Tomato Basil Quiche would make a great choice for any meal of the day! This French tart is filled with a savory egg custard, cheeses, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. Quiche is so very versatile and can be served hot from the oven, warm or even at room temperature. It is a great make ahead dish for a special brunch.
You can use a store bought crust for this tomato basil quiche recipe or if you want to get your rolling pin out and make your own, check out Foolproof Pie Dough.
If you are interested in a couple other breakfast quiches, check out Asparagus Quiche and Spinach Mushroom Quiche. If you want some crustless quiche recipes check out Western Crustless Quiche and Vegetable Frittata.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW: FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- This tomato basil quiche recipe calls for blind baking the pie crust. While this is optional, it is a step that will help to ensure that the crust does not get soggy. If you are not familiar with this process, check how How To Blind Bake a Pie Crust.
- Choose an extra virgin olive oil for sautéing the onions. Its rich flavor adds an extra layer of depth to the quiche.
- The combination of heavy cream and whole milk creates a rich and creamy texture. For an even silkier custard, you can use all heavy cream. For a lighter version, increase the ratio of milk to cream.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- 9-inch Pie Dish or Tart Pan: A standard 9-inch pie dish is perfect for this tomato basil quiche recipe. If you prefer a quiche with a more professional appearance and easily removable sides, a tart pan with a removable bottom is a great alternative.
- Mixing Bowl: You will need at large mixing bowl for whisking together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, and spices.
- Whisk: A whisk is great for thoroughly combining the egg mixture, ensuring that the eggs, cream, milk, and seasonings are evenly mixed for a smooth custard.
- Skillet or Frying Pan: You will need a skillet or frying pan to sauté the onions before adding them to the quiche. This step is important for softening the onions and enhancing their sweetness.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurements of ingredients are key to the success of your quiche. Make sure you have a set of measuring cups and spoons for measuring everything from the olive oil to the spices.
- Knife and Cutting Board: A sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board are necessary for chopping the onions, slicing the cherry tomatoes, and preparing the fresh basil.
- Dried Beans or Pie Weights: If you are pre-baking (blind baking) your pie crust to prevent it from getting soggy, you will need some dried beans or pie weights. These are used to weigh down the pie dough during the initial baking phase to keep it flat and to help it cook evenly.
- Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil: Used in conjunction with dried beans or pie weights when pre-baking the crust, parchment paper or aluminum foil can be laid over the crust before adding the weights to prevent sticking and to ensure an even bake.
- Cooling Rack: While not absolutely necessary, a cooling rack is helpful for cooling the quiche evenly after baking. This prevents the bottom from becoming soggy from steam accumulating under the dish.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Gruyere cheese is a flavorful hard cheese from Switzerland that melts well. It can sometimes be hard to find or be pricey. Some good substitutes for this quiche would be some other hard cheeses such as Swiss cheese or Jarlsberg cheese, You could also use crumbled Feta cheese in this tomato basil quiche.
- This recipe calls for cherry tomatoes. You could also use grape tomatoes or a cup of tomato slices.
- If you do not have olive oil, any neutral-flavored oil, like canola or vegetable oil, will work for sautéing the onions. Butter can also be a flavorful alternative.
- Shallots or red onions can be used in place of yellow onions for a slightly different flavor profile. Green onions or leeks are also a good alternative.
- Dried basil can also be used in a pinch if you do not have fresh basil. Dried herbs are more potent, so use them sparingly (about one-third of the fresh amount).
HOW TO STORE TOMATO BASIL QUICHE:
- Store the tomato basil quiche in the refrigerator if you plan to eat it within 3-4 days. Allow the quiche to cool to room temperature after baking. This prevents condensation from forming inside the container, which could make the crust soggy. Once cooled, you can cover the quiche loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it into an airtight container.
- Tomato basil quiche can be frozen for up to three months. Make sure the quiche is completely cool before preparing it for the freezer. This step is crucial to prevent ice crystals from forming. Wrap the entire quiche or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap. Add a layer of aluminum foil around it for extra protection against freezer burn.
- Defrost the tomato basil quiche overnight in the refrigerator.
HOW TO REHEAT TOMATO BASIL QUICHE:
- The best way to reheat an entire quiche is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cover the top of the quiche with foil. Place the quiche into to oven and reheat it for 15-20 minutes or until it is heated through.
- Slices of quiche can easily be reheated in an air fryer or toaster oven. For the toaster oven heat the quiche, covered in foil at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. For the air fryer, set the fryer to reheat at 325 degrees. Place the quiche slices covered in foil in to the air fryer for 4-5 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Press your unbaked pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate, crimping the edges. There is no need to grease the pie plate. Line the pie shell with some parchment paper then place some pie weights or dried beans onto the bottom of the pie shell.
Place the crust into the preheated oven. Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the crust are set and a very light golden brown.
Place the cut cherry tomatoes onto a paper towel. Pat them with another paper towel. Let them sit like this until you are ready to add them to the batter. You want to remove the moisture from the tomatoes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the skillet. Saute the onions for 1-2 minutes until they just begin to soften. Do not let them brown.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs then add in the cream and milk. Mix well. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and cayenne. Mix well. Stir in the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses.
Add the onion mixture, tomatoes and basil to the egg mixture and stir in thoroughly.
Pour the egg mixture into the par-baked pie shell. Bake for 45- 50 minutes until the quiche is completely set and lightly browned.
Tomato Basil Quiche
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onions, chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch cayenne red pepper
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, finely chopped or grated
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup ripe cherry tomatoes , cut into quarters
- ¼ cup fresh basil, stems removed and chopped
- 1- 9 inch unbaked pie crust
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Press your unbaked pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate, crimping the edges. There is no need to grease the pie plate.
Line the pie shell with some parchment paper then place some pie weights or dried beans onto the bottom of the pie shell.
Place the crust into the preheated oven.
Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the crust are set and a very light golden brown.
Remove the pie weights and parchment paper from the pie dish. Using a fork, pierce the bottom of the crust in several places. This will keep the crust from puffing up. Set the crust aside while you make the filling.
Place the cut cherry tomatoes onto a paper towel. Pat them with another paper towel. Let them sit like this until you are ready to add them to the batter. You want to remove the moisture from the tomatoes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the skillet. Saute onion for 1-2 minutes until they just begin to soften. Do not let them brown.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs then add in the cream and milk. Mix well. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and cayenne. Mix well.
Stir in the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses.
Add the onion mixture, tomatoes and basil to the egg mixture and stir in thoroughly.
Pour the egg mixture into the par-baked pie shell.
Bake for 45- 50 minutes until the quiche is completely set and lightly browned.
Let the tomato basil quiche sit for several minutes so it can cool slightly before cutting it into wedges.
If you are serving this later, place the quiche onto a wire rack to cool completely.
