Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche with Homemade Quiche Crust

This versatile recipe for Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche with a simple Homemade Quiche Crust is ready to do triple duty as a lighter vegetarian dinner, savory addition to a brunch spread, or as a meal prep option for a week of breakfasts. With savory sharp cheddar and a pound of broccoli, it's packed with a familiar and unbeatable flavor combination. The homemade quiche crust comes together in the food processor, so preparation is a snap!

Quiche is a brunch favorite for a reason. No need to make the eggs to order and quiche fillings can be as complicated or as simple as you please. This broccoli and cheddar version goes for a classic vibe that will compliment any other dishes you want on your brunch table.

This veggie-packed quiche will be an easy add to your meal plan dinner rotation. To switch things up a bit, check out this Spinach and Feta Pie next!

Homemade Quiche Crust

I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

• All-Purpose Flour - This pantry staple will make a quiche crust that is both sturdy and flaky!
• Salted Butter - This recipe was developed with Costco salted butter, but if you only have unsalted butter on hand, add an additional ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to the food processor along with the butter.
• Ice-Cold Water - Prepare a glass of ice and water and measure your 5 tablespoons of water from this mixture, avoiding adding any actual ice to your quiche crust.

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche Ingredients

• Frozen Broccoli Florets - Thaw the frozen broccoli florets in the microwave and then transfer them to a mesh strainer to remove as much of the liquid as possible.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Shred a block of sharp cheddar on your own or use packaged shredded cheese. No shame in that shortcut!
• Large Eggs - Eggs help build a structure to keep all of the ingredients together in the quiche crust and make this a filling and satisfying meal.
• Heavy Cream - Heavy cream keeps the filling moist and tender and prevents the quiche from having a bouncy texture.

Instructions for Homemade Quiche Crust

Preheat the oven to 400°F and grab a sheet pan to place your pie pan onto. This makes it easier to transfer in and out of the oven and also acts as insurance in case the quiche filling spills!

To the bowl of your food processor, add the flour and cubed butter.

Secure the lid and repeatedly pulse to process the flour and butter together until you have completely coated the butter pieces with flour. Some pieces of butter will be dime-sized, some will be the size of oats, but make sure all of the butter is coated.

With the processor running, add the ice-cold water slowly through the opening in the top.

Continue to run the processor until the dough starts to come together in big clumps and pulls away from the sides. Stop the processor as soon as this happens.

Dump out the pieces of crust dough onto a large square of parchment paper.

Use your hands to press the dough bits together to form a flattened disk.

Add another piece of parchment paper to the top of the dough disk and then use a rolling pin to roll the disk out to a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

Remove the top piece of parchment paper and then gently peel the circle from the bottom paper, folding it into quarters. If your dough is sticking to the parchment paper too much, chill it in the refrigerator for a few minutes and it will be easier to work with. Move the folded quiche crust to your pie pan, placing the corner of the folds in the center of the pan.

Unfold the dough and gently press it to the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Fold the excess dough around the edges under itself all around the perimeter of the pan. You'll now have a smooth and reinforced edge.

Crimp the dough however you see fit, but I generally use the finger of one hand to press the dough between the finger and thumb of my other hand, forming a zig zag pattern.

Continue the crimping around the whole crust. Transfer the crust to the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.

Using one of the pieces of parchment from rolling out the crust, line the inside of the chilled crust and transfer the crust to a sheet pan.

Fill the center of the crust with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 400°F.

Remove the sheet pan and crust from the oven and lift the parchment paper and weights off of the crust. The crust will still be shiny and not fully baked.

Bake the crust an additional 10 minutes, until you don't see any shiny dough on the base or edges of the crust. Remove it from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Proceed with the quiche filling.

Instructions for Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

You can start the prep of the broccoli and cheddar filling while you are blind baking the crust to speed up the prep a bit!

Thaw the frozen broccoli in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and then transfer the broccoli to a mesh strainer to remove as much water as possible. Then chop the broccoli into small pieces.

