The Very Best Crustless Quiche (Impossible Quiche!)
on Apr 22, 2024
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This crustless quiche is ‘magic’! Otherwise known as ‘Impossible Quiche’, added flour ‘makes its own crust’ (kind of) during cooking. It’s fluffy and cheesy like a soufflé, and so tasty, even though it’s made with just a few simple ingredients. With no pesky crust, you’ll need just 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cook time to make it.
Read on to find out why this is the very best crustless quiche recipe, and how to make it…
I love a classic quiche lorraine with a buttery crust as much as anyone, and think it’s sometimes worth the extra effort. But for me it can be surprisingly time consuming to make as I find myself patching up holes in the pastry, and other pastry mishaps!
Which is why on busy weeknights, it’s this incredible crustless quiche recipe (otherwise known as impossible quiche) that I find myself turning to again and again.
I’ve hopefully included below everything you need to know to make the recipe perfectly first time, including some of the many tips in reviews received from readers who’ve tried this recipe over the years.
Crust lovers, I promise you, you won’t miss the crust!
What’s impossible quiche?
Impossible quiche is a delicious crustless quiche recipe. It’s especially popular in Australia (but works well anywhere!). The main difference to a regular crustless quiche or a frittata is that you add around half a cup of flour to the egg mixture. The idea is that the flour sinks to the bottom during cooking, making a very light ‘crust’. In other words, it’s a self-crusting quiche!
Why you’ll love it
I’ll try to be concise with the list below because I could literally rave about this recipe all day long!
- Makes its own pastry! I say pastry, but really I’d describe it as a sort of pancake-like layer that’s slightly heavier than the rest of the quiche. Sometimes it’s a bit more defined than other times (but always delicious!).
- Great texture. The added self-raising/self-rising flour (or flour + baking powder) works miracles in the recipe. It fluffs up like a soufflé, as well as creating the light ‘crust’ as the quiche cooks. The top of the quiche is also crunchier and more golden than a regular quiche.
- Quick and easy. Some say this is called Impossible Quiche because it’s virtually impossible to mess it up! Also, it’ll take you about 30 minutes less to make than a regular homemade quiche with a crust.
- So tasty! This is made with ham (so no pre-cooking), mushrooms, and delicious caramelized onions. It also tastes beautifully cheesy, although it doesn’t have a ton of cheese in it.
- Economical. This recipe is a very versatile pantry dinner, meaning you can use whatever you already have in your fridge. It’s also made with milk not cream, and uses less eggs than many other crustless quiche recipes.
- Reheats really well. If anything it’s more delicious when reheated (my favorite way is in my air fryer!).
5 * reviews (Scroll to below the printable recipe to browse hundreds more)
“So easy and tasty, this is now my go to recipe. My friends order it whenever we have a get together. So love not having to worry about making pastry.” Barbara
“My husband is not a quiche man but I made this at the weekend and we both thought it was out of this world, we could eat it every day! I have already given the recipe to a friend who has also made it and loved it. Just divine!!” (Di)
“I have to tell you Helen that your recipe for the Crustless Quiche is the best we have ever had. Thank you so much. It has won a permanent place in my recipe rolodex, which is a very coveted spot. I cook so many recipes for the love of trying new ones that it is rare when one become a permanent and repeatable recipe. This has become one of those. Fabulous, fabulous recipe.” (Karen)
About the ingredients
You’ll find a full list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But here’s a summary of what you need to know.
Butter: Starting off this recipe by lightly caramelizing a chopped onion in a little pure butter adds an extra sweet and delicious punch of flavor. Can you use olive oil instead? Sure, if you prefer!
An onion: I have used both a brown onion and a red onion for this recipe. I like to slice them thinly, or feel free to chop them finely instead if you prefer.
Mushrooms: For extra flavor and texture. If you aren’t a mushroom fan, feel free to leave them out or replace with something else such as finely chopped peppers or asparagus.
Ham: This recipe uses ready-cooked ham. It just makes the recipe easier to not have to cook it (like you would have to cook bacon). Ideally, I like to use nice chunky slices of off-the-bone smoked ham. However, any chopped ham is fine.
Obviously it’s also fine to replace the ham with bacon if you prefer – it will just add a little extra preparation time.
Cheese: For convenience, I use grated cheddar, which I usually have in the fridge. Sharp (strong/tasty) cheddar is the best. However, feel free to mix things up with some parmesan, gruyere, crumbled feta, ricotta cheese or any other cheese that you like.
Flour: This is the key ingredient to make the recipe work – don’t skip it! Use self-raising (or self-rising) flour, which is what makes the quiche fluff up like a soufflé as it cooks. If you don’t have any, use plain/all purpose flour with three quarters of a teaspoon of baking powder added.
This recipe will also work well with Bisquick instead (for those of you in the USA!).
