Best Healthy, Modern Quiche Recipes for Lunches, Parties, Picnics
The classic quiche was tired, soggy and lifeless dominated by a strong scrabbled egg taste.
But modern versions are packed full of fresh herbs, lentils, beans, fish, seafood and low fat meats and are a great summer treat. They are just perfect for lunches snacks, picnics and entrée, and they make a great party food or a side dish for barbecues.
Quiches are one of the rare dishes that taste fabulous when cold. If fact hot, warm and cold quiches all have subtle differences in taste. The texture also changes with temperature.
Modern quiches are also much healthier that the old 1970's version.
See the best ever collection of healthy modern quiches recipes to try for your next party or picnic. Create lots of leftovers for lunches and snacks.
Salmon and Ricotta Quiche Recipe with Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 2-3 tablespoons cold water
- 75 g (3 oz) wholemeal flour
- 100 g (3.5 oz) salted butter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) plain white flour
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley or dill
For the Filling
- Salt
- 3 large eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2/3 cup double cream
- 250 g (1/2 lb)ricotta
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 250 g (1/2 lb) salmon fillets
- 50 g (2 oz)watercress or spinach
- 2-3 pieces of dill, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup of roughly chopped parsley
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F). To make the pastry, mix the wholemeal and plain flours and the dried herbs together in a large bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and rub it into the flours with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons cold water while mixing with a wooden spoon. Keep mixing until small small clumps form. Cover the bowl with foil or cling film and chill it in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes. Gather the dough, knead it and shape into a ball. Roll the dough into a disc large big enough to line a 20-23cm (9-10 inch) round flan or tart dish, or a springform cake tin. Press the pastry into the tin, firmly shaping it up the sides. Trim off any excess. Use a fork to prick the base several times. Place the pastry in its tin in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes to reduce shrinkage when the pastry is baked.
Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and a line the pastry with baking parchment. Add a thick layer of baking weights or rice. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then remove the baking parchment and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
To make the filling, start by baking the salmon fillets on a baking tray in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Blanch the spinach or watercress and drain in a colander. Whisk half of the ricotta together with the eggs, double cream, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. Add the fresh herbs and mix well. Lower the oven temperature to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Break the partially cooked salmon into large chunks and distribute over the base of the pastry case. Add the greens and pieces of ricotta on top of the salmon. Pour in the cream-ricotta mixture and gently mix the filling to distribute and roughly combine. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until the filling has just set in the centre. Set aside to cool for 30-45 minutes before serving with fresh herbs and crusty bread.
Roasted cauliflower Quiche Recipe with Gruyere and Pancetta
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 175 g (6 oz) plain flour
- 2-3 tablespoons cold water
- 90 g (3 oz) unsalted butter
- 50 g (2 oz) gruyere cheese, finely grated
For the filling
- Salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 100 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) single cream
- 400 g (14 oz) cauliflower florets
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) bacon or pancetta, diced
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) gruyere cheese, finely grated
Method
Cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture has a sandy texture. Add about one third the grated cheese (about 50 g; 2 oz). Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix into the flour mix using a small knife. Keep mixing until the dough starts to form in small clumps. Knead the mixture and shape into a ball. Set aside and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Roll the dough and shape into a disc large enough to line the base and sides of a 23 cm (10 inch) round quiche or flan tin. Press the dough into the sides and trim off any excess. Prick the base all over with a fork. Place the dough and tin in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (450 degrees F).
Next start to prepare the filling by boiling the cauliflower florets for about 2-3 minutes. Drain well and set aside to dry. Spread the florets out out a baking tray and drizzle with the oil. Shake to coat all the florets. Roast in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, flipping once, until the florets started to brown a little. Fry the pancetta or bacon for a few minutes until it starts to crisp. Set the bacon aside to cool. Take the chilled the pastry case in the pan. Line the inside with baking paper and fill with baking weights, or rice. Bake the base for 15-20 minutes, then remove the baking parchment and weights and bake the base for an additional 5 minutes. Next, prepare the cream sauce by adding the cheese, cream and milk to a pan over a low heat. Warm while stirring until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper. Then, whisk the eggs together in a small bowl and combine with the cream mixture. To assemble the quinche spread the roasted cauliflower florets evenly over the base of the cooked pastry case. Sprinkle on the bacon bits. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the cauliflower florets until the mixture almost reaches to the top of the pastry rim. Reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) and bake the quinche for 49-45 minutes until the filling has risen, has set and turned golden brown in color. Serve warm or cold.
Vegan Crustless Tofu Quiche Recipe with Herbs and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- Sliced tomatoes
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 teaspoons high-quality curry powder
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or fresh parsley
- 8 ounces (250 g) cremini, baby bella or similar mushrooms, sliced
- 1 lb ( 500 g) firm tofu, drained, blotted dry and coarsely crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, tarragon
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or frying pan and fry the garlic and onion until the onion is soft and transparent. Set the onions aside. Fry the mushrooms over medium heat in the same skillet, until they start to wilt and soften. Add the fresh herbs, cook briefly and then remove from the heat. Transfer half of the reserved onion mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add the tofu and curry powder. Pulse the mixture until smooth. Transfer the contents to a bowl and add the remaining onion mixture and the cooked mushrooms and herbs. Mix well and set aside. Grease a 9-inch (20 cm) quiche pan or tart pan with butter or oil. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the bottom of the dish. Add the tofu-mushroom mixture and top with tomato slices and extra herbs. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the quiche is firmly set. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then serve hot or warm.
The Ultimate Quiche Lorraine Recipe
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 1 egg yolk
- 175 g (6 oz) plain flour
- 100 g (3.5 oz) cold butter, cut into pieces
For the filling
- 3 eggs, well beaten
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 50 g (2 oz) Gruyère Cheese
- 200 ml (1 cup) double cream
- 200 ml carton (1 cup) crème fraîche
- 200 g (7 oz) pack lardon (bacon bits or equivalent), smoked or unsmoked
Method
To make the pastry, place the butter, flour, egg yolk and 4 teaspoons cold water into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture binds. Then, transfer the pastry onto a floured surface, and knead lightly into a smooth ball. Then roll out the pastry very thinly into a disk large enough to line the base and sides of a 23 x 2.5 cm (10 x 1 inch) loose-bottomed, flan tin. Press the pastry into the pan and lightly prick the base with a fork. Then, chill the pastry in the pan for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F). Place a layer of foil over the pastry and add baking weights or dry beans and bake for bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, weights and beans and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown in color.
To prepare the filling by heating a small frying pan over moderate heat and fry the lardons for several minutes. Remove the lardons and drain on paper towels. Add 3/4 of the cheese that has been grated to the pastry base and add the lardons. Lightly beat the crème fraîche with a spoon and then slowly mix in the double cream a little at a time. Add the beaten eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix. Pour the filling into the pastry case, almost to the top and add a scattering of grated cheese. Lower the oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F) and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is set and golden. Remove from the oven and let the quiche rest for 4-5 minutes before removing from the tin. Serve warm. It is also delicious cold for picnics and lunches.
