Easy Broccoli Cheddar Quiche (Frozen Pie Crust)

A flakey golden pie crust filled with broccoli in a rich, creamy egg custard augmented with savory sharp cheddar & parmesan cheeses. This easy Broccoli Cheddar Quiche is perfect for any breakfast, brunch, luncheon, or dinner.

During the week, time is short. So, I will make baked peanut butter oatmeal or cinnamon and sugar donut muffins for breakfast. However, on the weekends, you find us enjoying Blueberry Pancakes, Nutella Crepes, Cheese Danish along with this Broccoli Cheese Quiche.

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Why You’ll Love This Broccoli Quiche Recipe 

• Visually pleasing presentation only surpassed by its exceptional flavor!
• Broccoli cheddar quiche is simplified because you can use store-bought frozen pie crust, no need to thaw. 
• While a pre-made frozen pie crust in a disposable pan makes this quiche super easy, you can choose to roll out a refrigerated or homemade pie crust and freeze or blind bake it in one of your own pie plates.
• Broccoli cheddar quiche is an easy dish for weekend brunch, holidays, or just because.
• Easily adaptable to use whatever veggies or cheese you have on hand. 

What Is Quiche?

Quiche is the quintessential Sunday brunch mainstay, enthusiastically adopted by most cultures from French cuisine. This elegant French tart may sound complicated but is simply a savory egg custard in a pastry shell. I’m not inclined to be that formal, so we just call it a pie crust around here!

Filling a golden pie crust with creamy egg custard and enhancing with the addition of various meats, cheeses, and vegetables is a perfect dish for any meal! The variations are as unique and adaptive as your imagination (or culinary skill)!

You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy and tasty this broccoli cheddar quiche is to make; with a delectable creamy texture, nuanced layers of mild, tender broccoli, robust aged cheddar, and the peerless umami of parmesan cheese.

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Ingredients You Need For Broccoli Cheese Quiche 

• Half & Half and eggs form the custard in the quiche with various spices. (Steer clear of regular milk or “fat-free” half and half!)
• Frozen pie crust is the key to keeping the custard mixture from making the broccoli quiche crust soggy. If you want to use a store-bought refrigerated or homemade pie crust, just freeze it first or blind bake the crust. (see how to blind bake below)
• Fresh broccoli florets with the stems removed will bake more evenly. To make smaller, more uniform pieces, break apart the florets by hand. You can substitute frozen broccoli, but it must be thawed and drained. If you use fresh broccoli, cook it in the microwave covered for 3 minutes to soften a little.
• Slaw mix will primarily contain shredded cabbage with julienne carrots adding flavor and texture.
• Cheese. Sharp cheddar and Parmesean pair perfectly with broccoli.

Do you have to bake the crust first for a quiche?

Not at all!! I have found by using a frozen pie crust, I don’t have trouble with a soggy crust. If you don’t want to use a pre-made frozen crust, you can use store-bought refrigerated crust or homemade pie crust. Roll the pie crust to fit slightly larger than a 9-inch standard pie plate (NOT deep dish). Fold the overhang underneath and crimp as desired and freeze for 30 minutes. Fill and bake as directed in the recipe below.

What is blind baking, and how do I do it?

You can blind bake a refrigerated or homemade pie crust for 10-20 minutes before adding the filling if you want to make sure you have a crisp bottom crust.

Blind baking, or pre-baking, is a nifty hack for pie crust or pastries that require more baking time than the filling. It is also used if the crust contains a wet filling that could cause a doughy crust.  

The process of successfully blind baking a pie crust is relatively easy and revolutionary to neophyte bakers. Place your pie crust in the pan, crimp the edges, and line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper. Add an even layer of your preferred pie weights (dry rice, dry beans, or pie weights) on the parchment paper, chill for about 30 minutes, and bake.

The weights should be heavy enough to allow the crust to bake but not to rise or bubble. 

For this quiche broccoli recipe, blind bake 10- 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, return to the oven and continue baking until just starting to brown, (about 10-12 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly before pouring your filling into the crust. Bake as directed in the recipe below. 

TIP: If you use dried beans or rice, you can store the baked “weights” in a sealed bag and reuse them each time you need to blind bake a crust. It is not recommended that you cook the beans or rice used as weights for consumption.

How To Make An Easy Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

PREP:  Preheat the oven to 375° F. If using a refrigerated or homemade pie crust; Roll the pie crust a bit bigger than a 9-inch pie plate, crimp edges then freeze for 30 minutes or blind bake. (skip this step if using a store-bought frozen crust). If using fresh broccoli, cook it in the microwave to soften a little.

MIX:  Whisk together eggs, half and half, and seasonings.

POUR:  Pour filling into frozen crust. Distribute broccoli and slaw evenly over the egg mixture. Sprinkle with cheeses.

BAKE:  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until custard is just set and no longer giggly.

SERVE: Cool for at least 20 minutes. Serve quiche warm or at room temperature.

Great Tips For Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

• Cut the stems off the broccoli and use your hands to break the florets into small pieces.
• Due to the higher fat content of half and half, don’t replace it with milk. This will ensure a rich, creamy egg custard base for the broccoli quiche.
• Keep an eye on the crust as it bakes, you don’t want it to get too brown. If needed, use a pie crust shield or foil to avoid overcooking the crust. 
• Allowing a slight wobble in the center of the broccoli quiche and a resting period of at least 10 minutes will provide a light and overall pleasing custard pastry.

Tasty Additions For Broccoli Cheese Quiche

• Crispy crumbled bacon or sausage
• Diced ham, pre-cooked turkey, or chicken 
• Onions and/or sweet yellow or red peppers*
• Well-drained and chopped pickled jalapenos or Kalamata olives*
• Pepper jack, smoked gouda, or Gruyère Cheese

Broccoli Quiche FAQs

Can You Make It A Crustless Broccoli Cheddar Quiche?

Absolutely! This broccoli quiche will bake perfectly in a greased  9” pie plate without a crust. Follow the directions for the egg custard/filling, temperature, and bake on the middle rack. 

Check the broccoli cheddar quiche at 30 minutes for doneness. You want a light and fluffy egg custard, not the firm texture of a frittata.

How Do You Tell If A Quiche Is Done?

The foolproof way is to use a good instant-read thermometer to find your custard sweet spot between 165°F – 185°F (74°C – 85°C). Allow the quiche to rest between 10 – 20 minutes; while the outer portion cools, the center will continue to cook.

You can also use a tried and true method of inserting a knife blade about one inch from the middle and see if the knife comes out clean. BUT, in proper quiche form (not frittata texture), the custard should be slightly jiggly in the center because it should continue to set up after removing from the oven.

Always allow a hot from the oven quiche 10 minutes to cool before cutting and serving.

What Goes With Quiche?

If you want to serve broccoli quiche as the main dish of your meal, here are a few good side dish options as well as drinks to serve with it.

Side Salad

Roasted Tomato Soup

Raspberry Iced Tea

BLT Red Potato Salad

Fresh Fruit

Kir Royale

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