This cheese and ham quiche recipe gives you a tender crust, silky custard and plenty of flavor with simple pantry ingredients.
A good cheese and ham quiche feels like a small win on a busy day, and this recipe keeps the method simple while still giving you a golden tart for brunch, lunch or a late supper. You line a tin with pastry, whisk a quick custard and bake until the filling just wobbles.
Cheese And Ham Quiche Ingredients And Ratios
The base of any quiche with cheese and ham is a shortcrust shell plus an egg and dairy custard. The ratios below give a 23 cm / 9 inch quiche that serves six to eight generous slices.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shortcrust pastry | 1 sheet (about 250 g) or homemade | Ready-rolled saves time; all-butter gives best flavor. |
| Cooked ham | 150–200 g, diced | Use thick-cut ham, not wafer-thin slices. |
| Grated cheese | 150–180 g | Gruyère, cheddar, or a mix; avoid pre-grated if you can. |
| Eggs | 4 large | Room temperature eggs whisk more evenly. |
| Milk | 200 ml whole milk | Low-fat milk makes the texture a bit firmer. |
| Cream | 100 ml double or heavy cream | Gives a soft, rich set to the custard. |
| Onion or leek | 1 small, finely sliced | Soften in a pan before baking to avoid harsh bite. |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg | Nutmeg brings gentle warmth without standing out. |
You can shift these quantities a little depending on your tin or how rich you like your quiche, but keeping close to the egg and dairy ratio helps the filling set without turning rubbery.
Choosing Ham, Cheese And Dairy
Thick-cut ham, leftover roast gammon or good quality baked ham cubes bring substance to the filling. Thin sandwich slices tend to clump and dry out. Trim away any tough rind so the pieces bite cleanly once baked.
For cheese, a mix works well: Gruyère for nuttiness, cheddar for sharpness, or a spoon of parmesan stirred through the custard. A strong cheese means you can use a little less and still get a deep flavor. Grate it yourself so it melts into the custard instead of sitting in clumps.
Whole milk plus cream gives a soft, tender set. If you swap some cream for extra milk, the quiche will still work, just a little lighter. Avoid skimmed milk; it produces a watery filling that never feels right.
Ham And Cheese Quiche Recipe For Busy Nights
Once you understand the basic structure, this ham and cheese quiche recipe adapts to whatever time you have. If you already have a chilled pastry shell in the fridge, you can have the tart on the table in under an hour, most of that hands-off baking time.
Blind Baking The Pastry Shell
Line a 23 cm / 9 inch tart tin with your pastry, pressing it into the edges and trimming the top so you have a neat border. Prick the base with a fork, chill the shell for at least 20 minutes, then line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or dried rice.
Bake the lined shell at 190°C / 375°F for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and beans, then return the shell to the oven for another 5–7 minutes until the base looks dry and just starting to color. This step keeps the crust crisp once the wet custard goes in.
Softening The Onion And Ham
While the pastry blind bakes, warm a teaspoon of oil or butter in a pan over low heat. Add the sliced onion or leek and cook slowly until soft and sweet, about 8–10 minutes. You want it pale and tender, not browned. Tip the cooked onion onto a plate to cool.
Step By Step Method For Baking
Mixing The Custard
Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk until the yolks and whites look blended but not frothy. Add the milk and cream, then whisk again until the mixture looks even. Season with salt, ground black pepper and a pinch of grated nutmeg, and add a spoonful of finely grated parmesan if you like a stronger savoury edge.
Layering The Filling
Set the blind-baked pastry shell on a baking tray. Scatter the cooled onion over the base, then add the diced ham in an even layer and follow with the grated cheese, keeping a small handful back. Pour the custard gently into the shell until just below the top of the pastry, then finish with the last bit of cheese.
Baking Time And Temperature
Lower the oven to 180°C / 350°F and slide in the tray. Bake the quiche for 30–35 minutes until the edges puff up and turn deep golden while the center still has a slight wobble when you nudge the tin. For a safe set, aim for an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F in the center; the safe minimum internal temperature chart for egg dishes on FoodSafety.gov gives the same figure.
