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This easy summer quiche loaded with fresh corn, smoky bacon, parmesan cheese and thinly sliced zucchini makes a fabulous entree for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
This Easy Zucchini Summer Quiche has been evolving here at The Café for the past few weeks. Scott's enjoyed trying lots of different renditions of this seasonal savory tart. And when I gave a few slices to our son Nick and his wife Lindsay on Sunday morning, I got two texts right after lunch that day: "The quiche was delicious!" and, "It was awesome!"
I feel like that's a pretty good "seal of approval". Nick has always been one of my biggest, but at the same time, most honest encouragers. Both he and Lindsay really enjoy good food (he got that trait honestly) and are on my taste-testing team. If they say it's good, I know it's probably pretty close to being ready for the blog. One sweet Café reader summed this up in a comment a few months ago:
Every post I have tried that your son has given his accolades to I have been super pleased. You might consider having a "Nick approved" tab for easy location of the best of the best recipes.
Haha! So there you have it - you can be assured (even if you don't believe me) that this is one delicious summer quiche!
So easy to put together
If you're thinking a tart like this is complicated to make, think again! We're employing a grocery store pie crust and a little magic to make it crisp and delicious. There's no "blind baking", a technique often called for with tarts and quiches which involves pre-baking the crust (filled with rice, dry beans or pie weights) before adding the filling. Blind baking is time-consuming (and to me, a pain in the neck!) but it does keep the crust from being soggy. (Call me lazy, but I often avoid recipes calling for blind baking.)
This recipe forgoes the blind baking by simply placing a sheet pan on the bottom rack of the oven while it preheats, then baking the quiche on this lower rack and hot pan. The heat from the pan and the bottom of the oven does a great job of turning the crust golden and keeping it crisp.
To me, this delicious summer quiche is like the proverbial "little black dress". It can be dressed up or down. You can serve it as a simple breakfast entree with a side of fresh, seasonal fruit, but it can also be "fancied up" for a lady's lunch or an elegant dinner party option. Add a delicious fresh salad (like this one or this one) and some warm crusty bread and you've got a meal worthy of royalty!
Another bonus of this savory tart is that it can be made in advance and simply warmed up in the oven before serving. I love recipes that allow me to enjoy my guests and keep relaxed at the last minute.
What's the difference between a quiche and a tart?
Mostly semantics, although there are a few distinctions. Quiche is pretty much always savory where a tart can be either sweet or savory. Another difference is that quiche has a custardy base filling in contract to tarts, which can have any type of filling, including a custardy base like this Easy Zucchini Summer Quiche.
So call it a tart or a quiche, whichever suits your fancy! Your guests will have another description, like our sweet Nick and Lindsay; they'll say it's "delicious" and "awesome" and probably other superlatives. Bon Appétit!
Café Tips for making this Easy Zucchini Summer Quiche
- This recipe calls for a purchased pie crust, not the kind you find in the freezer section of the grocery store, but the type you'll find in the dairy area. I really like the Pillsbury pie crusts, although there may be generic brands that are equally delicious.
- The cheese in this recipe is variable. I love to use Fontina. Fontina is an Italian cheese that's super creamy, buttery and has a low melting point. Boars Head makes a wonderful Fontina that's readily available in grocery stores that feature Boars Head in their deli section. Other options would be provolone, gouda, or gruyere. You could also use a mild white cheddar.
- Zucchini has a high water content and can make a tart or quiche soggy if not cooked in advance. I started out sautéeing the zucchini for this quiche but, (always looking for an easier way to do things) experimented with another technique that has worked out well. I just slice the zucchini thinly and then transfer it to a sieve and sprinkle it with salt. It's amazing how much liquid is given off in a short period of time. After 15-20 minutes, just rinse off the salt and place the zucchini on a clean kitchen towel to dry off. It's just as good as if you'd dirtied another pan to sauté it!
- This tart can be made ahead and warmed before serving OR all of the components (the crust, cheeses, zucchini, corn, and egg mixture) can be prepped ahead and stored individually in the refrigerator. This makes it super simple to put everything together for an easy freshly baked quiche.
