Ham and Cheese Quiche
Treat your family or guests to an elegant brunch featuring my exceptional Ham and Cheese Quiche recipe. This savory dish, made with ham, cheddar cheese, and aromatic veggies, is a lovely menu choice for any time of day. Whether you’re entertaining or just enjoying a cozy meal at home, this quiche is sure to become a favorite.
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I remember when recipes like this Ham and Cheese Quiche started becoming really popular in the 1980s. It was during the days of big hair, big shoulder pads, and very high heels. And didn’t we love serving it to our friends for lunch? Oh, yes we did.
Well, fashions in clothing may change, but one thing is for sure – classic recipes like this one never, ever go out of style. I would say it’s still as popular today as it was with a glass of “white zin” back in the day.
Unfortunately for the guys, though, about the same time that quiche began gaining ground with the girls, a book emerged on the scene entitled “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche: A Guidebook to All That Is Truly Masculine.”
Real Men was a tongue-in-cheek satire of masculine stereotypes which no one took seriously, but that phrase “real men don’t eat quiche” has forever lent a feminine connotation to one of the most enjoyable and versatile recipes in any cook’s repertoire.
Quiche is essentially an unsweetened egg custard pie with savory fillings – cheese, veggies, and sometimes protein. There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of versions of quiche, and I suppose the most classic quiche recipe would be Quiche Lorraine which contains bacon and Swiss cheese.
I also have recipes for tomato quiche, crab quiche, shrimp quiche, broccoli quiche and more. However, this is my favorite version.
It’s just packed full of sharp cheddar cheese and ham and even BeeBop enjoys it – so long as I call it a “pie.” Wouldn’t want any of that fru-fru girl food on the plate, you know 😉.
❤️ Why We Love This Recipe
- This is a recipe based in classical cuisine but still enjoyable for modern palettes.
- Despite its elegant reputation, it’s quite easy to make without any special equipment.
- It can be made ahead and reheated when you’re ready to serve.
- It’s easily modified to suit your specific tastes.
🍳 Tools You’ll Use
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- Large mixing bowl.
- Small skillet.
- Rimmed baking sheet.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Knife and cutting board.
My Favorite Mixing Bowls
These Pyrex mixing bowls are always in use in my kitchen. The set includes 1-qt, 1.5-qt, and 2.5-qt sizes. It’s practical, useful, and budget-friendly.
🛒 About the Ingredients
- Sharp cheddar cheese – Personally, the sharper the cheddar the better for me! However, if you prefer mild cheddar please do use that.
- Onion and green bell pepper – These are the aromatic vegetables in the mixture and they add so much flavor! For the onions, use whatever you have on hand – yellow onions, green onions – they all work fine. If you’d prefer the peppers to be less prominent, you may substitute red bell pepper.
- Cubed cooked ham – This is an ideal way to use leftover ham. If leftovers aren’t available, purchased diced ham is just as nice.
- Deep-dish pie shell – I typically use Pillsbury’s frozen pie shells for convenience sake. Refrigerated pie crusts are just as delicious and if you have a favorite homemade pie crust recipe, feel free to use it.
- Eggs – Can’t have quiche without eggs! I almost always purchase Eggland’s Best. They taste closest to farm fresh to me.
- Milk – I do recommend you use whole milk. The tiny amount of additional fat makes a better base for this recipe.
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
🔪 How to Make Ham and Cheese Quiche
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Have a 9-inch deep dish pie shell ready (thaw if necessary).
- Mix the shredded cheddar cheese and flour in a large bowl. Toss gently so the flour coats the cheese. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a small skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper in the butter until the onion is wilted and translucent. Take care not to let the onion brown.
- Add the ham, along with the onion and bell pepper mixture to the bowl with the grated cheese. Stir gently but thoroughly.
- Spread the ham mixture in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Set the filled pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Combine the eggs, milk, parsley, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly. Pour the egg mixture over the ham and cheese mixture already in the pie shell.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set. Serves 6.
🔀 Recipe Variations
- For a more vegetable-focused quiche, replace the ham with additional vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms.
- Experiment with different types of cheese, such as Swiss, Gruyere, or Gouda.
- Make individual mini quiches in muffin tins, ramekins, custard cups, or creme brulee dishes. Be sure to adjust the baking time for the smaller dishes.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- For brunch, serve with mixed fruit salad, hot tea, coffee, and mimosas.
- For lunch, serve slices of quiche alongside a light salad with vinaigrette dressing.
- For dinner, offer a side of steamed or roasted vegetables.
- Pass a tray of bite-sized pieces for an elegant pre-dinner appetizer.
🍚 Storing Leftovers
Store cooled leftovers tightly wrapped in an airtight container for up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings briefly in the microwave.
To freeze, allow it cool completely. Wrap closely with plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to three months. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or in a low (200 degree) oven.
❓ Questions About Ham and Cheese Quiche
Yes, you can! To make a crustless quiche, simply omit the pie crust and pour the mixture into a well-greased pie dish. Bake as directed.
If you’ve had problems with soggy pie crusts, you might try a couple of tricks. Some cooks lightly pre-bake the pie crust for just a few minutes before adding the filling. This gives the pastry a head start on “setting up” and keeps it from becoming soggy. Another trick is to sprinkle a small amount of breadcrumbs (one or two tablespoons at most) on the bottom of the crust before adding the filling.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Country Eggs Benedict
- Creamed Mushrooms with Poached Eggs
- Cinnamon Brown Sugar Waffles
- Ham and Cheese Strata
More Questions? I’m happy to help!
