This meatless veggie quiche recipe uses whole milk, loads of vegetables, and premade crust, for a quick breakfast. It’s an absolutely delicious vegetarian meal with spinach, peppers, mushrooms, and so much flavor!

Quiches are one of those breakfast foods that look like they take a lot of time and effort to make. The truth is, they are easy and stress free to make.
With this vegetarian quiche recipe, you can have the meal prepped and ready to go in the oven in under 15 minutes. This makes it a perfect brunch, holidays, a potluck, or just to eat and horde to yourself since it reheats so well.
If you’re looking for a crustless quiche recipe, try this crustless quiche with ham and broccoli, these mini egg muffins, or these salsa eggs baked in ramekins. Check out my breakfast recipes archive for more delicious ideas!
FEATURED COMMENT
“This was just what I needed! I love the light, delicate texture (whipped those eggs!), and the proportions were perfect for the pie plate and crust specified. It was not too salty, nor dense. Pretty presentation. Thank you!”
– J How
Why you should make this veggie quiche
This tried and true recipe is not just tasty, it’s hassle-free! Here are some highlights on what makes this vegetable quiche great:
- Reheats and freezes well making it perfect for meal prep or making head of time.
- So versatile you can sub with other veggies or cheese you need to use up easily.
- Appears fancy so great for entertaining at a brunch or breakfast get together.
- It travels well so you can bring it to a friend’s place.
- Crust doesn’t need to be par-baked, making it quicker to make than a standard quiche.
- Easy as can be since there’s no meat to cook, the veggies cook fast and the crust is store bought.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the ingredient image below and a list of ingredients is in the recipe card.
What pie crust to use
While a homemade pie crust is delightful, my love affair for quiches really started when I discovered refrigerated pie crusts. I started out using the Pillsbury brand refrigerated ones that you roll out but, as with homemade crust, I found the bottom can be kind of gummy without par-baking (blind baking) the crust with pie weights. To avoid the need for par-baking, you can place the pan in the bottom 1/3 of the oven to make sure the bottom crust browns.
You can also choose to use a frozen pie crust in a metal disposable pan. But, they tend to be smaller, so you may need to reduce the milk to 3/4 cup and only use 4 eggs.
I also sometimes use one of these pie shields to keep the top crust from getting overly browned. It isn’t entirely necessary for quiches since they aren’t in the oven as long as pies and you can always pull the quiche out and tent foil strips around the edges if you notice the top crust is browning too fast.
Gluten free is simple using a prepared gluten free crust, a gluten-free pie crust mix, or even going crustless. If you choose crustless be sure to grease your pie tin very well, or use a silicone baking mold.
How to make a vegetarian quiche
It takes a fair amount of time to bake, but the hands-on time is truly minimal. The steps below show how simple it is to assemble.
- First you start by sautéing the veggies in three stages over medium-high heat in a large skillet:
- Then you prepare the quiche filling by whisking the eggs, milk and seasonings together.
- Place the vegetables in the prepared pie crust that has been pressed into a pie dish.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Pour the filling over the vegetables and cheese.
- Place the quiche in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven once the quiche is baked and golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Different Variations
There are more vegetarian quiche combinations than I could possibly list, but here are a few to get your ideas churning:
- Caramelized onion, mushroom and gruyere – add a splash of balsamic during the last minute of caramelizing those onions for extra flavor.
- Goat cheese, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs – just make sure to get most of the juice out of the tomatoes to keep them from making the quiche watery.
- Mediterranean with feta, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, red onion and fresh basil and maybe some spinach.
- Asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs and either goat cheese or feta.
Really the possibilities are endless and it’s fun to play around with quiche ingredients. Just make sure not to add too many veggies or the overall egg to filling ratio will be off.
Tips and Tricks:
- Place your quiche pan on a baking sheet to make it easier to take in and out of the oven.
- If you are using a homemade crust or store-bought refrigerated crust and don’t want to par-bake, place the pan in the bottom third of the oven to help the bottom crust become more crisp. Works like a charm!
- Make sure to cook the mushrooms down all of the way until they’ve released all excess liquid.
Freezing and Reheating Quiche
For freezing, the best way is to freeze the crust and filling separately prior to baking. Prep all of the filling (veggies + milk and egg mixture) and then put it into a bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. I often meal prep several at a time when doing this.
To reheat a full quiche that you’ve already fully baked, let it warm in a pre-heated 350° (175° C) oven until the center is warm (30-35 minutes if reheating from refrigerator).
