There’s nothing better than a thick slice of rich, decadent meatless quiche. Unless it’s paired with a mimosa, in which case, it should always be, shouldn’t it?!
This veggie-loaded Mediterranean Quiche has been a long-time favorite of my family for vegetarian brunches. And I know it will soon be yours too. It has an herby mix of veggies and TWO kinds of cheese. Yes, two. We do nothing halfway around here.
Venture out and make your own homemade pie crust or buy a premade one (promise I won’t tell, sometimes the ease is worth it!). It’s a win either way when this recipe comes together in a few simple steps, leaving you with a delicious breakfast – or brunch – to enjoy.
You’ll Need These Ingredients
Here’s a quick run-down of what you need. The quiche filling is loaded with flavor and veggies, which is where the majority of the quiche ingredients come from… flavor and veggies, veggies and flavor. Full recipe card below with all the details.
- Pie Crust – a quiche is not a quiche without a crust, and this homemade recipe will deliver a flaky, buttery pie crust to pair with the luxurious quiche filling. No time to make your own crust? No problem. Grab a store-bought one.
- The Veggies – in the quiche we have a mix of yellow onion, zucchini, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Other options you can substitute with include fresh spinach, red onion in place of yellow, or sun-dried tomatoes.
- The Herbs – fresh basil and thyme bring flavor throughout the quiche. The combo is seriously outta this world.
- The Egg Mixture – a simple mix of whisked eggs and half-and-half results in an indulgent, creamy filling.
- The Cheese – not one, but two kinds of cheese for best results. Into the filling goes shredded gruyere, and on top of the quiche, we have crumbled feta cheese. A divine combination. You can also substitute goat cheese for the feta or mozzarella or fontina for the gruyere.
How to Make Vegetarian Quiche
If you’ve never made a quiche before, it’s actually quite easy. Generally, you whisk the eggs, add in the filling, and bake away! Here’s what we need to do for this Vegetarian Mediterranean Quiche.
Prep the Crust
First, prep the pie crust. Mix together the dough, making sure you are using cold, cold, cold ingredients. Let the dough chill to ensure it’s extra cold.
Then you’re ready to roll it out and shape it. As you can see, you don’t have to be perfect in shaping your pie crust. 😉 Par-bake the crust to ensure it doesn’t end up soggy once we add the quiche filling.
Par-baking the crust creates a barrier of sorts. I highly recommend using dried beans (more than I did here), rice, or pie weights to hold the crust down. Otherwise, you run the risk of the dough sinking.
If you’re using a storebought crust, you will still want to par-bake it before filling it with the quiche filling.
Bake the crust with the pie weights for 8-10 minutes until slightly set. It shouldn’t be fully cooked or golden brown because it will finish cooking in its entirety.
Saute Mediterranean Vegetables
Next up, prepare the quiche filling. Start by sauteing the veggies. First, the onion and zucchini go in, followed by garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Remember to add a pinch of salt to help the cooking process, and to bring out the flavor. I also like to add a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes.
Last, stir in the herbs and turn off the heat. Adding the tender herbs at the end – off of the heat – helps keep their flavor intact throughout the rest of the cooking process.
Spread the sauteed vegetables on the bottom of the par-baked crust. It’s best to add the filling when the crust is still hot, so feel free to prepare this mixture before it bakes if needed.
Whisk the Egg Mixture
Whisk the eggs first, to create a light, fluffy texture. Then, whisk in the half-and-half until fully combined. A few extra times will help the texture, too. Add salt and pepper to season the eggs, then add the shredded gruyere cheese.
Pour the egg mixture carefully on top of the veggies into the hot pie crust.
Once the egg mixture is in, sprinkle it with a topping of crumbled feta before baking.
Bake the Quiche
Bake the quiche until the pie edges are golden brown and the egg base is set; you shouldn’t have much jiggle, but a little is what you want. A little jiggle means the filling will be perfectly creamy, and it will finish setting up as the quiche rests.
Use a baking thermometer to check the internal temperature; it should reach 165°F – then, it’s done!
The hardest part is letting the quiche set up once it’s done baking. I recommend waiting at least 30 minutes before slicing into it. This gives the quiche enough time to set up. The longer it sits, the cleaner slices you’ll have.
What should I serve with Quiche?
Quiche is one of those amazing foods that can be served for breakfast or lunch (hi, brunch), or even dinner if you’re vibing that way. This means there are so many wonderful options to pair it with.
My favorite? A nice green salad with a bright vinaigrette. I also like to garnish the quiche with micro greens and fresh basil for added color – and to get some greens in!
Crispy potatoes are always a delicious breakfast option. And fresh fruit is a nice way to balance out the richness of the quiche.
Of course, a mimosa or a hot latte pairs perfectly, too.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
To store leftovers in the fridge, either cover the pie pan with plastic wrap, reusable wrap, or foil. Or, transfer slices to an airtight container.
The quiche will keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute until heated through.
To freeze the baked quiche, first, make sure it is completely cooled. Wrap the quiche or quiche slices well in plastic wrap, then foil. I like to place it in a freezer bag, too, to prevent freezer burn. Reheat a whole quiche in the oven at 350°F, baking for 30-45 minutes until heated through. If thawed, it will take around 20-25 minutes.
To make ahead, bake the quiche the night before you’re ready to serve. Then, after it’s cooled completely, wrap it and store it in the fridge. To heat, bring to room temperature for 15-30 minutes and place in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Cover with foil if it is browning too quickly.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Get the Recipe Mediterranean Vegetable Quiche
Ingredients
Homemade Crust (optional):
- 160 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 7 grams
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4 cup cold ice water
Quiche Filling:
- 1 pie crust dough, store-bought or homemade
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup yellow onion, diced, about 1 small
- 3/4 cup zucchini, diced, about 1 small
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, drained and chopped
- 3 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup gruyere cheese*, shredded
- Dash of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
Equipment
Instructions
- Homemade Pie Crust (optional): Sift together flour and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender until small pea-sized crumbles form. Slowly pour in ice water until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork the dough. Transfer the dough to a surface or clean countertop and form it into a round disk shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
- Par-Bake Crust: Once the dough is chilled, or if using storebought dough that's thawed, preheat the oven to 375°. Place the dough disk on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle. Fold the rolled dough in half, then again in quarters to easily transfer it to the pie pan. Place dough in a 9-inch (or 9.5) pie pan, trim the edges and crimp if desired. You will just need to place a storebought crust in the pan, and crimp the edges.
- Line the crust with parchment paper and add dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Blind bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden brown. As it bakes, prepare the filling. Once it's done, reduce the oven heat to 350°F.
- Saute the Veggies: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add the diced onion and zucchini and saute for 4-6 minutes until tender, adding a generous pinch of salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Add the garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant, then stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil, thyme, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
- Egg Filling: Whisk together the eggs, then whisk in the half-and-half and shredded gruyere cheese, along with the salt and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper.
- Spread the vegetable mix along the bottom of the par-baked pie crust. Pour the egg mixture into the crust and sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese on top.
- Bake the quiche at 350°F for 32-36 minutes until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the quiche is set around the edges – it's ok if the center jiggles a little bit. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Let the quiche cool and set for at least 30 minutes; the longer the better for the cleanest slices.
Notes
- Look for cheese specifically labeled ‘vegetarian’ if needed.
This recipe was originally published in September 2015. The text and photos have been updated for clarity. This recipe was originally adapted from Emeril Lagasse.
