You won't believe the best Easy Ham and Broccoli Quiche is actually a semi-homemade shortcut quiche recipe! Flaky pre-made pie crust filled with creamy, cheesy filling loaded with diced ham and fresh or frozen broccoli.
Start with leftover holiday ham or a package of already-diced ham and pre-made Pillsbury pie crust dough.
This simple ham and cheese quiche is quick to put together and never curdles. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch and always a hit during the holidays or with mom for Mother's Day.
I think it's the best broccoli cheese quiche recipe, ever!
This shortcut version starts with Pillsbury rolled-up pie dough, a package of diced ham, pre-shredded cheese and frozen broccoli but I'll share a list of variations below (scroll down) so you can make it with what you have in your fridge and freezer.
Two of my other brunch favorites are Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast Casserole and Bacon Sausage Strata Breakfast Casserole.
Shortcuts
- Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust- You don't have to make the dough yourself but you still get to crimp the edges and that puts a homemade touch on it. It also tastes better than the frozen pie crusts in my opinion.
- Leftovers are always a shortcut! I chop up ham from Christmas and Easter and freeze it with my FoodSaver vacuum sealer. Another shortcut is to buy diced ham near the bacon section. I stock up on these when they go on sale at my grocery store...and you guessed it. I freeze them.
- Pre-shredded cheese melts just fine when baked in a dish like quiche.
- Frozen, thawed, broccoli florets or "cuts" are easy peasy. You can also steam fresh broccoli, too.
- No need to blind bake or pre-bake the crust for this recipe.
Why is this the best easy ham and broccoli quiche?
In addition to the list of shortcuts above which saves time, it never curdles! That's a huge reason why this is the best ham with broccoli recipe. Many of the ingredients can also be kept in the freezer so the recipe can be made on a whim without a trip to the store. Lastly, no soggy bottom crust and you don't have to pre-bake the crust.
Ingredients
Scroll down to printable recipe for ingredient quantities.
- Refrigerated, rolled-up pie dough from a 15-ounce box.
- Eggs
- Half and half
- Frozen or steamed broccoli florets
- Chopped ham
- Pre-shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper
Tip: Whole milk can also be used but half-and-half has a higher fat content helping to ensure it never curdles.
How to make Easy Ham & Broccoli Quiche
- While pie dough rests on counter according to package directions, mix together the egg filling and drain broccoli.
- Gently unroll the pie crust and smooth out the curled edges with a rolling pin or smooth glass. Fit in a 9-inch pie plate, folding edges slightly under.
- To crimp, push the folded edges of dough with your index finger on one hand into your two pincer fingers on the other hand all the way around the top of the pie crust.
- Layer the broccoli, ham, and 1 cup of cheese in bottom of prepared pie shell.
- Add egg mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake according to directions below in detailed recipe.
Tip: Be sure to squeeze out all the water from the frozen broccoli. This helps prevent curdling. Paper towels also works to press it out.
Let the quiche cool at least 10 minutes before cutting to get a nice slice.
Substitutions & Variations
- Homemade Pie Crust - If I'm going to make a homemade pie crust, it's going to be in the food processor. Here's a good single pie crust recipe from Southern Living that uses a food processor.
- Asparagus and spinach are good choices to substitute for broccoli.
- What kind of cheese is good for quiche?- Any semi-soft, shreddable cheese like Swiss, Pepper Jack, Gruyere, smoked Cheddar, and mozzarella is perfect. Also, any combination of pre-shredded cheeses will add extra flavor.
- Salmon and Broccoli Quiche- Simply trade out 3/4 cup cubed (1/2-inch) fresh salmon for the ham. You can also use same amount of canned, drained salmon. For Smoked Salmon and Broccoli Quiche, stir in 4 ounces of chopped smoked salmon or layer it on top of the broccoli before pouring in the egg mixture.
- Sausage and Broccoli Quiche- Chorizo sausage, ground breakfast sausage or smoked venison or Kielbasa sausage is delicious in this easy quiche recipe.
- Crumbled bacon, chopped cooked chicken, and cooked ground meats can be delicious traded out for the ham.
Sprinkle a little chopped parsley or green onion for color on top, if desired, and serve warm.
This cheesy broccoli and ham quiche is basically a savory pie served for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Another Southern favorite of mine is Tomato and Vidalia Onion Pie with Bacon.
Helpful Information
Yes, this simple quiche recipe will work with no crust. Be sure to heavily grease or butter the pie dish. I've found that a glass pie plate works better on a crustless quiche than an aluminum pie pan. A cast iron skillet also works well if greased first.
