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 (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
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!
I will be making this quiche more often now so quick to make and delicious with the thin crust on the bottom
Hello Helen! So happy you like it! It’s a great one for the regular meal rotation, isn’t it? 🙂
Hello Helen,
I made this today and it is wonderful. Another keeper recipe from you.
I used onions, mushrooms, swiss chard, ham, and added some cooked squash that I had in my freezer. I thawed it first and drained off a little water before adding to the quiche. I like a dry squash, like kabocha or NZ blue, if it’s available in Australia. These are the two that I use mainly in recipes. Cooked yam or sweet potato is also very good in quiche.
A portion of quiche will go into the freezer for another day. It makes a big delicious pie. You are very talented!!
Your new home sounds lovely, with a pretty view from your window. I’m sure you will have lots of lovely birds looking for feed during spring and summer.
I appreciate your personal touch by using my name in your emails Helen. It’s nice when bloggers do this, so thank you.
By the way, your blueberry yogurt muffins are so good. I bought more blueberries earlier today to make them again. They don’t last long around here.
Bye for now and keep safe and well in this different world we are experiencing, Blessings.
Hello Yvonne! Thank you so much for taking the time to write! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and that you appreciate the personalised emails – actually you’re not the only one to say that recently so that’s really good to know. Thank you also for the idea to add squash to the quiche, and for the lovely compliment!
We really are enjoying our new home and yes there are plenty of birds in the garden! The lady who owns the property is a fantastic gardener and has dotted birds baths and feeders all around. There are also amazing colourful parrots which are my favourite!Ah yes the blueberry muffins are definitely a family favourite around here. I also have an Italian apple cake that is pretty popular. You might like that too!
It sure is a very different world this year but I hope you’re safe and well in your part of the world. Have a great weekend! Helen
Just made this and it’s delicious. Used ham, cheese, and broccoli with a touch of scallion. I had tried a different “impossible” recipe that was much too floury. This one is very good, thanks!
Oooh sounds lovely! So happy you enjoyed it. It’s good to know you gave impossible quiche another chance, too! Thank you for leaving a comment, Sharon!
Loved it. So easy. Delicious. I used half yoghurt, half milk for a tang.
Hello, Chris! Thank you so much for letting me know how you got on – it’s really helpful to know that it turned out well using yoghurt. I’ll try that myself some time!
Has anyone tried this with oat flour? I SO want to make this!
Hello Sue! Oooh, I would love to know if it still turns out well with oat flour. I have a feeling it would! Please do let me know if you try it!
Liked it a lot. Nice and easy to make. Instead of flour I put in 2 slices of bread.
Oh wow! Very helpful to hear it worked well with bread instead of flour! Was it breadcrumbs you used, or just bread molded into the bottom of the dish?
It is still crustless only difference is how u assemble it. The bread acts as a binder. U take 2 slices of bread dip it into water than squeeze out the excess water. Than break the bread into small pieces.
1. Preheat the oven 200C
2.U cooked/fried the onions and mushroom than let it cool for a bit.
3. Placing the cheese, 4 eggs, milk, ham, mustered and bread into the bowl than u start stirring it together. U do not need to whisk the eggs.
4. Place in your onions, mushrooms into the bowl with the ingredients of the previous step. By this time u will notice that the bread dissolved into the mix.
5. Grease your standard quiche dish and pour the content into the quiche dish.
6. Place some of the grated cheese on top and bake for 30 to 40 min.
Hi Quentin! Very interesting – thank you! I’ve also seen a quiche recipe where the bread is pressed into the bottom of the dish for a ready made ‘crust’. Have a great weekend!
I love this quiche, I like it with red pepper in as well. I also find it freezes very well. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Kath! Thank you so much for letting me know how you got on with this. It does freeze well. I also find the texture is even better when reheated!
Dear Helen,
I made this quiche today with bacon and mushrooms when old friend came to visit with only one day’s notice. I had all of the ingredients in my pantry/fridge and it tasted so special. Used a well buttered pyrex flan dish and it didn’t stick at all. Thank you for sharing.
Carol
Hello Carol! So lovely to hear this turned out well for you. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Unexpected lunch guests and a near empty fridge BUT had basic crust less quiche recipe. It was a hit . Thanks big time. 👏👏
Ahhh, fabulous to hear this, Joy! So happy it turned out well! 🙂
Made this awesome Quiche again today, salmon and broccoli this time. It was absolutely perfect 👌
Hello Nikki, and thank you so much for the top review. Broccoli and salmon (or just broccoli, tomato and feta) is one of my favourite quiche flavours too! 🙂