Deep Dish Vegetarian Quiche
Best Deep Dish Vegetarian Quiche Recipe – This French-style deep dish veggie quiche has a delicious flavor and beautiful presentation that is sure to impress! It’s easy to customize and perfect to serve as a rustic brunch dish with flair.
Why We Love This Quiche Recipe
We love a good quiche recipe! We especially adore this traditional French-style vegetarian quiche recipe that’s made in a deep dish pan, so the fluffy egg layer is nice and tall.
In today’s recipe, we’re making a veggie quiche that can be adjusted with your choice of fillings. We’re using chopped spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese. However, you can swap out feta cheese for sliced green olives if you like.
Note: Making a deep dish quiche is not for the faint of heart. The shortcrust must be chilled and blind-baked before the filling is added. Then the baking time for the quiche does take quite a bit of time. This is a special recipe so it’s worth making, but just allow yourself plenty of time. It’s perfect for the holidays, or when special guests are coming into town!
Ingredients You Need
For the Short Crust –
- All-purpose flour
- Ice cold butter
- Salt
- Ice cold water
For the Quiche Filling –
- Eggs
- Half and half
- Fontina cheese
- Spices – Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cracked black pepper
- Frozen chopped spinach
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Feta cheese
How to Make a Deep Dish Short Crust
Set out a large food processor. Add the flour, cold chopped butter cubes, and salt. Pulse until the mixture forms a crumbled oat texture.
Then add 5 tablespoons of ice-cold water. Pulse again until the mixture comes together and can be rolled into a solid ball.
Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap. Set the dough ball in the center of the plastic and smash it into a flat disk. Then wrap well in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but 60 minutes is better.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set out a 9 inch springform pan. Placed the cold dough disk on a floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, beat the dough in both directions to soften and spread out the disk. Then roll it out into a large 14-inch circle. Carefully lift the crust into the springform pan. Do not stretch the crust! (This can cause breakage when par-baking. ) Instead, tuck the crust down into the creases of the pan. Then fold and press the dough up the sides of the pan.
You can now trim the crust along the top of the pan and crimp it around the top edge. Or allow the crust to hang over the sides, to be trimmed off after baking. This is completely a matter of preference.
Place a large piece of foil or parchment paper down into the crust and fill it to the top of the pan with ceramic pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice.
Fold the extra parchment paper or foil over the top sides of the crust. Bake the crust for 45 minutes.
How to Make a Vegetarian Quiche
Prepare the filling while the crust bakes. Set out a large bowl. Combine the eggs, half-and-half, Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. Whisk well until smooth.
Stir in the shredded fontina cheese, along with 1 ½ cups of additional filling. I used ½ cup of well-pressed and dried spinach, ½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes, and ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese. Mix well.
When the crust has finished par-baking, use the edges of the paper or foil to carefully lift the weight out of the center of the crust.
Carefully pour the filling into the crust. Where the top crust is exposed, carefully wrap strips of foil over the crust to ensure it does not continue browning.
Place the vegetarian quiche back into the oven and bake for an additional 110-130 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted deep into the center of the quiche reads 160°F.
Allow the quiche to cool at room temperature for at least two hours.
Trim the edges of the crust (if you did not do it earlier), then release the quiche from the springform pan.
Cut and serve at room temperature, or reheat each slice before serving.
Get the Complete (Printable) Deep Dish Vegetable Quiche Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
The important thing to remember is that any of the three main ingredients – spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta – can be swapped. But stick with 1 ½ cups of filling ingredients, so the proportions are right… An 8-ounce package of spinach will thaw and squeeze down into approximately ½ cup of spinach. Then we used ½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes and ½ cup of feta.
If you want to swap out roasted red peppers, or any other jarred vegetable, be sure to drain them well.
If you would like to use fresh vegetables that’s fine too, just make sure to sauté them down in a little fat to release all of the additional moisture. Mushrooms, bell peppers, leeks, and zucchini are nice additions but must be rendered down before adding to the filling.
As-is this quiche recipe is vegetarian; however, feel free to add meat if you like. Cooked and chopped bacon or breakfast sausage are both delicious options.
