Quiche is a brunch superstar, loved for its versatility and savory, custardy goodness. But have you ever tried making quiche with a hash brown crust? It's a game-changer, and we'll walk youthrough all the steps to make this recipe a success!
I first shared this Quiche with a Hash brown recipe back in 2015, and it received a ton of comments with lots of feedback. Since then, I've gone back to the drawing board and rewritten the recipe and instructions to make them easier to follow. My hope is that these revisions address any concerns that any of you had and making sure this recipe comes out perfectly.
So, let's get straight to it, shall we?
TIMING:
Making quiche with a hash brown crust does involve several steps, but it's not excessively time-consuming.
Here's a breakdown of the time involved:
- Preparation: Preparing the crust and the filling typically takes about 15-20 minutes. This includes thawing the hash browns, mixing ingredients and sautéing the vegetables.
- Baking: The hash brown crust needs to bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes before adding the filling. The quiche then bakes for an additional 35-40 minutes. So, the total baking time is around 55-65 minutes.
- Cooling: After baking, the quiche should cool for a few minutes before serving. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes.
In total, you can expect to spend approximately 90 minutes from start to finish, including preparation, baking, and cooling. While it's not an extremely quick dish, it's also not overly time-consuming, making it a feasible option for a leisurely brunch or special occasion. Plus, the delicious results are well worth the effort!
Can It Be Made in Advance?
Yes, which makes it a convenient option for hosting brunches or preparing meals ahead of time,
- Prepare and Bake: Follow the recipe instructions up to the point where you've baked the quiche, and it's fully cooked. Allow it to cool slightly.
- Cool and Refrigerate: Once the quiche has cooled to room temperature, cover it securely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Ensure it's tightly sealed to prevent moisture from getting in. Refrigerate it. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Reheat: When you're ready to serve, preheat your oven to around 350°F (175°C). Place the quiche in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until it's heated through. You can also reheat individual slices in the microwave if you prefer a quicker option.
- Alternatively, the hashbrown crust can be made in advance by prebaking it for 20-25 min. Allow it to cool completely. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent moisture from getting in. You can store the crust in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Continue with the recipe as written when ready.
Some Pitfalls:
- Sogginess: Frozen hash browns can release moisture as they thaw and cook. To prevent this, it's essential to squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the thawed hash browns before forming the crust.
- Fragility: Hash brown crusts can be more fragile than traditional pastry crusts. Take care when pressing the hash browns into the pan to avoid creating holes or cracks.
- Seasoning: Hash browns can be relatively plain on their own. Ensure you season the hash brown crust adequately with salt, pepper, and any desired herbs or spices to enhance its flavor.
- Browning: Achieving even browning on the hash brown crust can be a challenge. During baking, rotate the pan if necessary to ensure even browning.
- Sticking: Using a non-stick pan, spraying it with Pam, lining it with parchment paper and greasing again will (hopefully) ensure a smooth release from the spring form pan.
Leaking was also a concern:
- Grease the Pan Thoroughly: Greasing helps create a barrier between the hash browns and the pan, reducing the risk of sticking and leaking.
- Use Parchment Paper: Placing a round piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan and up the sides before pressing in the hash brown mixture can further prevent sticking and leakage. Make sure it's large enough to cover the entire bottom of the pan.
- Compact the Hash Browns: When pressing the hash brown mixture into the pan to form the crust, make sure to compact it tightly and evenly. Pay extra attention to the edges to create a seal against potential leaks.
- Bake on a Baking Sheet: To catch any potential spills or leaks, place the springform pan or pie dish on a larger baking sheet or tray. This will prevent any mess in your oven and make cleanup easier.
- Monitor the Crust: While baking the hash brown crust before adding the filling, keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't become too brown or develop cracks that could lead to leaks. If you notice any cracks forming, you can gently press them back together with a spatula.
How To Make a Quiche with a Hash brown Crust:
The full instructions are in the recipe card below, so I won't bore you. I just wanted to give you some idea on what the recipe entails:
- Prepare the Hash Brown Crust: Mix the hash browns with the butter, salt, and pepper. Press the mixture into a greased pan and bake until it's crispy and golden brown.
- Create the Filling: Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Layer shredded cheese, sautéed veggies and cooked bacon or ham (optional) on top of the baked crust.
- Pour the Egg Mixture: Pour the egg and milk mixture on top.
- Bake: Bake until it's set and golden brown on top.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the quiche to cool for a few minutes before serving. Slice and enjoy!
Other Options:
I created this recipe based on my love of spinach, sauteed veggies and all things cheese. However, there are so many variations you can try:
- Classic Quiche Lorraine: A timeless favorite made with bacon and Swiss or Gruyère cheese.
- Vegetarian Delight: Load it up with sautéed spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and your choice of cheese.
- Mediterranean Twist: Incorporate ingredients like feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and fresh basil.