Shred the sharp cheddar on the large side of a box grater and add it to a bowl along with the chopped broccoli. Toss the two together so that the mixture is uniform.

To a medium bowl add the heavy cream, eggs, salt, and pepper.

Whisk the egg mixture together until it is very smooth.

Add the broccoli and cheddar to the quiche crust and spread it out evenly.

Pour the egg mixture over the broccoli and cheese slowly, allowing it to settle into all of the spaces. It will come right to the top of the crust.

Bake the quiche on the sheet pan for 50-55 minutes. When the quiche is fully cooked, the edges are golden, the filling isn't wobbly, and when the center is pierced with a sharp knife no liquid eggs coat the knife.

Allow the quiche to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

About Pie Weights

Pie weights are used to support the edges of a pie or quiche crust and keep it from slumping during the blind bake as well as keep the bottom of the quiche crust from puffing up. Ceramic pie weights are popular, but to get enough to pack the full volume of the crust, you usually need more than one set. Dried beans are a good and economical option! I use a combination of both, and keep mine stored in a reusable mesh produce bag in my cabinet.

Substitutions and Variations

The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!

• Use Fresh Broccoli - You can use fresh broccoli if you steam it before adding it to the quiche. Use the microwave or do a quick steam in a saucepan on the stove. Be sure to drain the steamed broccoli well to avoid adding any water to your quiche mixture.
• Use Frozen Pie Crust - Skip the homemade quiche crust and use a deep dish pie crust instead! You will find these in the freezer section at the supermarket. Be sure to buy one that says "deep dish" because you need all the capacity you can get to hold the filling. Also, the pie tins that come with frozen pie crusts can be flimsy, so definitely bake the quiche on a sheet pan to aid in moving it in and out of the oven.
• Swap Sharp Cheddar - If you want to change the flavor profile a bit, swap the sharp cheddar for gouda, Swiss, or a white cheddar cheese.

Equipment

Here are some of the kitchen tools that we use to build his gorgeous broccoli and cheddar quiche:

• Chef's Knife - An 8- or 10-inch chef's knife is an essential tool in any kitchen.  I use it for chopping the broccoli into small pieces so that slicing the quiche is easier once it has rested.
• Food Processor - The filling is extra smooth when you use a food processor with at least a 9-cup capacity.  Alternatively, you can use a standard blender with a pitcher large enough to accommodate the filling ingredients. If you allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature, an electric mixer and a large bowl will also do the trick.
• 9 ½-inch Pie Pan - This is a fairly standard pie pan size, but even a half inch difference in diameter will change the capacity of your pie pan. Use a deep pie pan, with at least a 2-inch high rim. This recipe was tested with a glass pie pan, using a dark metal pan will increase the rate at which your quiche crusts browns. That's not always a bad thing, but be aware that your baking time may be a few minutes shorter for the blind baking step.

Serving Suggestions

This broccoli and cheddar quiche is a perfect addition to a brunch along with a fruit salad, simple mixed greens, or home fries. For a vegetarian-friendly main dish, serve the quiche slices with a green salad or a bowl of soup. I also love a slice of leftover quiche as a quick breakfast!

Storage

Place any leftover slices in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to three days. You can reheat the slices in the microwave for a quick lunch. For the best texture, place slices on a sheet pan and warm them in the oven at 300°F for 15-20 minutes.

Make-Ahead Options

You can prepare this quiche ahead of time and either freeze it or refrigerate it for reheating later. To add a great dinner option to your freezer stash, bake the quiche as directed and allow it to cool completely before wrapping it in plastic wrap and freezing. When you are ready to bake it again, thaw it completely in the refrigerator and bake it for about 25-30 minutes at 350°F. If you feel like the crust is getting a bit too browned with the second baking, place some aluminum foil around the edges.

Favorite Broccoli Recipes

Broccoli is one vegetable that our whole family likes, so we have lots of broccoli recipes to share. Here are some great ones to try:

More Egg Recipes

Eggs are great for creating texture in soups, tender casseroles, and for adding protein to your meals. Here are some great dishes that are enhanced with eggs:

Try It and Share

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