This Vegetarian Mediterranean Quiche recipe takes brunch to the next level; it’s full of veggies and comforting flavors, including a mix of zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, thyme, gruyere, and goat cheese.
There’s nothing better than a thick slice of a delicious 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’s, 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.
Whether you choose to venture in and make your own 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 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.
- 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.
- 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 eggs and half-and-half, which 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 goat cheese. A divine combination.
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:
First, prep the pie crust. If you’re making your own that is. Mix together the dough, being sure you have 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. 😉 You will 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.
To make the quiche filling, start by sauteeing the veggies. First the onion and zucchini go in, followed by garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Last, stir in the herbs and turn off the heat.
Whisk the eggs with half-and-half and add salt and pepper – a little red pepper flakes are highly encouraged – and the gruyere cheese.
Line the crust with the cooked veggies and then pour in the egg mixture. Once it’s in, scatter the goat cheese crumbles across the top of the quiche.
Bake the quiche until the pie edges are golden brown and the egg base is set; you shouldn’t have much jiggle. To be extra safe, use a baking thermometer and the internal temperature will reach 165°F.
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, otherwise, you might end up with a bit of a runny quiche.
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. You can also top the quiche with microgreens and a basil leaf for an added color and to get some greens in that way.
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 big mug of hot coffee pair perfectly, too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cover or place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remove and reheat individual slices in the microwave or oven for a whole quiche or slices.
I’ve never had enough quiche leftover to do this myself, but it’s been said that yes, you can freeze quiche. Make sure it is wrapped well and then place in the freezer. Reheat in the oven by placing the frozen quiche in the oven – no need to thaw – for 30-45 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. You may want to cover with foil to prevent burning an already cooked quiche.
That would technically be a frittata, as a quiche in itself is a creamy, custardy-based savory tart inside a crust. But yes, you can bake it without the crust. Take a look at this Mediterranean Frittata recipe for a crust-free option, too.
Yes! There are a couple of options for this. The first is to blind bake the pie crust, mix together the filling, and store them both separately until ready to bake. Alternatively, you can completely bake the quiche the night before, wrap it well, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. To heat, bring the quiche to room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Then, place the quiche (you may want to cover with foil) in the oven at 350°F until warmed through to 165°F, approximately 15-20 minutes.
Mediterranean Quiche
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 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:
- 2 TBSP unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup yellow onion (1 small) diced
- 3/4 cup zucchini (1 small) diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 3 TBSP fresh basil chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup half and half
- 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
- 3/4 cup gruyere cheese shredded
- Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup goat cheese crumbled
Instructions
SAVORY PIE CRUST:
- Sift together flour and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or hands 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.
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 375°. Place the dough disk on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out to an 11-inch circle. Fold the rolled dough in half, then again in quarters to easily transfer to the pie pan. Place dough in a 9-inch pie pan, trim the edges, and crimp if desired.
- Line the crust with parchment paper and add dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Blind bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden brown. Remove and set on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the quiche filling
QUICHE:
- In a large skillet, melt butter the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and zucchini, saute for 4-6 minutes until tender, adding a generous pinch of salt. Add the garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant, then add the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Stir in the chopped basil, thyme, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Remove skillet from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the egg mixture by whisking together the eggs, half-and-half, shredded gruyere cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Spread the slightly cooled vegetable mix into the par-baked pie crust in an even layer. Pour egg mixture into crust and sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on top.
- Bake the quiche for 28-34 minutes until the edges are golden brown and quiche is just set. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Let the quiche cool and set up for at least 30 minutes for the best results.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in September of 2015. The text, photos, and recipe card were updated for clarity in March 2021, however, no changes were made to the recipe itself. This recipe was originally adapted from Emeril Lagasse.