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!
Can I substitute almond milk for the cow’s milk?
Hi Cathy, you can substitute the milk with almond milk. However, the flavor profile and texture will change a touch.
Easy!!! Yummy!!! Had ham so I used ham instead of bacon. I will be making again and one time will try it with bacon!!
Excellent quiche. We make it often.
SuperBR recipes
I changed it by adding onions, green peppers, jalapeños peppers, 3 cheeses, sour cream, and rice.
If I double this recipe, how long to bake?
It would depend on the size and depth of the dish that you’re cooking in. I’d really need to test it before offering a suggested cooking time.
Can you make the quiche in a baking pan with raised sides instead of a glass pie dish? I’m paranoid that if used the glass dish will explode in my oven.
Finally, a concise answer to the difference between quiche and frittata, thank you. I am a frittata man but I like it all…I just don’t always have milk in the fridge. I get most of my dairy via cheese, so that is always here. I have heard of folks making something like this with sour cream to add the fluffiness to the quiche (vs. Milk). Also, bacon! yes, keep some on hand all the time. I take a package and cut across the strips to make 1/2 inch long pieces that fry up to a nice pan of bacon bits that can be used (sparingly) in ANY dish. My last comment, Your cooking is very much my style, so I follow all of your posts and mailings, thank you. This dish for instance is perfect for most any leftover…extra roasted veggies? chop into a quiche… leftover chicken? chop into a quiche. Great job, thanks for Budget Bytes.
Very good a keeper in my book
This has been a breakfast staple for me. It’s easy to make, and tastes good all week long. I do have a question: what’s the purpose of the Parmesan? Does it add a certain flavor to it?
Yes, Parmesan always adds a lot of umami flavor to recipes and it also adds some salt. :)
Replaced bacon with onion, not a meat eater, was amazing. Will definitely make it again and again!
I made two of Beth’s recipes tonight, one being this one. It seemed pretty simple, so I thought why not?! I can’t sleep anyway! I didn’t have a pie dish, so I baked this using a rectangle glass baking dish. I used sautéed fresh broccoli. It smelled delicious while baking (my dog kept coming by to check if it was done lol!!). I was worried about overcooking it based on a few of the reviews, so I pulled it out at 40 minutes, as it looked done to me (and it was). Next time I’m going to use less milk, I think, because the cooked quiche had a bit too much moisture on the bottom for me. Maybe it was the dish I used or just not cooking it long enough per the instructions. It was still yummy, and I can’t wait to eat it for breakfast this week!
Good idea about less milk
This is so delicious and Easy and Crustless!
Thanks for sharing 😷
Made this just now and it’s wonderful. I used veggie bacon because I don’t eat meat, and it worked out fine. It also brought the calorie count down! If you do that, though, don’t go by weight, because you’ll end up with a ton of veggie bacon! About 6 slices worked for me.
I made this but instead of pork bacon and parmesan, I used beef bacon and gouda… It came out DELISH!!! 😁😁