Asparagus Quiche Recipe
This asparagus quiche is a French-inspired spring dish that looks elegant but is surprisingly easy to pull off. Made with a crisp whole-wheat shortcrust, Gruyère, Dijon, onion, and tender asparagus, it’s perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light supper.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 batch Basic Shortcrust Pastry, whole wheat version,gathered into a disk, wrapped in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days before using
For the Filling
- 1 lb fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed (see note)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 oz fresh lardons, diced pancetta, or unsmoked bacon (see note)
- 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream (35% m.f.)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 1¼ cups grated Comté or Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Lightly grease an 8-inch (20-cm) square tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a square pan for this quiche makes it easy to line up the asparagus spears neatly side by side over the filling. If you only have a 9-inch (23-cm) round tart pan, that works very well too—you'll simply need to trim the asparagus as needed and arrange it in a circular pattern over the top.
- Take the shortcrust pastry out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before using. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry into a shape large enough to fit your tart pan. Transfer the dough to the pan and gently ease it into the bottom and sides. Trim any excess dough, then prick the bottom all over with a fork.
- Ease a large sheet of parchment paper into the crust, letting the sides come up and out of the pan. Fill the pan with pie weights or dry peas. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, then return the crust to the oven for 5 minutes more, or until it looks dry and lightly set.
- Remove the blind baked crust from the oven, leaving the oven on. Set aside until the filling is ready.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the asparagus for 1 minute, then transfer it to the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain very well and pat dry thoroughly.
- In a large skillet set over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the lardons, pancetta, or bacon and cook until lightly browned and starting to crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and the nutmeg until smooth.
- Spread the cooked onion and pancetta, lardons, or bacon over the bottom of the blind-baked crust. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top. Pour the egg mixture into the crust. Arrange the asparagus spears over the filling. In a square pan, line them up side by side in neat rows. In a round pan, arrange them in a circular pattern, trimming as needed to fit nicely.
- Bake the quiche for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges and the center still slightly wobbly. If the crust starts browning too quickly, loosely cover the quiche with foil for the last part of baking.
- Transfer the quiche to a wire rack and let rest for at least 15 minutes before unmolding and slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- MAKE IT VEGETARIAN: Omit the lardons and increase the olive oil to 2 tbsp (30 ml) for cooking the onions instead.
Notes
NOTES
- If your asparagus is thick, lightly peel the lower stalks and blanch the spears a little longer so they turn tender by the time the quiche is baked. If it’s very thin, shorten the blanching time significantly, or skip it altogether if the spears are truly pencil-thin—they’ll cook through easily in the oven.
- Lardons are small strips or cubes of unsmoked pork belly, and they add savory richness without overpowering the delicate flavor of the asparagus. Depending on where you shop, you may find them at the butcher counter, in the refrigerated meat section of specialty grocers, or at French and European shops. If fresh lardons aren’t available, diced pancetta is the best substitute. Unsmoked bacon also works, though its flavor is usually a little more assertive. Avoid using smoked bacon, since it can easily dominate the filling.
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