Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (2025)

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Nealey Dozier

Nealey Dozier

Nealey Dozier is a former wedding planner turned chef, culinary instructor, recipe developer, and food writer. She is based in Atlanta. You can find more of her Southern adventures in eating and entertaining at www.dixiecaviar.com.

updated May 2, 2019

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Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (1)

Serves12

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Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (2)

Quiche is the quintessential spring dish, whether served as a nibble before the main event or as the shining star of a casual brunch. In this ham and onion version you’ll find a method for a quick and easy savory shortbread crust that’s so simple all you have to do is pat it directly into the pan.

The Key to Making Ham and Onion Quiche in a Sheet Pan

For the custard, I tripled my favorite onion and ham tart recipe and used a tip I learned from Thomas Keller to make sure there was goodness in every bite: Mix the batter in the blender to create lots and lots of bubbles to help suspend the filling ingredients instead of letting them sink to the bottom.

I’m excited to say that everything came together to create a sublime quiche — a beyond buttery crust, a creamy custard, and flavorful bursts of onion and ham. It definitely feeds a crowd, so make sure you have some hungry mouths to feed.

Tester’s Notes

Quiche for a crowd with no muffin cups to clean? Amazing! This is just right for Sunday brunches or showers for babies and brides. When party planning, I look for spots to streamline. Nealy, the post’s original author, included an intriguing tip garnered from famed chef Thomas Keller: Use a blender to aerate the custard to encourage suspension of quiche fillings. It’s a clever tip, but I’ll try it when preparing a deeper egg pie.

For this shallow sheet pan version I’m sticking to a simple whisk. Country ham and vidalia onion are classic Southern ingredients. Bacon can surely be substituted, but since the ham needs no precooking, I’ll reach for it when party prepping. Just remember — country ham is quite salty, so small pieces are ideal.

Patty, March 2018

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Country Ham and Onion Quiche

Serves 12

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 2 1/2 cups

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup

    grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 1/2 cups

    (3 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes

  • 1 teaspoon

    salt

  • Pinch

    cayenne pepper

For the filling:

  • Olive oil

  • 1 cup

    diced sweet onion, preferably Vidalia

  • 1 cup

    diced country ham (or cooked bacon or pancetta)

  • 1 cup

    grated Gruyère cheese

  • 2 cups

    heavy cream

  • 1 cup

    whole milk

  • 8

    large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon

    kosher salt

  • Ground white pepper, to taste

For serving (optional):

  • Sour cream

  • Fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Make the crust: Place the flour, Parmesan, butter, salt, and cayenne in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until the mixture just starts to resemble coarse cornmeal; there should still be some visible pieces of butter. Transfer the mixture to a 13x18-inch sheet pan and gently pat it evenly into the bottom (but not up the sides).

  2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Bake until the crust is pale golden-brown in color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool while making the filling.

  3. Make the filling: Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until translucent and tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the onions, ham, and Gruyère evenly over the baked crust.

  4. Place the cream, milk, eggs, salt, and white pepper in a blender and blend until frothy. Skim off and discard any foam from the top. Pour the custard evenly over the onion-ham-cheese mixture.

  5. Bake the quiche until the custard is set, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes, or wait to serve at room temperature (Thomas Keller serves his chilled). Cut into 12 large rectangles or small squares; serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with sprig of Italian parsley for color if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Filed in:

appetizer

Breakfast

Cheese

easter

Eggs

french

Brunch Recipe for a Crowd: Country Ham & Onion Quiche Baked in a Sheet Pan (2025)

FAQs

Should vegetables be cooked before putting in quiche? ›

"Vegetables will take longer to cook than your egg custard, so always sauté onions, steam broccoli, etc. before you add them to your egg mixture to ensure every bite of quiche will be perfectly cooked," says Kristin Beringson, executive chef at Henley in Nashville.

Should I cover my quiche when baking? ›

How Long Should I Bake Quiche? At 375F, it requires 25 minutes of baking time uncovered. At that point, you'll want to check things out because you don't want the crust to get too brown. If it's looking a bit well-done, cover it with aluminum foil and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.

Can I Prebake a quiche crust the night before? ›

Editor: Yes, I recommend pre-baking the crusts for quiches because I think it helps keep them from getting soggy from the filling.

What are 3 common foods you can have for brunch? ›

French toast, waffles, pancakes, and similar dishes are great choices for brunch. You could also do something even more impressive like apple pecan or ultimate berry bread pudding. Add some parfaits for a lighter option that pairs well with these dishes.

How long should quiche rest before cutting? ›

How long should quiche rest before cutting? Remove the quiche from the oven and let the inside continue to cook while the exterior cools to a warm temperature. Waiting about 10-20 minutes before slicing is usually sufficient.

How long to bake a pre cooked quiche? ›

Place quiche on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. 4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes 5. Allow the quiche to sit for about 15 minutes before removing the foil.

Should quiche be in glass or metal pan? ›

Glass heats up gently and evenly, priming the pie for a consistent, but slightly slower bake than metal delivers—factor in additional baking time. It is also relatively inexpensive and light, which makes it the perfect in-between pie pan for anyone just building their cookware collection.

Can you put too many eggs in a quiche? ›

The best quiche consists of a custard that's the perfect ratio between eggs and milk. Using too many eggs in the custard results in a quiche that rubbery and too firm when baked, while not using enough will prevent the custard from setting. Follow This Tip: Remember this ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy.

How do you know when a quiche is done? ›

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the custard turns a golden brown. To check doneness, insert a knife into the centre of the quiche. If it comes out clean it's done! Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Do I have to blind bake quiche crust? ›

As a general rule, you do need to blind bake when cooking a dish with wet fillings. For example, if you're making a quiche or frangipane, blind baking the crust first will help ensure the pastry case stays buttery and retains its crunch.

What can you use instead of pie weights? ›

What Can You Use Instead of Pie Weights? Instead of pie weights, you can use dried beans or rice, granulated sugar, popcorn kernels or steel ball bearings. If you are not using pie weights, the idea is to mimic what the pie weight does and to make sure that the alternative is oven-safe.

What do the French eat with quiche? ›

A good side dish for Quiche Lorraine
  • A simple green salad such as arugula tossed with an olive oil and lemon vinaigrette.
  • A fruit salad such as melon balls and sliced strawberries tossed with a minty lime dressing.
  • Potato salad using new potatoes and a mustard vinaigrette with fresh dill.

What food is good for hosting brunch? ›

Consider serving fluffy pancakes, savory quiches, fresh fruit platters, and delectable pastries. Complement these with a selection of gourmet coffees, teas, and refreshing mimosas. Customize the brunch party menu to cater to various preferences, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Is quiche a full meal? ›

Quiche is an anytime kind of meal. You can serve this recipe as an easy breakfast quiche, or enjoy it for a light lunch or dinner.

What do you serve after a brunch? ›

Lemon Chiffon Cake

This light and refreshing cake is the perfect end to a brunch. Make the lemon chiffon cake ahead of time and add the drizzle just before serving. It'll feed a crowd and will keep for a few days.

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