Ham and Gruyere Quiche
Here's a little riddle: What's a popular dish to serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner....something easy to prepare that can be made in advance....and is the perfect combination of smoky, salty, savory, nutty and creamy flavors? (OK, so I'm guessing that if you read the title of this post, you already know that the answer to this riddle is my Ham and Gruyere Quiche. To be fair, I never stated that it was a challenging riddle.)
A good quiche recipe is something that every cook, no matter how experienced, should have in their rotation. I think that quiche is such a popular comfort food because it never feels too "heavy" and, when complemented with a simple green salad, it makes a satisfying complete meal. It is also a great way to use up leftovers, as you can add an endless variety of vegetables, meats, or cheeses to the basic egg custard.
This Ham and Gruyere Quiche has always been my go-to (although I'll occasionally substitute Nueske's Cherrywood Smoked Bacon for the ham if I have it on hand.) Gruyere has been my longtime number one cheese choice, as it melts beautifully and complements the salty, savory ham with its nutty, slightly sweet flavor.
These are the ingredients that you will need to make my Ham and Gruyere Quiche:
(As always, please check the recipe card, below, for specific quantities and preparation!)
- Unbaked frozen 9-pie crust: While I usually prefer to make my own "pate brisee" (fancy term for standard pastry or pie dough made with butter), it does add more time and effort to the quiche-making process. But in this "quick and easy" version, a standard 9-inch store-bought frozen version works perfectly well!
- Eggs: 4 large. If you would like to "lighten up" this recipe just a bit, substitute 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites for the 4 whole eggs
- Scallions/Green onions: Green and white parts only, finely chopped
- Parsley: I prefer to use flat-leaf Italian parsley in my recipes, as it has a more pronounced flavor, but my grocery store only had the curly version (often associated with garnish), so that's what I used for this quiche.
- Half-and-half
- Salt and pepper
- Thick cut ham--leftover Easter or holiday is great for this recipe, but you can also ask your deli counter to slice your ham on the thick side (¼-inch) and then cube it.
- Gruyere cheese: Gruyere cheese is one of my very favorite varieties, thanks to its nutty, creamy taste and the fact that it melts so smoothly. In addition to quiche, it's commonly found in classic recipes like the Croque Monsieur or in fondue. While Gruyere is now fairly easy to find in grocery stores, it is on the pricier side, so feel free to substitute Emmental, Jarlsberg, Comte or Swiss cheese in this recipe.
Step by Step Photos and Instructions
While this is a fairly straightforward recipe, here are some step-by-step pictures and instructions to help you along the way. Feel free to head directly to the recipe card below if you are ready to get started!
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Place the (unwrapped) frozen pie crust on a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or foil. Fill the parchment paper with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, until crust is dry and very lightly browned
Carefully remove pie weights/beans and parchment or foil and allow crust to cool slightly.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Whisk in the half and half, green onions, parsley, salt and pepper.
Step 3
Sprinkle cubed ham and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, still on the baking sheet. Pour egg mixture over the top, filling to the top of the crust.
Step 4
Bake in the lower third of your oven for 35-40 minutes, until filling has set and top is golden brown. Serve warm or room temperature.
Watch this quick video showing my Ham and Gruyere Quiche from start to finish....bon appetit!!
Here are some common questions that arise when people make this recipe:
Gruyere cheese features a nutty, creamy, rich flavor, and tastes just as good sliced on crackers as it does in recipes. It melts very smoothly, making it ideal for classic recipes like fondue or a Croque Monsieur. While Gruyere is now fairly easy to find in grocery stores, it is on the pricier side, so feel free to substitute Emmental, Jarlsberg, Comte or Swiss cheese in recipes that call for Gruyere.
I would not substitute all of the whole eggs with egg whites, as that would affect the texture and density of the baked quiche. Instead, replace the 4 eggs with 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites. You could also replace the full-fat cheese with a low-fat variety.
Quiche can be served warm, room temperature, or even cold! After baking, a cooled quiche can be covered loosely with foil and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat, covered, in a 300F degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
Pie weights are small metal or ceramic balls that bakers use when "blind baking" a crust. Blind baking a crust means baking it without the filling. Fillings that are particularly wet (like a quiche or a fruit pie) usually call for blind baking to give the crust a head start on cooking so that it does not end up soggy. If you don't have pie weights, dried beans or rice make great substitutes. Line the unbaked pie crust with parchment or foil and fill it with pie weights, beans or rice prior to blind baking to help hold the crust's shape as it warms.
Here are some more recipes to help you "swing into Spring!":
- Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake
- How to Decorate Beautiful Butterfly Cookies
- Easy Popovers with Lemon and Thyme
Ham and Gruyere Quiche
Equipment
- Pie weights (optional, see Notes)
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch frozen pie crust (ready to bake)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half
- ¼ cup scallions (minced)
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup thick-cut smoked ham (cubed)
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Place the (unwrapped) frozen pie crust on a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or foil. Fill the parchment paper with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, until crust is dry and very lightly browned.
- Carefully remove pie weights/beans and parchment or foil and allow crust to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten.
- Whisk in the half and half, green onions and parsley.
- Sprinkle cubed ham and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, still on the baking sheet. Pour egg mixture over the top, filling to the top of the crust.
- Bake in the lower third of your oven for 35-40 minutes, until filling has set and top is golden brown. Serve warm or room temperature.
Video
Notes
- I usually prefer to make my own "pate brisee" (fancy term for standard pastry or pie dough made with butter), but it does add more time and effort to the quiche-making process. So in this "quick and easy" version, a standard 9-inch store-bought frozen version works perfectly well! Â If you want to use a homemade crust, freeze it for at least 30 minutes after lining the pie plate, and proceed with the recipe from there.Â
- Pie weights are small metal or ceramic balls that bakers use when "blind baking" a crust. Â If you don't have pie weights, dried beans or rice make great substitutes. Line the unbaked pie crust with parchment or foil and fill it with pie weights, beans or rice prior to blind baking to help hold the crust's shape as it warms.
- Quiche can be served warm, room temperature, or even cold! After baking, a cooled quiche can be covered loosely with foil and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat, covered, in a 300F degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
So delicious! Used a Maine Pie company gluten free crust! Second time I’ve made it!
Thank you so much, Joyce!! It's definitely one of my go-to recipes, and it tastes great with any type of crust!!
I found your recipe by accident, a quite happy accident I might add, as I was googling bacon, egg, and gruyere cheese quiche recipes for this past Easter. I was hoping to find something that sounded similar to Starbucks egg bites. Well, yours sounded yummy and so I made it. Well, let me tell you it was the most delicious quiche I have ever had in my life! I will never make anything else! This will be my standard make- every- time quiche, as well as my take- to- every- breakfast- gathering- potluck quiche from here out.
Thank you so much, Susan!! This quiche is indeed one of my favorite things to make for breakfast or brunch, as it's so so easy, but tastes very elevated!! I'm glad that you stumbled upon it -- welcome!! 🙂
Wow..that sounds fabulous!