Easiest Cheese Quiche

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Updated on 09/15/24
Golden brown cheese quiche in a ceramic pie pan

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 1 quiche

Quiche is one of those dishes that everyone should know how to make. It's not difficult, and this classic cheese quiche recipe is a perfect introduction to your favorite brunch dish. Made with just a few ingredients, it's quick and easy to throw together and serves as inspiration for your custom quiche creations.

Often associated with French cuisine, quiche is a savory egg custard baked in pie crust. The base comprises eggs, milk, cream, cheese, and any variety of ingredients that are added for flavor. This cheese quiche uses cheddar, and Swiss cheese is a nice addition. You can use any shredded cheese you like; one winning combination is Havarti, Colby, and Parmesan.

Quiche is an excellent choice for any meal, including a busy weeknight dinner. It can even be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen, then quickly reheated. Favorite quiche side dishes include green salad, a bowl of mixed fruit, a simple tomato soup or chilled gazpacho, and roasted veggies.

Tips for Making Cheese Quiche Recipe

  • Cold ingredients - Make sure the pie crust is cold.
  • Measure the ingredients carefully - If you add too much flour, the quiche filling will not be light. When there's too much dairy in relation to the eggs, the quiche will come out soft and runny, sometimes almost watery.
  • The dairy is key - Make sure to use 2 percent or whole milk and don't skimp on the cream. The fat in the cream adds to the richness and makes the quiche filling tender.

Make Ahead

Quiche is an excellent make-ahead dish. There are a few ways to approach it:

  • Prepare the pie crust and filling and keep them separate (prevent soggy crust) in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, simply pour the filling into the crust and bake as normal.
  • Bake the quiche and let it cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat covered with foil in a 325 F oven for 15 minutes, or until warmed.
  • Bake and cool the quiche, cover with plastic, and place it in a freezer-safe bag. It should keep well in the freezer for three months. When ready to eat, cover in foil and reheat until warm in a 350 F oven for about 20 minutes.
What You'll Need to Make This Cheese Quiche Recipe
Pie Pans tested by The Spruce Eats
A Lovely Pie Pan
OXO Good Grips Multi Grater displayed on a cutting board next to a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano
A Good Cheese Grater
Best whisks group photo
A Handy Dandy Whisk
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Ingredients

  • 1 refrigerated pie crust, or homemade pie crust

  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or a combination of Swiss and cheddar)

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons dried chives

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

    Ingredients for cheese quiche recipe gathered

     The Spruce Eats

  2. Let refrigerated pie crust stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, then gently unroll. Place in a 9-inch pie pan, press into bottom and up sides, and flute edges. Be careful not to stretch the pie crust as you work, because if you do, it will shrink during baking.

    Unbaked crust with fluted edges lining a pie plate

     The Spruce Eats

  3. Sprinkle 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese into the bottom of the pie crust; set aside.

    Thick layer of grated cheese sprinkled over pie crust

     The Spruce Eats

  4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine 4 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 to 2 teaspoons dried chives, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and beat with a wire whisk until the mixture is smooth and incorporated.

    Wet ingredients and chives being whisked together in a large bowl

     The Spruce Eats

  5. Pour the custard mixture carefully over the cheeses in the crust.

    Egg mixture poured over cheese layer in pie crust

     The Spruce Eats

  6. Bake the quiche for 40 to 50 minutes until the quiche is puffed, golden brown, and set. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve and enjoy.

    Golden brown cheese quiche with crust pulling away from the sides of the pie pan

     The Spruce Eats

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

Use this recipe as a base to create your quiche masterpieces and write down the ingredients you used so you can reproduce them. Add about a cup of additional ingredients to the pie crust before pouring the egg custard. Everything from thawed and drained frozen spinach to cooked sausage and onions or chicken, ham, shrimp, or other vegetables are excellent for a quiche.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
479 Calories
34g Fat
27g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 479
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 43%
Saturated Fat 16g 81%
Cholesterol 154mg 51%
Sodium 550mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 370mg 28%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 172mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)