Okay, hear me out, I guarantee that if I whip out this golden-crusted, green goddess of a quiche on my next flight and offer my neighbors a slice, I will make more than a few new lifelong friends in the process. They will also be decidedly less miffed when I climb over them for no fewer than three bathroom breaks. Admittedly, quiche (not even this Crustless Quiche) will probably never replace trail mix or granola bars as the go-to B.Y.O. travel snack—the in-flight serving space is uncomfortably cramped, and the TSA would likely confiscate the serving knife. Regardless, quiche still is well-suited for portability, so when Ben’s aunt asked me what I’d like to bring for our family Easter celebration in Chicago (a two-hour drive from our home), I immediately turned to my good travel buddy, quiche (and these Coffee Cake Muffins). Not only can quiche easily withstand the two-hour ride in our backseat, but also it’s one of the best dishes to prepare in advance, making it perfect for holiday entertaining. (Just ask this Sweet Potato Quiche.) Every August when basil is booming, I make and squirrel away dozens of containers of pesto to bring a little brightness to our table in the winter months. (It’s perfect for brightening up this Pesto Salmon and Chicken Pesto Pasta.) Earlier this week while reorganizing our mess of a freezer, I uncovered a treasure: one last container of sunny summer pesto. I knew immediately that I wanted it to be the star flavor of my Easter brunch quiche. Stirring pesto into the quiche (and Pesto Potato Salad) filling adds instant vibrancy in both color and taste, so I chose the remaining quiche ingredients to highlight the pesto: sundried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. I’ve also been playing around with different ways to make quiche healthier without losing its signature decadence (or offending the French), and today’s pesto quiche recipe is my favorite version to date.
How to Make Pesto Quiche
Perfectly portable, marvelous made ahead, and green for spring, this pesto quiche with sundried tomatoes will be a star at any gathering. Serve it with some Fruit Salad and Blueberry French Toast Casserole and you’ve got yourself a stellar weekend brunch.
The Ingredients
Pastry Crust. Beneath that green machine pesto quiche filling is an ultra-flaky crust. I used my foolproof Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust.Pesto. Not just for Pasta Primavera, if you’ve never added a generous dollop of homemade pesto (like the recipe featured in my cookbook) to quiche, now is the time to try it. Eggs. For this recipe, you’ll need both whole eggs and egg whites. The whole eggs add richness while the egg whites give this quiche some extra lightness and cut out some of the fat and cholesterol. (This Easy Quiche Recipe is another favorite in our house.)Milk. I like to use lowfat milk for this recipe to retain at least a little indulgence. However, skim milk works equally great and, if you want a more decadent quiche, whole milk is a fine choice too.Greek Yogurt. I traded the heavy cream for Greek yogurt, which keeps the filling thick and rich without adding fat.Baby Spinach. Adds extra freshness, MORE vibrant green color, along with a daily dose of vitamin A, calcium, iron, and folate.Parmesan. Every quiche needs at least a little cheese (see this Goat Cheese Quiche) if you ask me. I love how the salty, nutty taste of Parmesan pairs with the sundried tomatoes and pesto.Sundried Tomatoes. Sundried tomatoes come either jarred and packed in oil or sealed in a vacuum-packed pouch. Both are delish but I prefer to use the variety sealed in a pouch to cut down on some of the added oils and fats that come with the jarred variety. (If you love sundried tomatoes, try this Italian Tuna Salad, next.)
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Leftover quiche may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.To Freeze. Pastry dough may be frozen, unbaked, for up to 3 months. Fully baked quiche may be well wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months if wrapped tightly in plastic and a layer of foil.To Reheat. Leftover quiche may be warmed in a 350 degree F oven until heated through. Individual slices of quiche may also be gently microwaved on a microwave-safe plate until steaming.
Pesto quiche, you would make some airline passengers very very happy. Pesto quiche instead of peanuts? Now that is my idea of an upgrade!
More Delicious Quiche Recipes
Spinach Feta Quiche with Flakey Phyllo CrustBroccoli FrittataHam Sweet Potato Frittata
