Crustless Mini Quiches

I’ve been a bit discombobulated lately. I’ve been cooking and baking and taking all these pictures—but my own dinky camera was out of commission and my laptop was out of commission, and let’s just say that when my routines are disturbed sometimes I become a bit befuddled.

But! Today is Secret Recipe Club reveal day! So I’m gathering my wits to share a super simple and healthy breakfast recipe with you: crustless mini quiches. (If quiche is crustless, does actually that mean it’s a frittata or an omelet? No idea.)

This month my assigned blogger was Laura Rees. While her tastes and mine diverge pretty significantly (er…I am a vegetarian who doesn’t eat fruit…so I do kind of fall into a specific niche of eaters), her take on mini quiche struck me as interesting. I set out to make a vegetarian version that I could bring to brunches with friends or eat as a snack mid-afternoon, and I am so glad I tried it.

Quiche is actually fairly hearty, and you can dramatically change the result by using any fillings you like! I went with spinach, broccoli, and sharp cheddar—deeelish.

Seriously, what could be easier than quiche? Normally, the hardest part about making quiche (or any pie, really), is making the crust. Here, you skip that step entirely, save yourself a few hundred calories of butter, and come away with some cute, veggie-filled little tartlets! You chop a few things, you whisk some eggs, then you’re basically done!

Start by chopping up your vegetables. I chopped up WAY too much (yeah…muffin cups are pretty small). You will probably need about half a head of broccoli/1 cup florets and two small handfuls/⅔ cup of fresh spinach leaves.

Joy of Cooking tells us to cook and thoroughly drain any vegetables we intend to put into quiche, to prevent the quiche from getting soggy at the bottom. I only half listened to Irma Rombauer, quickly blanching and draining my broccoli (though next time I may roast it! yum), but leaving the spinach fresh to avoid introducing a bitter taste to my mini quiches. Just FYI, after I baked them and scooped them out of the muffin tin, there was still a bit of moisture at the bottom of each muffin cup, so you decide whether you want to cook your veggies or leave them raw. Either way, there is no crust, so the worst that can happen is that the bottom of your eggs isn’t quite as firm as the top.

Prepare the custard for the quiche. The ratio I learned was 2 eggs:½ cup milk. I wanted to make 12 mini quiches, filling my entire muffin tin, so I used 6 eggs and 1½ cups milk. Whisk, whisk, whisk until the eggs have broken down and become completely incorporated into the liquid. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Lightly grease your muffin tin (even if it’s nonstick) and heat the oven to 375°.

Layer the veggies and cheese into the greased muffin cups. The cups should appear nearly full of broccoli, spinach, and cheese.

Carefully pour the egg mixture over the veggies. Don’t fill the cups more than ¾ full, or you will have a really hard time carrying the muffin tin to the oven!

Bake for 25–30 minutes, depending on how firm or golden you prefer your quiche. Let the quiches cool for a few minutes before removing them from the muffin tin.

Crustless Mini Quiches

inspired by Laura Rees
makes 12

Ingredients:
½ head broccoli, cut into stems and florets
⅔ cup spinach leaves, roughly chopped
⅔ cup shredded sharp cheddar
6 eggs
1½ cups milk
salt and black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a regular muffin tin with cooking spray.
Blanche the broccoli, then drain very thoroughly. Layer the broccoli, chopped spinach, and cheese into the muffin cups. Cups should be nearly full with veggies and cheese.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, and seasonings until smooth and slightly frothy. Pour over the vegetables, filling the muffin cups about ¾ full.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the tops are slightly puffed and golden.

Enjoy!



Secret Recipe Club

22 comments to “Crustless Mini Quiches”

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  1. angie - March 12, 2012 Reply

    awesome recipe! 🙂 looks really yummy!

  2. Lisa @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies - March 12, 2012 Reply

    I’m not a big fan of crust, so these quiches would definitely be good for me.

  3. Lisa~~ - March 12, 2012 Reply

    We love mini quiches, especially crustless, looks delicious.

    If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my Group ‘A’ SRC entry: Broiled Sushi.

