With this broccoli and ham quiche recipe, you’ll get tips on pre-baking your crust, and how to prep the savory filling so your brunch or dinner comes together without any stress. The earlier you start your prep, the more impressive your quiche will be without the last-minute rush!
Is there a brunch or holiday coming up on your calendar? Are you ready? Whether you are hosting a crowd or just looking for a reliable weeknight meal, pulling together a beautiful quiche is a lot easier than you might think. If you follow a few simple steps, it doesn’t have to be a stressful day spent worrying if your custard will set.
When it comes to this classic combination of salty ham and tender broccoli, remember that a lot can be done in advance. You can even bake the whole quiche a day early and enjoy it at room temperature! Whether you’re serving it for a special occasion or just meal-prepping for the week, here is a guide for achieving a silky, perfectly set quiche every single time. Plus, keep scrolling for the full recipe and my best baking tips!
Ingredients in Broccoli and Ham Quiche
This lineup of simple, familiar ingredients comes together into a rich, deeply flavored filling that is far more elegant than it looks on paper.
How to Make Broccoli and Ham Quiche
This recipe follows a classic quiche method blind-bake, fill, and bake with simple preparation at every stage.
1. Blind-bake the crust
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Press the pie crust into a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish and trim any excess. Line it with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is dry and just beginning to color. This prevents the dreaded soggy bottom.
2. Blanch the broccoli
Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 2 minutes, then transfer them immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. They should be bright green and just tender, with a slight bite remaining. Drain and pat completely dry excess moisture in the filling will make the custard watery and prevent it from setting cleanly.
3. Sauté the onion and garlic
In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced onion in a little butter until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 further minute until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly before adding to the custard mixture.
4. Make the custard
In a large bowl or jug, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, salt, white pepper, and a tiny grating of nutmeg until completely smooth and well combined. Stir in the sautéed onion and garlic and the grated cheese, reserving a handful of cheese for the top.
5. Assemble the quiche
Brush a thin layer of Dijon mustard over the base of the blind-baked crust. Arrange the blanched broccoli florets and diced ham evenly across the crust. Pour the custard mixture slowly and carefully over the filling, letting it settle around the broccoli and ham. Scatter the reserved cheese over the top.
6. Bake until just set
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set around the edges but has a very slight wobble in the very center it will continue to firm up as it cools. A fully firm custard in the oven means an overcooked, rubbery quiche on the plate. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
How to Serve Broccoli and Ham Quiche
This quiche is wonderful served warm or at room temperature, and I almost always prefer it at room temperature where the flavors have had time to settle and deepen. Serve it in generous wedges on a simple white plate.
For a classic brunch spread, serve it alongside a lightly dressed green salad with a sharp vinaigrette the acidity cuts through the richness of the custard beautifully. A simple fruit salad on the side rounds things out perfectly.
It also makes an ideal make-ahead option since it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days and reheats beautifully in a low oven. Many quiche lovers will tell you it tastes best the day after baking, once the custard has fully set and the flavors have had overnight to meld.
Recipe Tips
- Blind-baking the crust is not optional skipping it will give you a pale, soft, undercooked base.
- Pat the broccoli completely dry after blanching any excess moisture will make the custard watery.
- Don’t overbake pull the quiche when the center still has a gentle wobble; it firms as it cools.
- Let the quiche rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting or the custard will collapse and run.
- Use full-fat dairy throughout for the silkiest, richest custard texture.
- Gruyère makes the most classically elegant quiche, but a sharp aged cheddar works beautifully and adds more punch.
- The Dijon mustard layer on the base is small but transformative don’t skip it.
- Quiche freezes well for up to one month; wrap individual slices and reheat from frozen in a 325°F oven.
Broccoli and Ham Quiche
Course: Meal PrepDifficulty: Easy6
servings25
55
minutesIngredients
For the shell:
1 9-inch shortcrust pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the filling:
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched and dried
1 cup ham, diced into small cubes
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup gruyère or sharp cheddar, shredded
For the custard:
4 large eggs
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
- Blind-bake the crust:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Press the pie crust into a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish and trim any excess. Line it with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is dry and just beginning to color. This prevents the dreaded soggy bottom. - Blanch the broccoli:
Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 2 minutes, then transfer them immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. They should be bright green and just tender, with a slight bite remaining. Drain and pat completely dry excess moisture in the filling will make the custard watery and prevent it from setting cleanly. - Sauté the onion and garlic:
In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced onion in a little butter until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 further minute until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly before adding to the custard mixture. - Make the custard:
In a large bowl or jug, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, salt, white pepper, and a tiny grating of nutmeg until completely smooth and well combined. Stir in the sautéed onion and garlic and the grated cheese, reserving a handful of cheese for the top. - Assemble the quiche:
Brush a thin layer of Dijon mustard over the base of the blind-baked crust. Arrange the blanched broccoli florets and diced ham evenly across the crust. Pour the custard mixture slowly and carefully over the filling, letting it settle around the broccoli and ham. Scatter the reserved cheese over the top. - Bake until just set:
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set around the edges but has a very slight wobble in the very center it will continue to firm up as it cools. A fully firm custard in the oven means an overcooked, rubbery quiche on the plate. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
