This easy Broccoli Cheddar Quiche is a quick, simple, filling meal that the whole family will love. With gooey cheese and a flaky crust, this is a crowd favorite that is great for meal prep or to enjoy on a slow Saturday morning. I love that quiche can be enjoyed as breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even a light dinner- its perfect any time of day.
Broccoli Cheddar Quiche – The EASY Way!
Quiche is one of those dishes that is like the swiss army knife. A quiche is filled with a creamy egg custard base, inside of a flaky and buttery crust, and filled with whatever goodness you like! This one is packed with protein and wholesome veggies, and everyone who has tried it, loves this quiche! My favorite combination is broccoli and cheddar. It is like Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup but for breakfast!
For this quiche with broccoli and cheddar, I made a creamy custard base to hold up to the broccoli and cheddar. I also recommend taking advantage of store-bought crusts to speed up this recipe. This broccoli cheese quiche can also be made in advance to eat throughout the week or to take to a potluck. It is equally good warm or at room temperature!
While I love this with cheddar, if you have another cheese or vegetable on hand, by all means, use those! Customization is one of the best parts of quiches so take full advantage to make this quiche fit your life.
Why I Love This Recipe:
- Extra creamy- Almost everyone who tries this quiche comments on how amazing the texture is!
- Meat Free– Packed with eggs, broccoli, and cheese, it is a wholesome, hearty, and filling meatless meal option!
- Eat it hot… or not – This can be served at room temperature or warm. Both are great which makes it extra convenient when you are on the go. And if you’re in a rush, eat it cold! It will still be delicious.
- Sharing size! This broccoli and cheese quiche is great for potlucks or brunch because it makes 8 nice size slices and you can easily make 2 or 3 with minimal extra effort.
- Perfect for meal prep– what I mentioned above makes it perfect for meal prep! It is also easy to pack to take along where ever you might be headed. Plus it’s great enjoyed for breakfast or lunch – so many options!
Recipe Notes
This cheese and broccoli quiche recipe is as simple as promised! If you are wondering how to make broccoli quiche, it only requires mixing the filling, and pouring it into a crust, so just 10 minutes of prep for a family friendly meal. Then bake!
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe for broccoli and cheddar quiche.
Ingredients
- Deep dish pie shell- I like to use a deep dish shell because I like a big hearty quiche, no the more room in the crust the better to get all that delicious flavor! I generally just use a pre-made crust from the store, but you can use a homemade pie crust if you want to make the whole dish from scratch. I used a frozen crust in a 9 inch pie plate.
- Frozen Broccoli Floret – frozen broccoli is a great way to have fresh vegetables year-round and they work perfectly in this quiche. Raw broccoli will work too! You will need to cook the broccoli before putting it into the quiche. For frozen broccoli, simply steam it in the bag as directed. For raw broccoli, steam it, saute it, or roast it in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Cheddar Cheese – I really prefer sharp cheddar because it really brings the cheddar flavor through the dish without having to use too much cheese. You can use any variety you have on hand though. Feel free to use whatever cheese you love for new flavor combos. Swiss, Colby, or feta are all great options!
- Large eggs– You may reduce the egg quantity by one egg if they are extra-large, otherwise add one more egg if they are smaller. This recipe uses large eggs since they are the most readily available.
- Heavy cream and Milk– Using a blend of cream and milk helps to add richness and creaminess to the egg custard while not making it too heavy.
- Seasonings – A little salt and pepper go a long way to enhancing these flavors!
- Optional – This is a meatless quiche, but feel free to add meat. Bacon or chopped ham would both be great!
Recipe Tips
- Pre-bake the crust– This can also be called par-bake or blind bake and is a necessary step to make the quiche set up nicely without getting a soggy bottom. This essentially pre-bakes the crust. Just add parchment paper on top of the crust and pile in something that can hold the crust down while it cooks. I like to use dry beans, but you can use coffee beans, granulated sugar, or store-bought pie weights.
- The special method! The one thing that I think makes a quiche go from average to over the top deliciously creamy is to whip the eggs with an electric mixer. This allows the eggs to be more fully incorporated and creates an extra soft, tender custard to set up in the quiche. Such a simple little thing, but it really is a game-changer!! You have to try it and tell me what you think! It truly makes this the best broccoli cheddar quiche recipe!
- Place quiche on a cookie sheet– I like to place the quiche on a cookie sheet to bake because I find it much easier to transfer to and from the oven when baking and if it happens to spill over at all, it ends up on the cookie sheet, not burning in the bottom of my oven.
- Let it rest – Cooking times may vary on this quiche based on oven temperatures and hot spots. But, look for when the center is JUST SET and remove it from the oven. The quiche will continue to cook once removed so let it rest for 20 – 30 minutes before eating.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this broccoli and cheddar quiche recipe but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Blind bake the crust ahead of time– this can be done up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, or 3 months in advance when stored in the freezer. Just be careful because the crust will be delicate and can easily break if things hit it in the freezer.