Serving Suggestions
This vegetarian quiche recipe is a favorite for holiday breakfasts and brunches! You can bake it early in the morning, or get everything done the night before. Then simply reheat and serve.
Enjoy thick slices of quiche at room temperature or warm, with a simple green salad or a side of fresh fruit. For an even heartier meal to feed a crowd, you might consider also whipping up a Sweet Potato Hash and/or bacon or sausage – your choice of meat or plant-based alternative!
And is it even brunch if there isn’t a cocktail involved? Make it a truly festive affair with mimosas, Bloody Marys, or Salty Dog cocktails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Par-baking is essential to make this vegetarian quiche recipe soggy bottom-free. Baking the crust a bit in advance creates a barrier that keeps the egg filling from soaking through.
Yes, fresh veggies need to be cooked first. Sautéing them briefly releases all of the moisture into the cooking pan, thereby keeping the juices out of the quiche.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container, or wrap the serving dish in plastic wrap. Keep the quiche in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To serve, set slices out at room temperature for several minutes or briefly reheat in the oven.
Yes, this vegetarian quiche recipe is great to make ahead and freeze! Let the deep dish quiche cool completely at room temperature, for up to an hour or so. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight freezer-safe container. I suggest also wrapping in a layer or two of aluminum foil for extra protection. Store the quiche in the freezer for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge before baking at 350°F for 30-45 minutes, until warmed throughout.
Looking for More Fabulous Brunch Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Easy Eggs Benedict Casserole
- Savory Waffle Sandwiches
- Easy Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomato Frittata
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Deep Dish Vegetarian Quiche Recipe
Ingredients
For the Short Crust –
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 12 tablespoons ice cold butter cut into cubes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons ice cold water
For the Quiche Filling –
- 15 large eggs
- 2 ¾ cups half & half
- 2 ½ cups shredded fontina cheese or white cheddar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 8 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed well (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
- ½ cup chopped feta cheese or sliced green olives
Instructions
- For the Short Crust: Set out a large food processor. Add the flour, cold chopped butter cubes, and salt. Pulse until the mixture forms a crumbled oat texture. Then add 5 tablespoons of ice cold water. Pulse again until the mixture comes together and can be rolled into a solid ball.
- Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap. Set the dough ball in the center of the plastic and smash it into a flat disk. Then wrap well in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but 60 minutes is better.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set out a 9-inch springform pan. Placed the cold dough disk on a floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, beat the dough in both directions to soften and spread out the disk. Then roll it out into a large 14 inch circle. Carefully lift the crust into the springform pan. Do not stretch the crust! (This can cause breakage when par-baking. ) Instead, tuck the crust down into the creases of the pan. Then fold and press the dough up the sides of the pan.
- You can now trim the crust along the top of the pan and crimp it around the top edge. Or allow the crust to hang over the sides, to be trimmed off after baking. This is completely a matter of preference.
- Place a large piece of foil or parchment paper down into the crust and fill it to the top of the pan with ceramic pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice. Fold the extra parchment paper or foil over the top sides of the crust. Bake the crust for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile Make the Quiche Filling: Set out a large bowl. Combine the eggs, half-and-half, Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. Whisk well until smooth.
- Stir in the shredded fontina cheese, along with 1 ½ cups of additional filling. (I used ½ cup of well-pressed and dried spinach, ½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes, and ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese.) Mix well.
- When the crust has finished par-baking, use the edges of the paper or foil to carefully lift the weight out of the center of the crust.
- Carefully pour the filling into the crust. Where the top crust is exposed, carefully wrap strips of foil over the crust to ensure it does not continue browning. Place the quiche back into the oven and bake for an additional 110-130 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted deep into the center of the quiche reads 160°F.
- Allow the quiche to cool at room temperature for at least two hours. (Trim the edges of the crust if you did not do it earlier.) Then release the quiche from the springform pan.
- Cut and serve at room temperature, or reheat each slice before serving.
This traditional French-style vegetarian quiche recipecl came out so fluffy and delicious! I do not regret trying this recipe at all!
Talk about delish!! This was super easy to make too. It’s going on the menu rotation!
Deep dish is the way to eat quiche!! It’s filling & so tasty!! I usually have to make something else along with it, because my family is still hungry, but not with this!!