If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
📖 Recipe
Ham and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 ½ cups cubed cooked ham
- 1 deep-dish pie shell unbaked
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp. dried
- ¾ teaspoon seasoned salt recommend Lawry’s
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Have a 9-inch deep dish pie shell ready (thaw if necessary).
- Mix the grated cheese and flour in a large bowl. Toss gently so the flour coats the cheese. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a small skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper in the butter until the onion is wilted and translucent. Take care not to let the onion brown.
- Add the ham, along with the onion and bell pepper mixture to the bowl with the grated cheese. Stir gently but thoroughly. Spread mixture in bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Set the filled pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and pour over the ham-cheese mixture in the pie shell.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set.
Notes
- Store cooled leftovers tightly wrapped for up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings briefly in the microwave.
- To freeze, wrap closely with plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on March 6, 2012. It has been updated with additional information.
Perfect!! Made as listed and wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for sharing 😋
You’re welcome!
This was so easy and really delicious. The only change that I made was to use 3 eggs instead of two; which worked well. I will definitely make this again!
Stupid question here. I have a frozen pie shell in the freezer. Can I use that? From frozen or thawed?
Yes, you can definitely use a frozen pie shell. Thaw it first.
Can I make this the night before?
Traci – I haven’t made in advance before but I think it should work. I do know that when serving it leftover, the crust can get soggy.
Never mind the earlier post. The oven temp somehow was lowered without my knowing it. Sorry!
Baking this right now. Smells good, but it’s not setting up ….
Looks great. Making this quiche now, but could not find the temperature of the oven. Have put it in at 400 degrees based on a few other quiche recipes I found, but would like to make sure what you recommend for future attempts. 35-40 minutes at what oven temperature?
Thanks so much for letting me know about the oversight, Wendy! I actually bake this at 375 and I’ve updated the recipe instructions.
I love quiche! My guys have taken to calling it “Man Pie” since men don’t eat quiche! Yours looks fantastic.
You recipe is such a fabulous flavorful version of a classic!
The epic fight in our house at brunch is always frittata vs. quiche. Frittata generally wins because we never have a pie crust on hand and we’re not ambitious enough to make home made crust early in the morning.
This seems like it’d be better as a quiche though, for some reason, so guess we’ll be getting some pie crust on our next grocery trip!
Lana, this quiche looks so delicious, hearty and full of flavor. What a lovely job you did on it! Your photography is so bright and cheerful, too. Thanks for sharing your talents!
Okay, I just have to say this. If you really want to be reminded of big hair, look at the family photo from the wedding of you and Bee Bop. Not your hair, but mine and youngest sister. We had super gigantic Texas hair, and shoulder pads that could be used to land a small airplane in distress.
Quiche looks good. And for the record, South Georgia Uncle J likes it too.
Miss P
I know! I don’t think I ever got my hair quite as big as y’all did. Jealous :-)
I should find a reason to post that photo here sometime – what a hoot!
omg looks fabulously divine!
Actually, real Frenchmen do eat quiche :-) And thank heavens that the shoulder pads and big hair went out, disappeared but the quiche didn’t. And to tell you the truth, I’ve been meaning to make quiche for the last 2 weeks. Now I want yours! It is perfect!
Of course they do, Jamie! Real men everywhere eat quiche. That was such an unfortunate choice of title for a book.
Actually, I quite enjoyed the big hair. The shoulder pads – not so much.
I am such a child of the 80s and I do remember how popular quiche became. And I love it still. Especially with ham and cheese.
You forgot the big earrings that got tangled in the big hair and ice in the white zin. This quiche is a beauty for any decade.
Oh gosh, yes, Cathy! Huge, heavy earrings they were. Gives me a headache just thinking about them now. And the ice in the white zin – what were we thinking!
My first quiche experience came about when I had first moved to North Carolina as a young married woman. We moved into an apartment complex and were blessed with some fabulous neighbors; next door was a couple just a few years older with a young girl and downstairs an older couple that became something of surrogate parents to all of us. We all loved getting together for meals that all of us contributed to. Alma had been cooking a long time (I guess like us now right?) and she brought Quiche Lorraine to one of our dinner parties and I remember thinking at the time how elegant it was…how so very French!
I still have the brown and spotted recipe card in her handwriting all these many years later and though as you share with us, poor quiche has had a bit of bad publicity with men, I know ‘real’ men who love it!
I am still a fan of the bacon and Swiss version but I also love mixing it up…and yours looks splendid. I only wish I had some for breakfast. Right now!
Barbara – the thing I love most about your comment is that you still have the hand written recipe for your friend’s quiche. I have a box full of them collected throughout the years and I wouldn’t trade them for all the e-books in the world. One of the great pleasures of cooking is being able to share the recipes we love most with the people we care for.
And I know real men who love quiche, too. Happily married to one as a matter of fact :-)
Looks gorgeous Lana! I’m a quiche kinda gal, though I was more about the discos in the 80s than entertaining – unless it was on the dance floor LOL! What can I say? I did grow up in a beach town! ;)
Oh, I was there in the discos, too! The 80’s were so much fun, weren’t they?
That quiche looks splendid and every so tasty!
Cheers,
Rosa