My freezer is way too full right now, you guys. So, the other day I set out to use up some of my frozen goods, and ended up making this Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Crustless Quiche. As it so happened I had broccoli florets (a freezer staple), bacon, AND cheddar in my freezer. The rest of the very simple ingredients for this Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Quiche are basic refrigerator staples (eggs, milk, Parmesan), so this is a great last minute breakfast, brunch, or even dinner meal!
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Bacon in the Freezer??
Yeah, I actually keep bacon in my freezer. For bacon emergencies. No, I’m kidding. Bacon is one of those ingredients that I like to add to recipes in small amounts to add a punch of flavor, so when I buy a package of bacon I slice it right across the strips into three or four chunks (depending on whether it’s a 12oz. or 16oz. package) and then place them into a freezer bag. That way I can grab out a 4oz. piece whenever needed. I add it directly to a skillet frozen and just cook over medium-low heat until the strips thaw enough to separate from each other, then eventually brown and crisp up.
Can this quiche be baked in a muffin tin?
Yes, egg dishes like this bake very well in muffin tins, although I haven’t tried this particular broccoli cheddar quiche in a muffin tin so I can’t suggest an exact baking time. The baking time will likely be much shorter (closer to 20-30 minutes), so keep an eye on them and take them out when the tops are puffed and slightly browned.
Can Crustless Quiche Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze crustless quiche, although they do seep a little water upon thawing and reheating, so if you’re sensitive to this sort of thing freezing might not be a good option for you. This Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Quiche will keep in the refrigerator for about four days.
Is Crustless Quiche The Same as a Frittata?
Nope, the two dishes differ in both texture and cooking technique. Quiche is a baked custard, or a mixture of eggs, milk, and cream, so it has a softer, more delicate, custard-like texture. Frittatas are baked eggs and have a more firm texture. Frittatas begin cooking on the stove top and finish with the last few minutes in the oven, whereas quiches are cooked in the oven only.
Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Crustless Quiche
Servings 8 slicesIngredients
- 1 lb. frozen broccoli florets ($2.10)
- 4 oz. bacon ($1.43)
- 4 large eggs ($1.08)
- 1 cup milk ($0.31)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.41)
- 1/4 tsp seasoning salt* ($0.03)
- 4 oz. shredded medium cheddar, divided ($0.95)
Instructions
- Take the broccoli florets out of the freezer so they can begin to thaw. Place the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-low heat until very brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and pour off most of the grease out of the skillet.
- Turn the heat under the skillet up to medium-high and add the broccoli florets. Sauté them in the residual bacon grease until they are no longer frozen. Transfer the broccoli to a cutting board. Roughly chop the florets into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
- Begin preheating the oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Parmesan, and seasoning salt.
- Coat a 9-inch pie plate in non-stick spray (or butter, if you prefer). Place the chopped broccoli in the dish along with half of the shredded cheddar. Crumble the bacon over top. Stir the broccoli, cheddar, and bacon together.
- Place the pie plate on a baking sheet for easy transport in and out of the oven. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bacon, broccoli, and cheddar in the dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar.
- Bake the crustless quiche for 50-55 minutes, or until the center is puffed and it is golden brown around the edges. Let the crustless quiche cool slightly before slicing into eight pieces and serving.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Want more crustless quiche? Try my Spinach Mushroom and Feta Crustless Quiche.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Crustless Quiche – Step by Step Photos
Take one pound of broccoli florets out of the freezer so they can begin to thaw. Place 4oz. bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-low until very brown and crispy (my bacon was frozen and I just placed it in the skillet straight from the freezer without thawing). Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off most of the bacon grease, leaving just a bit in the skillet for the broccoli.
Turn the heat under the skillet up to medium-high and add the broccoli florets. Sauté the broccoli florets in the leftover bacon fat until they are no longer frozen (just a few minutes, don’t over cook them). This also helps evaporate the excess moisture so your quiche doesn’t end up soupy on the bottom.
Transfer the broccoli florets to a cutting board and roughly chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
Begin preheating the oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, and about 1/4 tsp seasoning salt. I used Avec Tous seasoning salt, but you could use something like Lowry’s or Tony Chachere’s.
