Delicious Spring Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quiche: Your Ultimate Seasonal Brunch Recipe
Embrace the flavors of spring with this elegant and utterly delicious quiche. Featuring a rich, creamy custard filling, tender fresh asparagus, and delightful dollops of tangy goat cheese, all nestled within a wholesome, flaky whole wheat crust. This recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even a light dinner, capturing the essence of the season in every bite.
The arrival of spring fills me with an unparalleled excitement, especially in the kitchen. As the days lengthen and the world bursts into vibrant color, my culinary creativity awakens. It’s a time for fresh, seasonal ingredients to shine, and among them, one vegetable truly signals spring’s peak: asparagus. Despite the hustle and bustle of daily life, I always make sure to fully immerse myself in this glorious season, and that means lots and lots of asparagus. You’ve been warned – expect many more asparagus-inspired creations from my kitchen!
Last year, I found myself overflowing with ideas for asparagus recipes but ultimately narrowed it down to a cherished springtime asparagus soup – still a personal favorite! – and a truly memorable asparagus mimosa. The latter, I must admit, garnered an astonishingly enthusiastic response from readers, so much so that it even inspired a rather mischievous April Fool’s joke that, surprisingly, many still believed! This year, however, my heart led me straight to a classic, yet often overlooked, dish: quiche.
Why Quiche is a Year-Round Favorite, Especially in Spring
With my boundless affection for asparagus, deciding on the first recipe to share felt like a delightful challenge. Yet, the versatility and understated elegance of quiche quickly made it the clear winner. A beautifully baked quiche transcends traditional meal boundaries; it’s equally at home gracing a leisurely weekend brunch, serving as a sophisticated lunch, or even anchoring a light and satisfying dinner. Its adaptability makes it perfect for almost any occasion, including special holidays like Easter, should you be looking for a show-stopping dish.
What are your thoughts on quiche? Do you find yourself reaching for a slice, or is it a dish you tend to overlook? Personally, I am a huge admirer of quiche, but I confess it often slips my mind. Believe it or not, this particular recipe marks the first quiche I’ve prepared since my days in culinary school! While I may have indulged a bit too much in rich, traditional French cuisine during those six months, my love for quiche remains steadfast. It offers a wonderful excuse to dust off the rolling pin, utilize a charming rectangular tart pan (I find joy in the most unexpected kitchen tools!), and, of course, enjoy a generous amount of delicious cheese. Oh, the cheese!
Crafting the Perfect Quiche Crust: A Wholesome Twist
Traditional quiche can be quite decadent, often calling for heavy cream in its filling. For this spring asparagus and goat cheese quiche, I decided to lighten things up slightly without sacrificing flavor or texture. I opted for whole milk in the creamy egg custard, offering a lighter yet still incredibly rich mouthfeel. The most significant adaptation, however, comes from the crust. Instead of a purely all-purpose flour crust, I used my sister’s fantastic whole wheat dough recipe, which combines equal parts unbleached all-purpose flour and traditional whole wheat flour.
Then, of course, I somewhat balanced that “lightening” effort by adding generous, luscious chunks of fresh goat cheese. And let me tell you, it was absolutely worth it! This whole wheat dough isn’t just a healthier alternative; it’s genuinely more flavorful and equally as flaky and buttery as a traditional all-purpose crust. It delivers everything a truly great quiche dough should. The best part? If you have a food processor, this dough comes together in about five minutes. Plus, it can be prepared several days in advance and stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator, making your quiche assembly a breeze and saving valuable time when you’re ready to bake.
The Essential Step: Blind Baking Your Quiche Crust
I understand that looking at a recipe with several steps can sometimes feel a bit intimidating. However, I assure you, when you break down the process for this spring quiche, it becomes quite manageable. The most time-consuming yet absolutely critical part of this recipe is preparing and blind-baking the quiche dough. Blind-baking involves partially or fully baking the pastry crust before adding the filling. This is not merely a suggestion; it is the golden rule for achieving a perfectly crisp, non-soggy quiche crust every single time!
My biggest piece of quiche advice is this: never skip the blind-baking step. If you do, you risk ending up with a gummy, undercooked dough, or even worse, being forced to over-bake your delicate custard filling just to ensure the pastry cooks through. There is truly nothing more disappointing than an undercooked crust paired with an over-baked, rubbery custard. Trust me on this; the extra few minutes spent blind-baking will elevate your quiche from good to absolutely outstanding.
Assembling Your Flavorful Spring Quiche
Once your tart dough is perfectly blind-baked, the filling assembly is incredibly straightforward. To prevent overfilling the crust and ensure an even distribution of ingredients, I like to arrange my “extras” – the delightful vegetables and cheeses – directly into the tart pan *before* pouring in the creamy egg and milk custard. This method allows you to gauge the volume and ensure a beautiful presentation.
For this particular quiche, our primary “extra” is fresh, blanched asparagus. Blanching involves a quick dip in boiling salted water followed by an immediate transfer to an ice bath. This process not only cooks the asparagus to tender-crisp perfection but also helps it retain its vibrant green color, making your quiche visually stunning. In addition to the asparagus, I highly recommend including some of my favorite garlic confit, which I’ve raved about previously. While optional, the subtle sweetness and depth of flavor from the garlic truly elevate the quiche. If you happen to have leftover roasted garlic cloves, they would make an excellent substitute!
