Quick & Easy Breakfast Casserole Quiche Recipe

I’ve made a ton of quiches over the years. They look pretty on the brunch table, taste all right, and get ignored. This one is different. This one has bacon and two cheeses. It has a creamy egg custard with a hint of cayenne. This one also has a pie crust that is pre-baked and keeps its shape. The best part is that prep time from start to finish is under an hour, and every time I take one to the table, someone asks for the recipe before they’ve finished their slice.

I make this quiche all the time. I also like that I don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn for it when I have houseguests. I also make it on holidays so that I don’t have to stand and cook each one of my family members a breakfast. I make it whenever I just want a really good breakfast and not something that is rushed and just quick and convenient. I like it enough that I wan to spend my time making it.

How to Make Breakfast Casserole Quiche

Taking this step slowly for the first time will make it become second nature the second time you do it.

Step 1: Blind-Bake the Crust

Prepare the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the pie crust from the fridge. Allow to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature, as cold dough will crack upon unrolling.

Crust for the pie needs to be cooled and unrolled before it is gently placed into the pie dish. The crust should be bottomed and sided, and pressed down on all sides and corners to not over stretch it. If the pie crust should happen to tear, simply press the dough back together — it will seal. Using a pairing knife, trim the excess dough so that a halo of overhang remains for crimping. For the dough overhang, it needs to get folded under and pressed to the dish to create a rim.

Tear off two strips of aluminum foil that are big enough to cover the bottom and sides of the crust. Place the strips over the crust and press the foil over the bottom and up the sides. As the crust bakes, the foil will weigh the crust down. Without the foil, the sides will sink down and the bottom will puff up.

Cook for 5 minutes at 450, then take off the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. The crust should appear dry and just beginning to show color around the edges, which should be pale gold and not brown. Once done, remove from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Lower the oven temperature to 375.

You can take this time to cook your bacon. You will want to wait for at least 20 minutes for your crust to cool before you fill it.

Step 2: Cook the Bacon

In a skillet at medium heat, cook eight strips of, thick-cut bacon, until they are crispy. The white streaks on the bacon should be translucent, and the flesh should be a deep reddish-brown color with all the fat rendered. The texture of bacon that is limply cooked will be soaked into the custard mixture, leading to chewy sections instead of crunchy bites.

Let the cooked bacon cool a bit, drain excess grease, and then break it up. Smaller pieces mix in better compared to larger pieces. Put it to the side.

Step 3: Mix the Custard

In a big cup for measuring liquids, or in a bowl with a spout, pour in the eggs, heavy cream, salt, sugar and cayenne. Whisk together until eggs and cream are fully blended. You want it to look fully uniform and pale yellow without any streaks of yolk. Taste it. You should taste light seasoning and smell just a bit of egg and cream. If it taste bland, add a small pinch of salt.

One note: don’t over-whisk. You aren’t making meringue. Combine everything together. Whisking too much incorporates air that will make the custard puff up while baking, then sink while cooling.

Step 4: Assemble the Quiche

After the crust cools, sprinkle some of the crumbled bacon on the bottom of the crust. Then, sprinkle the finely chopped onion over the bacon. Next, sprinkle the colby jack cheese and the sharp cheddar evenly over everything.

Cautiously pour the custard mixture over the filling. When pouring, take your time and make sure to do it evenly. You do not need to stir because the custard will go around the bacon and cheese on its own. Pour the mixture until it reaches 1/4 inch of the top of the crust rim. If you have extra custard that will not fit, do not overfill because the custard will expand a little while baking and you will not want to clean up an overflow mess.

Step 5: Bake

Gently place the filled pie dish on the center rack of your oven preheated to 375°F. Be sure to use both hands and take your time as the custard will easily slosh around the pie dish. Bake the dish for 40 to 45 minutes.

Check for doneness around 40 minutes. The edges should be set and puffy. When you jiggled the dish the middle should not be liquid but should have a slight jiggle like Jell-O. Stick a toothpick in the middle. If the toothpick comes out clean the quiche is done. If the toothpick is wet bake for 5 more minutes and check again.

To avoid over-browning, you can tent the surface with gold-brown foil for the remaining baking time.

Step 6: Rest, Then Slice

Take the quiche out of the oven and put it on a cooling rack. Before cutting it, let it rest for at least 10 minutes. The custard will finish setting because of the heat from the quiche. This way the slices will keep their shape and will not collapse.

Serve by cutting into wedges. The top of the quiche should be golden and a little puffed. Inside it should be creamy with bacon and cheese. The snaps of the crust should be light as you cut through it. The edges will have a richer and more concentrated flavor where the custard has slightly caramelized against the crust.

Tips for the Best Breakfast Quiche

Don’t Skip the Foil During Blind-Baking

The foil prevents the crust sides from slumping and the bottom from puffing up. Some folks use pie weights (small ceramic or metal weights) or dried beans for this purpose — those work well too. \n\nWhatever you use, make sure that the crust sides are supported to hold their shape while they bake.\n

Shred Your Own Cheese

Cellulose and starch are added to stop shredded cheese from clumping. But these ingredients hinder the cheese’s ability to melt. The cheese may look grainy and oily instead of smooth. It takes a couple more minutes to shred your own cheese and the difference is very noticeable.

Room Temperature Eggs and Cream

Try to let your eggs and cream warm to room temperature before mixing the custard. This is because cold, eggs and cold cream don’t blend as smoothly. Plus, a cold custard in a warm crust can create uneven cooking. While it isn’t a dealbreaker if you have cold ingredients, it is helpful to know.

