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This Caramelized Onion Quiche's creamy, richness is balanced by the sweet caramelized onions, nutty gruyere and flaky, buttery pastry crust. It is a naturally vegetarian quiche, with gluten free and low carb options, and is my absolute go-to for easy, make ahead breakfasts or lunch, or even dinner. It is so easy and always a crowd pleaser!
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Who doesn't love caramelized onions? I feel like they are a delicious complement to anything from steak, to pizza, burgers, pork loin, eggs. There isn't much that isn't made better by adding some caramelized onions.
And gruyere cheese and caramelized onions are a magical combo. The sweet and tangy onions along with the soft nuttiness of the gruyere with the custardy quiche is just so good.
What is Quiche?
Quiche is a rich and savory classic french dish that is so versatile and seasonally timeless. With a simple blend of eggs and cream and milk (or in this recipe half and half) as the base, you can add whatever fillings you'd like. Bake it in a pie crust and it can be served hot or cold! It is one of those super simple recipes that earn you lots and lots of praise!
Ingredients
- Eggs
- Half and Half
- Onions
- Gruyere Cheese
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Nutmeg
- Pie Crust
How to Caramelize the Onions
Start by cutting the onions in half and then thinly slicing the halves so you have thin half rings.
Cook them in a preheated cast iron pan until they are translucent. That should take about 2 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium low and let them cook slowly for about 45 minutes. Stir them once or twice.
When they are caramel brown color, add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Stir it together so that it is fully incorporated and then turn off the heat and let it melt together as it cools.
Prepping the Crust
Making a quiche is really about as easy as you can get. Especially if you buy a store bought crust- which, no judgement here! Although a homemade crust is good, and fairly simple to make, it does take some time and a little extra work. And sometimes you just want someone else to do that part for you. That is when premade crust comes in handy.
Unless you buy a frozen pie crust already in the pie pan, (which is brilliant and even easier!), you will need to roll it out just a bit. If you don't have a rolling pin, use a wine bottle, or any sort of cylindrical shaped item you have. Wipe it down, and then use it to roll your crust to about โ " thick.
Transfer the crust to your pie plate and then go around the edge and use your thumb and pointer finger to crimp the edges. I am the absolute worst at this! It never looks picture perfect (as you can see in the picture!) but I kind of like the rustic, imperfection. That is how I justify my wonky work anyway! ๐
Place the crust in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Even with a store bought crust, this is a necessary step. We want the crust to be cold so that it doesn't shrink down into the pie plate when it cooks.
Blind Baking Pie Crust
Once the crust has chilled, we need to blind bake the crust. This just means to partially cook the crust so that it does not get soggy when we fill it with the egg and cream mixture.
To do this, lay a piece of parchment paper (or tin foil) on the crust, and use either pie weights, or dry beans to place on top of the parchment. This will keep the pie dough in place while you blind bake it. Otherwise, the crust has a tendency to shrink down into the pan, (even if it has been chilled!) and we don't want that.
Bake the pie crust like this, for 15 minutes at 350ยฐF. Blind baking the crust is key so that it won't get soggy. After 15 minutes, pull it from the oven and let it cool while you make the custard. Once it has cooled, remove the parchment and weights and then it is ready for the filling.
Assembling the Quiche
Whisk the eggs, half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper together for about a minute until it is light and frothy.
In the pie crust layer half of the gruyere cheese. On top of that layer half of the caramelized onions. Then the rest of the cheese on top of the onions, and then finally the last of the caramelized onions. Pour the egg mixture over the top and then transfer it to the oven to bake, right away, for 45 minutes.
Let it cool for about 10 minutes or so before serving. It will be very hot and letting it rest will help it firm up a little more. Then, dig in and enjoy!
When to Serve Quiche?
The answer is, there is really no bad time for quiche. It is a beautiful addition to a brunch menu, it can be served with a salad (and a glass of wine!) for lunch- think summertime on the deck! It is also a really nice dinner main course.
Growing up, we always had quiche as part of our Christmas eve menu. For Easter brunch we had quiche and fruit, Easter Deviled Eggs Chicks and these Sugared Lemon Cookies.
