Learn how to make a delicious ham and cheese quiche with this step-by-step recipe, complete with photos to guide you through the process. Plus helpful tips to achieve a light and fluffy egg filling. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any meal of the day.
Our local food co-op sells an incredible ham and cheese quiche that I’ve tried years to recreate and I’ve finally done it. This ham, gruyere, and swiss quiche with leeks is now the gold standard in our house. The secret was whipping air into the eggs and heavy cream, resulting in a light and airy bite of egg custard. Leeks are a mild onion that give a delicate savory flavor to compliment this dish perfectly. Place thin layers of leeks on top to cook delicately in the oven.
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This post includes
- Ingredients Needed For Ham And Cheese Quiche
- Step 1: Prepare The Crust
- Step 2: Layer Quiche Fillings
- Step 3: Whisk The Eggs And Cream Mixture
- Step 4: Pour Egg Mixture Over The Ham And Cheese
- Step 5: Layer with Leeks
- Step 6: Bake And Let Cool
- Storing, serving, and reheating instructions
- More delicious breakfast and brunch treats
Ingredients Needed For Ham And Cheese Quiche
This quiche is incredibly easy to assemble with very basic ingredients. The filling requires eggs, heavy cream, cubed ham, gruyere and swiss cheeses, leeks, parsley, salt & pepper, and optional dijon mustard.
Equipment Used
Besides a quality tart pan or pie dish, you’ll need either a whisk, food processor, or immersion blender to mix air into the eggs and that’s it! I used the 10.5″ round Toulouse tart dish as pictured. Not only is white french porcelain beautiful for serving, but it bakes evenly in the oven, creating the perfect shallow quiche and quiche crust.
Step 1: Prepare The Crust
You can use either a store-bought pie dough or homemade quiche crust before assembling and filling the quiche. Be sure to partially blind bake your crust before assembling the quiche fillings. Read my post on how to make quiche crust before proceeding. It’s easy and only takes 5 common pantry ingredients to make!
Step 2: Layer Quiche Fillings
Layer partially baked quiche crust with cheese first so the cheese melts against the crust when it bakes. Next, layer the ham and parsley, distributing evenly across the crust like a pizza.
Step 3: Whisk The Eggs And Cream Mixture
Whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, and seasonings until well combined. There are two methods (by tools or by hand) to achieve a light and fluffy texture.
By tools, whip air into it the mixture pulsing with the food processor or by using a KitchenAid immersion blender instead for around 30 seconds. The immersion blender is the easiest method. Either of these methods will help whip extra air into the custard, increasing the volume of the mixture by an extra 60ml.
By hand, whisk quickly for 1-2 minutes. You may need to add an additional egg if volume doesn’t increase.
Step 4: Pour Egg Mixture Over The Ham And Cheese
Pour the egg over the quiche crust, making sure it isn’t overflowing. There should be about ¼″ of crust on the sides if using a tart pan. If using a pie plate, fill to just below the crimped edges.
Step 5: Layer with Leeks
Place a thin layer of raw leeks over the top of the quiche. Pat them down slightly, but they will melt into the custard as the quiche bakes, cooking perfectly on top. I’ve found this is the easiest and prettiest method. You could substitute for green onion or caramelized onions instead.
Step 6: Bake And Let Cool
Bake quiche at 350F/177C for 25-30 minutes if using a shallow tart dish and 40-50 minutes if using a pie pan. The filling should be set, slightly firm to the touch, and shouldn’t move when the pan is jiggled.
Storing, serving, and reheating instructions
Feel free to make the entire quiche ahead of time! After it has been baked and cooled to room temperature, it can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to two months for best results. Let the quiche thaw in the refrigerator for several hours and then bake at 350℉/177℃ for 15-20 minutes, until warmed through. Alternately, quiche can be sliced and reheated in the microwave for 15-30 seconds; it doesn’t take long!
I prefer cream because it has the ability to be whipped into a light and fluffy texture. Many recipes call for a combination of milk and cream, either works.
Pre-baking quiche crust is necessary to prevent a soggy bottom.
More delicious breakfast and brunch treats
- Easy Clafoutis: A sensational French recipe filled with fresh fruit and custard-like cream filling. It’s a classic dessert that’s perfect for breakfast.
- Root Vegetable Waffles: Shredded root veggies, eggs, and cheese combine to make this easy, hashbrown-like savory root vegetable waffles.
- Cinnamon Rolls: The perfect balance between delicate, fluffy dough and a sweet cinnamon filling.
- Strawberry Ricotta Muffins: Filled with fresh strawberries and sweet ricotta cheese, these are good to the last crumb.
Ham and Cheese Quiche
A delicious ham and cheese quiche with helpful tips to achieve a light and fluffy egg filling. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any meal of the day.
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked or partially baked pie crust, see step 1.
- 3 large eggs, see notes
- ¾ cup (175ml) heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, optional
- 1 cup (4oz, 113g) shredded cheese, combination of gruyere and swiss
- 6 oz (170g) thick cut smoked or honey ham, cubed
- ¼ cup leeks, thinly sliced
Instructions
-
Using either store-bought pie crust or homemade quiche crust, partially bake the crust using a blind baking technique before assembling and filling the quiche. For detailed instructions, read my post on how to make quiche crust before proceeding. It's easy and only takes 5 ingredients to make!
Assemble the quiche
-
Layer partially baked quiche crust with cheese first so the cheese melts against the crust when it bakes. Next, layer the ham and parsley, distributing evenly across the crust like a pizza.
-
Whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, seasonings and mustard (if using) until well combined. There are two methods to achieve a light and fluffy texture:
By tools, whip air into it the mixture by pulsing with the food processor or by using an immersion blender instead for around 30 seconds. The immersion blender is the easiest method. Either of these methods will help whip extra air into the custard, increasing the volume of the mixture by an extra 60ml.
By hand, whisk quickly for 1-2 minutes. You may need to add an additional egg if volume doesn't increase.
-
Pour the egg over the quiche crust, making sure it isn't overflowing. There should be about ¼" of crust on the sides if using a tart pan. If using a pie pan, fill to just below the crimped edges.
-
Place a thin layer of raw leeks over the top of the quiche. Pat them down slightly, but they will melt into the custard as the quiche bakes, cooking perfectly on top.
-
Bake quiche at 350℉/177℃ for 25-30 minutes if using a shallow tart dish and 40-50 minutes if using a pie pan. The filling should be set, slightly firm to the touch, and shouldn't move when the pan is jiggled.
Recipe Notes
Alterations when baking in a pie dish:
In addition to baking the dish longer, you’ll need one more egg (total: 4) to fill the larger volume of the pie dish.
Storing, serving, and reheating instructions:
Feel free to make the entire quiche ahead of time! After it has been baked and cooled to room temperature, it can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to two months for best results. Let the quiche thaw in the refrigerator for several hours and then bake at 350℉/177℃ for 15-20 minutes, until warmed through. Alternately, quiche can be sliced and reheated in the microwave for 15-30 seconds; it doesn’t take long!
