Crustless quiche is everything you know and love about classic quiches – minus the carbs! While you can put almost anything in it, this ultra easy ham and cheese crustless quiche takes less than 5 minutes to get in the oven, and smells just like Quiche Lorraine.
Keeps perfectly for days, serve it as is, stuff into soft rolls or wraps, crispy burrito style!
Crustless Quiche
If you were to drop round on any given day, there’d likely be some version of crustless quiche in my fridge. This, along with Baked Frittata, are two of my most used fridge clean out recipes because they’re both terrific quick dump-and-bake recipes.
It does take 30 minutes or so to bake. But with pre chopped ham and a bag of shredded cheese, it takes less than 5 minutes to get into the oven – and it smells like a Quiche Lorraine when it’s baking!
Add to that the shelf life – it keeps perfectly for up to 5 days in the fridge. Serve it sliced like a quiche OR stuffed into soft rolls, or rolled up into flatbreads or tortillas then pan fried until crispy, burrito style. (Yes, I realise that defeats the “low carb” pitch for this recipe!😂)
What goes in Ham & Cheese Crustless Quiche
Here’s what you need for this quick ham and cheese quiche: eggs, cream OR milk, ham, cheese and green onions.
Cream vs Milk
Cream gives it a more luscious, custardy texture like everybody’s favourite Quiche Lorraine. Milk gives it a frittata texture – still quite custardy as long as you don’t overcook it, but it doesn’t have the same luxurious mouthfeel you can only get from cream!
If using milk, we need to reduce the amount of liquid used because eggs can’t hold as much milk as it can cream.
Use your adds ins of choice!
This recipe is more of a formula than actual recipe. Essentially, whisk together 5 eggs and 1 cup of cream OR 1/2 cup of milk, salt and pepper.
Then pour that into a greased pie tin with ~ 2 cups of whatever add-ins you want (I’ve used ham, cheese and green onions) and bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden.
I do recommend that part of those 2 cups of add-ins includes cheese!
How to make Crustless Quiche
Here’s how I make Crustless Quiche:
Whisk together the eggs, cream or milk, salt and pepper;
Put most of the ham, cheese and green onions into a greased pie tin – we hold some back for topping so you get some bits on the surface which looks nice (love the golden cheese crust and browned bits of ham!);
Pour in all the egg mixture;
Scatter with remaining ham, cheese and onions;
Bake 30 – 35 minutes until golden and puffed;
Rest 5 minutes then slice!
Note: there is major deflation. So don’t get too excited when you see how puffy it is straight out of the oven. See?
But don’t worry. Deflation in height doesn’t result in deflation of tastiness! 😂
How I serve Crustless Quiche
Being the low-carb, easier sister of Quiche Lorraine, it would be a wonderful brunch option with a side salad – choose from this ever increasing collection of Vegetable Sides! For a very simple salad, toss any leafy greens or fresh raw vegetables with my Everyday Salad Dressing, and for a show off option, try this Leafy Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts or this Strawberry Spinach Salad (it is Fabulous with a capital “F”!).
But, as depicted and mentioned above, my favourite way is to make sandwiches and burritos out of crustless quiche. Or just piled on toast. It’s fabulously delicious, cheesy, salty and filling too. Big bonus that it keeps for 5 days and freezes fabulously! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Crustless Quiche – Ham and Cheese
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs (~50 – 55g / 2oz each)
- 1 cup cream , heavy/thickened (halve if subbing milk, Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp salt (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 100g/ 3.5 oz ham , diced
- 1 cup shredded cheese (anything that melts except mozzarella, Note 3)
- 1 green onion , sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 22.5cm / 9" pie dish with butter or spray lightly with oil. (Note 4)
- Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper.
- Scatter most of the ham, cheese and green onion in the pie pan.
- Pour in egg mixture. Top with remaining ham, cheese and green onion.
- Bake 35 minutes until golden on top and centre barely wiggles. Don't overcook, it will lose custardy-ness.
- Remove from oven, rest 5 minutes and watch it deflate!
- Cut then serve with a simple side salad, or stuff into soft rolls, or wrap into burritos (then pan fry to crisp!)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More quiche and frittata type things
(With and without the carbs!)
Life of Dozer
Walk time. He isn’t subtle, is he??
And when he gave up waiting….
Making this now! Excellent tip re salt. I have a packet of ham that runs out today! Can’t bear food waste! You are extremely throughly with your notes! xx
Is it 180 degree fan forced or normal?
It’s the same for both fan and regular in this recipe Dielle. If the fan temp needs to be lower in a recipe, I will specify that. N x
Easy and delicious. I altered the recipe by sautéing the ham and green onion in a little ghee prior to adding to recipe.
I’m going to try this!!!!
You do know that onions are toxic for dogs?
But the dish looks delish!
Lovely way of eating leftover ham! So much protein in this! This is made regularly in our household. I make extra for during the week.
My husband says it is the best quiche he has ever eaten!
And so easy! Love it
This was absolutely deliciousl! My adult children loved it. I loved it too! Quick & easy to make. I can now have low carb “quick quiche” anytime.
I love the meat pie looks great.
Made this for brunch and it was SO good!! I added a bit of cooked breakfast sausage, green peppers, and onions…oh and some cheese! I kinda used both of your recipes…this one and the frittata one. The heavy cream made it so smooth and custardy! My husband was very impressed!
Hi Nagi, I’ve got some opened philly cream in the fridge to use, you reckon I could do one sort of ratio of philly cream to milk?
Hi Nagi! I’m going to cook this recipe shortly, but wanted to ask if the cooking time & temp should be the same if I’m using a glass pie dish (same size), rather than metal?
Cheers! Rachael
Yes the same here 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi! I’m going to cook this recipe shortly, but wanted to ask if the cooking time & temp should be the same if I’m using glass pie dish (same size), rather than metal?
Cheers! Rachael
Yum!! Loved this quiche. Substituted cream for light sour cream and added 1 cup blanched, chopped broccoli and a few slices tomato. So quick and easy to make. Definitely a keeper!! Thank you Nagi. I love your site. 👍 xx
Yum! I can think of so many great combos here too. I’m so glad you enjoyed it Claire! N x
Just wanted to say thank you for this recipe – quick, easy and delicious. The milk substitution is awesome – this recipe is the first time I’ve seen this, and it has been a meal-saver. As we went into lockdown in NZ this week, we didn’t have lunches in the house (had been eating out), and I wasn’t wanting to brave the supermarkets! I was able to use some reconstituted milk-powder (I always have some for baking), plus some defrosted old bacon rashers, and onion powder – lunch is in the oven before I start work today.
Love this recipe. I make it all the time
Hi Nagi, thanks for the innovative and easy recipe. We all love quiche but do not have the confidence to make it at home. After tasting the dried and salty one at a local French restaurant, I thought we were not going to eat quiche for a long time. Today I followed your recipe with 3/4 cup half and half; Canadian bacon and Mexican cheese mix (found in our fridge), we have a delicious quiche fresh from the oven. Thanks again, you open our door to “gourmet” food from our own kitchen.
That’s fabulous Ausilia, think of all the possibilities for filling combinations too! You’re only getting started!! N x
Wow – this is an amazing recipe. An absolute cinch to whip up and super tasty! I added bell peppers to the mix and sprinkled grated Parmesan on top – yum!
Can’t wait to make this. Looks so good! Does it freeze well? Thinking bout making 2 at once.
My husband won’t eat quiche but loves this crustless version. I’ve made it many times with various fillings, it comes out perfect every time. You are right, it’s always best with cream.