Pesto Quiche (original) (raw)

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Pesto Quiche with sundried tomatoes, you are my new travel buddy.

Pesto Quiche with Sundried Tomatoes and Parmesan. Beautiful and healthy too!

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.)

Pesto Quiche with Parmesan and Sundried Tomatoes

5 Star Review

“Tastes delicious. Made today for a post-thanksgiving brunch. Flavorful, not overwhelming. My family enjoyed.”

— Judy —

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.

Pesto Quiche with Sundried Tomatoes

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.)

Healthy Pesto Quiche

The Directions

Prepare the crust according to the recipe.
Roll the pastry dough out and press it into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim, tuck, and crimp the edges, as desired.
Blind bake the crust in a preheated oven until the bottom of the crust is lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, rehydrate the sundried tomatoes in a small bowl of boiling water until softened.
Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, Greek yogurt, pesto, salt, and pepper. Then, stir in the spinach, Parmesan, and sundried tomatoes.
Fill the prebaked crust with the egg mixture.
Bake until the quiche is puffed and the center is set but still a little jiggly. Remove, let cool, then slice. ENJOY!

Pesto Quiche with Sundried Tomatoes and Parmesan

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.

Make Ahead

Prepare the recipe as directed then freeze until ready to serve. To bake from frozen remove from the freezer and let stand for about 10 minutes to take some chill off of the pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, tenting as necessary to prevent overbrowning, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

Pesto Quiche with Sundried Tomatoes and Spinach

Pesto quiche, you would make some airline passengers very very happy. Pesto quiche instead of peanuts? Now that is my idea of an upgrade!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Spinach Cooked Before Being Added to Quiche?

Some recipes may require that you cook the spinach before adding it to your quiche. This recipe is not one of them, however. Simply toss the fresh spinach leave right into the custard base.

Can I Make Pesto Quiche with Egg Whites Only?

Great question. To be honest, I think that would negatively affect the texture of the custard, and I would worry about it setting properly. You might have better luck w/ an egg substitute such as Egg Beaters (follow the product guidelines for substituting). I’ve never tried it, but if you experiment, I’d love to hear how the quiche turns out (or try this Egg White Frittata).

Can I USe this Recipe to Make Individual Crustless Quiche Cups?

Love this idea! I have not used this recipe personally to make individual Egg Muffins but several readers have reported success doing so. Just make sure to grease your pan well before baking and watch them closely in the oven to ensure they do not overbake.

This healthy pesto quiche with sundried tomatoes, Parmesan, and spinach is a delightfully healthy quiche recipe perfect for a weekend brunch.

Email Me the Recipe!

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1 whole wheat pastry crust unbaked
4 large eggs
2 large egg whites
¾ cup milk
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup pesto
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
⅓ cup dried julienne sundried tomatoes (not oil-packed) roughly chopped

Prepare the pastry crust according to the recipe directions (note: the recipe will yield 2 crusts. Feel free to either half the recipe or freeze the second half for a later time).
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, then fit it into a 9-inch pie plate (not deep dish). Trim the crust so it overhangs the plate edge by about 1 inch all the way around, then tuck the edges under at the plate edge and crimp with your fingers or a fork.
Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals, then line the plate with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dry beans, uncooked rice, or pie weights, ensuring that the beans or weights are all the way up against the edges of the pan. Set on a rimmed baking sheet, then bake for 15 minutes. Remove the lining and weights. If the crust has puffed up in spots, gently press it back down with a fork. Bake, uncovered, for 8-10 additional minutes, until the bottom of the crust is lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
Meanwhile, place the sundried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate, then drain and pat dry.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, Greek yogurt, pesto, salt, and pepper. Then, stir in the spinach, Parmesan, and sundried tomatoes.
With the pie plate still on the baking sheet, carefully pour the filling into the prebaked crust.
Bake until the quiche is puffed and the center is set but still a little jiggly, 40 to 50 minutes. If the crust starts to brown too quickly as the quiche bakes, wrap the edges of the pan with foil to protect it. Let quiche cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
MAKE AHEAD: Prepare the recipe as directed then freeze until ready to serve. To bake from frozen remove from the freezer and let stand for about 10 minutes to take some chill off of the pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, tenting as necessary to prevent overbrowning, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.
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.

Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 14gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 132mgPotassium: 424mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1503IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 204mgIron: 2mg