Baking Safety, Doneness And Texture
Egg-based tarts need gentle heat so the proteins set without turning grainy. Letting the quiche reach temperature slowly gives you a smooth custard that slices in clean wedges.
Checking Doneness
The classic test is the wobble: the edges of the filling should look set, while a circle in the center still trembles a little when you move the tin. If the surface browns too fast, lay a loose piece of foil over the top and bake for another five minutes before checking again.
Resting And Serving
Once baked, let the quiche sit on a rack for at least 15–20 minutes. This resting time lets the custard finish setting so slices hold their shape. If you cut straight away, the filling may spill and look messy, but the taste is still good.
Serve the quiche just warm or at room temperature with a green salad, sliced tomatoes or a bowl of steamed greens. The contrast between the rich filling and something fresh on the side keeps the plate balanced.
Nutritional Notes And Ingredient Swaps
Quiche will never count as diet food, but you can nudge the balance a bit. Swapping some cream for extra milk trims the fat content slightly, and packing in more vegetables means each slice carries more texture and color.
Watching Fat And Salt
Eggs already bring protein and fat to the recipe. If you are watching your intake, use a lean ham and pick a cheese with strong flavor so a smaller handful still tastes rich. You can look up the nutrient profile for eggs, ham and cheese on USDA FoodData Central to plan slices that fit your day.
Vegetable Add-Ins
A handful of soft, cooked vegetables makes the quiche feel more generous without loading it with extra bacon or cheese. Think of wilted spinach, blanched broccoli florets, sautéed mushrooms, roasted peppers or small cubes of cooked potato, and keep the total volume of mix-ins similar to the base recipe so the custard still has enough room to flow around everything.
| Variation | Extra Ingredients | Best Occasion |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach ham quiche | 100 g wilted spinach, squeezed dry | Brunch with a green salad. |
| Mushroom ham quiche | 150 g sautéed mushrooms | Cool-weather lunch with soup. |
| Broccoli cheddar quiche | Small broccoli florets, lightly steamed | Family dinners with kids. |
| Tomato and herb quiche | Cherry tomato halves and chopped herbs | Summer picnics or buffets. |
| Crustless ham quiche | No pastry, extra sliced tomato on top | Gluten-free guests. |
| Mini quiche | Use muffin tins, reduce baking time | Finger food for parties. |
| Caramelised onion quiche | Slow-cooked onions plus thyme | Weekend lunches with friends. |
Storing, Reheating And Freezing
Leftover quiche keeps well, so baking a full tin rarely feels like too much. Handled properly, slices stay safe and pleasant for several days in the fridge. Leftovers tend to disappear fast.
Short-Term Storage
Let the quiche cool to room temperature, then wrap the tin tightly or transfer slices to an airtight box. Store in the fridge and eat within three days, and if you plan packed lunches, wrap individual slices so each wedge keeps its topping and crust instead of turning into a jumble in the container.
Reheating Without Drying Out
To reheat, set slices on a tray, lay a loose sheet of foil over the top and warm in a 160°C / 320°F oven for 10–15 minutes until hot in the center. Many people microwave quiche as well; it works if you keep the power low and reheat in short bursts, though an oven or air fryer gives a crisper crust.
Freezing Tips
You can freeze the whole quiche or individual slices. Cool it completely, wrap tightly in two layers of cling film or in freezer-safe containers, label with the date and aim to eat within two months for the best texture. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then warm gently in the oven until the filling is hot all the way through, instead of thawing on the counter where the egg and dairy filling would sit in the temperature range where bacteria grow fastest.
Bringing Your Cheese And Ham Quiche Recipe Together
Once you have made this cheese and ham quiche recipe a couple of times, it becomes second nature. You will know by eye how much ham and cheese to scatter, how far to fill the shell with custard and when the wobble looks just right.
From there, you can switch in different cheeses, fold through cooked vegetables or swap the pastry for a lighter base, all while leaning on the same simple method. The result is a reliable ham and cheese quiche that suits lazy weekends, guests around the table or a weekday fridge clear-out.
