Treat your family or guests to an elegant brunch featuring my exceptional Ham and Cheese Quiche recipe. This savory dish, made with ham, cheddar cheese, and veggies, is a lovely menu choice for any time of day. Whether you’re entertaining or just enjoying a cozy meal at home, this quiche will surely become a favorite.
I remember when recipes like this Ham and Cheese Quiche started becoming really popular in the 1980s. It was during the days of big hair, big shoulder pads, and very high heels. And didn’t we love serving it to our friends for lunch? Oh, yes, we did.
Quiche is essentially an unsweetened egg custard pie with savory fillings – cheese, veggies, and sometimes protein. There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of versions of quiche, and I suppose the most classic quiche recipe would be Quiche Lorraine, which contains bacon and Swiss cheese.
Over the years, I’ve made recipes for tomato quiche, crab quiche, shrimp quiche, broccoli quiche, and more. However, this is my favorite version.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 1 Hour
Servings: 6
Primary Ingredient(s): Eggs, Cheese, Ham, Green Pepper
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- This is a recipe based on classical cuisine but still enjoyable for modern palates.
- Despite its elegant reputation, it’s quite easy to make without any special equipment.
- It can be made ahead and reheated when you’re ready to serve.
- It’s easily modified to suit your specific tastes.
Ingredient Notes
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- Sharp cheddar cheese – Personally, the sharper the cheddar, the better for me! However, if you prefer mild cheddar, please do use that.
- Onion and green bell pepper – These are the aromatic vegetables in the mixture, and they add so much flavor! For the onions, use whatever you have on hand – yellow onions, green onions – they all work fine. If you’d prefer the peppers to be less prominent, you can substitute red bell pepper.
- Cubed cooked ham – This is an ideal way to use leftover ham. If leftovers aren’t available, purchased diced ham is just as nice.
- Deep-dish pie shell – I typically use Pillsbury’s frozen pie shells for convenience sake. Refrigerated pie crusts are just as delicious, and if you have a favorite homemade pie crust recipe, feel free to use it.
- Eggs – Can’t have quiche without eggs! I almost always purchase Eggland’s Best. They taste closest to farm fresh to me.
- Milk – I do recommend you use whole milk. The tiny amount of additional fat makes a better base for this recipe.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How I Make Homemade Ham and Cheese Quiche
Quiche is a simple recipe that anyone can make! Even beginners!
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Have a 9-inch deep dish pie shell ready (thaw if necessary).
- Mix the shredded cheddar cheese and flour in a large bowl. Toss gently so the flour coats the cheese. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a small skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the butter until the onion is wilted and translucent. Take care not to let the onion brown.
- Add the ham, along with the onion and bell pepper mixture to the bowl with the grated cheese.
- Stir gently but thoroughly.
- Spread the ham mixture in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Set the filled pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the eggs, milk, parsley, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Pour the egg mixture over the ham and cheese mixture already in the pie shell.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set. Serves 6.
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Recipe Tips
👉 PRO TIP: Farm fresh eggs will give you the best results and flavor, but any type of eggs will work in this recipe.
Use a prepared frozen pie shell to make the whole process easier.
Recipe Variations/Substitutions
For a more vegetable-focused quiche, replace the ham with additional vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms.
Experiment with different types of cheese, such as Swiss, Gruyere, or Gouda.
Make individual mini quiches in muffin tins, ramekins, custard cups, or creme brulee dishes. Be sure to adjust the baking time for the smaller dishes.
How to Serve Ham and Cheese Quiche
- For brunch, serve with mixed fruit salad, hot tea, coffee, and mimosas.
- For lunch, serve slices of quiche alongside a light salad with vinaigrette dressing.
- For dinner, offer a side of steamed or roasted vegetables.
- Pass a tray of bite-sized pieces for an elegant pre-dinner appetizer.
Storing Leftovers
Store cooled leftovers tightly wrapped in an airtight container for up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings briefly in the microwave.
To freeze, allow it to cool completely. Wrap closely with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to three months. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or in a low (200 degree) oven.
Questions About Ham and Cheese Quiche
Yes, you can! To make a crustless quiche, simply omit the pie crust and pour the mixture into a well-greased pie dish. Bake as directed
If you’ve had problems with soggy pie crusts, you might try a couple of tricks. Some cooks lightly pre-bake the pie crust for just a few minutes before adding the filling. This gives the pastry a head start on “setting up” and keeps it from becoming soggy. Another trick is to sprinkle a small amount of breadcrumbs (one or two tablespoons at most) on the bottom of the crust before adding the filling.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
Ham and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 deep-dish pie shell unbaked
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1 ½ cups cubed cooked ham
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
- ¾ teaspoon seasoned salt recommend Lawry’s
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Have a 9-inch deep dish pie shell ready (thaw if necessary).1 deep-dish pie shell
- Mix the grated cheese and flour in a large bowl. Toss gently so the flour coats the cheese. Set aside.6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon flour
- Add the butter to a small skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper in the butter until the onion is wilted and translucent. Take care not to let the onion brown.1 tablespoon butter, ½ cup finely chopped onion, ⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- Add the ham, along with the onion and bell pepper mixture to the bowl with the grated cheese. Stir gently but thoroughly. Spread mixture in bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Set the filled pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.1 ½ cups cubed cooked ham
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and pour over the ham-cheese mixture in the pie shell.2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, ¾ teaspoon seasoned salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set.
Notes
- Store cooled leftovers tightly wrapped for up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings briefly in the microwave.
- To freeze, wrap closely with plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
This post was originally published on March 6, 2012. It has been updated with additional information.
Perfect!! Made as listed and wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for sharing 😋
You’re welcome!
This was so easy and really delicious. The only change that I made was to use 3 eggs instead of two; which worked well. I will definitely make this again!
Stupid question here. I have a frozen pie shell in the freezer. Can I use that? From frozen or thawed?
Yes, you can definitely use a frozen pie shell. Thaw it first.
Can I make this the night before?
Traci – I haven’t made in advance before but I think it should work. I do know that when serving it leftover, the crust can get soggy.