Milk: I’ve made this recipe with both whole milk (full cream) and reduced fat (semi-skimmed/high-low/2%). Most times, I use reduced fat since that’s what we always have in the fridge.
Some readers have successfully used dairy free milks as well (there are a few examples in the comments section).
Others have asked if they can replace some or all of the milk with cream. You absolutely can, but there’s no need. The texture will be richer and of course creamier, and the flour may not sink as much. It will still be a delicious quiche!
Eggs: You’ll need just 4 large eggs for this recipe (which is less than in most crustless quiche recipes). If you only have small eggs, just add an extra one to the mixture.
Mustard: I prefer the taste of a mild wholegrain mustard, but Dijon mustard is also a good choice. If you only have mustard from a squeezy bottle, use that!
Salt and pepper: Don’t overdo it with the salt, since the ham and cheese are already quite salty. However, feel free to increase the amount of pepper to taste.
How to make the best crustless quiche
The first step is to lightly caramelize the onions (for about 10 minutes) in some melted butter. You’ll find these will add a lovely sweetness to the finished crustless quiche!
For the final couple of minutes, you can add the mushrooms. Cooking them lets the liquid evaporate so that they don’t make the quiche soggy.
Spread them into a quiche pan (grease it with butter or oil first).
Sprinkle the ham and cheese on top.
Then here’s the important part. Slowly add the milk to the flour. A large jug is good for this.
Then whisk in all the other ingredients – so eggs, mustard, and salt and pepper.
Slowly pour the egg mixture on top of the fillings.
Finally, bake for around 30 minutes (it’s done when it’s golden and puffed up and there’s no longer any runny mixture in the center).
Helen’s Top Tips
- To save even more time at dinner time, prepare the filling ingredients ahead (cook the onions and mushrooms, chop the ham etc.).
- If you have time, leave the assembled quiche to stand for a while (up to half an hour) before cooking to allow the flour to sink.
- When pouring the mixture into the baking dish, pour as close to the outside of the dish as possible, and try to circle around the entire dish in this way. By doing so, the mixture will permeate the sides of the dish more thoroughly, producing a more even and complete crust (tip from Steve G – thank you!).
- Depending on your oven, the quiche can take from 30 to 40 minutes to cook. My oven runs a bit hot so it’s definitely ready after 30. The quiche is done when it’s ‘just’ set in the middle and a knife pushed into the center comes out clean (or virtually clean but not with raw/runny mixture on it).
Variations
Have fun and make this crustless quiche recipe your own! Over the years, readers have made it with too many filling substitutions to list! However, here are some ideas:
- leftover roasted vegetables
- cherry tomatoes (halved)
- asparagus chopped into small pieces (goes especially well with smoked ham)
- finely chopped onions or green onions (spring onions) – try this if you don’t like caramelized onions
- frozen vegetables such as peas, small pieces of broccoli, green beans
- sautéed leeks (instead of onions)
- bacon instead of ham, or leftover sausage or other cooked meats
- different cheeses such as parmesan, feta, ricotta, gruyère
- spinach (use this recipe for sautéed frozen spinach, or simply use chopped defrosted frozen spinach portions with the water squeezed out)
One more option: Sometimes, when I’m feeling especially lazy or short on time, I don’t pre-cook any of the veggies. I just add finely chopped onions, peppers and chopped cherry tomatoes (as well as ham and cheese, of course!). Surprisingly I often end up with the best ‘magic crust’ on the bottom of the quiche when I do this.
Serving ideas
My favorite way to eat this crustless quiche is with potatoes (either baked potato or fries) and a simple green salad or vegetables such as broccoli or green beans. A little coleslaw is the icing on the cake!
Here are a few easy side dish recipes that would go well:
- sautéed frozen green beans or sautéed frozen broccoli, sautéed frozen spinach, or sautéed butternut squash
- these easy parmentier potatoes (little roasted diced potatoes that you could put into the oven at the same time as the quiche)
- Mediterranean roast vegetables
- Greek salad or Greek lettuce salad
If you’re serving the quiche to guests and would like to serve something else substantial with it, I’d recommend either Greek potatoes or a veggie pasta such as this creamy green pea pasta or this simple orzo pesto salad.
A great salad to serve it with is this beetroot, walnut and feta salad.
Alternatively, I wrote a huge list of recipes to serve with quiche, in case you’d like to check that out instead.
Recipe FAQs
This quiche reheats really well. I usually reheat separate pieces either in my air fryer (my favorite) or the oven (I don’t recommend the microwave since you’ll lose the amazing crispy top). In an air fryer, try around 6 minutes at 320F/160C or until hot throughout and slightly crunchy on top. In the oven, try around 15 to 20 minutes or until the quiche is heated through well.
