Ham and Gruyere Quiche with Leeks

This ham quiche with Gruyere Cheese, and Leeks will make any breakfast, lunch, or dinner shine.

I have always loved quiche. There’s something so delectable about rich creamy egg in a butter pie shell. Add in some ham, cheese, and leeks, and you’ve got a delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Yes, you can have quiche anytime of the day, though the French probably wouldn’t have it for breakfast. It’s delicious on its own but even better with a butter lettuce salad on the side.

A few years ago, I broke down and bought a real quiche pan, but you can use a regular pie plate. It really makes no difference, though the quiche pan will allow you to serve it on a platter which is kinda nice for a celebratory brunch.

This quiche features three great ingredients, besides the eggs and cream: diced ham, sautéed leeks, and shredded Gruyere cheese. Combined they make a delightful filling.

Honestly, I call this MOM Food at my house since I’ve had picky kids from time to time. Who wants to throw pearls to swine, er, I mean, good quiche to kids who will just pick at it. Well, may wonders never cease. I now need to make two quiche, particularly of this variety. My kids devoured this one in a matter of minutes. And some people were mad at the others for “eating it all”.

I’d call it a winner in my book.

What do I need to make this ham and gruyere quiche?

• Pie crust – You can use a homemade pie crust recipe or a store-bought pie crust. You will just need a single pie crust to make this ham quiche.
• Butter – You will just need a little butter to saute the leeks with.
• Leeks – Leeks grow in sand so be sure to give your leeks a good rinse, and then slice them.
• Salt and pepper – A little seasoning of course.
• Ham – If you have any leftover ham, maybe from a Slow Cooker Ham for the Holidays it’s perfect to dice up and use in this quiche.
• Gruyere cheese – This is a swiss cheese that melts wonderfully. If you can’t find it, then you can substitute swiss cheese instead.
• Half and half –  You are essentially making a custard here with the milk and eggs. You can also use equal parts milk and cream.
• Eggs – Three whole large eggs is all you need for this ham quiche!

How to make this ham quiche recipe

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Place a pie or quiche pan on a small baking sheet to make it easier to handle. Lay the prepared pie crust into the quiche pan and trim the edges.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add the leeks and saute 5 minutes until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Lay the ham in the bottom of the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle the leeks over the ham. Sprinkle the cheese over the leeks.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the half and half and eggs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the cheese and ham in the pie shell. (This is the point at which you would freeze it, if making it in advance. Lay on a rack in the freezer until firm. Wrap tightly with foil and return to the freezer.)
• Bake the quiche for 30 to 40 minutes or until set and golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Can I use a different cheese for this quiche?

Gruyere may be hard to find, and can be more expensive. So if you can’t find it or afford this cheese then use your favorite swiss cheese. 

What if I don’t have half and half?

Half and half is basically equal parts cream and whole milk. So if you don’t have any, just swap it out and use equal parts cream and milk.  

You could also use lighter cream, lower-fat milk, or fat free half and half if you want to reduce the calories in the recipe. 

Can I make this quiche ahead of time?

Absolutely you can. Go ahead and bake your quiche and then allow it to cool (about 2 hours) before covering it up and popping it in your refrigerator. This will keep in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.

When ready to serve I like to reheat the quiche in a 325F oven until heated through.

Can I freeze this ham quiche?

Bonus: This recipe can be frozen prior to baking! Yay! Lie the filled pie shell on a rack in the freezer. Make sure it’s level. Once it’s frozen solid, wrap it tightly in foil and return it to the freezer. (I’ve never frozen it in the quiche pan, only in pie plates, so I can’t yet advise you on that.)

You can also freeze the baked quiche for up to 2 months.

Tools I use for this recipe:

• Box cheese grater
• Wire whisk
• Rubber spatula
• nonstick skillet
• Ergo Chef chef”>
• nonstick quiche pan

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5 from 2 votes

Ham and Gruyere Quiche with Leeks

This quiche, rich with ham, Gruyere Cheese, and Leeks will make any breakfast, lunch, or dinner shine.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 batch single pie crust
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ ½ leek sliced
• ▢ salt
• ▢ black pepper
• ▢ ½ cup diced ham
• ▢ 4 oz Gruyere cheese shredded
• ▢ 1 cup half and half
• ▢ 3 egg beaten

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Place a pie or quiche pan on a small baking sheet to make it easier to handle. Lay the prepared pie crust into the quiche pan and trim the edges.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add the leeks and saute 5 minutes until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Lay the ham in the bottom of the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle the leeks over the ham. Sprinkle the cheese over the leeks.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the half and half and eggs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the cheese and ham in the pie shell. (This is the point at which you would freeze it, if making it in advance. Lay on a rack in the freezer until firm. Wrap tightly with foil and return to the freezer.)
• Bake the quiche for 30 to 40 minutes or until set and golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

(If baking from frozen, add five or ten minutes to your baking time.)

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 1mg

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