This smoked salmon quiche is easy to make with just 7 ingredients. It’s a brunch, light lunch, or dinner recipe that feels fancy for a crowd but is surprisingly simple to make. A creamy egg filling is studded with smoked salmon, fresh asparagus, dill, and plenty of cheddar, it’s sure to be a show-stopper.
Back in my college days, I worked for our college cafeteria. One night, I was called to serve at an alumni event, and cute little quiches were served. That was my first introduction to quiche, and I was immediately smitten.
I was shocked to learn how easy it can be to make. I’ve been making this salmon quiche for years, and I promise it’s simple enough for even the beginner cook.
What I love about quiche is that it’s so versatile. Once you have your egg and cream base, you can add any of your favorite meats and veggies. This ham and cheese quiche is my kids’ favorite, while this quiche recipe with salmon is by far my favorite!
“Healthy and easy to make.” 🙂 -Elisa
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The secret to a creamy egg custard filling is the ratio of eggs to cream. Our recipe makes for the perfect texture to mellow the intense smoked salmon flavors without muting them.
- Use store-bought pie crust for ease. However, a flaky homemade all-butter pie crust makes every bite even more delicious with amazing texture.
- A great make-ahead breakfast, lunch, brunch, or dinner for any occasion. Salmon quiche stores well in the fridge and freezer too.
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Pin ItWhat is quiche?
Quiche is a savory egg pie that originated in France. It has a rich custard filling usually made with milk or cream, cheese, vegetables, and various types of breakfast meat.
It’s a versatile dish with endless ways to customize the ingredients!
Don’t over-bake the quiche
Not over-baking the quiche is essential to that creamy filling texture. When the bake time is complete, carefully wiggle the pan in the oven. If the filling still jiggles slightly, it’s perfect. The quiche will continue to set as it cools.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Cheddar cheese – Freshly grated cheddar cheese is ideal for this quiche. If needed, you can substitute gouda or even mozzarella.
- Pie crust – I strongly recommend a homemade pie crust. My all-butter pie crust is my go-to. However, you can use your favorite recipe or a store-bought pie crust if necessary.
- Asparagus – If you don’t like or don’t have asparagus, you can substitute broccoli. Of course, you can always omit the greens altogether. However, I highly recommend including veggies for a pop of color and nutrition. This article covers everything you need to know about cooking asparagus.
- Large eggs – We’re only using 2 eggs for this quiche because we’re using a shallow tart pan. Double the egg and cream amounts for a fuller quiche if you’re using regular pie pan.
- Heavy cream – For rich flavors, I recommend heavy cream or at least half-and-half. Using just milk will produce a slightly runnier texture.
- Dill – Fresh dill is best for this recipe, but dried will also work. Learn everything you need to know about dill in my dill 101 post!
- Smoked salmon – I recommend using hot smoked salmon over cold smoked salmon for salmon quiche. It flakes more easily than cold smoked salmon. However, if cold smoked salmon is all you can find, it can be used, too. Just make sure to cut it into smaller pieces. Keep reading to learn more about cold vs hot smoked salmon.
Types of smoked salmon
There are 2 types of smoked salmon: cold-smoked and hot-smoked. For my smoked salmon quiche, I recommend hot-smoked salmon over cold-smoked.
- Hot-smoked salmon is the one pictured above, and it flakes nicely.
- Cold-smoked salmon is delicious and can be used as well, but since it doesn’t really flake, cut it into smaller pieces.
How to make smoked salmon quiche
For a deliciously rich and creamy texture, I followed Julia Child’s recommended egg-to-cream ratio for quiche custard. She recommends adding 1 egg in a measuring cup plus cream to the ½ cup level; or using 2 eggs and adding cream to the 1 cup level, etc.
1. Make the pie crust
- Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes. Then, remove the foil and weights, and continue to bake just until the surface is lightly brown.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Unroll the pie crust onto a floured surface, and use a rolling pin to shape it into a 10-inch circle.
- Place the dough in a 9-inch tart pan, cut the excess dough from the edges, and pierce it all over with a fork.
- Place aluminum foil over the pie crust, and pour pie weights into the center. I use raw beans or rice in place of pie weights, and it works just fine!
Blind Baking a Crust
This method for cooking the crust with foil and pie weights prior to adding the filling is called blind baking. It helps to keep the crust on the bottom flaky and dry after the filling is baked.
