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Cheesy Crustless Quiche with Broccoli and Ham

Ham, broccoli, and cheese take center stage in this crustless quiche! It's low-carb, gluten-free, and full of rich creamy goodness!

Sally Vargas

Sally is the author of four cookbooks and is a regular correspondent for the Boston Globe Wednesday Food Section. She also is a food photographer.

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Sally Vargas
Published March 11, 2019
Sally Vargas
Gluten-free Quiche Recipe - close up of ham and broccoli quiche in a white dish
Sally Vargas

Broccoli, ham and cheddar enveloped in a silky custard are irresistible in this crustless quiche. But wait! There’s more. This quiche is low-carb, gluten-free, filling, luscious, and take only minutes to prepare!

Sorry, crust. You used to be my favorite part of quiche, but the rich and cheesy filling in this pie is the star event, and I didn’t even notice you were missing.

Easy Crustless Quiche Recipe

Yes, you will forget all about the crust when you bite into the soft and ultra-creamy custard made with heavy cream and whole eggs and egg yolks. Grated cheddar, ham, and broccoli folded into the delicate custard add substance that is both pleasing and filling.

Crustless Quiche with Ham - vegetables, cheese, cubed ham in white dish
Sally Vargas

The Trick for Extra-Creamy Quiche

The trick to creating a tender and creamy filling is heavy cream (also called "heavy whipping cream" or just "whipping cream") and a high proportion of egg yolks. That’s all there is to it.

I was tempted to load this with more vegetables, but decided to limit the filling ingredients in order to let the custard take center stage, where it belongs. Welcome to my Saturday brunch special!

Make It Ahead

Quiche is very forgiving, and this crustless version is no exception. You can make it ahead, refrigerate it for up to three days, or freeze it for up to one month.

To refrigerate and reheat the quiche:

  • Let the baked quiche cool to room temperature, cover it with foil and refrigerate.
  • To reheat it, take it from the fridge to the oven. Loosen the foil so it loosely covers the quiche. Bake at 350oF oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is hot all the way through.

To freeze and reheat the quiche:

  • Let the baked quiche cool to room temperature and cover it with plastic wrap. Wrap it in double thickness of foil, label, and freeze for up to one month.
  • To reheat it, remove the wrapping from the frozen quiche and loosely cover the top with foil. Bake at 350oF oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is hot all the way through.
Crustless Quiche with Ham - close up of ham and broccoli quiche in a white dish
Sally Vargas

The Difference Between Crustless Quiche and Frittatas

A frittata is like an omelet, with eggs and filling scrambled together and then baked or cooked on top of the stove in a skillet.

While a frittata consists of eggs and filling, a crustless quiche is made with eggs and milk or cream to make a custard. Cheese, various vegetables, and ham or bacon are added, and the filling is then baked in a casserole dish.

We’re eliminating the crust here, of course, but if you really wanted to, you could bake this filling in a fully baked pie crust of your choosing. The baking time is the same.

Check Out These Other Quiche Recipes!

Cheesy Crustless Quiche with Broccoli and Ham

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil spray (for the pan)
  • 1 medium stalk broccoli, stem and crown
  • 5 ounces ham steak, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar (about 7 ounces)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Method

  1. Prepare the oven and baking dish:

    Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9-inch round ceramic baking dish or pie pan with vegetable oil. Have a baking sheet on hand.

  2. Prepare the broccoli:

    Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cut a sliver off the bottom of the broccoli stem and peel the stem with a vegetable peeler. Slice the stem into 1/2 inch-thick, bite-size pieces. Cut the broccoli crown into small florets.

    Cook the broccoli in the boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Strain the broccoli to remove the water, and spread the broccoli over the bottom of the baking dish.

    Easy Crustless Quiche - broccoli on a cutting board with a vegetable peeler with shavings of the broccoli stock nearby
    Sally Vargas
    Crustless Broccoli Quiche Recipe
    Sally Vargas
  3. Add the ham and cheese to the baking dish:

    Distribute the ham cubes over the broccoli. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cheese to sprinkle on top of the filled quiche. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the broccoli.

    Breakfast Crustless Quiche - ham and broccoli in white dish
    Sally Vargas
    Crustless Quiche with Ham - vegetables, cheese, cubed ham in white dish
    Sally Vargas
  4. Make the custard:

    In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks together. Whisk in the cream, salt, and pepper. Pour the cream mixture over the filling in the pan and sprinkle the top with the reserved cheese.

    Low-Carb Quiche Recipe - - large mixing cup with whisk and egg and cream mixture
    Sally Vargas
    Easy Crustless Quiche - uncooked quiche in white dish
    Sally Vargas
  5. Bake the quiche:

    Set the baking dish on the baking sheet and place it in the oven. Decrease the oven temperature to 350oF.

    Bake the quiche for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center puffs, but is still slightly wobbly in the center.

  6. Cool the quiche:

    Set the baking dish on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into wedges. Quiche can be served warm or at room temperature.