Next, carefully pour in the simple yet luxurious custard filling, made from whisked eggs, whole milk, a touch of kosher salt, and freshly grated nutmeg. Nutmeg adds a wonderfully warm, aromatic note that complements egg custards beautifully. Finally, crown your quiche with generous chunks of fresh goat cheese, distributing them evenly over the filling. The combination of asparagus and goat cheese is, in my humble opinion, one of the most sublime pairings in the culinary world. Pop it into the oven, and let the magic happen.
Baking to Perfection: The Key to a Silky Custard
Just like any egg-based custard, the secret to achieving a sumptuously silky and smooth texture lies in baking it low and slow. While it might be tempting to crank up the heat to speed things along, cooking at lower temperatures for a longer duration is paramount for a perfectly set yet tender quiche. For a quiche of this size, you’ll need to allocate more than an hour of baking time, but I promise you, the exquisite result will be worth every minute. The patience you invest will be rewarded with a truly elegant dish. Once baked, allow the quiche to cool slightly before slicing and serving. It’s best enjoyed warm or at room temperature, making it an excellent make-ahead option for entertaining. Enjoy every delicate, flavorful bite!
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 (see directions below)
- 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 for a richer quiche
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
- 3 ounces soft goat cheese plain or herbed, crumbled
Instructions
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1. Prepare Quiche Dough: In the bowl of a large food processor, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Pulse a few times to ensure they are thoroughly mixed. Add the cold, ½-inch cubed unsalted butter. Pulse 10 to 12 times until the butter is incorporated, with pieces ranging from pea-sized to slightly larger. This variation in butter size is key to achieving a truly flaky crust.
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2. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough just begins to clump together loosely. Transfer the dough to a clean countertop, gently press it together with your hands to form a square disc, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes, ideally 1 hour, to allow it to firm up. Make Ahead Tip: This dough can be prepared up to two days in advance and kept well-wrapped in the refrigerator.
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3. Blind-Bake Quiche Dough: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) with an oven rack positioned in the center. Lightly grease an 8-inch x 11.5-inch rectangular tart pan (approximately 1-inch deep) and set it aside. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and place it on a clean, lightly floured countertop. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough from the center outwards into a large rectangle, aiming for a thickness of about ¼-inch or slightly thinner. Throughout this process, carefully lift and move the dough regularly to prevent it from sticking to the counter.
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4. Carefully transfer the rolled dough onto the greased tart pan using your rolling pin. Gently ease the dough into the sides of the tart pan, pressing it firmly with your fingers to ensure it conforms to the corners and edges (try to avoid stretching the dough). If the dough tears, simply press the edges back together or use small scraps of dough to patch it. This step is crucial to prevent the egg filling from leaking during baking. Trim any excess dough from the edges.
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5. Line the dough-lined tart pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up, allowing it to extend past the sides by at least an inch or two. Fill the foil-lined crust with baking beans or pie weights, ensuring they are evenly distributed, especially in the corners. Blind-bake the dough for 20 minutes. Then, carefully remove the foil and baking weights, and continue to bake the uncovered dough for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, or until the crust appears dry and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).
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6. Assemble and Bake: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Trim any tough, woody ends from the fresh asparagus spears. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for 2 to 4 minutes (the exact time depends on the thickness of your asparagus spears), then immediately transfer them to the ice water bath. This “shocking” process stops the cooking and helps the asparagus retain its vibrant green color. Once cooled, quickly remove the asparagus from the ice water and place it on a large plate lined with a kitchen towel or paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
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7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the large eggs, whole milk, kosher salt, and freshly grated nutmeg until well combined. Set this custard mixture aside. If necessary, trim the blanched asparagus spears so they are of similar length and fit neatly across the width of your tart pan.
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8. Arrange the blanched asparagus spears in the blind-baked quiche crust, leaving roughly ½-inch of space between each spear. You may have a few extra spears; avoid overcrowding the pan, as you need sufficient space for the custard filling. If using, distribute several large cloves of garlic confit or roasted garlic evenly among the asparagus. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the tart shell, filling it almost to the top. Finally, crumble and distribute the soft goat cheese evenly across the top of the filling.
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9. Bake the quiche in the preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. To check for doneness, gently jiggle the pan; if the center of the filling still wobbles excessively, continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until it is just set. The center should have a slight, delicate jiggle. Optional: For a beautifully browned goat cheese topping, you can briefly place the tart under a broiler set to medium heat for a few minutes, watching it very carefully to prevent burning.
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10. Once the filling is set, remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 20 to 25 minutes before slicing and serving. Quiche is best enjoyed warm or at room temperature. Any leftover quiche can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.
Tips for Success:
- If you prefer an even more decadent quiche, feel free to substitute half or all of the whole milk with heavy cream in the custard filling. This will result in an even richer, creamier texture.
- Don’t rush the blind-baking. A properly baked crust is the foundation of a perfect quiche.
- Consider adding other spring vegetables like fresh peas or chopped green onions alongside the asparagus for extra flavor and color.