yellow, diced

Leeks, julienned

Diced brie

Diced, cooked chicken

Shredded cheeses of your choice (2 cups)

Roasted Red Peppers (Melissa’s, of course)

Crustless Quiche

1½ tablespoons dry plain bread crumbs

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped scallions

1 cup (about 5 large) sliced mushrooms

6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup shredded Fontina

1 cup shredded Gruyere

4 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Butter a 9”-10” deep dish pie pan or quiche dish, then sprinkle all over with bread crumbs.

Sauté onions and scallions with a tablespoon of butter in a 10” skillet over medium-high heat until transparent, about 5-6 minutes.  Carefully place over crumbs in pie/quiche pan.  In same pan used for onions, sauté mushrooms in a similar fashion, and put on top of onion/scallion mixture. While you are doing this you can either fry the bacon in another pan on the stove, or microwave it, allow it to cool and them crumble it or chop it with a sharp knife, and spread it evenly over the onions and mushrooms in the pan.  Top all of this evenly with the two cheeses.  Set aside.

Whisk together eggs, cream, milk, and pepper.  Pour slowly over the cheeses. Bake until top is golden and custard is set in center, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Create It or Bake It