Asparagus quiche with gruyere cheese is a surprisingly easy recipe that's perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner! Make homemade crust or use store-bought, it's a great way to use a favorite spring vegetable—asparagus!—in a light vegetarian meal.
Quiche sounds fancy, but in fact, it's just a simple egg custard baked into a crust. So let's make an asparagus gruyere quiche to welcome spring, shall we?
We'll start by adding baked asparagus arranged in a pretty pattern, then toss some Gruyere cheese in the quiche filling to add richness and that cheesy goodness you're looking for. And don't worry, I'll show you how to trim asparagus easily so you only get the tender bits in there!
Serve it for holiday meals, for brunch, or breakfast for dinner any time. Speaking of asparagus and dinner, Asparagus Pasta and Lemon Asparagus Risotto with Parmesan are two of my favorites!
Jump to:
Asparagus gruyere quiche recipe ingredients
For the asparagus quiche filling:
- Asparagus: Choose asparagus that is firm, not wilty or bendy, with bright green stalks and dark green or purple tips. Thinner asparagus is preferable in this recipe, because it looks prettier on top of the quiche and the texture is a little better overall. But if you only find thicker asparagus, that will work just fine. (Thicker asparagus works really well for Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus!)
- Eggs: You may be surprised that it doesn't take very many eggs to make a quiche. We'll use 6 in this recipe.
- Half and half: To make the luscious custard filling, you can use half and half, or heavy cream. I prefer half and half here, as it keeps the quiche a little lighter and lets the asparagus shine.
- Gruyere cheese: The king of all Swiss cheeses because it melts so well, Gruyere cheese adds a bit of bite that cuts through the custard, but still gives us the creamy, cheesy texture we're looking for.
- Extra virgin olive oil: We'll just need a drizzle to roast the asparagus.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
*Ingredients with measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
For the crust:
We are going to make a standard pie crust, nothing fancy. You can definitely substitute a store-bought crust to speed things up, either frozen or refrigerated. I always lean on a store-bought crust situation to make my Asparagus Tart with Puff Pastry, it's convenient and easy!
- All purpose flour, unsalted butter, kosher salt , ice water, (sugar is optional)
How to make asparagus gruyere quiche
If using store-bought crust, skip to step 2 or 3.
Step 1: Make the quiche crust
Add flour and salt (and sugar, if using) to a food processor and pulse a couple of times. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until you have a sandy texture.
Pour ¼ cup of ice water into the food processor and pulse until the crust looks like wet sand. Squeeze some of the pie dough in your hand. If it holds together, it's ready. If it breaks apart, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds.
Dump the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and use your hands to form it into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Step 2: Roll, shape and chill the pie crust
Roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface, turning as you go to keep it from sticking. When it reaches about 14 inches in diameter, lay it into a 9-inch deep dish pie pan, fold the excess under and shape edges of the crust as you like. I just did a cross-hatch pattern using a fork here.
Place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Prep the asparagus and grate the cheese
While the pie crust chills, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Trim the asparagus by grasping the bottom and the middle of the stalk and gently bending until it breaks. (It will break where it should. Trust the asparagus!)
Discard the bottom stems and transfer the stalks to a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, add a couple of pinches of salt and toss to coat.
Grate the Gruyere cheese on the large holes of a box grater and set aside.
Step 4: Par-bake (blind bake) the crust
Line the pie crust with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place the pie crust on the upper rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Step 5: Roast the asparagus
While the crust is pre-baking, roast the asparagus on the lower rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes, just until it has softened slightly and turned a bright green color.
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll join hundreds of readers on my email list!
Remove the asparagus from the oven and set half of it aside. Chop the other half into 1-inch slices using a good chef's knife.
Step 6: Make the egg custard filling
Whisk together eggs, half and half, and ¾ teaspoon of salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the cup of shredded cheese and the chopped pieces of asparagus, reserving the whole stalks.
Step 7: Assemble the asparagus quiche and bake
Remove the pie crust from the oven, place the pie dish on a sheet pan, and carefully remove the parchment and pie weights.
Debra's Tip: Bake the quiche on a sheet pan!
Putting the quiche on a sheet pan makes it easier to transfer the pie dish to the oven without spilling or sloshing, it adds a little heat to keep the bottom crust from getting soggy, and it's there when you need it if something bubbles over.
Give the egg mixture a quick stir, then pour it into the pie shell. Quickly arrange the whole stalks of asparagus on top in a pattern (or not) of your choosing.
Place the asparagus quiche back into the oven (keep it on the sheet pan) and bake for another 45-50 minutes until the center is set but still has a slight wobble and the edges of the filling are just starting to turn golden. (If you find the crust is getting too dark, cover it with a ring of foil.)
Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Expert tips
- Don't overbake your quiche! Overbaked quiche is yucky! You want the filling to be cooked, yet still creamy. Keep in mind the quiche will continue to cook for a bit once you remove it from the oven.
- How to tell if your asparagus quiche is done: You'll know the quiche is done when the filling is just set, but still has a slight wobble. You can also insert a knife into the center and if it comes out clean, it's done!
- Sugar in the crust is up to you: I prefer a no-sugar pie crust for quiche, but it's really up to you. There is usually only a little bit of sugar in pie crust, so if you like a slightly sweet and savory combo, go for it.
- Don't skip par-baking (also called pre-baking or blind baking) the crust! You must par-bake the pie crust to avoid a soggy bottom, whether you make it from scratch or use store-bought! If you skip it, the outside edges of the crust will be crisp and flaky, but the bottom will be raw and gummy, and nobody wants that. Yes, I know some quiche recipes say you don't have to do this, but I tested it, and without par-baking, the bottom of the crust was pretty much inedible.
