The first time I ever made a quiche, it was something next to a disaster.
I decided to blind bake the dough, a technique that partially cooks it before adding the filling, for more structural stability and less of a chance of sogginess in the finished product. I’d never done this before, and I heard somewhere that you can use dried beans as pie weights.
I didn’t know that you’re supposed to line the crust with something like parchment and put the dried beans on top of the parchment. Instead, I put them directly on the dough.
Whoops! I found myself picking dried beans out of puffy, half-baked pie crust one at a time.
Another problem?
The buttery crust just slid down the sides of the pan. After adding the eggs and baking, there was no crust to be seen above the level of the eggs.
Tasty, but not what I wanted. Especially when I found a dried bean hidden somewhere in the crust that I had missed when I painstakingly removed all the other ones.
I’ve made my mistakes. Too many to count. Like all those dried beans I kept finding…
But with Foodal’s helpful article on perfecting your pie game (and the occasional recipe for a crustless quiche for when I’m really desperate), I now understand all that went wrong, and how to avoid these mistakes in my next round of baking.
Better late than never!
I know to not overwork the dough, to thoroughly chill my crust before baking to reduce the risk of shrinking, and to line the crust with parchment paper. Before putting the weights on top.
And now? May I present…
The quiche I had been hoping for all along!
The crust actually stands up on its own, and isn’t gummy on the bottom. And there are no beans to pick out!
This particular vegetarian recipe has a cheesy egg filling with all sorts of delicious vegetables like leeks, artichokes, and roasted red peppers. And an extra sprinkle of salt on top takes it to the next level.
While it’s perfect for brunch, you can serve this dish for pretty much any meal: breakfast, second breakfast, brunch, lunch, second lunch, dinner… whenever your belly desires a new and fun egg recipe!
Cheesy Quiche with Leeks, Artichokes, and Roasted Red Peppers
- Author: Raquel Smith
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Now introducing the savory star of your next brunch: cheddar cheese quiche with leeks, artichokes, and red peppers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 unbaked pie crust, about 9–10 inches in diameter
- 1 leek
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan, or 9-inch pie pan. Using a rolling pin, roll out the crust so it is about an inch bigger than the pan. Transfer the crust into the pan, gently pressing down on the bottom and the sides. Remove any excess dough from the edges, and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Place a sheet of parchment over the frozen pie crust, then fill with pie weights. Blind bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pie weights. Set aside to cool.
- Using a sharp petty knife, slice the leek into 1/4-inch rounds. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and leeks. Cook, stirring often, until the leeks are soft and browned in some spots. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk together the eggs in a large bowl. Add the cooked leeks, milk, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, salt, and about 2/3 of the cheese. Mix to combine.
- Pour the egg filling into the cooled pie crust. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden on top and mostly firm in the middle. There should be just a slight jiggle when you shake it.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the tart pan and serving.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Quiche
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Keywords: quiche, breakfast, brunch, vegetarian, leeks, roasted red peppers, eggs, artichokes, cheese
Perfect Technique, Delicious Meal
Now that I have the technique down, I’m dreaming up all sorts of recipes to make!
Mushroom and asparagus, potato and broccolini, spinach and goat cheese… the list goes on and on!And I plan on making a crustless one, for when I don’t even want to think about dealing with any silly dough.
But for today, we’re starting with leeks, artichokes, and red peppers – because you can never go wrong with those. Oh yeah, and a heaping cup of cheddar cheese.
If you’re feeling on the adventurous side, and you have time on your hands, consider prepping and cooking a fresh artichoke!
And just another reminder to all of you – do your research before baking! Reading a few articles before entering uncharted territory is always a huge help.
Because who wants to end up like me, handpicking out dried beans?
Alrighty, confess! Who else has had issues with pie dough? That embarrassment aside, what are your favorite ingredients to put in this savory pie? I would love to read all your thoughts in the comment section below, after you rate this recipe!
And if you love quiche variations, then some of these recipes should tickle your tongue:
- Gruyère Quiche with Caramelized Red Pepper
- Savory Spinach Pie
- A Simple and Delicious Crustless Quiche
Photos by Raquel Smith, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. With additional writing and editing by Nikki Cervone. Originally published on May 16, 2016. Last updated: July 9, 2023 at 9:17 am.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Raquel Smith
Raquel is a whole foods enthusiast, an avid mountain biker, and a dog lover. She works by day at Food Blogger Pro and formerly maintained her food blog "My California Roots" (now merged into Foodal).
