Asparagus Quiche! This vegetable quiche recipe is made with softened leeks, smoked gouda, and a wholegrain spelt crust. Perfect for a springtime brunch, and leftovers are great for packed lunches.
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Let's become quiche people, shall we? Today we're making an asparagus quiche recipe made with asparagus (duh), leeks, and smoked gouda. It's the perfect thing for a springtime brunch, and I just know you're going to love it.
Typically, I'm definitely more of a frittata girl. We make frittatas weekly in our house, usually a riff on this Vegetarian Frittata with Corn and Tomatoes, or this Roasted Vegetable Frittata. In the autumn I love this Roasted Pumpkin Frittata.
I totally get the pastry crust being a barrier for getting your head in the quiche game. But every time I make a quiche I remember that it's actually not a big deal, and the contrast of a crispy pastry crust against the silky egg custard is just so delicious.
Ingredients for Asparagus Quiche
Good news - this asparagus quiche recipe is made with pantry staple ingredients, many of which I'm willing to bet you've got on hand. Throw some spring veggies in the mix, and we're in business. Here's what you'll need:
- Eggs --> These are kind of the star of the show.
- Milk --> I use whole milk.
- Cream --> Just a touch to make things silky.
- Cheese --> We're using smoked Gouda today to make things smoky and delicious.
- Asparagus --> A nice big bunch.
- Leeks --> Actually just one big leek, thinly sliced. Can't find leeks? Use green onions instead.
- Pastry --> I'm going to talk you through making your own, but a frozen crust is totally fine too.
To make this asparagus quiche, you're going to need a large, wide, shallow tart pan. I got mine at a thrift store ages ago, but it's very similar to this one. You can also use a metal tart pan with a removable bottom (like this) which will make slicing easier in the end, but I prefer a solid pan for liquid fillings like a quiche. A pie pan is fine too, if you don't have a tart pan.
For blind baking the pastry crust, you will need something to weigh it down. Many people swear by pie weights, but I'll be honest; I almost always just use dried beans.
And you'll need a large skillet or frying pan for cooking the leeks and asparagus in. I'm guessing you've got that kind of thing on hand, but this is my go-to if you're curious.
How to make asparagus quiche
Let's do this together! There is a printable recipe card at the end of this post, but I'll talk you through it step-by step.
Step 1: Make your pastry. Maybe this involves buying a frozen crust and transferring it into your tart pan (no one will ever know!) or maybe you're starting from scratch. There are instructions for making this spelt flour pastry crust in the recipe card below.
Roll out your pastry, and transfer it into your tart pan. Don't worry if it's not even or if it tears a bit. I almost always end up doing a repair job as I'm pressing it into the pan. No biggie. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork.
Now, place your tart pan in the freezer for 20-ish minutes. This will firm up the pastry and help prevent it from shrinking too much while you blind bake it. It's also a good time to pre-heat your oven.
Step 2: When you're ready to bake the crust, place a sheet of parchment paper into the tart pan, and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or even rice. The idea is to weight it down so the pastry doesn't puff up in the oven.
Place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then, remove the parchment and pie weights, and return the tart pan to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. It should be just golden when done.
While the pastry is baking, you can get started on your filling!
Step 3: Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks, and sauté, stirring regularly, until they've softened (see above right for desired softness).
Step 4: (Below) Add the asparagus, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes. The asparagus should be bright green, but still have some bite to it. Remember it'll keep cooking in the quiche.
Step 5: (Below) In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cream.
Add the salt, black pepper, and ¾ of the grated cheese. Be sure to reserve some for sprinkling on top of the quiche.
Step 6: (Below) Take your baked pastry crust, and add the vegetables to fill. Try to spread them out evenly.
If you want, you can reserve some of the asparagus tips to arrange on the top after the egg mixture has gone in.
Step 7: Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Some of the custard will seep out of the crust - this is totally normal.
Scatter the top with the remaining cheese, and the asparagus spears.
Step 8: Bake! Carefully transfer the quiche to the oven and bake until puffed and golden. It's ok for the center to have a little jiggle to it, as it will continue to cook as and firm up after you remove it from the oven.
