Asparagus Quiche with Gruyere Cheese
Servings: 6
Calories: 503kcal
Asparagus quiche with gruyere cheese is a surprisingly easy recipe! Make homemade crust or use store-bought, the asparagus is baked for about 8 minutes before adding it to the filling.
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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.
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.
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Nutrition
Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 249mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 344mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1698IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 4mg
