Servings

Prep Time1

Cook Time35

Total Time1 35

5 from 6 votes

This Asparagus Quiche is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even for a packed lunch! Made with sweet, softened leeks, smoked gouda, and a nutty wholegrain spelt crust, Asparagus Quiche is a protein-packed make-ahead main dish that's easy to make.

a slice of asparagus quiche on a blue plate with sliced cherry tomatoes to the side

Let's become quiche people

Because quiche people are fancy people right? Typically, I'm 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 Pumpkin Frittata.

But today, we're embracing our fancy sides and making a healthy quiche recipe with asparagus (obvs), leeks, and smoked gouda. As a nutritionist, this quiche makes me happy because it's packed with protein from the eggs, while asparagus is a great source of vitamin K, among other things. It's one of my favorite hearty ideas for breakfast.

The smokiness of the gouda perfectly complements the sweetness of the leeks and balances the silky egg custard with the nutty wholegrain crust. Asparagus and cheese quiche the perfect springtime brunch dish, and I know you'll love it.

If you're intimidated by making pastry—don't be. It's easier than you think, and you can always take a shortcut with a store bought crust. No one will ever know.

asparagus, sliced leeks, eggs, cheese, wholegrain pastry, milk, and cream on a grey background

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.

Let's make asparagus quiche together!

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

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.

photo collage of a spelt flour baking crust being blind baked filled with beans

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.

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.

Step 2: soften those leeks

photo collage of leeks being cooked in a large skillet

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).

photo collage of asparagus being cooked with leeks

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 3: whisk your eggs

photo collage of eggs, milk, cream, and cheese being mixed in a metal bowl

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 4: fill the crust

photo collage with asparagus and leeks in a wholegrain pastry crust

Take your baked pastry crust, and add the vegetables to fill. Try to spread them out evenly.

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 5: bake!

photo collage of uncooked and cooked asparagus quiche

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.

a slice of asparagus quiche on a blue plate with a plate of quiche in the background

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 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.

two plates with asparagus quiche, tomatoes, and silver forks

Print Pin

5 from 6 votes

Asparagus Leek Quiche with Smoked Gouda

This Easy Asparagus 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.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword Asparagus Quiche, Vegetable Quiche

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 409kcal

Author Katie Trant

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

US Customary - Metric

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

Explore More Recipes

Breakfast Baked Spring Eggs

Comments

5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

Asparagus and Leek Quiche with Smoked Gouda