Pumpkin Quiche
This easy savory pumpkin quiche is a wonderful vegetarian recipe made with canned pumpkin and white cheddar. In a crisp pie crust this quiche is bursting with fall flavors that is equally suited for breakfast or brunch as it is for dinner.
Quiche, commonly associated with French cuisine, is believed to have actually originated in medieval Germany. That region was then taken over by the French who adapted the recipe but it didn’t gain global popularity until post-WWII. As troops returned to their home countries, they shared this new to them dish with their families.
Table of contents
Quiche is always a popular option in my house and we love to add lots of lovely mix-ins to the classic quiche but lately my little ones are avoiding all vegetables.
This pumpkin version is a sneaky way to get some good vegetables into their diets without them knowing it.
I like to make two of these at a time so we have one for now and one for later. It’s always nice when you can get two meals out of one.
Ingredients
- pie crust
- canned pumpkin
- white cheddar
- milk
- eggs
- spices
If making a homemade pie crust is a daunting task it is totally okay to use a store bought pie crust.
Although I’ve used canned pumpkin for this you could also use homemade cooked pumpkin. Use a cheesecloth set in a strainer to drain off any excess liquid from the pumpkin so it is closer in texture to the canned pumpkin.
What other ingredients would go well with pumpkin quiche?
Sautéed onions and jalapenos would also be a really great combo with the pumpkin. Chopped spinach or kale would also be a nice option.
This time, we kept it plain but we were thinking that it would be really good with bacon, ham or chopped polska kielbasa if you are okay with a non-vegetarian dish.
How to make this
I like a nice crisp crust for my pies so I have found that blind baking (more on that below) is the best for the quiche.
- Combine all of the quiche ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Pour into the blind baked pie crust.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for at least 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil.
- Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
If the knife trick isn’t your favorite, you can use a kitchen thermometer to measure the center of the quiche. The quiche is baked when the center reaches 160 degrees F.
A good kitchen thermometer will always be your friend when cooking to ensure that foods are finished when you are unsure. I use my Thermoworks thermopen all the time to make sure I don’t overcook or under cook my food.
What is blind baking?
In the directions, I guided you through the process of blind baking. Blind baking is used to help the crust dry out before placing the wet filling in. This process helps prevent the bottom crust from being completely soggy even after having been baked for almost an hour.
The biggest danger with blind baking is the crust over baking during the second time in the oven. Use a silicone pie shield or fashion covers out of tin foil to cover the edge of the crust to prevent it from browning too much.
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Other pumpkin recipes you might like
- Pumpkin Soup
- Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
- Pumpkin Gnocchi with Parmesan Cream Sauce
- Pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes
- 10 Minute No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lg pie crust blind baked
For the quiche:
- 2 Tbsp dry minced onion
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 4 lg eggs beaten
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- To blind bake the empty pie crust, poke the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Cover entire pie crust with foil. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes until the pastry is dry.
- Remove from oven and set off to the side. Reduce the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, combine all of the quiche ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Pour into the blind baked pie crust.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for at least 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil.
- Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
A Savory pumpkin pie…..be still my heart.
We all could use some savory with all of this sweet pumpkin spice stuff rolling around!