Part of the beauty of a vegetarian quiche is how easy it is to meal prep and how well it reheats! See notes in the recipe card for additional details on various freezing and reheating situations.
Why is my quiche watery or soggy?
There are a few things that can lead to a soggy quiche. First, not cooking all of the water off of the vegetables. Sautéing instead of steaming helps with this but you need to make sure the mushrooms release all of their water and you can squeeze out any excess with a kitchen towel if the spinach releases water at the end.
Another culprit is over baking. Quiches are finicky and need to be baked until the center has just set. They will start releasing water when over baked.
Equipment
- 1 9" deep dish or 9 1/2" pie pan see notes for using a regular 9" pie pan
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. avocado oil or whatever type of oil you prefer
- 1/2 onion sliced into thin strips
- 1 red pepper seeded and sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp. minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 lb. mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach If spinach pieces are large, chop a few times to break up
- 1 refrigerated or frozen pie crust
- 1 1/2 cup milk I used whole milk but 2% is fine, DO NOT use non-fat
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 cup grated cheese (sharp cheddar, swiss, or gruyere work great)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C). See notes on preparing pie crust and pan size.1 tsp. avocado oil, 1/2 onion, 1 red pepper
- Heat oil in a medium sized pan. Add onions and peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions start to turn translucent.
- Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until mushrooms are cooked through and all water in pan has evaporated, approximately 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add spinach. Stir for 1 minute longer until spinach is wilted and set aside.1 tsp. minced garlic, 1/2 lb. mushrooms, 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- Crack eggs and whisk until frothy. Add milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and whisk until frothy (2-3 minutes).1 1/2 cup milk, 5 eggs, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- If veggies are watery, remove any excess liquid from the cooked veggies by squeezing them in a kitchen towel or paper towels over the sink (this keeps the crust from getting soggy).
- Unroll refrigerated pie crust and press into 9" deep pie dish or 9 1/2" inch pie pan.1 refrigerated or frozen pie crust
- Place cooked veggies on top of crust in pie pan in an even layer. Sprinkle cheese on top. Pour egg mixture evenly over the veggies and cheese.1/2 cup grated cheese
- Bake for 35-40 minutes on the bottom oven rack until starting to brown on top. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Video
Notes
- If using a regular 9″ pie pan instead of a 9″ deep dish pie pan, reduce to 4 eggs and 3/4 cup milk.
- Check pie crust instructions before starting. If using a frozen crust, you may need to remove it from the freezer early to allow it to come to room temperature.
- If using homemade or refrigerated crust and don’t want to par-bake, place pan in the bottom third of oven to help the bottom crust become crisper.
- Place quiche pan on a baking sheet to make it easier to take in and out of the oven.
- Cook vegetables down all of the way to avoid a watery quiche.
- To make ahead all filling steps can be done ahead and the vegetables, cheese and egg / milk mixture can be refrigerated together in a sealed container for up to 48 hours. When ready to use, just pour into a pie crust and bake.
- Freeze the crust and filling separately. Prep all of the filling (veggies, milk/egg, cheese) and put all into a bag or freezer safe container. Lay flat and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, let the filling defrost in the fridge overnight or place the container of filling into a pan of water to defrost faster. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake as you would normally.
- Freezing leftovers can be done as individual servings in for 1-2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or on the defrost setting on your microwave.
- Reheating leftovers can be done by microwaving each serving for 30-60 seconds. For crispier curst, you can also reheat slices in the oven or toaster oven at 350° F for about 10 minutes.
- To reheat a full quiche that you’ve already fully baked, let it warm in a pre-heated 350° (175° C) oven until the center is warm. You can check by inserting an instant read thermometer into the center and it will read 165° F (73° C). For a cold quiche, this will take 30-35 minutes. It will heat much faster if the quiche is already room temperature. If edges are getting too dark, foil strips can be crinkled around them to prevent burning.
Nutrition
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(Recipe originally published January 31, 2014, but pictures and post text were updated May 20, 2019 and again on September 13, 2022. Based on reader feedback, the recipe itself was updated to clarify that a deep dish 9″ pie pan is needed. Instructions for reducing liquid for using a regular 9″ pie tin were also added.
Comments & Reviews
should we blind bake the refrigerated crust or just use cold?
You can but, for the sake of time and effort, I normally don’t and just put the quiche on the bottom rack of the oven so the bottom crust gets crispy enough.
