Vegetarian Cheese and Leek Quiche

Who doesn’t love a good quiche? But who has the time for all those steps? That is why this vegetarian leek quiche recipe is perfect! It doesn’t have to be pre-baked, contains a few simple ingredients, and is lower in calories compared to other traditional quiches.

Are you a leek fan like us? You have to try baked leek frittata and leek fritters too! Also, we love to flavor dishes with leeks and use them in our favorite borek filling and cream of vegetable soup.

Today we will be looking at this amazing vegetarian quiche with salty feta cheese filling. We will show you exactly how to skip the blind-baking part and save a lot of time. We will also give you a ton of tips and tricks, as well as answer some frequently asked questions about quiches. 

It also doesn’t have to be blind-baked like most other quiches which will save you a lot of time!

Jump to:

• What is Quiche?
• Ingredients
• Instructions 
• Tips & Tricks
• FAQs
• More Vegetarian Pastries
• 📖 Recipe

What is Quiche?

A quiche by definition is a baked tart with a  savory filling that is thickened with eggs. Quiches are almost always served cold or cooled, not piping hot.

The crust is also a savory crust meaning it doesn’t contain any sweeteners and cannot be used for sweet dishes. This savory crust helps enhance the flavors of the savory filling.

Quiches also almost always include cheese in the filling. Although as new flavor combinations arise, it became less popular.

Ingredients

This cheese and leek quiche crust is very simple to make and takes less than 5 minutes. And, you probably already have all of the ingredients at home!

So we need the following ingredients for the crust: Flour, salt, butter, cold water. And for the crust we make a vegetarian filling with olive oil, leeks, green onions, salt, crumbled feta cheese, fresh dill, parsley, an egg, heavy cream, grated mozzarella.

The filling is always the part that makes or breaks a quiche. This mouth-watering leek quiche only uses basic ingredients and spices that all complement each other well.  Make sure you use only fresh leeks for the best flavor.

The addition of feta cheese and mozzarella gives it a perfect cheesy finish that all quiches should have! You can use low-fat or vegan versions of these cheeses.

Leeks are also surprisingly nutritious. They are packed with nutrients like vitamin A, K1, AND b6. It also contains fantastic amounts of manganese and copper, iron, and folate. Despite being this nutrient-dense, they are very low in calories.

Our vegetarian quiche recipe isn’t loaded with eggs and cream, making it much lower in calories compared to other traditional custard quiches.

Instructions 

This is an extremely easy leek quiche recipe. It takes less than an hour to make because it doesn’t have to be pre-baked! It only has a few simple ingredients to create a symphony of fresh and delicious flavors.

First, start by making the crust. Place the flour, salt, and butter into a food processor and pulse. While the machine is running, add the cold water until a soft dough forms. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Second, prepare the filling. Heat the oil and sauté the leeks and green onions until they become tender. Transfer them into a separate plate to cool completely before adding the crumbled feta and herbs.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and cream. Add the egg mixture to the leek filling and stir well.

Third, assemble the quiche and bake. Before assembling, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll the dough on a non-stick surface and place it into the 9-inch tart pan. Make sure there are no air bubbles and remember to flute the edges. Add the filling and bake the quiche for 30 minutes.

Remove it from the oven, add the mozzarella and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the quiche from the oven, allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips & Tricks

This cheese and leek quiche recipe doesn’t require blind baking which results in a softer crust compared to pre-baked quiches.

If you want a crispier crust, simply blind bake the crust before adding the filling. Once the dough has been placed into the tart pan, add a large piece of baking paper that covers it completely. Add dry beans, rice, or baking marbles inside to weigh down the paper and crust.

Bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until the edges become light brown. Remove the paper and beans, prick (or dock) the base with a fork. Continue baking the crust for 10 minutes.

Once blind baked, add the filling and bake for about 30 minutes or until it sets.

If your crust is dark, but your quiche hasn't finished baking, place a piece of foil over the crust edges and continue baking until the egg mixture has set.

Your butter has to be cold when making the crust. This helps the flour and butter form the correct consistency when they're being processed. If your butter is too hot or soft, it will completely change the consistency of the crust before and after it has been baked.

FAQs

More Vegetarian Pastries

📖 Recipe