- I use a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom for this quiche. You could use an 11-inch pan, but you will need to roll the pie crust a little larger. You can also use a traditional pie pan.
- I like to use good, smoky bacon for this recipe. Thick-cut, applewood smoked bacon is perfect. Most larger grocery stores carry applewood-smoked bacon. We really enjoy the brands that Sam's Club, Costco and Trader Joes carry.
Thought for the day:
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house,
yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 7:25
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It's so helpful to other readers to hear other's results and ideas for variations.
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Easy Zucchini Summer Quiche
Ingredients
for the crust:
- 1 refrigerated pie crust, I use Pillsbury (there are usually 2 crusts in a box. You just need one.)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
For the filling:
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 3 ears corn
- 2 medium-small zucchini, thinly sliced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup grated Fontina cheese
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup cream or half and half
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the crust:
- Unroll the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle with one tablespoon of the parmesan cheese. Press the cheese into the dough with your fingers. Fit the crust into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (or a pie pan), trimming off or crimping any extra dough around the perimeter. Freeze the crust in the pan for 15 minutes or refrigerate for at least 1 hour (you can do this a day ahead, if desired) while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place a sheet pan on the lowest rack of the oven.
For the filling:
- Slice the zucchini thinly and place in a sieve set in the sink or over a bowl. Sprinkle the zucchini with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and toss with your hands. Allow to drain for 15-20 minutes while preparing the rest of the filling.
- Slice the bacon into ½-inch pieces and cook in a medium-size sauté pan until crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on several thicknesses of paper towels.
- Place corn in the microwave with the husks on. Microwave for 7 minutes then remove to a cutting board using a hot pad or thick kitchen towel. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then cut an inch slice from both ends and peel off the silks and husks. Lie one ear of corn on the cutting board and slice off the kernels (being careful not to cut into the tough center of the cob), rotating the corn as you go. Discard the cob. Repeat for the other two ears of corn. Place sliced corn in a medium-size bowl.
- Rinse the zucchini under cool running water. Transfer the slices to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Add the zucchini, half of the bacon and the cheeses to the bowl with the corn and stir gently to combine.
- Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and transfer the corn/zucchini mixture to the pan.
- Combine the eggs, cream, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl or measuring up and stir with a fork or whisk until well combined. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the filling working your way around the pan. Sprinkle the remaining bacon pieces over the top.
- Bake the quiche on the preheated pan (on the lower rack) for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and filling is set. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the tart pan and serve. This quiche can be made a day ahead, cooled and refrigerated. Before serving, rewarm in a 325˚F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Yet another amazing idea of using the frozen pie crust with the cheese in the tart pan. I am so anxious to try it now. Have just DL the Ballymaloe Summer Tomato Salad drooling and now this. I am thrilled at using these two recipes this summer. Thanks for all you do.
I tried this for dinner (in January) and used frozen corn, so I baked it a few minutes longer as the corn added moisture. It got rave reviews from my husband. Thank you for all that you do, Chris!!! I love your blog!
p.s. I am another displaced Wisconsin girl - always hoping for snow in central Illinois.
This was so wonderful! I put it on my preheated pizza steel and the crust came out perfect! What an excellent short cut! My husband just raved about it. Everything I make from you has been so tasty! Such delicious combinations of flavors and such attention to detail. I always look forward to your newsletters.
Thank you, Carol! I'm so happy you enjoyed this and appreciate your kind comment! 💕
This was amazingly delicious! I’m away from home vacationing at high elevation, so needed to bake longer. Forgot to buy fontina but had spinach dip on hand and daubed it into the mix before baking. Didn’t have thyme but had fresh basil. The corn was such a crunchy and sweet addition. Also used my spiralizer for the zucchini. Our guests loved it, and so did I.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed this quiche, Pauly! Your adaptation sounds delicious!
Another winner. So great to have the tip of avoiding blind baking the crust! The crust was perfection. I used Pancetta instead of bacon simply because that is all I had- I should have cut back on the salt accordingly, I didn’t so a tad salty- but that was my bad. I will make this over and over. Thank you - you truly never disappoint!
