Homemade Zucchini Tomato Quiche

Here’s my go-to zucchini tomato quiche recipe, with a simple homemade crust and a filling that combines fresh garden zucchini, ripe tomatoes, eggs, and herbs all baked to golden perfection.

This quiche has become my family’s favorite weekend brunch dish. I often make an extra one to have ready for quick lunches during the week. Nothing better than a slice of homemade quiche to start your day, right?

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For quiche, medium-sized zucchini (about 6-8 inches long) are your best bet since they have the perfect balance of flavor and moisture. Really large zucchini tend to be more watery and have larger seeds, which isn’t ideal for this recipe. When shopping, look for zucchini that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, unblemished dark green skin. Before adding them to your quiche, you’ll want to grate them and give them a gentle squeeze with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture – this helps prevent your quiche from becoming soggy.

Options for Substitutions

This quiche recipe is pretty adaptable – here are some smart swaps you can try:

• Pie crust: While homemade crust is great, a store-bought crust works in a pinch. You can also make this crustless or use a hash brown crust for a gluten-free option.
• Dairy products: You can use half-and-half instead of the separate milk and cream. For the sour cream, Greek yogurt makes a good substitute. For a dairy-free version, use unsweetened almond milk and dairy-free yogurt, but note the texture might be slightly different.
• Shallots: Regular onions work fine here – use about 1/2 cup finely diced. Green onions are another good option.
• Parmesan cheese: Feel free to swap in Gruyere, Swiss, or even sharp cheddar. Each will give a different but tasty flavor profile.
• Cherry tomatoes: Regular tomatoes work too – just remove some seeds and dice them. In winter, you can use sun-dried tomatoes (about 1/4 cup chopped) for intense flavor.
• Fresh herbs: If you don’t have fresh basil and parsley, use 1 teaspoon dried basil and 1 teaspoon dried parsley instead. The flavor won’t be as bright, but it’ll still taste good.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making a quiche is dealing with excess moisture from the vegetables – to avoid a soggy bottom crust, make sure to salt your shredded zucchini and let it drain in a colander for at least 15 minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible using a clean kitchen towel. Another common mistake is underbaking the crust – for best results, blind bake your crust with pie weights for 15-20 minutes before adding the filling, which ensures a crispy bottom that won’t get mushy from the egg mixture. When adding the tomatoes, place them cut-side up and press them gently into the filling (but not all the way to the bottom), as this prevents them from releasing too much liquid during baking. For the perfect texture, let your quiche rest for 10-15 minutes after baking – it will continue to set and be much easier to slice cleanly.

What to Serve With Zucchini Tomato Quiche?

This savory quiche makes a perfect brunch or light dinner, and there are lots of tasty ways to round out your meal. A simple mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette dressing is my go-to side dish – the fresh, crisp greens balance out the rich, creamy quiche perfectly. For breakfast or brunch, I like to add some fresh fruit on the side, like mixed berries or sliced melon. If you’re serving this for dinner, consider adding some roasted potatoes with herbs or a cup of chilled gazpacho soup for a complete summer meal.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This quiche tastes great cold or at room temperature, making it perfect for picnics or lunch boxes! Pop it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get better after a day as everything settles together nicely.

Freeze: Good news – quiche freezes really well! Let it cool completely, then wrap individual slices or the whole quiche tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just remember that the texture of the tomatoes might change a bit after freezing.

Reheat: To warm up your quiche, place it in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes if thawed, or 25-30 minutes if frozen. You can also microwave individual slices for 1-2 minutes, though the crust won’t be as crispy. Cover with foil while reheating to prevent the top from getting too brown.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	45-55 minutes
Total Time	65-85 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 800-900
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 30-40 g

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 batch all-butter pie dough (fitted to a 9-inch plate, frozen for 30 minutes)

For the filling:

• 1 tsp herbes de provence
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature for best emulsion)
• 1/2 lb zucchini (grated, about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup sliced shallots
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 10 fresh basil leaves (thinly sliced or chiffonaded)
• 10 cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (I use Colavita extra-virgin olive oil)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (packed, about 3 oz)

Step 1: Pre-bake the Pie Crust

• 1 batch all-butter pie dough, fitted to a 9 or 10-inch plate, frozen for 30 minutes minimum

Heat your oven to 350°F.

If you are using a homemade pie dough, ensure it is fitted to a 9 or 10-inch plate and frozen for at least 30 minutes beforehand.

Line the inside of the crust with heavy-duty aluminum foil and fill it to the top with pie weights such as sugar, dry rice, or dry beans (I like to use sugar because it browns nicely and can be reused in baking).

Bake the crust for 50 minutes.

After baking, remove the foil and pie weights, then set the crust aside to cool.

If you’re using a store-bought crust, simply defrost and follow the package’s instructions for pre-baking or skip to the next step if not required.