Crustless Asparagus Quiche

If you’re looking for easy asparagus recipes, look no further! With the perfect amount of cheese and asparagus, this Crustless Asparagus Quiche is the perfect dish for any brunch, breakfast or brinner. 

 

Asparagus Soup is sponsored by Michigan Asparagus. Although I received compensation for this post, the opinions and statements are 100% my own. 

Every year in June, Oceana County, Michigan (also nicknamed the asparagus capital of the world) holds the National Asparagus Festival.

This festival has everything from pageants and a parade to farm tours and asparagus taste testing. Not to mention the best asparagus recipes out there. 

The growing season for asparagus is particularly short. Due to this, people have found ways to preserve it for as long as possible. Some of these preserving techniques include pickling and freezing. In fact, around 60% of Michigan’s asparagus is frozen, canned or pickled.

One of the things that I love most about asparagus is that there are SO many asparagus recipes out there! Whether it’s served by itself as a side, put into a salad or used in a soup, asparagus is versatile.

Asparagus also has plenty of  health benefits including being fat and cholesterol free with nearly no sodium. It is also considered a good source of potassium, fiber, thiamin and vitamin B6. 

Because of the low amount of pesticides used, asparagus is one of the safest crops to consume. It is one of the few foods that does not need to be purchased organic. More asparagus for all! 

Well, not if you are in my house. Asparagus happens to be my 8-month old daughter’s absolute favorite food. She practically ate this whole crustless quiche herself!

A crustless quiche recipe is an especially healthy way to consume asparagus because it cuts down on carbs. This particular quiche uses the asparagus stalks to add some stability to the egg. 

This crustless quiche is perfectly seasoned with staple ingredients that you more than likely already have in your pantry. Salt, pepper, garlic powder and Swiss cheese add a simple but delicious flavor. Asparagus has enough of its own, so we just want to complement, not overpower. 

PRO TIP: Just to make getting your quiche in and out of the oven easier, place it on a baking sheet. It is easier to grab and not dent or mar your creation. 

Beyond being healthy, this asparagus quiche has a beautiful braided frame made entirely of asparagus. The trick to this is cutting the stalks to 3-4 inches, then layer on each other the whole way around. Use the cut pieces to bake into the quiche.

This crustless asparagus quiche is elegant enough to make for a brunch, but can be easily made for a weekday breakfast as well. It’s a great way to add some veggies to your breakfast!

It can also be made ahead of time or frozen. sometimes I make three (if the crowd is big enough) to have a selection, broccoli quiche, sweet potato quiche, crustless spinach quiche are the other two favorites. All green, who knew?

You will love these other asparagus recipes:

• Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese and Asparagus
• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
• Roasted Asparagus with Apricot Sauce
• Asparagus Fries

Questions you might have about how to make quiche: 

Can I add ham? Yes, you can surely make this a ham and asparagus quiche. It is a lovely flavor combination. I would suggest adding 1/2 cup cubed ham in step number 4 when you fold in the cheese. 

Can I add mushrooms? Yes you can also make this a mushroom and asparagus quiche, a vegetable quiche for the record books!

Since mushrooms contain so much water, you’ll want to sweat them out in the frying pan along with the shallots in step number 2. You can use about 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms. 

You can also add spinach in the same way. Use about 12 ounces of spinach as it wilts down to nearly nothing. 

What can I substitute for butter? You can use olive oil or even coconut oil. 

Can I freeze quiche? Yes, it is quite popular to freeze cooked eggs. Make sure you package it well in airtight container or plastic wrap. Quiche slices can be frozen for up to 4 months. Eggs are best defrosted quickly in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds. 

Can I make quiche ahead of time? Quiche, whether it has a crust or is crustless, can be made up to a day before hand and reheated when ready to serve. Although some even like it room temperture.

However, I like mine to be fresh, as reheated eggs can sometimes be rubbery, so I prepare the egg and asparagus mixture the day before and then assemble and cook it the day I am serving. It is still super easy. 

Where does quiche come from? Quiche is French in nature, but has become a standard part of American brunch culture as well. Quiche Lorraine, quiche made with bacon and cheese, was the first and most popularized version. Most say it came to the US in the 1950s. 

Are quiche and frittata the same thing? They are very similar, frittata is Italian and usually starts in a frying pan with the eggs poured over. Quiche is only baked. 

Can I make this asparagus quiche in to quiche cups? Yes! You can use a 12 count muffin tin, simply divide up the egg mixture into muffin tins sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. 

Can I add more eggs? You can add more eggs, but be mindful that this might require a large baking dish and/or longer cooking time. Maybe a 9×9 baking dish would work better. Add up to 10 eggs to serve more individuals. 

What kind of cheese do you use for quiche? For this quiche, I used Swiss cheese, but you can literally use whatever cheese you prefer. The cheese police will not come tell you it isn’t a frittata because you didn’t use “the right” cheese.

Gruyere cheese and Parmesan cheese, both hard cheese are excellent substitutions, although I see most people using a sharp cheddar cheese. 

What can I substitute for milk? You can use any fat percentage of milk, half and half or even cream. You can also omit the milk, but it does help make the eggs fluffier and softer. 

Is quiche gluten free? I can’t speak for all quiche recipes, but this crustless quiche recipes is gluten free. If a quiche recipe has flour, you can generally omit the flour and it will be okay, it will just impact the fluffy factor. 

Can I make this quiche in a pie crust? Yes! By all means, go ahead and use a premade pie crust and pour it on in there. The baking time shouldn’t be impacted as the crusts are typically precooked. 

For more recipes and information on the wonderful world of asparagus, visit www.michiganasparagus.org.