Thank you, Julia! I appreciate your kind words and your taking the time to leave a review. 💕
Do you think I could substitute frozen corn that was quickly heated and then cooled instead of the fresh corn? I am excited to try this! Thank you!
Hi Cyndi, Yes, that would work but I wouldn't even worry about cooking or heating the frozen corn. Corn is blanched before it's frozen and it will also cook a bit in the quiche. I would just let it thaw and drain well before adding it to the quiche. Enjoy!
Hi Chris.....5 stars from us; delicious cobination of veggies, flavors...corn, cheese, bacon. Too good!!
Thanks so much, Donna! I appreciate you sharing your results 💕
Hello,
I’m making this for dinner tonight! You recommend putting a cookie sheet in the oven while preheating to boost cooking the crust. I usually leave a pizza stone in my oven. Do you think that would work too or would it be to much extra heat somehow?
The pizza stone, on the lowest rack, will work great!
Chris, I have been a fan of yours for years! Everything I have made from you has been just the BEST! Made the Easy Zucchini Summer Quiche last night...5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟yummy in the tummy...
Such a kind comment, Sandi 💕 I'm so happy you enjoyed the quiche. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your review!
The flavors of this were wonderful, Chris! For those of us who need a little extra in directions, though, you might mention in the recipe to place the quiche onto the heated sheet pan. I thought it was just for catching possible spillovers LOL! My crust was underdone, but nevertheless, we gobbled it up because it was so good! Also, I did not precook the corn, rather just placed the raw kernels in the quiche - I really think it added to the overall flavor. Thanks for another great recipe!
Cheers!
Thanks, Candace. I always appreciate knowing if my directions are not super clear. I will change this recipe to reflect what you have shared. So happy you enjoyed it despite the problem!
Thank you dear people for your wonderful recipes. At present in the southern hemisphere we are experiencing winter.
I find your work is so valuable - and adjusts readily to climatic changes. Love your salads and frequently use your recipes
accordingly.
Greetings all the way across the world! Thanks so much, Margaret, for this kind and encouraging comment! I'm so happy you've enjoyed our recipes.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I never thought to use zucchini in a savory tart. You are so talented! Always looking for different ways to use up an abundance of zucchini. I am going to make this in individual tart pans. I have another question about another recipe on your website that uses individual tart pans so I hope it is o.k. to incorporate it in this comment. It is about the toffee bar chocolate chip scones I found searching your tart recipes. I only have 4 small tart pans and was wondering if I could bake 4 at a time and then bake the other 4 after cleaning tart pans. I know some recipes do not do well to let the dough sit. Or could I make it in a 11 inch tart pan? I loved the story behind these tarts! Thank you so much.
Thanks, Candice! I think it would be fine to make 4 small tarts, wash the pans and then bake the other 4. I haven't tried an 11-inch tart pan so I can't say for sure about using that.
Thank you, Chris, for the lovely suggestion of Ancient of Days - - - I am a worship leader at my church, and we will be adding it to our repertoire very soon! And the quiche sounds delicious. Can't wait to try it.
That's so cool, Ellen! Scott was a soloist and worship leader for many years so I know how nice it is to find a beautiful new song!
I love quiche and this one looks delicious. Need to make a grocery store run but will definitely be makeing this dish. Thanks so much for sharing with us....
Hope you enjoy it, Diana!
Thank you for the recipe, the verse from Matthew and the song for inspiration....our nation needs this now.
Indeed! Thanks, Elizabeth 💕
What are your thoughts on making this without a crust?
Hi Jane, I think this would be delicious as a crustless quiche. Just be sure to grease the pan well.
You mentioned in your write-up that this quiche would go well with two specific salads, but the links to those salads appear to be missing. I'd love to know which ones you're recommending!
Thanks so much for noticing this, Nona! I have added the links. I love having extra editors out there!
Thanks for the links!!
Looking forward to making this lovely dish! Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your helpful hints and the dialogue that you include along with your recipes. Thank-you so much!😊👍
You're welcome, Angela! 💕