Recipe: Crustless Quiche with Summer Vegetables
This quiche is all about the transformation of humble ingredients into a beautiful meal. Quiche is at once fancy, yet deeply practical, using whatever vegetables you happen to have around. You can use zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, tougher greens (like Swiss chard), or corn.
If you decide to use eggplant, just precook it a little before adding it in. Cube the eggplant and then roast or sauté it in a pan with olive oil and salt until soft and golden.
Spreading out onions on the bottom of the quiche adds a crust-like layer, and you won’t have to bother with making pastry. Try making this ahead of time and either warming up a wedge for lunch or simply eating it cold (which is the way I like it).
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Tester’s Notes
This version of crustless quiche is a great way to use up vegetables for breakfast, brunch, or even lunch! I like the versatility of this gluten-free quiche and the fact that winter or summer vegetables can be used, making it a recipe you can keep in your back pocket year-round!
Along with the onion, I used 1 tomato, 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, and 2 yellow squash for my vegetables. Caramelizing the onions first gives the quiche a little sweetness, and it’s great served warm or at room temperature. If using greens like spinach, I would recommend sautéing them down to get rid of some of the water and concentrate its flavor first.
I would recommend baking this in a large cast iron pan, 12-inch ovenproof skillet, or deep-dish pie plate.
– Christine, August 2015
Crustless Vegetable Quiche
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon
butter
- 1
large yellow or white onion, sliced into half-moons
- 1 teaspoon
salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon
pepper, plus more to taste
- 3 to 4 cups
chopped vegetables (see Recipe Note)
- 8
large eggs
- 1 cup
milk
- 1 cup
grated cheddar or other cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Melt the butter in a cast iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat. (If your skillet isn’t ovenproof, transfer everything to a deep dish pie plate to bake it.) Add the onion slices and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over them. Cook the onions until they are golden-brown and starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and spread the onions evenly across the bottom. Spread the vegetables evenly over the onions. The dish or pan should look fairly full.
In a bowl, use a fork to beat the eggs lightly with the milk, cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, just enough to break up the yolks and whites. This is a savory custard mixture. Pour the custard over the vegetables and onions and enjoy watching it fill in all the open spaces.
Transfer the quiche to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once the surface is lightly brown all the way across, it’s fully cooked. Let the quiche cool for about 20 minutes, then slice into wedges.
Recipe Notes
For hardier vegetables — like broccoli, cauliflower, or winter squash — I suggest steaming or cooking them before adding them to the quiche to ensure they’ll be fully cooked. For tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, or any other quick-cooking vegetable, just use them fresh.
Reprinted with permission from Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day by Leanne Brown, copyright (c) 2015. Published by Workman Publishing Company.