If you want to reheat the whole quiche, start with around 20 minutes in the oven at 320F/160C and go from there. If it isn’t quite reheated at that point, give it another 5 minutes until it’s piping hot (or however long it needs).
Yes, many readers have done so successfully. The texture and light crust might be slightly different, but the quiche will still taste delicious. If you don’t have self raising gluten free flour, simply add three quarters of a teaspoon of baking powder to plain gf flour.
Yes. I recommend freezing cooled individual pieces either in an airtight container or in freezer bags. You can freeze them for 1-2 months without losing the quality. Defrost in the fridge, then reheat as described above.
More easy quiche recipes
If you’re loving the easy quiche vibe in the post…
- try these easy mini quiche lorraine! They do have pastry, but you don’t need to pre-cook it. In fact you don’t pre-cook anything. The quiches are super super quick and easy, contain only 6 ingredients, and are perfect for freezing and/or taking along to parties!
- zucchini slice or easy spinach egg muffins (quite similar to a crustless quiche, and perfect for packing into lunch boxes!)
- Mediterranean style red pepper and feta quiche (so easy to make with a pre-made crust)
The Very Best Crustless Quiche (Impossible Quiche!)
Equipment
- 9.5 inch quiche baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 onion, medium sized, any kind, sliced thinly into rounds
- 1 tablespoon butter, for cooking the onions
- 5 ounces mushrooms, around 4 medium mushrooms, best chopped into small pieces
- 3½ ounces ham, chopped
- 1 cup grated cheese, sharp (strong/tasty) cheddar is fine, or try gruyere, parmesan, Swiss cheese or a mixture of cheeses
- ½ cup self-raising flour, /self-rising flour (Alternatively, mix ¾ of a teaspoon baking powder into all-purpose/plain flour. Or you can use Bisquick.)
- 1½ cups milk
- 4 large eggs, lightly whisked (if you only have small eggs, add an extra one)
- 2 teaspoons mustard, (I usually use wholegrain, but Dijon or any other mustard also works)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) (increase to 390F/200C if you have a regular oven i.e. not a fan oven).
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan or saucepan. Then cook the onions slowly for about 10 minutes or until soft and beginning to caramelize.1 tablespoon butter, 1 onion
- Add the mushrooms to the onions in the pan and cook for a further couple of minutes.5 ounces mushrooms
- Grease a standard quiche dish (around 9.5 inches/24 cm or similar – see note below) with a little butter, or spray with oil. Spread the onions and mushrooms evenly over the dish. Then scatter over the chopped ham and cheese.3½ ounces ham, 1 cup grated cheese
- Slowly add the milk to the flour in a large jug. Whisk continuously so that there are no lumps, then whisk in the eggs, mustard, and salt and pepper.½ cup self-raising flour, 1½ cups milk, 4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the fillings in the dish. Then bake for 30 (to 40) minutes, or until the mixture is just cooked in the centre. Slice and serve!
Perfection! I omitted the mushrooms and used bacon instead of ham.
So happy to read this, Kim! Thank you for trying the recipe and letting me know how you got on! 🙂
Made this with only ingredients I had on hand. Rice flour because family member gluten intolerant. Used Chobani oat milk, 5 eggs, onions , half red pepper and 1/2 jar artichokes and 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
I used a regular 10 inch pie plate baked for 45 minutes at 375.
It was absolutely delicious!!!!
Wasn’t sure how it would be with the rice flour and oat milk! I was totally amazed!!!!!
Thank you for the versatile recipe!
Hello Anna! This is so good to hear that it worked so well with your swaps. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know 🙂
My daughter who was a chef for 10 years gave it a 10/10 too!!
Wow! Now I’m blushing… 😉
Yes, definitely less common here in the USA, but I have an oven with that option and wanted to be sure that’s what you were referring to before I made the quiche.
I used yellow, red, and orange peppers rather than mushrooms due to a family allergy. The “impossible crust” ended up enveloping the eggs, ham, and veggies but it was delicious!
Thanks for clarifying! It’s helpful and I’ll take that into consideration from now on! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. I sometimes find the ‘crust’ is more ‘there’ than other times, but always tasty. Thanks for your question and feedback 😊
By a fan oven do you mean a convection oven?
Hi Donna, yes! Most people in the UK and Australia have a fan oven and call it that but in the USA it’s called a convection oven. May be less common there?
Amazing recipe and when served with a dollop of sour cream, reminds me of perogies! Yum! Thank you for sharing!
Wow I love that! I tried those in Poland they were delicious. Makes me happy to hear that you think this tastes similar. Thanks for letting me know and I’m happy you liked it 😊
Will preshredded (store shredded) cheese also work okay or will it not melt properly? I have the right amount of preshredded cheese left in the fridge.
