Parmesan & Leek Quiche
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A variation on the classic French cheese quiche, this Parmesan and leek quiche is rich and flavorful.
When I was studying abroad in France, every day for lunch I would walk to the pastry shop near my university and treat myself to an individual quiche fromage — a delicious little habit that quickly cost me all my skinny jeans. Over 20 years later, it is still one of my favorite things to eat. This parmesan and leek quiche is a wonderful variation on the classic French cheese quiche; the leeks impart a mellow, almost sweet onion flavor while Parmesan cheese makes the custard filling extra flavorful.
What You’ll Need To Make Parmesan & Leek Quiche
I use a good-quality store-bought crust to save time but feel free to make your own if you prefer. The secret to success, whether you make the crust yourself or use pre-made, is to pre-bake it so it won’t be soggy.
For the cheese, it’s important to use authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for this recipe. You can always tell if it’s authentic by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”
Leeks are part of the onion family, but they have a milder flavor. They’re notoriously sandy and dirty (and very good at hiding it) so it’s important to wash them well. To clean them, cut off and discard the root ends and thick dark green parts, then cut the leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse each half under cold water, pulling apart the layers to remove any grit that’s tucked inside.
How To Make Parmesan & Leek Quiche
To begin, preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the pie shell from the freezer and thaw it until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork (10 to 20 minutes). Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork and bake on the center rack until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F.
While the crust bakes, melt the butter in small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Do not brown. Taste and adjust seasoning (they should be well-seasoned). Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, eggs, thyme, nutmeg, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Whisk well.
Spread the cooked leeks over the pre-baked pie shell, taking care not to puncture the crust. 
Pour the egg mixture over top.
Bake at 325°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the custard is set and puffed.
The quiche will deflate as it cools. Slice into wedges and serve hot or warm.
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Parmesan & Leek Quiche
A variation on the classic French cheese quiche, this Parmesan and leek quiche is rich and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen deep-dish 9-inch pie shell
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- 1 cup finely chopped leeks, white and light green parts only, from 1-2 leeks
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 1¼ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the pie shell from the freezer and thaw it until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork (10 to 20 minutes). Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork and bake on the center rack until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Don't worry if the crust cracks while baking; see note below on how to fix it. Turn the oven down to 325°F.
- Melt the butter in small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Do not brown. Taste and adjust seasoning (they should be well-seasoned). Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, thyme, nutmeg, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
- Spread the cooked leeks over the pre-baked pie shell, taking care not to puncture the crust (it may be fragile around rim, or where there are air bubbles). Pour the egg mixture over top. Bake at 325°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the custard is set and puffed. The quiche will deflate as it cools. Slice into wedges and serve hot or warm.
- Notes: Be sure to clean the leeks well, especially between leaves where there can be a lot of grit.
- Note: Don't panic if your crust cracks -- you can easily fix it. Make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This quiche can be made up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to serving and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 551
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated fat: 24 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Sodium: 553 mg
- Cholesterol: 229 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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made this once using Romano cheese since it was what I had on hand. It was really good but a little salty. Today I made it with the Parmesan and it was totally different, also really good. I made two and cooked it 55 minutes, it jiggled a bit too much, turned off the oven and put them back in for 5 minutes. Great recipe, soft buttery egg custard with creamy leeks and so easy to put together. I’ll freeze one and plan on making two each time I make it again, which will be on a regular rotation. Calories be damned!
Hi Jenn,
If I were to prepare this quiche ahead of time how long will keep in the fridge for? I want to make it today and eat it tomorrow and possibly have leftovers the next day.
Thanks!
Hi Catherine, It will last for a few days in the fridge so what you’re planning is fine. Enjoy!
This is the simplist and most delicious quiche recipe. I’ve been making this recipe repeatedly for 8 years and every time I make it, people ask me to make it again and/or ask for the recipe. It’s become a staple in our family. I serve it with fruit and a salad dressed in olive oil, lemon, and salt.
This was very tasty. I substituted half & half for the heavy cream because I don’t want to eat so many calories, and it came out well.
It was easy to make and my husband loved it too.
Thank you for the recipe
I made this quiche as part of a brunch menu. Everyone loved it. Only thing I did differently was to use half gruyere cheese with the parmesan. This is my go-to quiche recipe. Thank you Jennifer!
I’m trying to cut calories and wondered if I could substitute the heavy cream for milk but am afraid it will be too runny. If I did this and added a bit of flour (or an additional egg?) to thicken the milk, would that work? What do you suggest? Thx
Hi Suzy, I really recommend using the cream here but a few readers have commented that they’ve used milk successfully. (I don’t think you need to add flour or an extra egg.) Please LMK how it turns out!
Do you have a formula for scaling down quiche filling for a regular crust? I haven’t found a frozen deep dish crust, and don’t always have time to make my own. Thanks!
Hi Ilana, I wouldn’t make any modifications to the recipe; you may just have a little of the egg mixture left over. Hope you enjoy the quiche!
For my taste buds, Marie Calendar’s frozen pie crust is the best I’ve ever used.
Agree! Unfortunately it’s not sold where I live anymore 😔
I double the recipe and it makes 3 quiches with regular pie crusts. I freeze the other two (they taste great once thawed).
Outstanding! So creamy , so sublime ….wonderful flavor!
Simple and elegant ..
Can I use this recipe for 4” quiche tarts?
Sure, Doreen, that should work. Bake time will obviously be different so keep a close eye on them. Please LMK how they turn out!
This quiche is sublime! So creamy, simple, and elegant. I’m sure that using a good quality, authentic Parmesan is key to getting the rich flavor along with subtle flavors of thyme and the leeks. It’s so rewarding to get such a great finished product, after trying other average tasting recipes ( from others). I made this a day before leaving for a lonnnnng awaited visit with family 6 1/2 hrs away. The quiches (I made the spinach one, too ( excellent, as well) were packed into my cooler and weren’t eaten until the following day for lunch. I can’t imagine them tasting better even if they had been eaten the same day as baking! Now that I know that pics can be posted on Instagram account I’ll definitely share after my next adventure!
Hi Jenn,
I have made this delicious quiche more than once. However, this time, the pre-made crust stuck to the pie pan. The only reason I can think of is that I did not cool the leeks before I added them to the pan. I also used a Pillsbury pre-made crust, which may have caused the problem. Can you think of any other reasons that the crust stuck to the pan? I am making the quiche again soon for some friends and don’t want to repeat my mistake.
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes and advice!
Hi Hannah, Sorry to hear you had a problem with the crust sticking this time around. Is it possible that a small amount of the filling leaked through a crack in the crust and into the pie pan?
Yes, Jenn, I think you are right. I had one other question with regard to the quiche. I could not find heavy cream, so used heavy whipping cream this time around. Are they one and the same? Thanks again for your fabulous recipes and advice!
Hopefully the mystery is solved. 🙂 Heavy cream haas slightly more fat than heavy whipping cream, but they are totally interchangeable.