I would like to try this Veggie Quiche with half & half instead of milk and without the crust. I read your crustless broccoli & ham recipe, but I like the ingredients in this one better. Would I make this veggie recipe just the same as you described with a crust, but just use extra butter on the pie tin? Mine is actually glass.
I don’t see why that wouldn’t work Laurie! It sounds delicious. 🙂
Hi, Christy!
I made two crustless quiches in 9″ glass pie pans for my Spring Equinox Wreath Making Party. There were seven of us. I “made it my own” with the following changes.
I used 1 1/2 cups of half & half (total for two quiches) instead of milk. I think there’s a mistake in your notes where it says to use 4 eggs (per quiche) and 1 1/4 cups of milk (per quiche).
I couldn’t get the lid of my nutmeg open, so I used 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice instead!
I needed 9 large eggs for the two quiches. I used 8 eggs to start with, but I didn’t have quite enough egg mixture to fill the second pie pan. So, I whisked up a 9th egg and added about 2 T almond milk. I didn’t have any more half & half because I made chocolate milk out of it!
I poured my additional egg mixture on top of the quiche that didn’t have enough before baking. When finished baking, the center didn’t rise as much as the edges on the one that I added extra egg, but it didn’t matter because it was absolutely delicious! Perfect consistency, had great body and rich but not too rich. And it was beautifully golden brown. I tested with a knife inserted halfway between the center and the edge, and it came out clean after 45 minutes. Best quiche I ever made! Thanks!
I made Coconut Carrot Ginger Soup to go with the quiche and they made a perfect duo for a Spring Celebration – Eggs & Carrots! If anyone wants my soup recipe, I’ll be happy to post it.
Hi Laurie! Love the half and half and I do that too sometimes when I want it to be a bit richer. Your comment is so helpful! I actually updated the original recipe to use 1/4 cup less milk and 1 less egg because so many people were saying it didn’t fit in their 9″ pie tins. I re-tested it and got it to fit perfectly every time EXCEPT when I used those pre-made frozen pie crusts that come in metal tins. Some brands are 9″ in size (I measured) but not the right depth. Instead of adjusting the original recipe, I’m going to revert it back to the original and add some notes to the recipe card about this pie pan discrepancy so that it turns out great for everyone, regardless of the pan they’re using. Thank you so much for the helpful feedback! Sometimes it’s hard to know the right approach and how to troubleshoot when the recipe isn’t working for some people and detailed comments like this are gold. 🙂
This had way too much milk in it and I couldn’t fit the egg and milk mixture into a 9” pie pan. Very frustrating .
Aww that’s such a bummer! Sorry to hear that. Did you happen to use a store bought frozen pie crust in a metal tin? I heard that comment a few times and re-tested and reduced the liquid in the recipe. I re-tested and the only time I had it not fit was in one of those smaller frozen pie tins and I realized some brands aren’t standard depth.
This is so delicious, have. Made twice . Can this be made with one percent milk? Love the veggies, trying your eat healthy. Thanks!
Hi Stacey – it might be a little watery with 1% but should be okay. Just don’t use skim milk! Also, thank you for coming back to let me know you liked the recipe so much. ☺️
Hi! Do you thaw your frozen pie crust before baking, or do you use it straight out of the freezer? Thank you!
Hello! For the rolled up ones, you definitely need to let them defrost or you won’t be able to unroll it to press it into the pan. For frozen pie crusts that come already pressed into disposable aluminum pans, there’s no need to defrost and they actually hold their shape better if they’re still cold when you pour the filling in. I hope this helps!
Great recipe – I made with puff pastry and it came out perfect! I also added a bit of green and red chilli and spices and it was amazing. Thanks
Using puff pastry is brilliant! Trying that next! 🙂
Can I make this a day ahead before my company arrives? Thanks!
Yes, you certainly can. It won’t be 100% the same but is definitely doable and will still taste great. Cover the top of the quiche with aluminum foil and place in a preheated oven set to 350° F (177° C) for 10-15 minutes until the center is warm.
This was just what I needed! I love the light, delicate texture (whipped those eggs!), and the proportions were perfect for the pie plate and crust specified. It was not too salty, nor dense. Pretty presentation. Thank you!
So happy to hear you liked it! 🙂
You know, 9 inches is 9 inches. No way this fits into your 9 inch pie crust but not my 9 inch pie crust. Maybe half of the egg mixture fit. Waste of time and ingredients!