I don't know how many times I have brought this quiche to brunch, but I also don't know if I have ever brought anything else! If you are looking for something that you can make the night before, so you don't have to worry about cooking in the morning, then here you go. It warms up beautifully as if you have been cooking all morning and are pulling it from the oven for the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! For those who are trying to watch our carbs, or who are trying to avoid gluten, there is an option to make this without the crust.
To do this, grease the pie plate with butter, or a cooking spray so that the filling doesn't stick to the plate. Then layer the cheese and onion as instructed. Pour the filling over the top and bake at 325ยฐF for 45 minutes.
That's it!
This quiche is best eaten within the first day or two. However, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes! Freezing it definitely an option. Once it has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in saran wrap so that there is as little air as possible. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then cover it in foil and warm it in a 350ยฐF oven for 15-20 minutes.
You can also reheat a frozen quiche. Cover it loosely with foil and place it in a 350ยฐF oven for an hour to an hour and a half.
Absolutely! It is just as delicious served cold. Serve a slice of quiche with a salad of arugula topped with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and some freshly shaved parmesan for a light and tasty lunch!
Options
- If you don't have time to caramelize the onions, you can leave the onions out and instead use gruyere and a Tablespoon of fresh thyme.
- Feel free to use a different cheese. Goat cheese is a delicious option, especially with artichoke hearts or sundried tomatoes. Cheddar is a classic, especially with cubes of ham.
- For a gluten free or low carb option, see the instructions above for a crustless quiche.
- Feel free to make this quiche the night before and then warm it gently in the morning to serve it for breakfast or brunch. It is also delicious served cold!
More Recipes
- Lavender Latte- lightly sweet and floral, and so delicious!
- Sugared Lemon Cookies- Light, sweet and lemony sugar cookies.
- Roasted Brussel Sprout Salad with Caesar Dressing- a delicious twist on a classic caesar salad.
- Strawberry Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing- Delicious summer salad!
- Frosted Brownies with Salted Tahini Buttercream- Unique and easy brownies.
- Air Fryer Green Beans with Spicy Dipping Sauce- Fresh and simple!
- Roasted Vegetable Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette- A delicious and hearty veggie salad.
I hope you enjoy making this caramelized onion quiche! I would love to hear from you in the comments at the bottom. Thank you and thank you for visiting Mollie in Montana~*! โฅ๏ธ
๐ Recipe
Caramelized Onion Quiche
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 2 large onions
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Quiche
- 3 large eggs
- 1ยฝ cup half and half
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- โ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1ยฝ cup shredded gruyere cheese
- 1 pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350ยฐ
- Line 9 inch pie plate with store bought crust.
- Place parchment paper on top of pie crust and fill it with beans or pie weights.
- Bake crust in preheated oven for 15 minutes until it is lightly browned, this keeps the crust from getting soggy when we add the filling.
- Let it cool and then remove the parchement paper and pie weights.
Cararmelized onions
- Cut onions in half and then thinly slice the halves into moon shaped slices.
- Heat a large (10-12") cast iron or heavy duty pan on medium high heat.
- Add olive oil and onions and stir them until they become translucent. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Turn heat down to low and let them simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become a caramelly brown color.
- Add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir until it is well incorporated.
- Turn off the burner and let the onions cool in the pan, on the burner.
Quiche Filling
- Whisk the eggs, half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper together for about 1 minute until well mixed and frothy.
- Place half of the cheese in the blind baked pie crust, then half of the onions, then the other half of the cheese and finally the last of the onions.
- Pour the egg mixture over the cheese and onions.
- Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Notes
- Feel free to use red or sweet onions
- For a low carb or gluten free option, omit the crust. Grease the pie pan with butter or your favorite cooking spray and then pour the egg mixture, cheese and onions directly in the pan. Cook it at 350ยฐF for 40 minutes or until the filling is set and golden brown.
- This is best if eaten in the first day or 2, but it can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze the quiche, let it cool completely and then wrap it tightly in saran wrap and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, cover it in foil and place it in the oven on 350ยฐF for 15-20 min.
- Enjoy!ย
Sandi Eliel says
This was a very yummy Quiche and so easy to make!! The onions carmelizing made the house smell so cozy too. I served it at my friends birthday brunch and it was a hit. Iโll make it again soon especially as we get into Fall and Winter. Thanks Mollie
mollieinmontana says
I am so glad to hear you liked this quiche! What a lovely love gift for your friend! ๐ Thank you so much for letting me know! โฅ๏ธ