2. Prepare the filling
- Wash the asparagus, and trim 1-2 inches from the ends.
- Blanch the veggies in boiling water for 3 minutes. Then, immediately transfer the spears to a bowl of ice water. Once cool, cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces.
- Flake the smoked salmon with a fork.
- Whisk the wet ingredients and seasonings (eggs, heavy cream, dill, salt, and pepper) in a medium bowl until smooth.
3. Assemble the quiche
- Sprinkle the flaked salmon, asparagus, and cheese evenly in the bottom of the prepared pie crust.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the filling.
- Bake uncovered just until set, about 35-40 minutes.
- Rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Prevent burning
Cover the crust with aluminum foil or a pie shield if it becomes too brown while baking. Then, return the quiche to the oven, and continue baking until it’s cooked through.
Expert Tips
- Bake your salmon quiche on a baking sheet for an easier transfer in and out of the oven.
- Make a thicker quiche by doubling the custard mixture, and baking it in a regular pie dish. Just be sure to add extra baking time to allow the filling to set.
- Don’t forget to pierce with the prongs of a fork the pie crust before baking! This allows steam to release as it bakes, preventing it from bubbling up and becoming lumpy as it cooks.
- Use freshly grated cheese for the best taste and texture. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as nicely.
- Add your favorite vegetables and meats. Quiche is the perfect way to use up any leftover vegetables and proteins from the week in the fridge.
Storage
To refrigerate leftovers, make sure the quiche is room temperature, then cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, cover the quiche with aluminum foil, and warm it in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350°F.
Salmon quiche freezes beautifully as well. Freeze fully the baked quiche for up to 3 months, and thaw it in the fridge to serve. It’s the perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch!
Make Ahead
Prepare the pie crust up to 3 days ahead of time, and store it covered in the fridge. Then, just add the filling, bake, and serve!
FAQs:
Quiche recipes are a type of custard pie that consist of a custard filling baked in a pie crust. However, custard is also sometimes served on its own as a creamy egg and cream or milk-based dessert.
While both are baked egg dishes, a quiche always has a crust, and a frittata is always crustless like an omelet. Frittatas always start on the stovetop and are transferred to the oven to finish baking whereas quiches bake almost completely in the oven.
In addition, quiche recipes contain a larger egg-to-cream or milk ratio, which is what creates the incredible custard-like texture. Meanwhile, frittatas contain more eggs, which makes them thick and dense.
The most common reason for a quiche to turn out soggy is underbaking. Keep an eye on the oven, and allow the dish to bake until the center is completely set!
More Delicious Egg Recipes
Smoked Salmon Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust Note 1
- 4 oz (120 g) asparagus Note 2
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half Note 3
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 oz (115 g) hot-smoked salmon Note 4
- 1/3 cup (40 g) grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
To prepare the pie curst
- Roll the chilled pie dough into a 10-inch circle on a floured surface.
- Place the dough on a 9-inch tart pan, cut the excess dough, and pierce with a fork everywhere.
- Place aluminum foil over the pie crust and pour pie weight (I use raw beans or rice instead of pie weight.)
- Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil with beans and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the surface is slightly brown.
To prepare the filling
- Meanwhile, wash the asparagus and cut 1-2 inches off the end.
- Blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes, then immediately transfer them into a bowl of ice water.
- Cut into 2-inch pieces.
- Flake the smoked salmon with a fork.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, dill, salt and pepper until smooth.
To assemble the quiche
- Sprinkle flaked salmon, asparagus, and cheese evenly on the bottom of the pie crust.
- Pour the egg mixture over the filling.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until just set. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
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Tips & Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on March 21st, 2014.
When I made this quiche it leaked all over the counter so I threw out the crust and just baked it in a pan. What do you call a quiche without a crust?
Healthy and easy to make🙂
Yay, so happy you liked it, Elisa. Thank you for your feedback!
I made this for Sunday Brunch early in the COVID-19 Shutdown so I used what I had in the freezer/pantry and it was amazing! The substitutions I made was using vacuum-sealed package of cold (wet) smoked salmon and a frozen pie shell. I dabbed the salmon lightly with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and thawed and rolled the frozen pie shell to fit the tart pan. I thought the egg-to-cream ratio was perfect. The only issue was that some of the egg custard seeped out of the tart pan at the removable bottom. Thank you for a deliciously decadent Sunday Brunch Quiche recipe. This will be in the repertoire for a long time to come.