Thanks to a few staples you can keep in your fridge and freezer, this quick and simple quiche comes together fast thanks to a puff pastry crust filled with custard-ey eggs, smoked salmon, and crème fraîche or goat cheese.
This post has been updated with new photos and a few tweaks to the recipe. Enjoy!
Keeping long-lasting basic ingredients on hand in the fridge, freezer, and panty easily solves the “what’s for dinner” question. And with this super simple, quick quiche recipe, you won’t have to ponder that question for breakfast, brunch or lunch either.
We’ve definitely been on a breakfast kick and quiche has been top of mind. And I don’t mean breakfast for breakfast, but for dinner instead. One of my favorite things growing up is when my dad would break out the big electric frying pan in the evening and sauté mushrooms and bacon for Grandma’s Eggs. What kid doesn’t think breakfast for dinner is some sort of cosmically altered universe? And it’s an easy way for mom and dad to look like we’re ‘breaking the rules’ and going against society.
About the Recipe
This quiche is simple and far from complicated, and as suggested, it’s easy to make because I almost always have the main ingredients on hand: puff pastry from the freezer, eggs (always in the fridge), cream, half and half or whole milk, a bit of cheese, and smoked salmon.
Smoked salmon is one of my refrigerator staples because it lasts for an extra long time and is always at the ready to serve with an impromptu glass of wine or a quick and easy dinner.
Besides quiche, you can also use smoked salmon for these quick recipe ideas:
- A simple appetizer with goat cheese, pepper jelly and crackers
- Toss it in pasta with a bit of cream, frozen peas, lemon and fresh herbs
- Add it to scrambled eggs, green onion or asparagus with a creamy white cheese to serve atop sliced sourdough toasts
Puff Pastry Quiche or Pie Crust
Puff pastry is another freezer back-up that can swoop in and save the day. It’s so easy to work with and takes just a few minutes to thaw. One of my local coffee shops uses puff pastry exclusively for their quiche, and after eating it, I knew it was my turn to follow suit.
Because the puff pastry is rectangular, I roll out the crust a bit more to fit the pan, then trim the edges into a circle. The crust will shrink as it bakes, but also puff a bit, so plan accordingly. If you want to make a really rustic looking crust, you can keep the pastry dough in the square shape, too.
I blind-bake my puff pastry crust in this baking dish with a removable bottom before adding all of the filling. You could always use a regular pie plate as well. Once I’ve placed the pie crust in the plate or baking dish, I line it with non-stick aluminum foil and fill with dry beans that I keep in my pantry just for this use. And I use them over, and over again. Fill all the way to the top of the crust and then bake for 15 minutes or so at 375° to 400°F, depending on what your recipe calls for.
Once the crust has been par-baked, it’s time to add the egg filling. I’ve discovered to create a creamy, custard filling it’s more about the ratio of what ingredients you add to the quiche itself than what type of liquid you add to the eggs. I’ve used cream, half and half, whole milk and almond milk in my quiches. If you pack too much filling into the quiche, the opportunity to create that creamy, custard filling doesn’t always come to fruition.
For another layer of creaminess, I added crème fraîche to the filling and goat cheese works equally well. They both add a bit of tang that pairs well with salmon.
If you’ve never tried crème fraîche before, it’s a bit like a looser version of cream cheese but with a mellower flavor, and less tangy than a sour cream. It’s typically found in the speciality cheese section of your supermarket but if it’s hard to find, use goat cheese, dollops of cream cheese, shredded fontina, swiss cheese, or any creamy white cheese that melts well.
Puff Pastry Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup whipping cream half and half, or whole milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- A few shakes of Tabasco hot sauce
- 4 ounces smoked salmon chopped in large pieces
- ¼ cup crème fraiche or goat cheese crumbles
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons green onion chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the puff pastry. Trim the pastry into a circle so the pastry goes up the sides of a pie tin or baking pan. Trim any excess so it’s flush with the top of the sides. Pierce the bottom of the pastry with a fork then prepare the pan for blind baking by placing a sheet of aluminum foil over the puff pastry and gently mold into the edges of the pan and up the sides. Top the foil with enough dry beans or pie weights to fill the pan. Bake the pastry for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl or 4 cup measuring cup, whisk the eggs, cream, kosher salt and Tabasco. Pour the egg mixture into the par-baked puff pastry shell then top with the smoked salmon pieces, and dot with crème fraiche or goat cheese, green onion and fresh dill. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the eggs are set. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, or serve at room temperature. Top with more fresh dill and green onion and serve.
