My foolproof and flavorful, low-carb, Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche is full of silky egg custard, melted cheddar cheese, and chunks of sweet and savory ham. This crustless quiche recipe is so easy that anyone, even beginner cooks or kids, can make it.
Whether they are made with a crust such as my Roasted Tomato Quiche with Goat Cheese, or my Spinach and Bacon Quiche, or without a crust such as this recipe or my Canadian Bacon and Brie Crustless Quiche, quiches make fantastic quick and easy entrées that can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even a light dinner.
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Why you will love this recipe:
- This crustless ham and cheese quiche is perfect for anyone watching their weight or on a low-carb or keto diet. Because it is made without a crust, it is also lower in calories than a regular quiche.
- Like my Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham and Deviled Ham recipes, this ham and cheese quiche is a great way to use up leftover ham.
- Quiches are versatile, and you can substitute your favorite meat or vegetables or what you happen to have on hand. They are also make-ahead wonders, delicious hot or cold, and leftovers reheat well and freeze beautifully.
Ingredients:
- Ham – if I don’t have leftover ham, I like to use eight-ounce boneless ham steaks that come prepackaged. You can also find ham already cut up into cubes in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
- Cheddar cheese – I recommend extra-sharp cheddar; you can also substitute mild cheddar, swiss, gruyere, or a blend of cheeses.
- Chives – can either be added to the egg mixture or used as a garnish.
- Eggs – either large or extra large work best.
- Heavy cream – provides richness and keeps the texture light, moist and creamy. You can substitute half-and-half or whole milk, but it will change the texture a bit.
- Hot sauce & Worcheshire sauce (Not pictured)
- Garlic powder and onion powder
- Dry mustard
- Black pepper
- Butter
See the recipe for specific measurements.
Step by Step Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Spray a nine-inch pie plate generously with non-stick cooking spray or grease it with butter. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a small skillet over medium heat and saute the ham for two to three minutes. Set aside.
- Add half of the ham and grated cheese to the bottom of the pie plate and spread out evenly.
- Add the eggs, cream, chives, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, and ground black pepper to a medium-size bowl and whisk to combine.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture over the ham and cheese mixture and top with the other half of the ham and grated cheese.
- Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until an instant-read meat thermometer reads 175 °F when inserted in the middle of the quiche not touching the pan.
- When it’s done, remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool on a wire baking rack for five to ten minutes before slicing and serving it.
Recipe Variations:
- Quiches are very versatile. For this recipe, you could substitute one cup of Canadian bacon, regular bacon, or cooked sausage for the ham.
- You can also change up the cheese and use gruyere, swiss, manchego, provolone, Monterey jack, gouda, or a blend of melting cheeses.
- In addition, you could add a cup of roasted cherry tomatoes, blanched broccoli, shredded zucchini that has had all of the moisture squeezed out, cooked mushrooms, or a handful of chopped fresh spinach.
- To kick things up a notch, top it with a dollop of sour cream and a bit of salsa.
Leftovers and Storage:
Leftovers can be stored covered in your refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze, wrap the slices individually with plastic wrap, put them in a plastic freezer bag, and store them for up to one month.
To reheat, place the individual slices on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 30 seconds or until they are warm.
Recipe FAQs:
If I am serving it for breakfast or brunch, I usually serve it with a helping of fruit or a mixed fruit salad such as my Grape Salad with Cream Cheese, Breakfast Fruit Salad, Old Fashioned Southern Ambrosia, or my Make-Ahead Frozen Fruit Salad.
For a light lunch or dinner, I like to serve it with a simple side salad such as my Brussels Sprout Salad, Apple Pecan Salad, or my Spinach, Apple, and Cranberry Salad.
While both have similar ingredients, frittatas such as my Cheesy and Mushroom Broccoli Frittata are started on the stove and then finished under the broiler. Quiches on the other hand are always baked in the oven.
Of course, simply either purchase or make a pie crust, follow the directions for pre-baking it and then follow the directions to make the filling and bake it.
Yes, just keep in mind that you will need to add one or two more eggs to the custard mixture to give it a bit more structure. And be sure to grease the pie plate thoroughly so the quiche won’t stick.
Sharon’s Tips:
- If you don’t have dry mustard, you can substitute a half tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
- You can make this recipe ahead by either preparing it up to 24 hours ahead, covering and refrigerating it and then baking it when you are ready. Or, you can go ahead and bake it, cover it tightly and freeze it. Then allow it to thaw overnight and reheat it in a 350 °F oven for about 25 minutes or until it is warmed through.
- Don’t be alarmed if your quiche inflates and looks like it is coming out of your pan. It will deflate once it comes out of the oven.
- I always recommend baking quiches on a baking sheet just in case the filling overflows. It is also much easier to put it in and take it out of the oven if it’s on a baking sheet.
More Breakfast and Brunch recipes:
If you like this recipe, you might also like these popular breakfast and brunch recipes:
For more menu ideas or recipes, check out all of my breakfast and brunch recipes.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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📋 Recipe:
Easy Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche
Equipment
- 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced ham
- 5 eggs large or extra large, beaten
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon Worcheshire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ° F.
- Spray a nine-inch pie plate generously with non-stick cooking spray or grease it with butter. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a small skillet over medium heat and saute the ham for two to three minutes. Set aside.
- Add half of the ham and grated cheese to the bottom of the pie plate and spread out evenly.
- Add the eggs, cream, chives, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, and ground black pepper to a medium-size bowl and whisk to combine.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture over the ham and cheese mixture and top with the other half of the ham and grated cheese.
- Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until an instant-read meat thermometer reads 175 °F when inserted in the middle of the quiche not touching the pan.
- When done, remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool on a wire baking rack for five to ten minutes before slicing and serving it.
Notes
- If you don’t have dry mustard, you can substitute a half tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
- You can make this recipe ahead by either preparing it up to 24 hours ahead, covering and refrigerating it and then baking it when you are ready. Or, you can go ahead and bake it, cover it tightly and freeze it. Then allow it to thaw overnight and reheat it in a 350 °F oven for about 25 minutes or until it is warmed through.
- Don’t be alarmed if your quiche inflates and looks like it is coming out of your pan. It will deflate once it comes out of the oven.
- I always recommend baking quiches on a baking sheet just in case the filling overflows. It is also much easier to put it in and take it out of the oven if it’s on a baking sheet.
I don’t have much experience with quiche and the last one l made had a soggy crust. Should I bake the crust first? Your recipe sounds good and I want to give it a try.
Thank you
Gail
Hi Gail,
You don’t have to prebake the crust first. I’m afraid if you do, the crust edges will be overdone. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know how it turns out for you!
Sharon
I finally had a chance to give this a try and it was delicious. So simple to prepare and it pairs nicely with a tossed salad for dinner. We will definitely enjoy this again soon.
Gail
This was a great use for the last of the Easter ham. I’ve made a lot of quiches in the past, and this was a bit unusual with the cream cheese and layering. The result was not only delicious, but the texture was creamy and to die for. I used a combination of heavy cream and half and half as that’s what I had. Just perfect. We look forward to the leftovers.
Hi Susan, so glad you enjoyed it! It is a bit unusual, but I agree the texture is amazing! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.
Sharon