Remove from the oven, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Tips for the Best Quiche
Making a perfect quiche is easy if you keep a few tips in mind!
Don't overbake
You'll know your quiche is done when it's puffed and golden and jiggles only ever so slightly when you shake the pan. Remember that the quiche will continue to cook after you take it out of the oven, so if you wait until it's perfectly firm it will likely be over done.
Don't overfill
The egg custard will puff up as the quiche bakes, so if you fill the tart pan right to the very top, you may end up with some overflow. If your pan is very full, you might want to put a tray underneath it to catch any drips.
Blind bake your crust
Blind baking your pastry crust may seem like an annoying extra step, but the end result will be much better for it. With such a wet filling the bottom crust will never cook otherwise, and you'll have a sad, soggy quiche.
How to Serve Quiche
You can serve this asparagus quiche recipe (or any quiche recipe, really) warm, cold, or at room temperature. Quiche is very accommodating in that way.
Traditionally quiche is a brunch or lunch food, but I think it can hold its own at any time of day.
How to Store Quiche
Quiche is a great make-ahead dish and this Asparagus Quiche is no exception. Here's what you need to know to safely store, freeze, and re-heat quiche.
Storing Quiche at Room Temperature
It's fine to leave your quiche at room temperature for about three hours. If you're taking it to a picnic or serving it for brunch and it'll be out for several hours, you may want to chill it first and allow it to come to room temperature when you're ready to serve.
Storing Quiche in the Refrigerator
In the fridge your quiche will last approximately 3-5 days. Be sure to cover it with plastic wrap or foil, or transfer it to an airtight container.
Freezing Quiche
Quiche is a great, freezer-friendly dish. If you wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, foil, or transfer it to a freezer bag, your quiche will last for up to three months in the freezer.
Recipe FAQ
You'll know your quiche is done when it's puffed and golden and jiggles only ever so slightly when you shake the pan. You can also insert a knife into the middle to confirm that the filling is cooked, but I don't usually find this necessary.
Blind baking your crust will help tremendously with this! You can also brush the bottom crust with egg white before you add the filling, which creates a barrier and helps to prevent the crust from getting soggy.
The combination of eggs, milk, and a bit of cream will give you the fluffiest quiche with a creamy texture. You can replace the cream with milk if you like, but the texture won't be the same.
I like to lightly cook the asparagus and leeks before they are added to the quiche. They will continue to cook as the quiche bakes, so you don't want them to be overcooked!
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
I love this recipe exactly as written, but of course you can switch things up to make YOUR perfect quiche.
Cheese: If you can't find smoked gouda, you could use smoked cheddar cheese or smoked mozzarella instead. I'm sure any kind of smoked cheese would be delicious. If you can't find smoked cheese, or don't like smoky flavours, any sharp cheese would be a suitable replacement. Swiss cheese would be delish! Or maybe feta?
Veggies: You'll want to use approximately the same quantity of vegetables to fill your crust, but really, whatever you're into and is in season is fine for a vegetable quiche recipe. Try something different? Please let us know in the comments!
Is asparagus healthy?
It sure is! Asparagus is a great source of vitamin K, folate, vitamin B1, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin B2, and B3, and contains a good amount of phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B6, dietary fiber, vitamin E, and manganese.
All that goodness? Who cares if it makes your pee smell funny!
Easy Asparagus Quiche
Ingredients
For the Spelt Pie Pastry
- ¾ cup whole grain spelt flour
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed 1 stick / 113 grams
- 3-4 Tablespoons ice water
For the Smoky Asparagus Quiche
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium leek cleaned and thinly sliced
- 8 ounces asparagus trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 8 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 ounces smoked gouda grated
- salt and pepper
Instructions
To make the pastry
- In the bowl of a food processor combine the flours, salt, and butter.¾ cup whole grain spelt flour, ¾ cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt, ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- Pulse a few times until the butter is roughly the size of peas.
- With the food processor running, add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the pastry begins to come together. It should still be a bit crumbly, but when you squeeze it in your hand it should hold together.3-4 Tablespoons ice water
- Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to form it into a smooth disc. Wrap with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. You can also make this a day or two ahead and keep the dough refrigerated, or it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- When you're ready, preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C.
