This low-carb crustless ham and cheese quiche makes a fantastic breakfast or brunch. The recipe is perfect for family sharing or weekly meal prep. I’ll show you how the proper dairy-to-egg ratio creates a creamy custard filling.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- For a crustless quiche, milkfat acts as a buffer, preventing egg proteins from binding too tightly and keeping the quiche moist.
- Use equal parts heavy cream and whole milk for a tender, custard-like texture. This balances the richness so the filling isn’t too heavy.
- Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes for a delicate, souffle-like texture. The edges firm up while the center sets smoothly.
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Featured Comment 26
“This is the second time I have made this & loved it both times, as well as my family. We had it for dinner both times.”—Twila
Why It Works
Are you looking for a low-carb and keto-friendly meal to start your day? This delicious crustless ham and cheese quiche is a simple and easy dish to whip up. You still get the smooth and creamy custard but without the buttery pie crust. Although, if you are craving the flaky crust, then give my classic quiche a try.
Inspiration for this recipe came from a Denver omelet, where cubes of ham, cheddar cheese, and green onions make each bite burst with flavor. Just chop, sprinkle, and pour! Let the oven do the hard work, creating a puffy souffle-like texture. Plus, this recipe is perfect for meal prep. Just reheat and enjoy a quick meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ham: I prefer ham steak cut into small ¼-inch cubes. This size prevents the pieces from being too heavy and sinking to the bottom of the pan, giving lovely little bursts of savory flavor.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese is the way to go. This type of cheese has a nice tangy, aged flavor that adds a nice dimension to the egg custard. The shreds meltdown to infuse all the ingredients together.
- Custard: A rich combination of heavy cream, whole milk, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
- Vegetables: Mild green onions and red bell peppers add earthiness and crispness to the crustless quiche recipe.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
- Pork Options: Use crispy bacon, cooked mild or hot sausage, Canadian bacon, or deli meat slices. I also like to use leftover ham when I make a large roast in my slow cooker. It’s easy to transform the pieces into a beautiful new dish.
- Other Meats to Add: Diced chicken, ground turkey or chicken, or ground beef.
- Cheese Swaps: Try Swiss, low-moisture mozzarella, or gruyere cheese often used in quiche lorraine. Add some aged parmesan cheese for nuttiness or a mixture of varieties.
- Vegetables: Add veggies like roasted bell peppers, caramelized onions, sundried tomatoes, sauteed spinach, or kale. Cook any high-moisture ingredients like mushrooms, broccoli, or zucchini before adding them.
- Using Half-and-Half: You can use half-and-half as a substitute, but it will be slightly less rich in texture.
- Herbs: Add thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, dill, chives, or tarragon.
How to Make Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat to 350°F (177°C). This ensures even heat distribution, so your crustless ham and cheese quiche bakes up perfectly, with a creamy center and golden top.
Step 2: Layer the Ingredients
Use a greased 9-inch pie plate or a 9-inch square pan for easy release. The custard will puff up slightly but not enough to run over the edge so that you can fill it near the top of a more shallow pie dish. First, layer half the cheese, then green onions, ham, and pepper. Then, more onions and cheese are sandwiched on top.
Step 3: Make the Custard Filling
I use equal amounts of heavy cream and whole milk to create a tender and smooth texture, similar to traditional custard filling.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then whisk the egg mixture together until combined.
Ingredient Chemistry: The higher milkfat prevents the egg proteins from binding too tightly as they heat up and thicken. Not using all cream prevents the filling from tasting too rich. The absence of a flour crust requires more whole eggs for a slightly firmer texture and sliceable structure.
Step 4: Add the Custard
Pour the egg mixture slowly so gravity can disperse it between the crevices and the bottom.
Use a fork to move the ingredients around to ensure the liquid settles.
Step 5: Bake
To create a delicate souffle-like texture, bake at a moderate 350 degrees. This temperature prevents the edges from cooking too quickly and becoming rubbery while the center is still raw. The eggs coagulate in about 30 to 35 minutes, creating a smooth and solidified slice.
Tips for Perfect Execution: The perfect endpoint is about 190 to 195 degrees in the center of the custard.
Step 6: To Serve
Even though it’s tempting to dig right in, let the quiche cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes to allow carryover cooking. This helps set the ham and cheese crustless quiche structure, making it easy to slice. I love keeping the meal gluten-free by serving a fresh fruit salad or greens on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
A crustless quiche has a creamy custard-like filling, thanks to adding dairy, while a frittata is more like a baked egg scramble. Frittatas are cooked in a skillet and set in the oven, making them quicker and ideal for using up leftovers. Quiche has a smoother, richer texture, while frittatas are firmer and heartier.
If your crustless quiche is soggy, it’s likely due to excess moisture from the ingredients. Thoroughly cook and drain veggies before adding them. Alternatively, you can reduce the amount of milk to account for the moisture from the vegetables, ensuring the quiche sets with a firm, smooth texture.
Yes, you can use milk instead of heavy cream, but you’ll get a lighter texture. Skipping cream or milk altogether will result in a rubbery, dry quiche. Eggs start to curdle around 144ºF (62ºC), creating curds similar to scrambled eggs, and any extra heat can make them tough. The milkfat from dairy acts as a buffer, keeping the proteins from tightening too much and squeezing out moisture. So, for a tender quiche, using milk or cream is critical.
Yes, you can freeze crustless quiche. Store slices in an airtight container for up to 7 days or individually plastic wrap and place them in a resealable bag in the freezer for up to 30 days. To reheat, microwave slices in 15 to 30-second intervals until warmed through.
More Quiche Recipes
If you tried this Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions, or chives
- 1 ½ cup diced ham steak, ¼" dice
- ½ cup red bell pepper, ¼" dice
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat the Oven – Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat to 350°F (177°C).
- Layer the Ingredients – Grease a 9-inch pie dish with baking spray or brush with olive oil. Evenly sprinkle half of the cheese and green onions into the dish. Top with the ham and red bell pepper, followed by the remaining green onion and then cheese.
- Make the Custard Filling – In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Add the Custard – Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pie dish, allowing it to settle around the ingredients and the bottom. Use a fork to move the ingredients to help the custard settle. Sprinkle the surface with black pepper.
- Bake – Bake the quiche on top of a sheet pan in the middle of the oven until the surface is lightly golden brown, the center is just set, and the edges slightly puffy, about 30 to 35 minutes. The temperature on an instant-read thermometer should be about 190 to 195ºF (88 to 91ºC) in the center and about 195 to 200ºF (91 to 93ºC) on the edges.
- To Serve – Cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Storing: Store pieces in an airtight container for up to 7 days. To freeze, individually wrap the slices and store them in a resealable bag for up to 30 days.
- Reheating: Reheat individual slices in the microwave in 15 to 30-second intervals on high power until warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Recipe Resources
Ingredient Guides
The Different Types of Eggs & Sizes
Ingredient Guides
Types of Bacon
Health Notes
Rhonda says
Could I use crème fraiche in this recipe, have a couple of ribs to use up?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can add some cream fraiche to the crustless ham and cheese quiche recipe. I would use 2 to 4 tablespoons.