If breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, you’d be smart to bookmark this tasty potato crust quiche recipe. Crowd-pleasing quiche is rich in protein and packed with savory flavor, plus it’s easy to play with fillings depending on what you find in your crisper drawer.
Rather than a butter-and-flour pastry crust used in traditional quiche, this recipe calls for a creative potato-based crust. The potatoes add both flavor and a pleasant chew to the egg bake. Here’s how to create a super-savory spin on the classic breakfast quiche.
Ingredients for Potato Crust Quiche
- Shredded potatoes: Potatoes make the base of this tasty quiche, so make sure to choose the right kind of potato for the recipe. Starchy potatoes like russets will work best in this recipe. Waxy varieties have more moisture and won’t crisp up as well.
- Flour: A bit of flour provides structure in the crust, soaking up excess moisture from the potatoes. You may use all-purpose flour, or substitute a gluten-free flour mix if you prefer.
- Eggs: You’ll use a total of four eggs in this recipe. A single egg in the crust helps to bind the ingredients together, while three eggs form the bulk of the savory custard filling.
- Half-and-half: A cup of half-and-half thickens and flavors the custard. If you prefer, you can substitute half milk and half heavy cream. Don’t use just milk or just cream, however, or the custard will be too runny or too rich.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate, and set it aside. Shred the potatoes into a large bowl to measure 4 cups. Immediately cover the potatoes with water to prevent browning. Drain the shredded potatoes in a colander, pressing to remove water. Transfer the drained potatoes to a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Step 2: Prepare the crust
In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, flour, onion, egg and salt. Press the mixture into the prepared pie plate. Bake until the crust edges are lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare the filling
Remove the crust from the oven, and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese, onion, ham and broccoli over the crust. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and nutmeg together until well mixed. Pour over the filling in the crust. Sprinkle paprika over the top.
Step 4: Bake
Bake the quiche for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. There should still be a very slight wobble at the center of the pan. The egg filling will continue to set after it’s removed from the oven.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top. Let stand for five minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.
Editor’s Tip: Letting the quiche rest before serving it allows the quiche to set completely, leading to a more pleasant texture and tidier slices. The quiche tastes delicious hot, warm or at room temperature.
Potato Crust Quiche Variations
- Use hash browns: Substitute our favorite shortcut ingredient, frozen hash browns, for the shredded potatoes, then proceed with the recipe as directed. The crust may take slightly longer to firm and crisp in the initial baking.
- Change up the fillings: Almost anything makes a delicious filling for quiche! Experiment with your fave meat (sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon, shredded chicken, pulled pork, chorizo and so on), cheese (any type of cheese will do, from mild to full-flavored) and vegetables (leftover roasted veggies, asparagus, greens, mushrooms, peppers or whatever is in season).
- Add herbs: Add French flair to the baked quiche with a shower of chopped fresh herbs after baking. Parsley, basil, dill and cilantro are all delicious. Avoid woodier herbs, like rosemary, which can be too overpowering when uncooked.
How to Store Potato Crust Quiche
Leftover potato crust quiche should be stored in the refrigerator. Allow the quiche to cool completely, then cover the top of the pie plate tightly with storage wrap before refrigerating. It will keep well for up to five days.
How to Freeze Potato Crust Quiche
Like all quiches, potato crust quiche freezes well! You may freeze the quiche baked or unbaked.
To freeze unbaked quiche: Prepare the quiche through Step 3. Place on a baking sheet, and transfer to the freezer until solid, about three hours. Wrap the pie plate tightly in storage wrap, or fit it into a freezer-safe resealable bag. It will freeze well for up to three months. Bake the quiche directly from frozen: Unwrap the quiche, and bake as directed in Step 4. Expect the quiche to take 55 minutes or longer to cook through from frozen.
To freeze baked quiche: Let the baked quiche cool completely, then wrap it well in storage wrap, or fit it inside a freezer-safe resealable bag. It will keep for up to three months in the freezer. Bake directly from frozen, as directed in Step 4, allowing extra baking time as needed until heated to 165°.
Potato Crust Quiche Tips
What should you serve with potato crust quiche?
For a quick breakfast, quiche makes a complete meal, ideally with a cup of coffee. It’s also great with bacon or sausages on the side. Don’t overlook quiche as a delicious lunch or dinner option, either. A simple green salad makes a light, filling meal. Or try a seasonal vegetable side dish, such as steamed asparagus in the spring, blanched green beans in summer or roasted carrots in winter.
Does it take longer to bake quiche in a glass pan or a metal pan?
You may bake potato crust quiche in either a glass or metal pan. Glass pans take longer to heat up, so you’ll need to add a little baking time to the recipe. They will retain heat for longer, though, if you expect to leave the quiche sitting for a while before serving. Metal pans heat up quickly, giving your potato crust an extra crisp. You’ll need to keep an eye on the quiche so as not to overcook it in the metal pan.