- Roll out the pastry to about ¼ inch thick (I err on the side of a bit thinner) and gentry lift into a 10-inch tart pan. Press the pastry into the pan, trim the edges, and prick the bottom with a fork.
- Line the bottom of the tart pan with parchment paper and fill it with rice or dried beans or pie weights if you have those.
- Place it into the preheated oven, and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the tart shell from the oven, remove the parchment and weights, and return to bake for another 10 minutes until lightly golden.
- Remove the tart pastry from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the quiche ingredients.
To make the Quiche
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F / 180°C. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Add the leeks, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until they have just begin to soften.1 medium leek
- Add the asparagus, and sauté about 5 minutes more. The asparagus should be bright green and still crisp. It will continue to cook in the quiche, so we don't want to over cook it here.8 ounces asparagus
- Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool slightly.salt and pepper
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs together with the heavy cream and milk.8 large eggs, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk
- Add ¾ of the cheese to the eggs, reserving some to scatter over the top.4 ounces smoked gouda
- Season the eggs with salt and pepper.salt and pepper
- Add the asparagus and leeks to the cooled tart crust and spread into an even layer.
- Pour the egg mixture over top of the asparagus. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Carefully place the quiche into the oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until puffed and golden and set in the middle. It should have only a little bit of jiggle left.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
- Pastry freezes really well, so make a double batch and you'll have another pie crust for a rainy day!
- Quiche is great served warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published March 23, 2018. It was retested, rephotographed, and updated on May 2, 2020. Most recently updated with helpful content April 7, 2023.
Heidi
Made this last weekend. There was too much filling for my pie pan, but other than that, great recipe! The smoked cheese really adds a nice flavor. I added cherry tomatoes and used an onion instead of leeks.
Katie Trant
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Katie Soukup
I made this quiche tonight and my husband and I loved it. We liked the hearty crust for a savory meal. The smoked Gouda was flavorful, but not over powering. The veggies were tasty and the asparagus still had crunch.
I make a lot of pie crusts but had never made one with spelt flour. I wanted to try it because of the nutrition value. I was worried when I mixed it. It seemed too dry. After putting it in the fridge for a couple of hours I didn’t even think it would roll out, but it did and it was really good! My husband really liked it.
The quiche took longer to cook than 35 minutes, but that’s the way ovens are. I took it out when it was still jiggling a little and let it rest for 10 minutes.
I will make this again in a heart beat. Perfect vegetarian meal or a Friday night meal during lent!
Katie Trant
I'm so glad you enjoyed this quiche, Katie! And I'm glad the crust worked out for you. Whole grain pastry is one of those things that you've got to trust will work out, and in most cases it does! Do you recall approximately how long it took to bake in your oven? It will of course vary from oven to oven (I think mine's on the fast side) and depending on the size of your tart pan.
Katie Soukup
It took about 45 minutes and we then let it rest for 10 minutes. It was perfectly cooked. Our oven is notorious for taking longer. It was a 10 inch glass pie plate.
Katie Soukup
It took about 45 minutes and we then let it rest for 10 minutes. It was perfectly cooked. Our oven is notorious for taking longer. It was a 10 inch glass pie plate.
Also, we had it the next morning for breakfast (I served it with bacon) AND I had it for lunch the next day. It was still quite tasty at both meals!
Camilla
Love quiche, and the whole grain crust always makes me happy. I’ve used a touch of Amaranth in my whole grain crust before and it gives it such a nice grassy flavour
Katie Trant
Whole amaranth or amaranth flour?
Camilla
Amaranth flour 🙂
Sandra Lea
Perfect, I'm going to make this for myself for Easter dinner. I'm the only vegetarian and I always end up centering the meal around the carnivores and this year decided to make sure I made something that would make me happy too. This is it, and I bet those meat eaters will enjoy it too.
Katie Trant
Yes! Make your self happy! Plus I think the smoky flavour is really great and definitely appeals to all. And the great thing about quiche is you can make it in advance and serve it cold or at room temperature and it'll be perfect ????