Use a Pie Shield If the Crust Edges Start Getting Too Dark

The edges of the crust are usually thinner and may darken sooner than the rest of the quiche. If the edges are already very dark before the 40 minutes are done, you can cover them with foil strips or a pie shield ring. While a silicone pie crust shield may seem like an unnecessary tool, it can make the difference between a good pie and a ruined one if you burn a crust edge. They are designed for standard pie dishes and can be easily adjusted during baking so they don’t disrupt the filling.

Variations to Try

Once you understand the basic recipe, you can easily modify it. Some good combinations are:

• Pepper jack instead of colby jack — Adds heat without changing the structure
• Diced ham instead of bacon — Skip the rendering step and just dice and scatter
• Add 1/2 cup of diced bell pepper — Sauté it first to remove moisture before adding to the crust
• Add a handful of fresh spinach — Press it dry before using, otherwise it releases too much water into the custard
• Swap in gruyère — Gruyère melts beautifully and has a nuttier flavor that pairs really well with bacon

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

Storing Leftovers

Let the quiche cool for about an hour. After it is cool, you can cover it and place it in the fridge. It can be kept in the fridge for 4 days. Slicing it and placing it in an airtight container will make it reheat more evenly and quicker than keeping the whole pie dish in the fridge.

Reheating

Reheating quiche in the oven is by far the best option. To do this, preheat the oven to 325°F and put the quiche in for roughly 15 minutes. Be sure to cover the quiche with some foil just to keep it from browning. This method is best for keeping the custard from overcooking, as it does take the longest to heat up the quiche compared to the microwave method. If you are short on time, you can do it in the microwave for around 60 to 90 seconds on medium power. The crust will be a little soggy, and the filling will be a bit more custardy than in the oven, but the microwave will be a good enough option for a weekday breakfast as the time savings will justify it.

Freezing

When frozen, quiche does not lose much quality over time. To freeze, allow the quiche to cool, slice the quiche, and wrap individual portions tight in plastic wrap, and freeze them again in foil or in a zip-top freezer bag. You can freeze quiche for 2 months. To defrost, remove from the freezer, unwrap it, and place it on a baking sheet. Cover it in foil and cook at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked in the center. You may notice a difference in texture; it will be softer than a freshly cooked quiche. The flavor will remain the same.

Make-Ahead Options

If you’re hoping to get a leg up on a weekend brunch or a holiday morning:

• Blind-bake the crust the day before — Cover it with plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. It will be ready to fill straight from the counter.
• Cook and crumble the bacon ahead — Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Mix the custard the night before — Whisk everything together, cover, and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before pouring into the crust.
• Bake the whole quiche the day before — Reheat in a 325°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. It’s slightly less dramatic than a fresh-from-the-oven quiche, but the flavor is fully there and your morning is much easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this quiche without a crust?

Certainly! A crustless quiche simply bakes in a pie dish with no pastry crust. It has a softer and more custard-like texture so it will have less carbs. Grease your pie dish with butter or cooking spray, pour in the filling and custard, and bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. The toothpick test still works. The outcome is more similar to a baked frittata rather than a conventional quiche but it is actually good in its own way.

Why did my custard come out rubbery?

If you notice rubbery custard, you may have overbaked it, or perhaps the baking temperature was too high. When baking, egg custards set at a low temperature, and if the temperature is too high or baked for too long, the proteins tighten and squeeze out the moisture. Always check the accuracy of the temperature setting on your oven as it may be higher than intended. Ovens tend to be over 375F, so consider using an oven thermometer. You should also remove the quiche once there is a clean toothpick, and not wait until the center looks firm. Don’t skip the rest step as it allows the quiche to cook a little more while it rests. The result of this is useful during the resting period.

Can I use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream?

You can, although it will change the texture. The richest and silkiest custards use heavy cream. Custards made with half and half are still good, but they are noticeably less rich. Whole milk makes a custard that is thinner and more likely to weep as well as to have a firmer set. If you are making this substitution for dietary reasons, then half and half is the better option of the two.

My crust slumped during blind-baking. What went wrong?

Two possible issues are: the dough wasn’t chilled enough, or the foil didn’t adequately support the sides. Pie dough has to be cold enough for the fat to be solid, as this is what provides structure to the crust. If the fat is warm, it melts, causing the sides to fall as the structure is unable to support them. Next time, make sure to put the shaped crust in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes prior to blind-baking. Also, be sure the foil is pressed firmly against the sides of the crust, rather than just sitting loosely on top.

Can I make this in a deep-dish pie plate?

For this recipe, a 9-inch pie plate is ideal. If you opt for a deep-dish plate, you’ll have more filling than one pie crust covers, and the custard will be a thicker layer that takes longer to cook through. If you want to experiment with a deep-dish plate, use a deep-dish refrigerated crust, and be sure to add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time. Check with a toothpick every 5 minutes after the first 40 minutes.

How many people does this serve?

A typical 9-inch quiche can be cut into 6 to 8 slices. If you’re serving this as a main course at brunch with a salad or fruit on the side, 6 portions is reasonable. If you’re serving this as an addition to a spread with multiple dishes, 8 smaller slices will do the trick. The quiche is very filling. Because the combination of egg, cream, bacon and cheese makes a slice quite satisfying, customers do not need to require a second serving to feel full.

What goes well with this quiche?

Because the quiche is rich and filling, it is best paired with lighter sides. Good options include a bowl of fresh fruit, a simple green salad with a vinaigrette, or sliced tomatoes with a sprinkling of salt. If the quiche will be served in a larger brunch spread, it will also pair nicely with roasted potatoes or a simple hash, along with fresh orange juice or coffee. Surprisingly enough, a crisp sparkling water goes well with the richness of the quiche.