Do you have to cook asparagus before putting it in a quiche?
You don't have to, but I recommend cooking asparagus for a short time before putting it in a quiche. When asparagus cooks, it releases water. If you add it to the quiche raw, it will release water into the filling, which could affect that creamy texture we all love.
More egg recipes
Debra's Details: Asparagus gruyere quiche is a simple recipe to welcome spring!
- Just 4 ingredients make up the quiche filling.
- The light, delicate flavor of fresh asparagus paired with Gruyere cheese is a classic flavor combination.
- You can make the crust from scratch, or use a chilled or frozen store-bought crust.
- The asparagus roasts while the quiche crust pre-bakes, which saves you time.
- Makes a light vegetarian meal any time of day.
- Perfect for family brunch or holiday celebrations.
If you enjoy this recipe, please leave me a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card! It really helps others find my content and helps my business grow! Sign up for my newsletter for recipes delivered to your inbox and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest! Thank you!
Recipe
Asparagus Quiche with Gruyere Cheese
Ingredients
Quiche crust (or use store-bought)
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
- ¼ cup ice water plus more if needed
Asparagus gruyere filling
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 large eggs
- 1½ cups half and half
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Instructions
Quiche crust
- Note: If using store-bought pie crust, skip to the filling instructions below.
- Add flour and salt (and sugar, if using) to a food processor and pulse a couple of times. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until you have a sandy texture. Pour ¼ cup of ice water into the food processor and pulse until the crust looks like wet sand. Squeeze some of the pie dough in your hand. If it holds together, it's ready. If it breaks apart, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds.
- Dump the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and use your hands to form it into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface, turning as you go to keep it from sticking. When it reaches about 14 inches in diameter, lay it into a 9-inch deep dish pie pan, fold the excess under and shape edges of the crust as you like. (I just did a cross-hatch pattern using a fork.) Place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
Asparagus gruyere filling
- Note: If using store-bought pie crust, roll it, place in a pie dish and shape the edges of the crust, then chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you make the filling. If using frozen, pre-shaped crust, follow package instructions for thawing before filling.
- While the pie crust chills, preheat the oven to 375°F. Place oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
- Trim the asparagus by grasping the bottom and the middle of the stalk and gently bending until it breaks. (It will break where it should. Trust the asparagus!) Discard the bottom stems and transfer the stalks to a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, add a couple of pinches of salt and toss to coat.
- Grate the Gruyère cheese on the large holes of a box grater and set aside.
- Line the pie crust with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place the pie crust on the upper rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- While the crust is pre-baking, roast the asparagus on the lower rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes, just until it has softened slightly and turned a bright green color.
- Remove the asparagus from the oven and set half of it aside, this portion will stay in long spears and go on top of the quiche in a pretty design. Chop the remaining asparagus into 1-inch slices.
- Whisk the eggs, half and half, and ¾ teaspoon of salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the grated cheese and the chopped pieces of asparagus, reserving the whole spears.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven, place it on a sheet pan, and carefully remove the parchment and pie weights. Give the egg mixture a quick stir, then pour it into the pie shell. Quickly arrange the whole stalks of asparagus on top in a pattern (or not) of your choosing.
- Place the asparagus quiche back into the oven (keep it on the sheet pan) and bake for another 45-50 minutes until the center is set but still has a slight wobble and the edges of the filling are just starting to turn golden. (If you find the crust is getting too dark, cover it with a ring of foil.) Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll join hundreds of readers on my email list!
Notes
- Don't overbake your quiche! Overbaked quiche is yucky! You want the filling to be cooked, yet still creamy. Keep in mind the quiche will continue to cook for a bit once you remove it from the oven.
- How to tell if your asparagus quiche is done: You'll know the quiche is done when the filling is just set, but still has a slight wobble. You can also insert a knife into the center and if it comes out clean, it's done!
- Sugar in the crust is up to you: I prefer a no-sugar pie crust for quiche, but it's really up to you. There is usually only a little bit of sugar in pie crust, so if you like a slightly sweet and savory combo, go for it.
- Don't skip par-baking (also called pre-baking or blind baking) the crust! You must par-bake the pie crust to avoid a soggy bottom, whether you make it from scratch or use store-bought! If you skip it, the outside edges of the crust will be crisp and flaky, but the bottom will be raw and gummy, and nobody wants that. Yes, I know some quiche recipes say you don't have to do this, but I tested it, and without par-baking, the bottom of the crust was pretty much inedible.
- Baking on a sheet pan: Putting the asparagus quiche on a sheet pan makes it easier to transfer to the oven without spilling or sloshing, it adds a little heat to keep the bottom crust from getting soggy, and it's there when you need it if something bubbles over.
- To store: Wrap the whole pie plate tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or place individual slices in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- To freeze: Place quiche slices on a sheet pan in the freezer until frozen, then wrap or package individually in freezer-safe wrap or containers. It will keep in the freezer for up to one month.
- To reheat: Quiche is best reheated in the oven to keep the egg filling from getting rubbery and to keep the crust crispy. Place in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. I don't recommend reheating quiche in the microwave.
- Swap out the cheese: Mozzarella, fontina, goat cheese, or cheddar cheese would all taste great in this quiche.
- Add onions, scallions, or shallots: If you like, sauté some onions or shallots to add to the filling when you add the asparagus.
- Toss in some fresh herbs: Chopped tarragon or parsley can be added to the egg mixture before baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
Leave a Reply