Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (2024)

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Nealey Dozier

Nealey Dozier

Nealey Dozier is a former wedding planner turned chef, culinary instructor, recipe developer, and food writer. She is based in Atlanta. You can find more of her Southern adventures in eating and entertaining at www.dixiecaviar.com.

updated May 2, 2019

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Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (1)

Serves12

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Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (2)

Quiche is the quintessential spring dish, whether served as a nibble before the main event or as the shining star of a casual brunch. In this ham and onion version you’ll find a method for a quick and easy savory shortbread crust that’s so simple all you have to do is pat it directly into the pan.

The Key to Making Ham and Onion Quiche in a Sheet Pan

For the custard, I tripled my favorite onion and ham tart recipe and used a tip I learned from Thomas Keller to make sure there was goodness in every bite: Mix the batter in the blender to create lots and lots of bubbles to help suspend the filling ingredients instead of letting them sink to the bottom.

I’m excited to say that everything came together to create a sublime quiche — a beyond buttery crust, a creamy custard, and flavorful bursts of onion and ham. It definitely feeds a crowd, so make sure you have some hungry mouths to feed.

Tester’s Notes

Quiche for a crowd with no muffin cups to clean? Amazing! This is just right for Sunday brunches or showers for babies and brides. When party planning, I look for spots to streamline. Nealy, the post’s original author, included an intriguing tip garnered from famed chef Thomas Keller: Use a blender to aerate the custard to encourage suspension of quiche fillings. It’s a clever tip, but I’ll try it when preparing a deeper egg pie.

For this shallow sheet pan version I’m sticking to a simple whisk. Country ham and vidalia onion are classic Southern ingredients. Bacon can surely be substituted, but since the ham needs no precooking, I’ll reach for it when party prepping. Just remember — country ham is quite salty, so small pieces are ideal.

Patty, March 2018

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Country Ham and Onion Quiche

Serves 12

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 2 1/2 cups

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup

    grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 1/2 cups

    (3 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes

  • 1 teaspoon

    salt

  • Pinch

    cayenne pepper

For the filling:

  • Olive oil

  • 1 cup

    diced sweet onion, preferably Vidalia

  • 1 cup

    diced country ham (or cooked bacon or pancetta)

  • 1 cup

    grated Gruyère cheese

  • 2 cups

    heavy cream

  • 1 cup

    whole milk

  • 8

    large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon

    kosher salt

  • Ground white pepper, to taste

For serving (optional):

  • Sour cream

  • Fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Make the crust: Place the flour, Parmesan, butter, salt, and cayenne in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until the mixture just starts to resemble coarse cornmeal; there should still be some visible pieces of butter. Transfer the mixture to a 13x18-inch sheet pan and gently pat it evenly into the bottom (but not up the sides).

  2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Bake until the crust is pale golden-brown in color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool while making the filling.

  3. Make the filling: Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until translucent and tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the onions, ham, and Gruyère evenly over the baked crust.

  4. Place the cream, milk, eggs, salt, and white pepper in a blender and blend until frothy. Skim off and discard any foam from the top. Pour the custard evenly over the onion-ham-cheese mixture.

  5. Bake the quiche until the custard is set, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes, or wait to serve at room temperature (Thomas Keller serves his chilled). Cut into 12 large rectangles or small squares; serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with sprig of Italian parsley for color if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Filed in:

appetizer

Breakfast

Cheese

easter

Eggs

french

Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to bake quiche a night before? ›

Quiche is one of the greatest make-ahead breakfasts I can think of. Meant to be served at room temperature—or even slightly chilled—you not only can make quiche ahead, you have to! That's one of the reasons it's so great for a celebratory morning breakfast.

