Vegetables & Sides

Serving

Zucchini Quiche

Name: Zucchini Quiche
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Vegetables & Sides
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini; 1 onion, chopped; 2 Tbsp butter; 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese; 4 large eggs; 1/2 cup half-and-half; 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper

A crustless quiche packed with sauteed zucchini, onion, and two melty cheeses.

65 minutes

Serves 6

Lunch

23 min prep

36 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

6 steps

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch pie plate.
2
In a skillet over medium heat, saute the chopped onion in the butter until golden, about 5-7 minutes.
3
In a large bowl, combine the cheddar and Swiss cheeses with the grated zucchini and sauteed onion.
4
Add the eggs, half-and-half, flour, salt, and pepper, and mix well until evenly combined.
5
Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate (no crust needed).
6
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly golden. Serve warm with a salad for a light meal.

Zucchini Quiche — plated and served — Serving moment. How Zucchini Quiche looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

75/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 70

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 64

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 93

Pantry-friendly 54

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

180

Calories

9 g

Protein

5 g

Carbs

14 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Quiche traces to the Lorraine region of northeastern France, where a custard of eggs and cream baked in a pastry shell became a regional staple before spreading worldwide. A zucchini quiche is a summer-garden variation that swaps the classic bacon for tender ribbons of squash, a practical answer to the season's glut of zucchini. The dish sits comfortably between brunch centerpiece and light supper, equally at home warm or at room temperature.

Listahan note

This version pre-salts and drains the zucchini so the custard sets firm instead of weeping, and leans on a sharp cheese to keep a mild vegetable from tasting bland.

Technique cues

Salt the grated or sliced zucchini and squeeze out the water before it goes in; trapped moisture is the single biggest cause of a soggy, runny quiche.
Blind-bake the crust until pale gold before filling, which keeps the bottom crisp under the wet custard.
Pull the quiche while the center still has a slight jiggle, because the custard continues to set from residual heat and overbaking turns it grainy.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Salt and drain the zucchini and blind-bake the crust at the same time, so both are ready when you whisk the custard.
Make-ahead: Bake the whole quiche a day ahead and serve at room temperature, or reheat gently at 300F just before the meal.
Leftover move: Slice cold quiche into wedges for lunchboxes, or cube and crisp in a pan to top a green salad.
Cleanup rhythm: Soak the custard bowl and whisk in warm soapy water immediately, since dried egg is far harder to scrub off later.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

zucchini

vegetable filling

Purpose: Zucchini brings tender bulk and a mild sweetness that lets the custard and cheese shine.

Handling: Slice or grate, salt for fifteen minutes, then wring out hard in a towel.

Adaptation: Yellow summer squash or thinly sliced leeks work the same way.

eggs

custard base

Purpose: Eggs are the structure that sets the filling into a sliceable custard.

Handling: Whisk thoroughly with the dairy until uniform and slightly frothy.

Adaptation: A firm tofu and chickpea-flour blend can mimic the set for an egg-free version.

heavy cream

richness and tenderness

Purpose: Cream gives the custard its silky, luxurious texture that milk alone cannot match.

Handling: Combine with the eggs off the heat and season before pouring.

Adaptation: Half-and-half lightens it; full-fat coconut milk makes a dairy-free custard.

gruyere cheese

savory depth

Purpose: A nutty, sharp cheese keeps a mild zucchini quiche from tasting flat.

Handling: Grate it and scatter half in the crust, half on top for a browned cap.

Adaptation: Sharp cheddar, swiss, or a good melting vegan cheese all work.

pie crust

structural shell

Purpose: The pastry holds the custard and provides the contrasting crisp bite.

Handling: Blind-bake with weights until set and lightly colored before filling.

Adaptation: A crustless version baked in a buttered dish makes it gluten-free.

Technique notes

Saute the drained zucchini briefly before it goes in; cooking off the last of its moisture deepens the flavor and protects the custard.
Set the quiche pan on a preheated baking sheet to give the bottom crust a head start and prevent a pale, doughy base.
Let it rest at least fifteen minutes after baking so the custard firms up and slices cleanly instead of sliding apart.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: Bake it crustless in a greased dish or use a gluten-free pastry shell.
Dairy-free option: Use full-fat coconut milk and a dairy-free melting cheese in place of cream and gruyere.
Lower-fat direction: Swap half the cream for whole milk and use a lighter hand with the cheese.

Serve alongside

Frisee salad with mustard vinaigrette
Roasted cherry tomatoes
Crusty baguette with butter
Marinated white bean salad
A dry sparkling wine
Fresh-pressed orange juice
An herbal iced tea

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate covered for up to four days and serve cold or gently reheated.
Reheat slices at 300F for ten minutes to re-crisp the crust rather than microwaving, which softens it.
Freeze fully baked and cooled slices wrapped tightly for up to two months, then thaw overnight and reheat in the oven.

Equipment

A nine-inch tart or pie pan
Pie weights or dried beans for blind-baking
A clean kitchen towel for wringing zucchini
A whisk and mixing bowl

Make this household-aware

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