I am in a constant battle of one-upping myself in the kitchen. It's hard not to be when you've made a whole lot of the classics and you follow other bloggers who somehow magically come up with what seem like flavor combos and recipes that have never been done before.
I really can't think of anything easier than quiche that turns out as good. Need to save time? "Cheat" with a store bought pie crust. They often come in a 2 pack, so you'll have one to freeze for the next time you decide to impress your guests. Bonus: Quiche is fantastic for making ahead, and even freezing and reheating.
So, stop pulling your hair out trying to reinvent the wheel. Make this quiche and remind yourself why it's been a long-time favorite for a reason.
Check out more fantastic eggy brunch dishes:
Brunch Egg Dishes:
- Spinach Bell Pepper Frittata from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Corn Souffle from Hungry Couple
- Croque Madame Muffins from Cooking in Stilettos
- Fajita Vegetable Quesadillas with Eggs and Avocado Hollandaise from Sarcastic Cooking
- Tortilla Espanola from Savvy Eats
Disclosure: No compensation was given for this post. However, Baloian Farms did provide me with free samples of their squash and zucchini. As always, the opinions here are all my own!
Bacon, Cheddar, Zucchini Quiche
Adapted from About.com
1 deep dish pie shell, store bought or your favorite recipe
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups half & half
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar {or your favorite} cheese, shredded
1 cup zucchini, grated, plus extra for garnish cut into thin rounds*
6-8 strips of bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1. Place the crust on a baking sheet.** Follow pie crust directions and bake until lightly golden. {400 degree oven for about 6-9 minutes} Remove from oven and turn heat down to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half & half, thyme, salt and pepper. Add most of the cheese {I like to save a small amount for sprinkling on top}, and zucchini except for the rounds for garnish.
3. Stir in most of the cooked, crumbled bacon, saving a bit for the top.
4. Pour the mixture into the baked pie shell. Arrange zucchini slices on top, if desired, and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon.
5. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the center is set and the top is lightly golden.
Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before slicing.
*In order to ensure that your filling doesn't get runny, it's best to wring out your zucchini to remove as much water as possible. Another method is to place the grated zucchini in a colander over a large bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt. Wait for some of the moisture to be pulled out {about an hour or two} before placing in a clean kitchen towel or cheese cloth and wringing out.
** Placing the pie shell on a baking sheet makes it much easier to move once it is filled with the egg mixture & prevents any spills in the oven.
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
The zucchini in there totally surprised me! And I LOVE it! Bacon, cheese and some sneaky veggies? YES! Pinned!
Liz Berg says
What a gorgeous quiche!! I love this filling combinaton, Dianna!!!
BecHeflin says
This quiche is beyond beautiful! With bacon AND zucchini...it's a must bake for me!
The Little Ferraro Kitchen says
Beautiful quiche! I always say that the simplest things are the best!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
According to my mom, #BrunchWeek should really be #QuicheWeek, and she would love this gorgeous version!
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
This is like all of my favorite things in a quiche!! love this, especially the zucchini!!! delicious!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
I've never tried zucchini in a quiche before, it looks great!
Chelsea Lords says
Haha! I am the same way - always trying to one up myself and then I remember that a lot of people just love ordinary things they are familiar with (or at least that's how I make myself feel better about my very ordinary recipes!) This is a gorgeous quiche!
Veronica Gantley says
You had me at bacon!
Shaina Wizov says
Gorgeous!!! I'll take mine without the bacon please, but you can bet I'd eat this thing right up. Cheddar and zucchini...yum!
Samantha @ Carpe Cibus says
Yum! I'm a sucker for new brunch and breakfast ideas. Thank you!