    Lisa~~
    Cook Lisa Cook

  4. Betsy - March 13, 2012 Reply

    I love a quiche, and these seem perfectly simple! I’m stopping by from Secret Recipe Club. I hope you’ll swing by Seasonalpotluck.com March is artichoke month! http://bit.ly/zRfNjo I’d love if you’d link up your artichoke recipes!

  5. Dan - March 13, 2012 Reply

    I like the idea of using the muffin tin for these, and no crust makes them gluten-free for those who need it!

  6. Trisha - March 13, 2012 Reply

    What a fun way to eat veggies! I’m quite eager to try these out!

  7. Danielle - March 13, 2012 Reply

    These would be perfect for my husband to take for breakfast. Great choice!

  8. Louisa [Living Lou] - March 13, 2012 Reply

    I’m a huge fan of quiches, especially when they are so tiny. So great for something that is quick to make and easy to eat on the go. Love it!

  9. ButterYum - March 14, 2012 Reply

    So cute – I made a similar recipe to bring to church a few months back and they were completely devoured! Everyone loves tiny nibbles, especially mini quiche.

    I hope you’ll stop by and visit my SRC post for Chewy Oatmeal Raisin and Almond Cookies

    🙂
    ButterYum

  10. why i am not skinny - March 14, 2012 Reply

    ooh – what a brilliant idea!

  11. kristy lynn @ Gastronomical Sovereignty - March 15, 2012 Reply

    A of all: I hate being befuddled.

    B of all: I LOVE quiche!

    happy src reveal from a group D member!

  12. beti - March 19, 2012 Reply

    I really love the way they look! and besides you took that crust away, now I can happily follow my diet

  13. Carmen - October 21, 2012 Reply

    I almost always eat vegan, so I was at a loss as to what to do with a couple of eggs in the refrigerator (other than the usual scramble). I was using up the last of my produce before leaving for a trip, so my quiches had cauliflower, diced green tomato, soy milk, and Daiya pepperjack-style “cheese” in them, and they turned out perfectly! I like how flexible the recipe was, and will be returning to it for sure the next time I have eggs to use.

  14. Tonia Bendickson - August 9, 2014 Reply

    Reblogged this on A Grateful Heart and commented:
    Following the blessings of LOVE Week, the Elevation Worship LIVE Recording and Student Takeover, we’re trying to get back to some healthier food in our house. (too much takeout for the past few weeks) Here’s a favorite in our home. Thanks to Melissa at smellslikebrownies.com

  15. Jane - February 12, 2016 Reply

    Hi! I have tried these quiches a couple of times–once with roasted broccoli and cheddar and today with smoked salmon and dill. Both times they have come out of the ramekins soaking wet. I mean dripping like a fully soaked sponge. I even rung them out over the sink today, let them sit on paper towels for an hour and now put them in the full sun outside!

    Do you know why? How can I make them dry out so they aren’t soggy?

    Thanks!

    • Melissa - February 12, 2016 Reply

      Jane, when I made mine, they were slightly soggy at the bottom, which I attributed to the raw spinach and extra water retained by blanching the broccoli. I simply dabbed on a paper towel once or twice and then they were fine. Since you said you roasted your veggies, I’m not sure what would be causing the problem. It still is likely related to what you mix in — try making one plain cheese mini quiche and see if it is dry! You can try a few other things, such as cutting back on the milk, or even preheating the pan, adding the eggs first so they begin to cook a little at the base, and dumping in the extra ingredients last. Are you using large eggs? Low-fat or full fat dairy? Let me know how it goes, and I will see if I can troubleshoot this recipe in the next few days!

      • Jane - February 12, 2016 Reply

        Hi Melissa,

        Thanks! I ended up tossing out the super soggy ones and remade them with 6 extra large brown eggs and 1 cup whole milk. They are perfect! I added the dill, cream cheese and salmon too. I let them rest on a paper towel for 20 minutes just in case.

        Thanks for your response. The quiche are delicious!

        • Melissa - February 12, 2016 Reply

          Glad you enjoyed! Your spin sounds delicious, and I even have dill on hand… Might have to try that!

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