Recipe: Holiday Quiche

This good-for-you quiche is incredibly tasty. Egg whites instead of whole eggs keep the saturated fat and calorie count lower than a classic quiche. You can also make a vegetarian version to share at a holiday brunch. Serve it with a big green salad to make it a meal. 

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 35 minutes (includes 10 minutes cooling time)
Serves: 8
Serving size: ⅛ of quiche

Ingredients

• ½ sweet onion, trimmed
• ½ bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 4 ounces Asiago cheese, divided
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, divided
• 4 ounces extra lean ham steak
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (7 ounce) pre-made refrigerated pie crust
• 1 cup egg whites
• 1 egg
• 1¼ cup light cream
• ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For garnish

• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Dice the onion and slice the asparagus into ¼–½ inch pieces. You should have about 1 cup of each. Shred the Asiago and Gruyere cheeses and dice the ham into cubes that are ¼–½ inch. Set aside a couple tablespoons of each cheese to use on the bottom of the quiche. 

Add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and asparagus and saute until lightly browned. Remove from heat.

Place pie dough in a 9-inch glass pie dish. Pinch the edges. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of the reserved shredded cheeses on the bottom of the pie. 

Add the ham, egg whites, egg, light cream, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper to a large mixing bowl and whisk well. Stir in the remaining cheese. Add the onion and asparagus mixture to the egg mixture and stir. Slowly pour the quiche into the pie dish.

Bake quiche until set in the center and a toothpick or sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Ovens will vary, so begin checking on the quiche after 50 minutes. The quiche may take more than an hour to fully cook.

Remove from the oven and let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. 

Garnish with parsley and serve with a side salad (optional).

MOBE Kitchen Tip: 

• Oven temperatures can vary from model to model, even when set to the same degree. Factors like age, whether the oven is electric or gas, and how long the oven door is left open can affect how your food cooks. It’s always best to check your recipe a few minutes before the suggested cooking time is up. 

Recipe Notes:

• Rosemary flavored extra virgin olive oil adds depth of flavor to this quiche.
• Use any vegetables that you have on hand if you don’t have asparagus.
• You can use liquid eggs in place of egg whites, an egg substitute to make it vegan, or omit the ham to make it vegetarian.
• Serve this quiche for brunch or any main meal.
• Feel free to substitute any meltable cheese for the Gruyere and Asiago. Cheddar and mozzarella are good options.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 340 / Total Fat: 25g (32% DV) / Saturated Fat: 11g (55% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol:  80mg (27% DV) / Sodium: 580mg (25% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 16g (6% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 1g (4% DV) / Total Sugars: 3g / Added Sugar: 0g (0% DV) / Protein: 15g / Vitamin D: 0.6mcg (4% DV) / Calcium: 250mg (20% DV) / Iron: 1.4mg (8% DV) / Potassium: 240mg (6% DV)

Allergen Statement: Contains eggs, milk, and wheat.