The idea of a crab quiche may elicit images of classy brunch spots with fuzzy drinks in champagne flutes and white tablecloths at every table. And while it certainly can be a fancy dish, quiche is rarely a recipe that’s complicated or fussy. In fact, with a refrigerated pie crust and simple ingredients, you can make an elegant quiche that’s ready in less than an hour.
This crab quiche is fantastic for breakfast, brunch or lunch, especially served alongside fresh fruit or a breakfast salad. And if you want to enjoy it for dinner, go right ahead. Maybe add a buttered dinner roll for good measure.
Ingredients for Crab Quiche
- Refrigerated pie crust: There are some great premade pie crusts out there, so don’t feel like you must spend all day making homemade crust. (That said, here’s how to make pie crust if you’re up for the task.)
- Eggs and half-and-half cream: Quiche isn’t quiche without an egg custard. Eggs add structure and volume while half-and-half cream creates a rich texture and robust flavor.
- Crab: We use imitation crabmeat, an inexpensive alternative to the real deal. Of course, if your budget allows, you can swap in lump crabmeat.
- Swiss cheese: This nutty cheese complements seafood like crab without overpowering it. Gruyere and Monterey Jack would work well here, too.
Directions
Step 1: Blind bake the pie crust
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Unroll the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Flute the edges. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.
Bake the pie crust for five minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for five minutes longer. Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the crust. Reduce the oven’s temperature to 375°.
Step 2: Prepare the quiche filling
In a skillet, saute the red pepper and onions in butter until tender. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Stir in the crab, red pepper mixture and remaining cheese.
Editor’s Tip: Want to know the secret behind the smoothest quiche? Use room-temperature eggs. The egg yolks break more easily and blend seamlessly with the egg whites.
Step 3: Bake the quiche
Pour the quiche filling into the crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t overbake the quiche! The eggs can curdle, and the filling can separate. Quiche is finished cooking when it’s puffy and set at the edges. It should have a slight wobble in the center, which will set from the residual heat while the quiche rests.
Step 4: Let the quiche rest
Let the quiche stand for 15 minutes. Cut and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Make quiche without pie crust: Use a potato crust, or turn this into a crustless quiche.
- Add veggies: You can add almost any cooked vegetable to crab quiche. Get inspired with our top vegetable quiche recipes, like asparagus quiche, broccoli quiche, leek quiche, mushroom quiche, spinach quiche or zucchini quiche.
- Swap in another type of seafood: This quiche would taste delicious with lobster, smoked salmon or shrimp. Just make sure to cook any protein before adding it to the quiche filling.
How to Store Crab Quiche
You can let the quiche stand at room temperature for up to two hours. After that, cover the dish tightly, and transfer it to the refrigerator. The quiche will keep for up to four days. The crust can get a little soggy over time, so try to enjoy the leftovers within a day or two.
Can you freeze crab quiche?
Quiche recipes freeze exceptionally well. Let the quiche cool completely, then wrap it in a double layer of foil. Freeze for up to three months. To serve, thaw the quiche in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat it in a 350° oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
Crab Quiche Tips
What makes crab quiche soggy?
Quiche can be soggy if you skip the prebaking or blind baking step. Blind baking pie crust gives the crust a head start in the oven. That way, the base of the pie is fully baked (and crispy!) without any risk of overcooking the filling.
How do you prevent a watery crab quiche?
Quiche filling can become runny if the filling contains too much moisture. We cook the onions and peppers before adding them to the filling so this crab quiche doesn’t turn out watery. If you decide to add extra vegetables, cook them fully to allow most of their liquid to evaporate.
Should you use heavy cream or milk in quiche recipes?
You can make quiche with heavy cream or milk—or use half-and-half cream, as we do in this recipe. Quiches made with heavy cream can be very rich, which could overpower the delicate crab. Milk, on the other hand, creates a thinner, less flavorful quiche. Half-and-half cream offers the best of both worlds.
