This vegetable quiche is a savory baked tart made with a flaky homemade crust, a creamy egg filling, broccoli, tomatoes, olives, and cheese. It is the kind of vegetarian recipe I like for brunch, lunch, or a simple supper because it feels generous without needing meat.

This recipe is based on my YouTube video, with a few adjustments since publication to make the proportions easier to reproduce at home. In the video, I use a classic pastry ratio with flour, fat, and cold water, then fill it with vegetables and a cream-based custard. I make it this way because the crust stays tender, the broccoli keeps a little bite, and the filling slices cleanly after resting.

The mistake to avoid is overloading the tart with wet vegetables. Tomatoes can release water, and if the slices are too thick, the center may stay loose. What I look for here is a thin crust, bright green broccoli, tomatoes patted dry, and a custard that jiggles slightly in the middle when it comes out of the oven.

What Makes This Vegetable Quiche Different

This is not the same style as a heavy cream-only quiche or a deep-dish casserole. It is closer to a classic French savory tart, with a thin crust, a balanced egg filling, and vegetables spread through the custard instead of packed too tightly.

Compared with my classic quiche Lorraine, this version is vegetarian and lighter in flavor. The Lorraine is more about ham, cheese, and a richer bistro-style bite. This one uses broccoli, tomato, olives, and Swiss-style cheese for a fresher vegetable quiche that works all year.

It also sits in a different place than a roasted vegetable side like oven-roasted mixed vegetables. Roasted vegetables are dry, caramelized, and served as a side. Here, the vegetables are baked inside a custard, so moisture control matters much more.

Ingredients You Need

For the crust, you need all-purpose flour, cold vegetable shortening or cold butter, cold water, and salt. The original video uses vegetable fat, which gives a tender crust and is easy to work into the flour. Butter also works if you prefer a more classic flavor.

For the filling, you need eggs, milk, cream, broccoli, tomato, Kalamata olives, grated Swiss cheese or Gruyère, salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg if you like that traditional quiche flavor.

I adjusted the custard slightly from the video. The original version uses 3 eggs with a generous amount of milk and cream. That can work in a large, deep tart pan, but for most home kitchens, I prefer a slightly tighter filling. It bakes more reliably, slices better, and reduces the risk of a watery center.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Start with the dough. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold fat in small pieces and rub it into the flour with your fingertips. The mixture should look like coarse sand with a few small pieces of fat still visible. Do not make it too smooth. Those little bits help the crust stay flaky.

Add the cold water gradually. Mix just until the dough comes together. The mistake to avoid is kneading it like bread. Once the dough holds when pressed, stop. Flatten it into a disk, cover it, and let it rest for 30 minutes. The rest relaxes the dough, so it rolls more easily and does not shrink as much in the oven.

While the dough rests, prepare the vegetables. Cut the broccoli into small florets. Bring salted water to a boil and blanch the broccoli for about 2 minutes. It should turn bright green but still feel firm. Drain it well and let it cool. If it goes into the tart hot and wet, it can loosen the custard.

Slice the tomatoes thinly. If they are very juicy, remove some seeds and pat the slices dry. This small step makes a big difference. You want tomato flavor, not tomato water.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Place it into a 10 to 11 inch tart pan or quiche pan. Press it gently into the corners, trim the extra dough, and prick the bottom with a fork.

For the best result, blind bake the crust. Chill the lined pan for 10 to 15 minutes if you have time, then bake it at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes. The crust should look dry and lightly set, not fully browned. This step gives you a better bottom crust, especially with a creamy filling.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The mixture should look smooth and pale yellow. Do not whip it like an omelet. You just want it combined.

Spread the broccoli over the crust. Add the olives, tomato slices, and grated cheese. Pour the custard slowly over the filling. Stop before it reaches the very top edge, because the filling expands slightly in the oven.

Bake at 350°F until the center is just set, about 35 to 45 minutes. You know it is ready when the edges are firm, the top is lightly golden, and the center has a small wobble but is not liquid. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. The rest is not optional if you want clean portions.

Why I Prefer to Blind Bake the Crust

In the video, the quiche is baked with the raw crust and filling together, and that can work if the dough is thin and the pan conducts heat well. But for a website recipe, I prefer to include blind baking because it is more reliable for home cooks.

A quiche filling is wet. Broccoli, tomatoes, cream, and eggs all bring moisture. Blind baking gives the pastry a head start, so the bottom does not stay pale and soft. The crust should feel dry to the touch before the filling goes in.

This is the same logic I use with savory pastry recipes like classic chicken pot pie or a good meat pie. The filling can be excellent, but if the pastry underneath is soggy, the whole dish feels less successful.

Substitutions

You can use butter instead of vegetable shortening for the crust. Butter gives more flavor, while vegetable shortening gives a very tender texture. A half-and-half mix also works.

Broccoli can be replaced with cauliflower, asparagus pieces, spinach, mushrooms, or roasted peppers. If using spinach or mushrooms, cook them first and squeeze or evaporate the moisture. Wet vegetables are the main reason quiche turns watery.

Swiss cheese, Gruyère, cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack can all work. Gruyère gives the most classic flavor. Cheddar gives a sharper North American taste. Mozzarella melts well but is milder, so season the filling properly.

Kalamata olives can be replaced with green olives, black olives, or skipped completely. If you skip them, add a little extra salt or use a stronger cheese because the olives bring seasoning.

For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half instead of cream, but I would not use only milk. The filling will still set, but it loses that creamy quiche texture.

What to Serve With Vegetable Quiche

For a fresh meal, serve this quiche with a crisp salad. A homemade Greek salad works well because the cucumber, tomato, feta, and olives echo the Mediterranean side of the filling.

For a more filling lunch, pair it with Greek pasta salad with creamy dressing. It is especially useful for a buffet or brunch table because both dishes can be served warm or room temperature.

If you want a simple soup-and-quiche meal, a bowl of creamy tomato soup makes sense. Tomato and cheese are always a good match, and the soup keeps the plate comforting without adding meat.

For potatoes, keep the side simple. Air fryer roasted potatoes are good if you want something crisp, while homemade mashed potatoes are better for a cozy supper. If you want something richer, French gratin dauphinois turns the meal into a full comfort-food plate.

For another vegetable-forward option, serve small slices with rustic ratatouille. The ratatouille is softer and saucier, while the quiche brings eggs, cheese, and pastry.

FAQ

Can I make this quiche ahead of time?

Yes. Bake it fully, let it cool, then refrigerate it. Reheat slices gently in a 325°F oven until warm. I prefer reheating quiche in the oven instead of the microwave because the crust keeps a better texture.

Can I freeze it?

You can freeze baked quiche, but the texture is best fresh or refrigerated. If freezing, cool it completely, wrap it well, and reheat from thawed in a moderate oven. The custard may release a little moisture, so avoid overloading it with tomatoes.

Why is my quiche watery?

Usually because the vegetables were too wet, the tomatoes were too juicy, or the quiche was sliced too soon. Blanch and drain the broccoli well, pat the tomatoes dry, and let the baked quiche rest before cutting.

Can I use store-bought pie crust?

Yes. Use a 10 to 11 inch crust if possible, and blind bake it before adding the filling. A store-bought crust makes the recipe faster, but the homemade dough gives a better texture.

How do I know when it is cooked?

The edges should be set and the center should wobble slightly when you move the pan. If the center looks liquid, give it more time. If it puffs dramatically and cracks, it may be overbaked.