What to serve with quiche for brunch? ›

30 Sides To Serve With Quiche
  • 01 of 30. Roasted Broccoli. ...
  • 02 of 30. Asparagus with Cheese Sauce and Herb Breadcrumbs. ...
  • 03 of 30. Spring Salad with Berries and Bacon. ...
  • 04 of 30. Sugar Snap Pea Salad. ...
  • 05 of 30. Oven-Roasted Asparagus. ...
  • 06 of 30. Romaine Salad With Oranges And Radishes. ...
  • 07 of 30. Broccoli Salad. ...
  • 08 of 30. Fresh Fruit Salad.
Mar 9, 2024

How do you make a quiche without a soggy bottom? ›

If you pour the egg custard into an unbaked crust, the liquid is unfortunately going to seep into the crust, preventing it from crisping up. The simple solution is to blind-bake the crust before adding the custard. Follow This Tip: Blind-bake the pie crust before pouring in the custard to ensure a crisp, flaky crust.

Should I cover my quiche when baking? ›

At 375F, it requires 25 minutes of baking time uncovered. At that point, you'll want to check things out because you don't want the crust to get too brown. If it's looking a bit well-done, cover it with aluminum foil and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.

Is it necessary to Prebake pie crust for quiche? ›

The crispy, flaky crust is one of the best parts of a quiche. "But to achieve that tasty outer layer, you need to bake your naked crust a little before adding the egg mixture," says Zakari Davila, executive chef at Willa's in Tampa, Florida. This prevents it from getting soggy.

Can I make quiche the day before and reheat? ›

To make quiche ahead of time, bake it as instructed and let it completely cool. Store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, cover it with foil and bake at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes, until just heated through.

What is the best cheese to use for quiche? ›

Cheese: Some favorites include feta cheese, goat cheese, cheddar cheese, white cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, and gruyere. Add-Ins: Add up to 2 cups add-ins including vegetables and meat/seafood. Most quiche add-ins should be pre-cooked and can still be warm when mixing into the egg filling.

What is a good side dish to serve with quiche? ›

A simple salad tossed with vinaigrette, a cup of sour, melon or a roasted vegetable medley would all be nice choices. Salad is always great wiyh quiche! Fruit, too!

How do you serve a quiche at a buffet? ›

There's no right or wrong answer to this question, as quiches are great served hot or cold. Cold, they can make a fantastic light lunch on the go, are a popular dish at any buffet table and perfect for picnics.

Should quiche be cooked at 350 or 375? ›

BAKE in center of 375°F oven until center is almost set but jiggles slightly when dish is gently shaken and knife inserted near center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

What is the formula for quiche? ›

Ratios: The best way to make a quiche is to add the eggs to a large measuring cup, then add the cream or milk. For every egg used you should add enough milk or cream to create a 1/2 cup. Meaning for 1 egg you will add enough cream or milk to make 1/2 a cup of mixture.

Should vegetables be cooked before putting in quiche? ›

A note on vegetables: For things like broccoli, cauliflower or winter squash, I suggest steaming or cooking them before adding them to the quiche to ensure they'll be fully cooked. For tomatoes, zucchini, spinach or any other quick-cooking vegetable, just use them fresh.

Can you put too many eggs in a quiche? ›

The Kitchn cautions that using too many eggs can make the consistency of the quiche rubbery and tough, while using too few eggs can prevent the custard filling from setting properly, giving you a runny, soggy quiche. The recommended proportion is one egg to one-half cup of cream or milk.

Should quiche be in glass or metal pan? ›

The main draw of glass is that you can easily monitor the bottom and sides of the pie as it bakes. Metal pans conduct heat proficiently and are generally thinner than glass or ceramic, making them champs at browning crusts.

Why does my quiche have a soggy bottom? ›

Wet pie fillings + raw dough are a tricky combination. If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

How long does quiche last after baking? ›

Quiche can last about a good week. 5 days or so. By the 6th and 7th it's going to degrade noticeably in quality and after that…

How do you store quiche after baking? ›

Cool the quiche completely after baking, then wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap and then cover it securely in foil. Label and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can you refrigerate quiche before cooking? ›

If you want to make a quiche in advance, you can make the shell and blind bake it, if required. Wrap the shell in plastic wrap and refrigerate it over night. You can make the filling custard and have it in a bowl (I would actually use a sealable container).

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