Hello Janke! That’s what I use – it’ll be fine. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Fabulous quiche, have used this recipe many times! Thanks very much! 👍😁😁😁
Thank you SO MUCH for letting me know, Karen! This makes me very happy to hear and I hope you’re having a great day 🙂
Thank you for this. Do you think you could cook half a recipe, or would the quiche be too thin?
Hello Val! I think it would actually be too thin. What I’d do instead is use a smaller pan (say 6 to 7 inches) if you have one. Alternatively, the quiche freezes pretty well and reheats well either in the oven or (even better) in an air fryer. It might be cooked in slightly less time say 20 to 25 minutes, but just keep checking. It’s done when it’s ‘just’ cooked in the middle. Hope that helps!
Can I use almond flour or wheat flour instead of self raising flour?
Hello, Cynthia! Yes, you absolutely can! Others have tried different flours before successfully. However, the ‘crust’ on the bottom and/or the texture may be slightly different to the original version with all-purpose flour. The quiche will still be delicious though, as long as you stick to the amounts stated! Good luck! 🙂
Can you use cottage cheese instead of normal cheese and do you still use the same proportions of eggs,milk and flour ?
Hello Kathryn, yes absolutely! This recipe is very adaptable. Sometimes the different ingredients you add affects whether the flour settles on the bottom ‘like a crust’ or not, but it always has a very delicious texture. I hope you enjoy it!
Can you use almond milk and egg whites?
Hello Lynn! I’ve never tried this – I suspect that the texture wouldn’t be as good without the egg yolks. You could perhaps try cutting down on the egg yolks and see how you go? Almond milk would work, but the result might be a bit less creamy that’s all.
Is it possible to incorporate potatoes? Cubed or Shredded?
Hello Yumi! Yes, it is, absolutely, but I would pre-cook the potatoes. So the best case I can think of would be to add any leftover diced or chopped roasted potatoes that you have. Don’t go crazy with the amount though – just a few! Let me know how you get on if you try it! 🙂
Hi Helen. Thank you for your reply.
I know I should researched and asked the question sooner, but I had to make it yesterday morning, I peeled a potato some (we like some skin on), cubed in small pieces and boiled them about 3 min, drained. And with sliced onion and mushrooms, placed all on parchment lined cookie sheet.
Drizzled Olive oil over, sprinkled ground black pepper and garlic powder, tossed some with tong.
Roasted them about 15 min until the onion little bit transparent and mushroom little roasted looking.
I had diced ham but not enough , so I thawed couple frozen pre-cooked Pork Sausage patties, diced them AND browned them along with diced ham.
Meanwhile, as I do have a different recipe for crustless quiche using Bisquick which is super easy (but not potatoes) – sorry I didn’t use your recipe for that – I prepped that, added parmesan cheese, shredded cheddar and Mexican cheese mix and roughly chopped baby spinach on top of the mixture.
Then, add all the HOT items and mixed light.
Pour all into large pie dish, baked 40 min with 375F, then turn down the temp to 350F, cover it with foil, and bake 8 to 10 more min.
Let it cool down to settle for 10 min or so.
It came out GREAT!
No worries, that sounds absolutely delicious and I’m so happy you liked it! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s amazing and it smelled wonderful while it was baking. Even though I made it vegetarian and used Bisquick it came out perfect! Also it looks gorgeous. I would be proud to serve it to any of my guests. 👏👏
What a huge compliment, Marilyn! Thank you so much for letting me know, and especially that it worked out well with Bisquick. Big bonus that it looked good – yay! Have a wonderful week!
I’ve made this quiche a few times and really love it. I’m making it right now with broccoli, ham, shredded cheddar and onions. It’s very easy and delish.
I’m so happy you’re enjoying it, Jessica, and I love the sound of your version with broccoli. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback! 🙂
Hi can you please advise what serving size the nutrional information provided is for, also made this a few times and it is delicious! Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying this recipe, Margaret! And yes of course – there are on average 8 servings, so the nutritional info is an estimation for each medium sized serving. I hope that helps!
I missed that this recipe called for TWO pie plates!
I used one… still came out yummy and fluffy 🙂
Hello! You actually do only need the one quiche pan for this, so you’re all good! Did you read that in a reader comment perhaps – someone who made two? Anyway, I’m glad you enjoyed it so much!
Hi Helen – when my pie became really big and almost overflowing, I rechecked the recipe to make sure I didn’t add to much of something and noticed for equipment it said “2 x 9.5 inch” – so I assumed that was why my pie was so big – because I missed the “2” part – but I guess that means 2 inches by 9.5 inches?
Either way – yummy recipe – we all loved it. Thank you for sharing!
Ahh I get it now, and can totally see why you interpreted that as needing 2 pans. I’ll try to re-word that to make it clearer. Thanks so much for bringing my attention to that, and once again I’m so glad you liked it despite it nearly overflowing!!