- Tex-Mex Flair: Create a Tex-Mex quiche by using ingredients like diced green chilies, jalapeños and cheddar cheese.
- Garden Quiche: Feature fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or rosemary, along with a mix of cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and mozzarella cheese.
- Ham and Cheese: A classic combination of diced ham and your favorite cheese, like cheddar or Swiss.
- Quiche Florentine: Highlight spinach and feta cheese for a Greek-inspired quiche.
- Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper: Creamy goat cheese pairs beautifully with roasted red peppers and a touch of fresh basil.
- Caramelized Onion and Brie: Sweet caramelized onions combined with rich, creamy Brie cheese create an indulgent filling.
Feel free to mix and match ingredients to create your own signature quiche. I'd love to hear if you've tried this for the first or tenth time below!
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SPINACH AND GRUYERE CHEESE QUICHE WITH HASH BROWN CRUST
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Spinach and Gruyere Cheese Quiche with a Hash Brown Crust
Description
This exquisite quiche is for those who appreciate the savory combination of a quiche filling with the crispy goodness of a hash brown crust.
Ingredients
For the Hash Brown Crust:
- 3 Cups Frozen Hash browns, thawed and excess moisture squeezed out
- 3 Tbsp. Melted Butter
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
For the Quiche Filling:
- 3-4 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled ( or diced ham)
- 6 Large Eggs
- ½ Cup Whole Milk
- 1 ½ Cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ Cup Diced Bell peppers (both red and green)
- ¼ Cup Diced Onion
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Pkg. (about 6 ounces) Baby Spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Prepare the Hash Brown Crust:
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan or pie dish. Line it with parchment paper cut to size, including the sides. Grease it again, lightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the thawed hash browns, melted butter, egg, salt, and pepper.
- Press the hash brown mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan to form a crust.
- Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it becomes golden brown and slightly crispy.
3. Prepare the Quiche Filling:
- Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if desired in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a skillet, sauté the diced bell peppers, onion, and minced garlic until they soften, about 6-8 minutes. Add the baby spinach and cook until it wilts, then remove from heat.
- Remove the quiche from the oven. Sprinkle half of the shredded Gruyere cheese evenly over the baked hash brown crust.
- Add the crumbled bacon (or ham) evenly over the cheese. Add the sauteed peppers and onions.
- Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and bacon.
- Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere cheese on top.
4. Bake the Quiche:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the springform pan on a baking sheet (to catch any potential spills) and bake the quiche for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden brown. You can check for doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center – it should come out clean.
5. Cool and Serve:
- Allow the quiche to cool before removing it from the pan.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or chives, sour cream, salsa, avocado slices, crumbled feta if desired.
I saved this recipe a few years ago, and finally made it last weekend. I omitted the peppers, used one whole sweet onion, caramelized, and about a dozen Cremini mushrooms, caramelized. As someone suggested, I added some nutmeg. I was really worried about the reports of the egg leaking out the bottom of the springform pan, but tried it anyway. Oh, boy, did it ever leak!! Thankfully, I had it on a sheet pan, but as fast as I could suck the egg up with my turkey baster and squirt it back into the pan it leaked out again. I had 8 people coming for brunch....so rather than fighting a losing battle, I cracked 8 eggs, added some half and half, and some shredded Gruyere, then put this into a skillet and cooked them over low heat until the mixture began to thicken slightly and was no longer "liquid". I then poured this over the "solids" remaining in my springform pan, and continued to bake it until the eggs on top set. It actually ended up making making a delicious and quite lovely layered quiche. My guests said they would never have known it wasn't the way it was intended to be! I will make this again, but my cooking experience tells me that a springform pan is meant for a "batter" not liquids as the egg mixture is. In the future, I will take the entire mixture and cook it in a high sided skillet over low heat until it begins to thicken slightly, then pour it into the hashbrown crust, and pop it into the oven. I think it would remove the leaking risk, and still produce an outstanding finished product. The cooking time would be reduced, but that shouldn't be a problem. I hope this helps!!
I made this for a holiday brunch with a few gluten free ladies - it was a big hit! I made a few observations/modifications that may prove helpful.
1) For the crust, I used a full bag of Trader Joe's frozen hash browns. I emptied the package into a bowl and microwaved them for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. They came out great - very dry and did not need to be squeezed free of moisture! I added about 1/4 grated parm cheese and amped up amounts of herbs and onion and garlic powder in the crust mixture and baked the crust for a solid 35 minutes. Make sure the crust is good an dry and golden brown before adding the egg mixture!
2) I used a regular size bag of baby spinach from Trader Joe's - about 7 ounces
3) I made it on Saturday, and re-heated on Sunday at 300 for about 30 minutes and it was excellent!
Thanks for a great recipe - will definitely make again!
thank you Heather for the detailed comments. I'm sure our readers will appreciate that as do we. So glad you enjoyed it!
Do I have to cook the bacon before adding it to the eggs??