So sorry to hear that Donna! My pie dish is labeled 9″ but I measured it yesterday after reading your comment and it is actually 9.5″. Ugh. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect this. I hope the rest of that egg mixture could be used for something.
I had the same problem. Way too much for a deep dish pie pan. Wasted a lot of ingredients!
Sorry to hear that Kathleen! At one point I updated the recipe to fit and have tested it multiple times since and it has always worked with a 9″ pie pan.
Love this recipe and have been using it for a couple years now!! Such a huge hit, thank you! I’m trying to eat cleaner and cut out gluten, so when you go crustless, do you still do everything else the same and just grease the pan a little extra?
I actually have a whole guide on crustless quiches! I either use a silicone mould or just grease the pan really well. Ingredients can definitely remain the same.
I have made this once before and it turned out great. If I want to cook two at the same time, do I need to add more time in the oven?
From my experience, I usually do the same amount of time, if anything just a minute or two more. Cook them on the same shelf in the middle though next to each other, not stacked on top of each other on separate racks to make sure they cook evenly. 🙂
I made this. Added an extra egg & split it into 2 8” pies….worked great. Delish!
Oh good to know! I make two all the time but love the idea of splitting it and using smaller pans.
Can I bake this ahead and freeze it?
I’ve never tried it but I’ve heard of people doing that with quiches. I’ve made all the fillings (eggs, milk, ham, etc.) and frozen that in a bag, defrosted over night and then poured into a pie crust the day of before baking but haven’t tried freezing a whole baked quiche. If you do let me know how it reheats!
I use this recipe to make two quiches every time I visit my mom. We eat one right away, then wrap and freeze the second one (so my mom and aunt can eat it later). Works perfectly! Just be sure to thaw completely before trying to reheat it. I usually top the quiche with halved grape tomatoes or tomato slices before serving. This is my go-to recipe for quiche! It comes out beautifully every time. I vary the vegetables in the quiche based on what is seasonal or what I on hand. Th
This is so wonderful to hear! I love knowing my recipe is part of a travel tradition with you and your family. And yes – the seasonal swaps are endless with this quiche recipe! I love the tomato topping addition.
Love this recipe and I make it frequently! Looks appetizing, tastes wonderful and it freezes well. I am a vegetarian and I eat eggs, so quiche is a dish I enjoy often. My husband is not, but he likes this, too. I have a 9″ pie pan and it just barely fits, but it does not over flow. Thanks for coming up with the recipe. Like the nutmeg especially.
That makes me so happy! That pinch of nutmeg is barely noticeable but I just love it. 🙂
Hi. Looks awesome:) I am a vegetarian, can I avoid the egg part?
Egg is the main ingredient in this recipe so it would be hard to replace. I’ve heard they have a good vegan egg replacement now though that you could try but I’m not sure how it would turn out.
Egg is not vegan, but vegetarian
There are some good chickpea flour quiche recipes online! I make them often as we only eat eggs/fish/dairy on weekends and do a vegan diet during the week. The tofu ones are okay, but dobt hit the same texture
After reading the responses. and not having a large pie dish. I opted to use my casserole dish. Worked great but did bake about 12 minutes longer due to thickness. But wonderful recipe…..thanks.
Make your own crust…it’s SO easy!! Butter, flour, and a bit of ice water..that’s it! Love an easy quiche recipe. Thank you!
I used to but now I’m way too lazy! I need to just make up a few and keep them in the freezer since the dough freezes pretty well. Thanks for the tip, you’re inspiring me to give it another go!
This definitely needs a deep dish pie crust. I could only fit about 2/3 of the egg mixture into my regular crust and even then it overflowed quite a bit.
Good to know Allison! Mine are 9″. I’ll make a note of that in the recipe.
I definitely had to take the second pie shell out of the box and split all the ingredients into two pies! But I like the recipe 🙂
Oh no! Was your pie dish under 9 inches? I’ve got an 8 inch one and I know it won’t all fit in that one. I’m glad the recipe worked out and was delicious anyways. 🙂
Best family recipe = so easy to make and you can basically use whatever veggies you have in the fridge.
I always make crust from oats and add Greek yogurt to the mix 🙂
5-star recipe – it seems i cannot rate it below.
Ana
Awesome! Not sure what’s up with the rating and why it wouldn’t work but so happy to hear you liked it! And I’m going to have to try that crust. 😉