Three tips to make the perfect quiche: Use half and half, avoiding low-fat milk and pat dry cooked vegetables. Keep the baking temperature no higher than 375F. These three tips will prevent a quiche from curdling.
Yes. To freeze unbaked quiche, carefully place the filled pie shell in the pie plate on a level shelf in the freezer; freeze for several hours or until firm. Carefully wrap the entire quiche with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Place back in the freezer for 1 to 3 months.
To freeze a baked quiche or leftover quiche, let cool completely. Carefully wrap the entire quiche with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Place back in the freezer for 1 to 3 months.
To bake an unbaked, frozen quiche, remove all protective freezer wrapping. No thawing necessary. Bake at 350F allowing 15 to 20 minutes longer than the original recipes calls for-approximately 50 to 55 minutes.
To reheat an already baked, frozen quiche, remove remove all protective freezer wrapping. No thawing necessary. Bake at 350F allowing 10 to 15 minutes longer than the original recipes calls for-approximately 45 to 50 minutes.
What can I serve with quiche?
The first side dish I always make to serve with warm quiche is a simple cold fruit salad or even just a few sliced strawberries. The cold, sweet and tangy fruit contrasts perfectly with the warm savory quiche.
Other ideas to serve with quiche for breakfast or brunch:
To store Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Tenders and Spicy Peanut Sauce let cool completely. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Want more breakfast and brunch recipes?
Bacon Sausage Strata Breakfast Casserole
Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast Casserole
Easy Ham and Broccoli Quiche
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust dough from a 15-ounce package
- 6 large eggs
- 3/4 cup half and half or whole milk (skim milk not recommended)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed (or steamed fresh broccoli)
- 3/4 cup chopped ham
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese divided
- Sliced green onions for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Let pie crust dough sit at room temperature (still in the wrapping) for 15 minutes according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
- Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until lightly beaten. Gradually stir in half and half. Add salt and pepper.
- Drain broccoli and gently press between a paper towels to remove any water. This will help the quiche stay creamy and not watery. Chop the broccoli into about 1/2 to 1- inch pieces.
- Pat the ham dry between paper towels.
- Gently unroll the pie crust and smooth out the curled edges with a rolling pin or smooth glass. Fit in a 9 to 9.5-inch pie plate, folding edges under so it's even with edge of pie plate. To crimp the edges, push the folded edges of dough with your index finger on one hand into your two pincer fingers on the other hand all the way around the top of the pie crust.
- Layer the broccoli, ham, and 1 cup of the cheese into the bottom of the pie crust.
- Whisk together the egg mixture again and pour over the layered ingredients. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes or until the center is just set when the quiche is slightly jiggled. To prevent the crust from over browning, you can place a piece of aluminum foil over the quiche for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Let the quiche cool 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired.
Notes
To reheat an already baked, frozen quiche, removeremove all protective freezer wrapping. No thawing necessary. Bake at 350F allowing 10 to 15 minutes longer than the original recipes calls for-approximately 45 to 50 minutes. The secret to a good quiche: Three tips to make the perfect quiche: Use half and half, avoiding low-fat milk and pat dry cooked vegetables. Keep the baking temperature no higher than 375F. These three tips will prevent a quiche from curdling. Substitutions and Variations:
- Asparagus, spinach, and mushrooms are good choices to substitute for broccoli.
- What kind of cheese is good for quiche?- Any semi-soft, shreddable cheese like Swiss, Pepper Jack, Gruyere, smoked Cheddar, and mozzarella is perfect. Also, any combination of pre-shredded cheeses will add extra flavor.
- Salmon and Broccoli Quiche- Simply trade out 3/4 cup cubed (1/2-inch) fresh salmon for the ham. You can also use same amount of canned, drained salmon. For Smoked Salmon and Broccoli Quiche, stir in 4 ounces of chopped smoked salmon or layer it on top of the broccoli before pouring in the egg mixture.
- Sausage and Broccoli Quiche- Chorizo sausage, ground breakfast sausage or smoked venison or Kielbasa sausage is delicious in this easy quiche recipe.
- Crumbled bacon, chopped cooked chicken, and cooked ground meats can be delicious traded out for the ham.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
Updated February 2023
Susan Erwin
I plan to use a frozen pie crust and freeze the quiche unbaked so do you think I could add the ingredients as stated to the pie crust without thawing it since it will be popped right back in the freezer anyway?
gritsandgouda
I have not frozen an unbaked quiche before so I am not positive, but I feel it will be just fine to add all the ingredients to the pie crust while still frozen. I did a little research and it looks like it is best to completely thaw a frozen, unbaked quiche before baking, though. If you freeze a baked quiche, it can go straight into the oven and just bake a little longer than the directions on the recipe. Hope this helps!