Can I make this a day before?
I wouldn't recommend it Salinda
I'm making this tomorrow for my tennis team, can I use all whole eggs? Instead of egg whites?
So so so good , the girls loved it, I used pancetta I will for sure make again,, thanks
My question is I would like to do individual little quiches in a large cupcake pan. How long should I let it cook?
Emily I am currently working on a similar recipe using cauliflower as the crust. I would say to put the crust in a 350 F oven for 10-15 min then continue with the recipe. Let me know if you try it and how it works out.
Made this recipe today for brunch and it was a hit. Extra points that it’s gluten free!
I made this and loved the flavor and presentation. However, when I poured the egg mixture in the parchment paper lined springform pan, they leaked out and made a huge mess...I was able to salvage it in time, but had to put a sheet pan under the springform pan and then every 5 minutes, I scraped the egg mixture and put it back in the springform pan. I was lucky that it turned out. Next time I would definitely do it in a different kind of pan, but then you wouldn't get that beautiful height and presentation. Wonder why your eggs didn't leak out?
All I can think of Holly is that my hash browns were thicker maybe or crispier so the egg didn't leak through
Just a thought on the leaking eggs. Do you think aluminum foil on the outside of the pan would help? That's how I make cheesecake and never have a problem with leaking.
not a bad idea!
No, if your pan leaks, it's going to leak into the foil. To prepare the dish for success use a whole 20oz bag of hash browns and or the same amount of homemade if using, drain as much water as you can, squeeze out with your hands and blot with a paper towel, and press into and all around a parchment lined greased 7.5 - 8inch spring form pan....should be thick enough and dry enough to capture the crispiness from baking it 25 min (check it and if not crispy enough proceed to bake another 10 min) to hold your eggs in place. I make homemade hash browns all the time and the main challenge is getting all that water out.
The pan is a little warped. If the seal is not perfect this happens. Allways store with the bottom locked in and never stack anything on top. Can't count how meny I've had to toss.
I’m excited to try this for Easter Sunday brunch! One question when using potoes for the crust how many potatoes do I need to shred?
Grazed thru the questions and comments....didn't see this....do you precook the bacon?
I've made this a couple of times now, first time using real potatoes, second the frozen hash browns. It's good, but really needs more flavor as it's very bland. I may get those southwest seasoned shredded hash browns next time around and see if that helps. It has great potential, though, so I'll keep planing with it! Thanks for sharing! It's a showstopper as far as looks go 🙂
It's sounds so good I would add nutmeg for flavor just a thought
Thank you for sharing! I love the new spin on the old egg bake! I can't wait to try.
Made and baked the day before. Reheated in 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes covered. Turned out great!
Exactly how much spinach in ounces or cups please.
The measurements in this recipe are approximate Cheri. I go back and forth between frozen spinach and fresh. Obviously there is a big water difference and I find using fresh eliminates that all together. But i personally love spinach and can easily use 2-3 fresh cups (cut in small pieces) but again it's up to you how much you want to use
This was so easy and so delicious! Rinsed the frozen hashbrowns, and squeezed any water out with a towel. Followed the instructions exactly, using a 9 inch springform and it was perfect. Gruyere is the perfect cheese for this!
How did you stop egg mixture from leaking through the crust/parchment/springform pan?
I know same thing happened to me. So today was my third time making it, we love it, and I changed things up a bit. I used one whole piece of parchment paper and clipped the sides in place with clothes pins and paper clips while I made it up. Also, my sides would droop when cooking, so after I put the hash brown crust in the springform pan, I put another oiled piece of parchment paper and a round cake pan on top. It cooked up just right this time.
Great tips Diane! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. It really is a show stopper
Good tips on how not to have the eggs leak out all over. I used a 20 oz package of Simply Potatoes, not frozen. You didn't specify what size package of potatoes.
Christmas morning breakfast - fantastic!
What size package of spinach? Several are available
I just used the frozen box- 9 oz I think it is.
I made this and the flavors were amazing! Just wasnt crazy about the crust, I felt it took away from the filling. Ill be trying this crustless for my Christmas breakfast!
Can this be made the day before and re heated?
It does make a huge quiche and I did have a lot of leftovers and I did successfully reheat it.
Do you cook the bacon before you bake the quiche?
yes
Just the answer I needed - cook bacon prior. Thanks.
I'm planning on using riced cauliflower instead of the hash browns as my husband has to watch his sugar. Hopefully it will work out. Otherwise it sounds delicious! Making it tonight.
Hi Jill ... how did it turn out? I'm very curious how the cauliflower held up. I know lots of recipes using it as a pizza crust so I know it can handle the heat
I’m not seeing the ingredient list/measurements for this recipe. Can someone make that available?
Hi Jen. When I look up the recipe it's right there. But what's weird is you are not the 1st person to say ingredients are missing (not this recipe, but others). Something wonky is going on.