Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

This broccoli cheddar quiche uses eggs, steamed broccoli, and cheddar cheese, and is easy to make ahead of time for a flavor-packed breakfast or brunch.

Growing up, my favorite veggie side dish was broccoli smothered in processed cheese.

I had very refined tastes.

When I got a little older, I worked at Cracker Barrel (for four years!) and every Wednesday I'd serve plate after plate of broccoli cheddar chicken.

Broccoli and cheese were a match made in high-calorie heaven.

At some point, I banished refined cheese from my diet, and my broccoli habits changed.

Now I happily devour broccoli raisin salad and oven-roasted broccoli-- healthier side veggie side dishes without a morsel of cheese.

But you see, I do love cheese.

And recently, as I found myself staring at a block of cheddar cheese, a broccoli crown, and a carton of eggs-- I knew what had to happen.

Broccoli cheddar quiche.

Here's a little "life tip" for you. Anytime you want to combine a veggie with cheese, a quiche is the perfect way to do it.

This broccoli cheddar quiche is delicious (because it's got broccoli and cheese!), and is easy to make ahead of time for a quick, low-maintenance breakfast or brunch.

Want even more quiche in your life? Try these: mushroom quiche, salmon quiche, swiss chard quiche, and butternut squash quiche with caramelized onions.

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli Instead?

Yes.

But don't add it to the quiche frozen!

Steam the frozen broccoli until it's tender, and then follow the recipe directions.

What Kind of Cheddar Should I Use?

Use your favorite cheddar, or whatever you have on hand.

I typically buy sharp white cheddar, but when I made this broccoli cheddar quiche I had a medium yellow cheddar in my fridge (because that's what was on sale at the grocery store).

I do recommend using a freshly shredded cheese and not pre-shredded, because the bagged pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt as well.

Need a cheese grater? I use a Joseph Joseph cheese grater that's a lot easier to clean than a box grater!

How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Start by blind baking pie dough.

Line a pie pan with pie dough (I use pre-made dough), poke holes in the bottom of the dough, and bake it for about 10 minutes.

For a perfectly blind baked pie crust, I typically line the pie crust with parchment paper and add dry beans as pie weights. Then, remove the parchment paper and weights after baking.

You can skip the pie weights if you don't have any.

While the pie crust bakes, steam the broccoli.

Usually I sauté veggies for quiches, but we want the broccoli to be extra tender in this quiche. Steaming is the way to go!

To steam the broccoli, I use a medium-sized pot, add a steamer basket, bring about an inch of water to a boil, add the broccoli, and then steam it for about six minutes.

If you have another technique for steaming broccoli-- go for it.

Next, set the broccoli aside, drain the water from the pot, remove the steamer basket, and set the pot back on the stove.

Sauté an onion and a little bit of garlic, and then take the pot off the heat.

If you're short on time, you can cook the onion and garlic in a separate pan while the broccoli steams, but you'll have an extra pan to clean later.

Next, add half the cheese to the blind baked pie crust.

The cheese will create a barrier and will keep the bottom of the quiche from getting soggy.

Add the onions and garlic, and then the broccoli.

And yes, it will seem like A LOT of broccoli. Just go with it.

Use an electric mixer to whisk together the eggs, milk, and cream.

Gently fold in the remaining cheese, and pour the whole mixture slowly into the quiche.

Bake the broccoli cheddar quiche until the crust is golden and the quiche is set (but still jiggles).

Let the quiche cool for at least an hour before serving.

If you cut into it early, the quiche might not be completely set and you'll have messy slices.

Serve this broccoli quiche cool (or slightly warm) along with the easy yogurt sauce, and enjoy!