Easy Cheddar Broccoli Tart
Made with just 7 simple ingredients, this Cheddar Broccoli Tart is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. This breakfast quiche comes together easily in under an hour and can be endlessly customized to suit your preferences.
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Whether you call it a Broccoli Cheddar Tart or a Broccoli Cheddar Quiche, this easy dish is perfect for any meal of the day. Quiche is often served at breakfast, due to the eggs, and this is perfect for that. But, it’s also perfect for a mid-day brunch accompanied by a mimosa or for an easy and simple weeknight dinner.
This broccoli tart is made with a light, flaky pastry crust and egg custard filling. Every bite is filled with broccoli florets and cheddar cheese, a combo made in heaven. It’s filling and cheesy, without being too heavy. Enjoy it on its own, as part of a brunch buffet, or with a side like fruit salad or hashbrowns.
Is This Tart The Same Thing As A Quiche?
Basically, yes. The technical differences between tarts and quiche, in general, are few – namely, quiche is typically much thicker than a tart and a tart can be both sweet or savoury while quiche is always savoury.
In the case of this recipe, broccoli cheddar tart is synonymous with broccoli cheddar quiche.
The Origin of Quiche
Quiche actually has quite an interesting history. Despite the common belief that quiche is a French invention, it actually originated in Lothringen, Germany. (The town was later settled by the French, which is why it’s often considered a French food.) The name quiche comes from the German word ‘kuchen’, meaning “cake”, and the original version was made with the traditional egg and cream custard plus some smoked bacon.
Quiche was especially popular during the Second World War in England and gained popularity in the US in the 1950s. As it has become more popular, more varieties were enjoyed, eventually landing on popular flavours like this broccoli cheddar tart.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pastry shell – Both fresh and frozen pastry shells can be used. I like to make my own using my Grandma’s pastry recipe.
- Eggs – Eggs are the main ingredient in a quiche or tart filling.
- Half and half cream – You can also use whole or 2% milk, though the eggs won’t be as creamy.
- Garlic – Minced garlic adds flavor to the simple filling ingredients.
- Salt & pepper
- Broccoli – Cut the broccoli into small florets and blanch first.
- Cheddar cheese – Shredding your own cheddar is the best option, if you can. You can also substitute similar cheeses like Gouda, Fontina, Oka, Feta and make it your own.
What’s the best cheese for quiche?
Pretty much any cheese can be used in a quiche. For this recipe, I chose cheddar cheese as it pairs well with broccoli. However, you could use other types of cheese like gruyere, feta, Swiss, or even goat cheese.
The most important thing is to shred the cheese yourself if you can. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that prevents it from melting as nicely and can also dull the flavour.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Tart
The first time to do is par-bake the tart crust. Preheat the oven to 400° F and then bake the crust for 15 minutes. You’ll want to fill the bottom with pastry beads, or beans to keep the pastry from shrinking too much. This step keeps the bottom weighed down so it won’t puff up and take away from the height on the sides of the tart pan.
Remove from the oven and set aside (and remove any pastry beads or rice, if you used).
Reduce the oven heat to 375°F.
Make the tart filling by whisking together all of the ingredients except for the cheese and broccoli. Once the other ingredients are combined well, add ¾ of the cheddar cheese and the broccoli florets. Stir to combine.
Transfer the wet ingredients into the parbaked pastry shell. Spread the mixture evenly within the boundaries of the tart crust. Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes. The centre of the tart should be set and no longer wobbly. Remove the broccoli cheddar quiche from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Veggie Quiche Variations
There are so many ways to customize this vegetarian quiche. Here are a few ideas:
- Add in other veggies, like bell peppers, onions, or spinach
- Add in some sauteed mushrooms
- Switch up the cheese. Any soft or shredded cheese works in quiche!
- Add your favorite seasonings. You can stir in dried herbs, fresh herbs, or even add a splash of hot sauce to adjust the flavour of the dish.
What to Serve with Vegetarian Quiche
This quiche, whether you serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, can be served as the main course with a cup of coffee or tea, or with a side dish or two.
Here are a few potential side dishes:
- Tomato soup
- Side salad
- Fruit salad
- Scones
- Muffins
- Breakfast potatoes
- Mimosas
Can I Make Individual Quiches?
Yes, you can adapt this recipe to make smaller, individual quiches or even mini quiches in a muffin tin. You’ll just need to divide the filling equally between each one and adjust the baking time. Both the par-baking and cooking time will need to be reduced to ensure they don’t burn.
Can Quiche Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze both baked and unbaked quiche.
To freeze a fully cooked quiche, simply remove it from the pan, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap then wrap it in foil. Place in the fridge for up to 3 months. You can bake it directly from frozen, which usually takes around 25 minutes.
To freeze a quiche before baking, par-bake the crust as usual. Then flash freeze on a baking sheet until it solidifies. Remove from the pan, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 15 minutes or so to the bake time.
How to Store & Reheat Leftover Quiche
Leftover breakfast quiche will last in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Cover tightly will foil or store in an airtight container.
You can either reheat the quiche in the oven, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes until heated through, or reheat individual slices in the microwave until hot.
More Breakfast Recipes:
- Cinnamon French Toast Pancakes
- Sausage & Pepper Breakfast Strata
- Easy Keto Egg Muffins
- Baked Frittata with Spinach Feta & Dill
Easy Cheddar Broccoli Tart
Ingredients
- 1 9" pie shell fresh or frozen
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup half and half cream
- ¼ tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ lb small broccoli florets blanched
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and par-bake the tart crust for 15 minutes. Fill the bottom of the crust with pastry beads, dry rice or beans to keep the pastry from shrinking. Remove the partially baked crust from the oven and set it aside. Remove any beans or pasty beads if they were used.
- Reduce oven heat to 375°F.
- In a large bowl add the eggs, half and half cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined.
- Add 3/4 of the shredded cheddar cheese and blanched broccoli florets. Mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the parbaked pastry shell and carefully spread the broccoli evenly within the boundaries of the tart crust. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the centre of the tart is set and no longer wobbly. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Leftover breakfast quiche will last in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Cover tightly will foil or store in an airtight container. You can either reheat the quiche in the oven, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes until heated through, or reheat individual slices in the microwave until hot. Freeze in a tightly sealed container once baked for up to 3 months wrapped tightly. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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