This easy and delicious holiday ham & cheese quiche is the BEST way to use leftover holiday ham to make the perfect dish for breakfast or brunch.

 

 

This holiday ham & cheese quiche is super easy to make.

This recipe is made SUPER easy by using a premade pie crust. I use either a refrigerated pie crust or frozen pie crust. The refrigerated is the closest thing to scratch, and you simply place it into a pie pan. The frozen pie crust is the easiest by far. It includes the pie crust in a little aluminum foil pie pan. It isn’t fancy by any means, but it is delicious.

What is quiche?

Of French origin, Quiche is a savory custard tart or pie consisting of an egg custard filled with assorted cheeses, meats, and vegetables. The most well-known is quiche Lorraine. Quiche can be served hot or cold. It is popular worldwide and is usually served for breakfast. brunch or lunch. 

What dishes are similar to quiche?

A frittata is a cross between a quiche and an omelet and is usually made using eggs, cream, various meats, vegetables, and cheeses. A frittata is typically cooked in a skillet and does not have a crust. A breakfast casserole is common in the South and is somewhat similar to quiche in that it typically contains eggs, cheese, and meats. A breakfast casserole is baked in a casserole dish and does not have a crust.

What does quiche taste like?

A great quiche will be fluffy yet firm (not runny) and have a flaky (not soggy) crust. Quiches can taste like eggs, but some taste more cheesy and meaty than “eggy.”  I am not one who likes a pronounced egg flavor, so I opt for quiche that has strong cheeses and meats.  This spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche is rich, smoky, and cheesy, and not at all overtly “eggy.” 

What do you serve with quiche?

Quiche is often served with fresh fruit or salad. We eat this spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche every year for Christmas breakfast. I serve it with cinnamon or orange rolls, fresh fruit, and coffee. I’ve also served it with my Strawberry Nut Bread, another family favorite, and it is a fabulous combination as well. 

Use holiday ham leftovers to make this quiche.

This is one of the easiest quiche recipes ever and one of the best ways to use leftover holiday ham. Who doesn’t have leftover ham at Thanksgiving and Christmas lol?  If you don’t plan on having a large ham that will provide leftovers, you can buy pre-diced packages of ham at most grocery stores.

Use your favorite cheese in this quiche recipe.

This quiche is easy to substitute cheeses for your preference or what you have on hand. I love Gruyere and typically use it in this recipe. Gruyere is typically found in the gourmet cheese deli case (rather than the cheese case near the eggs). Gruyere is similar to Swiss and goes very well with ham. Parmesan and Gruyere and Swiss all go well together. Cheddar cheese also works well in this dish.

How to make ham and cheese quiche.

• Pre-bake the pie crust: Bake the pie crust for 8 minutes before adding the filling
• Add ingredients. Sprinkle ham and cheese over the crust. 
• Whisk egg mixture: With a wire whisk, mix together eggs, half-and-half, and seasonings. 
• Bake: Place the pie on a baking sheet, and bake until done.

How to make quiche ahead of time.

• Quiche made to the point of baking quiche can be stored covered up to a day ahead and baked the next morning.
• Quiche can be baked until just set~not overcooked~ and frozen for up to two months.
• Let frozen quiche thaw in the fridge a day or two ahead. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 350 degrees until heated through.
• Baked quiche will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
• Baked and unbaked quiche can be frozen for up to 2 months.
• Let cooked quiche cool completely before wrapping and freezing.
• The quiche filling may be frozen separately from the crust and thawed/ assembled before baking.
• Quiches made with buttermilk and half and half freeze better than those made with heavy cream (which can separate).

 

More recipes you might enjoy.

• I serve this spinach & bacon buttermilk quiche every Christmas day. I make it a day or two before Christmas, refrigerate it, and bake it Christmas morning.
• For a healthy make-ahead breakfast, try these turkey sausage breakfast cups.