Crab, Asparagus and Leek Quiche Recipe

This Easy Crab, Asparagus and Leek Quiche Recipe is a delicious dish to serve at a springtime breakfast or brunch.

Crab, Asparagus and Leek Quiche Recipe

Quiche!?!  What is this 1989?

Noooo, you guys, quiche is delicious and it needs to make a comeback. For multiple reasons.  First of all, it’s delicious, as previously mentioned.  Quiche is also easy to make, and can be made ahead of time! Hello to hosting a killer brunch and not having to get up at the crack of dawn!  And, it is versatile.  You can put all kinds of things in your quiche – ham and cheese quiche, vegetarian quiche, bacon quiche – the possibilities are endless.

Some of you may be asking:

What is Quiche?

Quiche is a baked, savory custard tart that is egg based and can be filled with cheese, vegetables, meat and/or seafood.  It normally has a crust but sometimes can be made into a “crustless quiche”.  It can be served hot or cold.  Quiche is served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!

For this Spring Breakfast Quiche, I decided to go with what is in season – Asparagus and Leeks.  And then I had to add some crab in there because crab takes it to a new level.  Also, I grew up eating a crab quiche that was my uncle’s recipe, so I always kind of think that crab and quiche go together.

How do you make Quiche?

A basic quiche recipe base is eggs and milk or half and half – about 2 eggs to one cup of milk.  This is a custard that is poured into a pie crust.  Then you can add cheese, precooked vegetables and meats if you want.  The whole thing is baked at about 350 degrees. It should be cooled for at least 15 minutes before serving. It can be made ahead of time and should be stored in the refrigerator.

I’ve been making variations of this quiche recipe for a few years.  I love to serve this quiche for Easter, Mother’s Day, or just brunch with friends.  One thing I love about this easy quiche recipe is that it can be made ahead of time.  You can even make it the night before!  I prefer to reheat my quiche before I eat it, but it can also be served cold.

One note about the pie crust.  Sometimes I “cheat” and buy frozen premade pie crust.  It’s a shortcut and sometimes you need a shortcut.  But one thing I noticed is that when I used a frozen pie crust, they were actually smaller than a 9 inch pie crust, even though they were labeled 9 inches. I ended up having extra filling, and some of the filling spilled out of the quiche.  So it is really important to put the quiche on a lined baking sheet to save your oven from a huge mess!

And, although pie crust can be difficult to work with, it just tastes SO MUCH BETTER (this is the recipe I use).  Keep that in mind, but if you still want to use a frozen pie crust, I won’t judge!

Need more recipes for you killer brunch menu?  Be sure to check out THIS post on how to make the best bacon – including four bacon flavors.  This roasted asparagus makes a great side dish a springtime brunch.  And these Rosé Raspberry Sorbet Mimosas are always a hit!

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Crab, Asparagus and Leek Quiche Recipe

Prep 20 mins

Cook 60 mins

Inactive 15 mins

Total 1 hour, 35 mins

Author Meghan | Fox and Briar

Yield 8 Servings

This Crab, Asparagus and Leek Quiche is perfect for any spring brunch - Easter, Mother's day and more!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

1 leek (white and light green parts only), halved and thinly sliced, then well washed

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed, thinly sliced on the diagonal

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups half-and-half

Ground nutmeg

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)

8 ounces lump crab meat, Well drained and patted dry*

Pie Crust fitted into a 9-inch pie plate, well chilled (I used THIS recipe)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium. Add leek and asparagus, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool.
2. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Place pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet (very important to catch spills!). Sprinkle with half of the cheese, top with the crab meat, then the asparagus mixture. Pour egg mixture on top.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top
3. Bake until center of quiche is just set, 50 to 60 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

**IMPORTANT**  If you use a frozen premade crust, they are often a bit smaller, even though they SAY they are 9 inches.  So you may have extra egg mixture.  You also may have some spillage, so be sure to place the pie plate on a lined baking sheet. 

The best way to wash leeks is AFTER you cut them.  They grow up through the dirt and often have lots of dirt and sand between the layers.  I add them to my salad spinner, fill it with water and swish them around for a few minutes, then drain.  Repeat once or twice, especially if leeks are very dirty.

It is very important that the crab is well drained and patted dry, or it will release too much liquid into the quiche and make the crust soggy. 

 

Courses Brunch

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart 

If you make this recipe don’t forget to tag it @foxandbriar and #foxandbriar on instagram and facebook! I really love to see what you make and you may be featured in our weekly Reader Feature!