Place the chopped broccoli, half of the 4oz. shredded cheddar, and the bacon (crumbled) into a 9-inch pie plate that has been coated with non-stick spray. Stir them together until they’re evenly mixed.
Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to make it easier to transport in and out of the oven once it’s full of liquid. Pour the milk and egg mixture over the bacon, broccoli, and cheddar in the pie plate.
Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar over the top. Transfer the broccoli cheddar quiche to the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the center is puffed and the edges are golden brown. When I say “puffed” I mean that it has puffed to roughly the same height as the outer rim and is no longer “depressed.”
All of the puffiness will deflate as it cools and the steam releases, but the Broccoli Cheddar Quiche should look a little something like this. :) Totally scrumptious! 😍
Wait about five minutes, then slice it into 8 pieces and serve!
My husband and I loved this recipe! It’s definitely going to be one of my go-to recipes for easy morning breakfasts.
Really good! I used 5 eggs, because my OCD wouldn’t let me leave an odd number of eggs in the carton, and 2/3c. heavy cream, because I needed to use it up, and I was afraid it might be weepy with plain milk. Added a little extra cheese, because: cheese, hello! My youngest was skeptical about a crustless quiche {“So it’s basically a soufflé”}, but everyone – including he – had seconds. Your recipes never disappoint!
Can you supply nutritional numbers? I was wondering about calories and carb count. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m sorry, I don’t have a reliable source for nutrition information. There are several calculators online that you can use, but you’ll need to decide which to trust, since they’ll all give slightly different results.
Just made this for brunch, and even though all I had in my fridge was fat free milk, it still turned out SO delicious! My only problem is that now I want to eat all 8 slices instead of just one. Thanks for the recipe! ☺️
Made this tonight and it turned out fantastic! Followed the recipe using a 9 inch round pie dish. Yummy! Will make this again
I baked this for 55 minutes with precise ingredients, 0 substitutions (whole average milk, etc.), and my quiche seeped out milky liquid when cut into as if it wasn’t even near baked despite the top being cooked and the edges being gloriously browned. I never have issues with desserts or baking anything else so I’m confused. Any ideas on what that could be caused by? It smells sooooo good though.
What type of dish did you use? Size, shape, material, etc?
I made this for dinner today and it was truly delicious. I tweaked it a bit used fresh broccoli and just ‘stir-fried’ it in a pan with mushrooms and shallots. I also added chives, sage and rosemary from my garden to the egg mixture. Simple easy.
I had a heavy lunch a few days ago and decided to make this for a nice lighter dinner. Wow, was it good!! I saved the leftovers in the fridge and warmed them up for 15 minutes in the oven. SO good for a filling breakfast! Thank you!
How many cups would the 4 oz of cheddar cheese approx. be? I tried looking it up and got 2 different answers. 1 site said about 1/2 a cup and another said about 1 cup since it’s a dry ingredient. To me it looks like more than 1/2 a cup in total but just wondering if you can help!
It’s about one cup shredded cheese. :)
Hi Beth, this recipe is such a great hit over here! My partner always gets very excited when she hears I’m making this :-) I wanted to let you and other readers know that this recipe can be adjusted perfectly for vegetarians: I replace the bacon by two sweet, thinly sliced, caramellized onions! It’s a guaranteed success!
What an excellent idea!! Thank you for sharing that. :)
Second time I’ve made this recipe, and it’s killer as always! I also tried baking my bacon in the oven on 375 for about 20 minutes. Turned out nice and crispy.
A crustless quiche actually has its own name. Its called a Frittata :)
Frittatas are different from the filling of a quiche. :) Quiches have more milk and cheese and are therefore more custard-like in texture. Frittatas are mostly egg, so it’s more like a baked egg with added vegetables.
Awesome recipe, made this morning and it was a success with the family! Instead of using the required bacon portion, I did half bacon and half turkey breast. Thanks for sharing it!!
I made this while we had guests visiting and there were no leftovers, they loved it! I served this with a Hollandaise sauce; great combination! I used fresh broccoli and did not blanch it, the broccoli was great and flavored like bacon from the pan. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Can this be made using skim milk or 2%? Or should I buy whole milk for it?
I think 2% would work in a pinch, but I wouldn’t use skim.