A light, elegant spring quiche with a creamy egg custard, tender asparagus, and generous dollops of fresh goat cheese—perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a simple dinner.
Spring is my favorite season, and it always inspires me to cook with fresh, seasonal produce. Right now asparagus is showing up in our kitchen several times a week, so I’m sharing a quiche that highlights its bright, grassy flavor paired with creamy goat cheese.
This quiche feels a little fancy but is surprisingly versatile—you can serve it for an Easter brunch, a relaxed dinner, or a picnic. I’ll be honest: I hadn’t made a quiche since culinary school, so this was a welcome return to one of my favorite classics. Quiche gives you an excuse to roll out pastry, use a tart pan, and enjoy lots of cheese.
To keep the quiche a bit lighter, the custard uses whole milk instead of heavy cream. The crust is a whole wheat pastry made from equal parts whole wheat and all-purpose flour. It’s flaky and flavorful—every bit as good as a 100% all-purpose crust but with added depth. If you use a food processor, it comes together in minutes and can be made a day or two ahead.
Full disclosure: I do contradict the “light” approach by adding big chunks of soft goat cheese. But asparagus and goat cheese are an unbeatable pairing, and the little pockets of tangy cheese make the quiche irresistible.
The most time-consuming step is blind-baking the crust—this is essential for a crisp, fully baked shell. If you skip blind-baking you risk a soggy crust or an overcooked custard. Take the time to blind-bake and your quiche will set correctly with a tender, flaky base.
Once the tart shell is blind-baked, assembly is easy. I place the asparagus and any extras—like garlic confit or roasted garlic—into the shell before pouring the egg-milk custard. Blanching the asparagus briefly and shocking it in ice water preserves its bright color and texture. Trim the spears so they fit neatly across the pan and avoid overcrowding; leave space so the custard can surround them.
The custard is simply eggs, whole milk, salt, and freshly grated nutmeg. Pour it gently over the arranged asparagus, then scatter large clumps of soft goat cheese across the top. Bake the quiche slowly at a low temperature for the smoothest, creamiest custard—this takes about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes for a full-sized tart. If the center still jiggles slightly, give it a few more minutes.
After baking, allow the quiche to rest for 20–25 minutes before slicing. It’s best served warm or at room temperature. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days and reheat nicely for quick meals.
Spring Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quiche
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Ingredients
Whole Wheat Pastry Crust:
- ¾ cup (90 g) whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup (90 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (4 oz; 115 g) chilled unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup (60 mL) ice water
Filling:
- 1 small bunch fresh asparagus blanched
- garlic confit or roasted garlic cloves optional, but recommended
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (480 mL) whole milk or 1 cup whole milk plus 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 ounces soft goat cheese plain or herbed
Instructions
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Prepare the dough: In a food processor combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add cold, cubed butter and pulse 10–12 times so the butter pieces are roughly pea-sized. Add ice water and pulse until the dough just begins to clump. Turn the dough out, form into a square disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour. Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead.
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Blind-bake the crust: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease an 8″ x 11.5″ rectangular tart pan (1″ deep). Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/4″ thick. Fit the dough into the pan without stretching, press into corners, trim edges, and repair any tears. Line with foil (shiny side up) and fill with baking beans or weights. Blind-bake for 20 minutes, remove weights and foil, then bake 5–8 minutes more until dry. Cool on a rack and reduce oven to 300°F (150°C).
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Blanch the asparagus: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Trim tough ends from the asparagus. Prepare an ice water bath. Blanch asparagus 2–4 minutes depending on thickness, then transfer to ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain and pat dry.
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Make the custard: In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, whole milk, salt, and freshly grated nutmeg. Trim blanched asparagus so spears are similar length and will fit across the tart pan.
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Assemble: Arrange asparagus spears in the blind-baked crust with about 1/2″ between each spear. Scatter garlic confit or roasted garlic if using. Pour the egg mixture into the shell until it nearly reaches the top. Distribute large clumps of goat cheese evenly over the top.
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Bake: Bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the custard is set and no longer jiggles in the center. If desired, briefly broil on medium to brown the goat cheese. Remove from oven and cool on a rack 20–25 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
Tips for Success:
- For a richer custard, substitute half or all of the whole milk with heavy cream.