No time to fuss with crust? You'll love this easy crustless quiche! Filled with broccoli and cheese, it's healthy, satisfying, and delicious for any meal.
This crustless quiche recipe is for those of us (ahem, me) who love quiche but don’t love making pie crust. Like a classic quiche, it’s flavorful and satisfying, the rich egg custard studded with broccoli, herbs, and cheese. But without a crust to fuss with, it’s SO much easier to make!
This crustless quiche is the perfect simple-yet-special dish for the hectic holiday season. Serve it for brunch alongside fresh fruit and mimosas, or make it for an easy weeknight dinner. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, warm them up for a healthy breakfast or lunch the next day. You’ll love having this versatile recipe in your back pocket!
What is the difference between a crustless quiche and a frittata?
Great question! Traditionally, quiche is a savory egg custard tart or pie—yes, with a crust. The famous bacon, cheese, and onion quiche Lorraine originated in northeast France with influence from neighboring Germany.
A frittata, on the other hand, is a classic Italian egg dish. It doesn’t have a crust.
So, if you make a quiche without a crust, is it any different from a frittata?
Yes! This crustless quiche recipe and my frittata recipe differ in two key ways:
- Milk to egg ratio. Quiche recipes typically call for a higher milk to egg ratio than frittata recipes do. For reference, when I make a frittata, I use 8 eggs and 1/4 cup milk. When I make this crustless quiche, I use 6 eggs and 1/2 cup milk. Some quiche recipes call for even more milk or cream!
- Cooking method. Frittatas are typically cooked in a skillet. The eggs start cooking on the stovetop and finish in the oven. In a crustless quiche, the eggs bake entirely in the oven.
Crustless Quiche Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this crustless quiche recipe:
- Eggs and unsweetened almond milk – They create the egg custard. Feel free to swap out the almond milk for 2% or whole milk if you prefer.
- Shallots – They infuse the crustless quiche with savory, umami flavor.
- Broccoli – It adds satisfying texture to the delicate egg custard.
- Gruyere cheese – For rich, nutty flavor.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For greasing the pie dish and sautéing the vegetables.
- Fresh herbs – They add depth of flavor to this simple recipe. Take your pick between thyme or chives. The thyme is citrusy and earthy. The chives are fresh and oniony.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Crustless Quiche
This crustless quiche recipe is easy to make!
Start by whisking the eggs. Crack them into a large bowl and beat them with the milk, salt, and pepper until no streaks of egg white remain.
Next, cook the veggies. Sauté the shallots over medium heat until they soften, about 4 minutes. Then, add the broccoli and water and cook, stirring, until the water evaporates and the broccoli is bright green, another 4 minutes or so. You want the broccoli to just lose its raw bite.
You’re ready to assemble the crustless quiche. Lightly oil a 9- or 9.5-inch pie plate and evenly spread the vegetables on the bottom. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
Pour in the egg mixture. I like to gently shake the pie pan to distribute the eggs and remove any air bubbles. Finally, top with the thyme or chives!
Bake the crustless quiche at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the eggs are set. Remove from the oven, slice, and serve!
Tip
Wondering what to serve with crustless quiche? This recipe pairs nicely with a green salad for lunch or dinner. For a simple breakfast, serve it alongside a fresh fruit salad and toast.
Recipe Variations
I love this crustless quiche recipe as written, but it works well with a variety of add-ins. Feel free to change it up to suit your tastes or use what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Toss in other veggies. Replace the broccoli with sautéed spinach, mushrooms, or asparagus. Roasted butternut squash would be delicious too!
- Change the cheese. Use cheddar, feta, or Swiss cheese instead of Gruyere.
- Swap the herbs. Not feeling thyme or chives? Add tarragon, basil, or chopped fresh rosemary instead.
Let me know what variations you try!
Storage
Store leftover crustless quiche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
It also freezes well. Allow the quiche to cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container or wrapping it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Favorite Brunch Recipes
If you love this crustless quiche, try one of these delicious brunch recipes next:
- Spinach Quiche
- How to Make a Frittata
- Breakfast Egg Muffins
- How to Make an Omelette
- Baked Eggs
- Scrambled Eggs
- Best Shakshuka
- Or any of these 51 Best Brunch Recipes!
Crustless Quiche
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk, or 2% or whole milk
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pie dish
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced (⅔ cup)
- 3 cups small broccoli florets, 6 ounces
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, 2 ounces
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch or 9.5-inch pie dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the broccoli and water and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the broccoli is bright green and has just lost its raw bite.
- Transfer the vegetables to the prepared pie dish and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top. Pour in the egg mixture and gently shake the pan to distribute. Sprinkle with the thyme and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the eggs are set.
Indulge in the delightful simplicity of this crustless quiche – a burst of flavor without the fuss!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Made the crustless quiche as written but added more dill cause I can’t get enough of it! Leftovers…no way everyone loved it! So easy to make so I will no longer be buying quiche for $35-$50 at my local gourmet stores.
Hi Patty, I always support adding extra dill! So glad you loved the recipe.
Would a vegan cheese work in this recipe? And could I had sautéed bell peppers?
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Hi Jeanine
Happy New year.
Made this for New Years Eve brunch and it turned out great. The only add I made was some mushrooms I wanted to use up. So I cooked those in a separate pan and cooked out the water then added to the rest of the cooked veg (broccoli,&shallots) before adding the egg mix.
Very nice for a brunch menu, and not having a crust is perfect if your serving with bread. I had made my homemade olive bread so glad to have no pastry.
Easy peasy.
Thank you.
I made this Christmas morning and everyone loved it! Great recipe, easy and quick to put together.. I am planning to make it again on New Years morning. Thanks for the great recipe!
Have you ever susbstituted feta for the gruyere in this recipe? (I tend to keep feta on hand.) Thks!
Hi Barbara, I think that would be great!
This is really lovely. I’m no baker, but even I can whip up a pie crust from scratch, although I usually make too big of a dough. But, I do enjoy the opportunity to not bother with a pie crust!