Easy Kale Quiche Recipe (2024)

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This quiche is loaded with kale in a buttery breadcrumb crust.

By

J. Kenji López-Alt

Easy Kale Quiche Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated September 11, 2020

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Easy Kale Quiche Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • This quiche is loaded with a full pound and a half of kale, a great way to use a large bunch.
  • A simple coating of butter and breadcrumbs will keep your pie from sticking to the pan, giving you a nice bit of flavorful browning around the edges.

If there's one thing I took away frommy month of veganism, it's that kale is one magnificent green. I've got a bit of a kale hoarding problem. When I see it on supermarket shelves or at the farmers' market, I instinctively grab a bunch. Sometimes I call my wife and ask her to pick up some kale on her way home, knowing full well that I'm going to be picking up another bunch myself, all while holding a perfectly usable bunch in my bag.

Having an overflow of kale is not a bad thing, but it does mean that I need to figure out where to put the stuff. This is not a problem. Marinated in salads, grilled, on pizza, braised in sandwiches, simmered in soups and stews, it's just so incredibly versatile and tasty that it's hard to think of a situation in which youwouldn'twant to use it.

Quiche is not one of those situations (that is, you wouldn't not want to use it in a quiche—you with me here?). Though a quiche really only has a few ingredients—cream, milk, eggs, pie crust—the concept can seem a bit daunting at first—a delicate custard set in a crisp, tender, and flaky pie crust is a great testing ground for perfectionist technique. And true, a really perfect quiche—one with a moist, barely-set center that jiggles gently under your fork pressure with no hint of curdling and the most delicate scent of nutmeg—is not an easy feat to accomplish.

Then again, not all skates are rollerblades, and there are times when I'm perfectly content to wheel around the block on my good old-fashioned boxy four wheelers.

Quiche at its heart is a rustic dishand for me, part of its charm lies in its imperfections. I like the little brown spots that form on the surface. I like that the edges are a little more well-done than the center, giving you some nice textural contrast from the first bite to the last. Besides, the version here is far more kale than it is quiche. A full pound and a half gets packed down into a single pie. It's a great way to stash an extra bunch when your vegetable drawer is already packed too tightly. (That should be all the time in the spring).

If you have the time and inclination, you could make a true pie crust and par-bake it in the shell (here's a great, foolproof recipe), butif quick and easy is your goal, a simple coating of butter and breadcrumbs will keep your pie from sticking to the pan, giving you a nice bit of flavorful browning around the edges.

Finally, cheese is not an absolutely necessary ingredient in a quiche, but it sure makes it taste better and it adds a few extra calories and calcium so you'll be extra energetic for the next round of hide the kale.

March 2012

Recipe Details

Easy Kale Quiche

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch (about 1 1/2 pounds) kale, thick stalks discarded, leaves roughly chopped

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half

  • 2 whole eggs

  • 4 ouncesgrated gruyère or Comté cheese

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 2 slices high-quality sandwich bread or rustic country bread, crusts removed

  • 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add kale and press down with a metal fine-mesh strainer to submerge. Cook until barely tender but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Transfer kale to a colander and run under cold water until chilled. Squeeze out excess moisture then transfer kale to the center of a clean dish towel. Roll up towel to encase the kale, then twist the ends to wring out excess moisture. Transfer dried kale to a cutting board and chop into 1- to 1/2-inch pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  2. Combine half-and-half and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until hom*ogenous. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add kale, cheese, and nutmeg and mix with hands to combine.

  3. Place bread in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are achieved. Grease a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or a cast iron skillet with butter. Add bread crumbs and rotate plate while shaking to coat bottom and sides. Discard extra crumbs. Pour kale filling into prepared pie plate.

  4. Place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until center is just barely set but still jiggles when touched, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Quiche can be served warm, at room temperature, or straight out of the fridge.

Special Equipment

Food processor, 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or cast iron skillet, rimmed baking sheet

Notes

If you have the time and inclination, you could make a true pie crust and par bake it in the shell, using this great, foolproof recipe.