- Prep the fillings– The cheese can be shredded well ahead of time and the eggs, salt and pepper, milk and cream can even be combined.
- Prepare as a freezer meal– This dish can be made up to 3 months in advance and reheated at your convenience. For how to reheat, check the card at the bottom of this page for the recipe for broccoli quiche with cheddar.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Crustless Broccoli Cheddar Quiche – For a low-carb option, simply omit the crust for this quiche and bake the custard filling as directed! Super simply and flavor-packed.
- Broccoli Feta Quiche – For a Mediterranean spin on this, replace the cheddar with salty feta. This is also great with goat cheese!
- Broccoli Cheddar Bacon Quiche – For this option, either brown and dice bacon or use bacon crumbles to add to the custard filling.
- Broccoli Cheddar Ham Quiche – Such a classic combination – cheddar and ham! Using diced ham is a great addition to this quiche for another way to add that salty bite. Also great with mushrooms too!
- Brie Broccoli Quiche – For this quiche, you will use brie instead of cheddar, but you will need to remove the skin from the brie before adding it.
- Broccoli Bacon Swiss Cheese Quiche – So many great flavors in one quiche. For this one, brown and dice bacon and add it to the filling. Replace the cheddar cheese with swiss cheese and presto – another great quiche!
- Gluten Free Quiche– Make your quiche gluten-free by using a gluten free pie crust.
Freezer Meal Instructions
This broccoli cheddar quiche can be prepared as a freezer meal to make on another busy night, or give to a friend in need.
- Make the recipe as directed, baking until the center is almost set.
- Allow to cool at room temperature.
- Package in a zip-top bag (most pie pans will slide into a gallon size bag) or other freezer-friendly container.
- FREEZE.
- When ready to eat, thaw for 24-48 hours.
- Bake at 350˚F for 15-20 minutes on the middle or lower rack or until heated through.
For the best flavor, this meal can be frozen for up to 6 months.
What to Serve with Quiche
Since this broccoli and cheddar quiche is packed with rich eggs, cream, and cheese, it pairs well with many of your favorite side dishes for breakfast or lunch. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Breakfast Sides
- Fruit– try a fruit salad, or cut melon, grapes, or berries
- Toast– Simple white or wheat toast with butter or jam
- Biscuits or English Muffins
- Potatoes– hash browns or roasted potatoes are a personal favorite, or this hashbrown casserole is a winner for brunch!
- Yogurt– plain, flavored, with granola or fruit!
Lunch Sides
- Side salad– Most any salad will pair well, but one of my favorites is simple arugula with parmesan and lemon vinaigrette, or this kale salad.
- Sandwich– Anything from a simple grilled cheese, to a club sandwich, or just a turkey sandwich will go well with this quiche. If you want to make your sandwich really special though, try ham and cheese sliders with this honey mustard sauce. So good!
- Potatoes– My favorite are baked, roasted, or these delicious smashed potatoes!
You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well-rounded meal.
Broccoli Cheddar Quiche Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this delicious quiche, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my Easy Breakfast Recipes recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Million Dollar Bacon
- Perfect Cinnamon Roll Bake
- Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 deep dish pie shell, (16 oz)
- 12 oz frozen broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-bake the pie crust: Heat the oven to 400˚F. Place parchment in the crust and fill it with dried beans. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.Reduce oven temperature to 350˚F.Note: do not poke holes in the crust. This can allow the egg to leak through if the holes do not completely close during baking. Weighting the crust with beans should prevent the crust from bubbling up and so the holes are not needed.
- Make the custard: In a medium bowl, add the eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt and pepper. Beat with a hand mixer until completely combined.
- Steam the broccoli per package instructions. Then roughly chop it into bite sized pieces if needed. Mix the broccoli with the cheddar cheese and place it in the bottom of the pie crust.
- Pour the egg mixture over the broccoli. Place the quiche on a baking sheet and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the center is just set.
- Let sit for 20 minutes and serve warm to room temperature. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Deep dish pie shell – I use a pre-made crust from the store, but you can use a homemade pie crust if you want to make the whole dish from scratch.
- Frozen Broccoli Floret – Raw broccoli will work, too! You will need to cook the broccoli before putting it into the quiche.
- Cheddar Cheese – I prefer sharp cheddar because you can use less cheese and still have lots of flavor. You can use any variety you have on hand though – Swiss, Colby, or feta are all great options!
- Large eggs – You may reduce the egg quantity by one egg if they are extra-large, otherwise add one more egg if they are smaller. This recipe uses large eggs since they are the most readily available.
- Optional – This is a meatless quiche, but feel free to add meat. Bacon or chopped ham would both be great!
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
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