  • Savory
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
168Calories
14g Fat
4g Carbs
8g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 8
Amount per serving
Calories168
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g17%
Saturated Fat 8g41%
Cholesterol 86mg29%
Sodium 370mg16%
Total Carbohydrate 4g2%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 3mg13%
Calcium 208mg16%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 106mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Easy Kale Quiche Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is milk better than heavy cream in quiche? ›

Heavy Cream and Milk – For the best tasting quiche, use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. (Or simply use half-and-half.) Using just heavy cream produces an overly thick filling. Whole milk is great, but a combo of heavy cream and milk is better.

Do you have to bake crust before quiche? ›

And yes, as you'll see, you should always prebake quiche crust to avoid a gummy pastry. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Should vegetables be cooked before putting in quiche? ›

Cook the Veggies First

"Vegetables will take longer to cook than your egg custard, so always sauté onions, steam broccoli, etc. before you add them to your egg mixture to ensure every bite of quiche will be perfectly cooked," says Kristin Beringson, executive chef at Henley in Nashville.

What is the formula for quiche? ›

Quiche Ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy

You'll need to increase the amount of eggs and milk based on the size of your quiche, so knowing the basic ratio makes it really easy to scale up or down. For a standard 9-inch quiche: Use 3 large eggs (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups of whole milk or cream (12 ounces)

What is the milk to egg ratio for quiche? ›

The ratio maintains your custard's consistency. A good quiche custard typically features: 1 large egg to 1/2 cups of dairy. The dairy can be any combination of milk and/or half-and-half, for example: 1 large egg : ½ cup milk.

What is a substitute for heavy cream in a quiche recipe? ›

Recommended substitutes: Whole milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk, onion cream.

Should quiche be cooked at 350 or 375? ›

BAKE in center of 375°F oven until center is almost set but jiggles slightly when dish is gently shaken and knife inserted near center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

Why do you put flour in quiche? ›

Roll it out a tad bit thicker than you normally would for a standard pie if possible, and absolutely use it all. Confidently press any overhang or extra pieces into the walls of your pan. Add flour to your filling: Adding a bit of flour to your quiche filling helps absorb moisture and stabilize things in general.

What not to put in quiche? ›

Using too many eggs in the custard. The best quiche consists of a custard that's the perfect ratio between eggs and milk. Using too many eggs in the custard results in a quiche that rubbery and too firm when baked, while not using enough will prevent the custard from setting.

What is the best cheese to use for quiche? ›

Cheese: Add Swiss, Gruyère, feta, goat, Parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella, or jack cheese to a quiche. Whether you choose grated, crumbled, or shredded cheese, the ingredient will contribute salty flavor and a creamy texture to a standard quiche recipe.

Can I use milk instead of cream in my quiche? ›

While it is not as traditional for quiches such as quiche Lorraine, you can use milk instead of heavy cream for quiche. While the results are not *as* rich as if heavy cream is used, I find that by the time you factor in the cheese and eggs, the quiche is not at all lacking in indulgence.

What size pan is best for quiche? ›

Quiche or tart pan It's best to use a 9-inch metal pan with a removable bottom. While you can use a glass or ceramic quiche pan, you won't be able to remove the quiche from the pan before serving. It's also smart to place the pan on a baking sheet before it goes into the oven.

Why is my quiche so watery? ›

Tip #2: Cook your veggies first

Excess moisture is one reason why quiches collapse in a watery pool on your plate. Vegetables and meats like ham give off tremendous amounts of water when they're cooked. Therefore, if you're using vegetables in your quiche, it's imperative that you cook them first.

Can you substitute heavy cream for milk in quiche? ›

Long story short, YES. You can use heavy whipping cream to replace half and half and/or milk in a recipe.

Is it better to bake with milk or heavy cream? ›

Whole milk is a good choice for general cooking and baking, as it adds richness and flavor without being too heavy. Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are best for recipes that require a thick and creamy texture, or for making whipped cream.

Can I use 2% milk instead of heavy cream for quiche? ›

For gluten-free crust, try making a sweet potato crust. The Custard: For your custard to set properly in the oven, use this easy ratio: 1 part dairy to 2 parts eggs. Classic custards use heavy cream, but 2% milk contains a fraction of the saturated fat and is still plenty rich.

Why add milk to quiche? ›

The French are known for using cream, whole milk, and butter when cooking, and making a traditional French quiche is definitely not the right time to deviate and opt for margarine or skim milk. By choosing whole milk over one with a lower fat content, the baked quiche will have a light texture, per The Kitchn.

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