Asparagus & Leek Quiche

The recipe, step by step

This asparagus and leek quiche has everything I want from a good savoury tart: crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry, tender vegetables, a silky egg custard and plenty of cheddar cheese.

You can make it as a classic quiche in a 25 cm tart tin or go all out with the impressive deep-pan version in a 20 cm springform pan. Both use the same combination of asparagus, leeks, thyme and cheddar, but the quantities and baking times are different.

Making the pastry from scratch takes a little longer, but it is straightforward and gives the quiche a lovely crisp, buttery shell. For more detail on getting the pastry right, have a look at my Shortcrust Pastry recipe. Another savoury tart worth trying is my Caramelised Onion & Goat’s Cheese Tart.

If you are short on time, you can use shop-bought shortcrust pastry or puff pastry instead.

Recipe Highlights

• Ease: Straightforward, although the homemade pastry requires resting and blind baking.
• Taste: Buttery pastry, sweet leeks, fresh asparagus, thyme and mature cheddar.
• Texture: Crisp pastry filled with a soft, silky savoury custard.
• Serving: Lovely warm or cold with a crisp salad, vegetables or homemade chips.
• Classic quiche: Serves 8 in a 25 cm ceramic dish or tart tin.
• Deep-pan quiche: Serves 8 in a 20 cm springform pan.

Why You’ll Love This Asparagus & Leek Quiche

Quiche is one of those recipes that is endlessly useful. Serve it warm for lunch, allow it to cool for a picnic, or make it ahead and keep individual portions ready for another day.

The filling here is particularly good in spring and early summer. Cooking the leeks and sliced asparagus first softens them and removes some of their moisture before they go into the pastry shell.

Meanwhile, a combination of eggs, milk and cream gives the custard plenty of richness without making it excessively heavy.

The recipe also gives you two completely different presentation options. The classic version is shallower and quicker to bake, while the deep-pan version gives you a tall, substantial quiche with a much thicker layer of filling.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Classic Quiche — Shortcrust Pastry

• Plain flour: Use 250 g plain flour, also known as all-purpose flour. It provides the structure for the pastry shell.
• Butter: Use 125 g cold butter, diced into small pieces. Keeping the butter and dough cold helps prevent the pastry becoming overly elastic.
• Fine sea salt: Use ½ teaspoon fine sea salt to season the pastry.
• Egg: 1 medium egg or 2 egg yolks.
• Cold water: Use 2–3 tablespoons / approximately 40 ml cold water, adding only enough to bring the pastry together.

Classic Quiche — Custard

• Eggs: Use 4 medium eggs, 200 g total.
• Double cream: Use 125 ml double or heavy cream for richness.
• Milk: Use 250 ml milk to lighten the custard.
• Fine sea salt: Use ½ teaspoon fine sea salt.
• Pepper: Add a pinch of ground white or black pepper.

Classic Quiche — Asparagus & Leek Filling

• Butter or olive oil: Use 1 tablespoon for cooking the vegetables.
• Asparagus: Use 250 g asparagus. Remove the tips and keep them for the top of the quiche, then slice the remaining stalks into approximately 1 cm rounds.
• Leeks: Use 150 g sliced leeks.
• Thyme: Use ½ teaspoon fresh or dried thyme.
• Plain flour: Use 1 tablespoon plain flour. This is stirred into the cooked vegetables.
• Salt and pepper: Season the filling to taste.
• Cheddar cheese: Use 100 g grated cheddar cheese for the top.

Deep-Pan Quiche — Shortcrust Pastry

• Plain flour: Use 300 g plain flour / all-purpose flour.
• Butter: Use 150 g cold butter, diced.
• Fine sea salt: Use ½ teaspoon fine sea salt.
• Cold water: Use 4–5 tablespoons cold water, adding enough to bring the pastry together.

Deep-Pan Quiche — Custard

• Eggs: 8 medium eggs, 400 g total.
• Double cream: Use 250 ml double or heavy cream.
• Milk: Use 500 ml milk.
• Fine sea salt: Use 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt.
• Pepper: Add a pinch of ground white or black pepper.

Deep-Pan Quiche — Asparagus & Leek Filling

• Butter or olive oil: Use 3 tablespoons.
• Asparagus: Use 350 g asparagus. Keep the tips separate and slice the remaining stalks into approximately 1 cm rounds.
• Leeks: Use 350 g sliced leeks.
• Thyme: Use 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Plain flour: Use 3 tablespoons plain flour.
• Salt and pepper: Season to taste.
• Cheddar cheese: Use 150 g grated cheddar cheese.

How to Make the Classic Asparagus & Leek Quiche

Make the Shortcrust Pastry

1. Rub in the butter: Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the cold diced butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Avoid overworking the mixture, as warming the dough can make it more elastic and more likely to shrink during baking.

2. Bring the dough together: Add the egg, if using, followed by enough cold water to bring the pastry together.

3. Knead briefly: Knead the dough 2–3 times with the palm of your hand. If it is still not coming together, add an additional tablespoon of water.

4. Rest the pastry: Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in greaseproof paper or cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll and Line the Tart Tin

5. Roll the pastry: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it to approximately 5 mm / ¼ inch thick and about 5 cm / 2 inches wider than your fluted tart tin.

6. Line the tin: Roll the pastry loosely around your rolling pin, then unroll it over the tart tin. Gently lift the edges and press the dough into the base and sides.

7. Finish the edges: Once the pastry sits flush with the top of the tin, trim the edge neatly with a sharp knife.

8. Rest again: Place the pastry shell in the refrigerator or freezer for another 30 minutes.

Blind Bake the Pastry

9. Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 180°C fan / 400°F / Gas 6.

10. Prick the pastry: Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator or freezer and prick the base with a fork.

11. Add the baking beans: Line the pastry with a sheet of pre-crumpled baking parchment and fill it to the rim with baking beans.

12. Blind bake: Bake the pastry shell for 25 minutes.

13. Finish baking the shell: Carefully remove the parchment and baking beans, then return the pastry to the oven for another 5–10 minutes, until it is a pale golden colour.

14. Cool: Allow the tart shell to cool completely.

Prepare the Asparagus and Leeks

15. Prepare the vegetables: Slice the leeks and prepare the asparagus, keeping the tips separate for decorating the top.

16. Cook the leeks: Add the butter or olive oil, leeks, salt and thyme to a large frying pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes.

17. Add the asparagus: Add the sliced asparagus stalks and continue cooking for 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.

18. Add the flour: Stir in the tablespoon of flour, then remove the pan from the heat and leave the vegetables to cool.

Make the Custard

19. Whisk the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, salt and ground pepper.

20. Lower the oven temperature: Preheat or adjust the oven to 170°C fan / 375°F / Gas 5.

Assemble the Quiche

21. Trim the shell: If necessary, trim any remaining excess pastry from the top of the cooled tart shell with a sharp serrated knife.

22. Add the filling: Spoon the asparagus and leek mixture evenly over the bottom of the pastry shell.

23. Add the custard: Carefully pour the custard over the vegetables until the shell is almost full, stopping approximately 3–4 mm from the top. Alternatively, fill the tart about three-quarters full, transfer it to the oven and then carefully pour in the remaining custard.

24. Add the topping: Arrange the reserved asparagus tips over the custard and scatter over the 100 g grated cheddar cheese.

Bake

25. Bake the quiche: Place the quiche on a baking tray in the centre of the oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, until the edges are completely set but the centre still has a slight jiggle.

26. Cool: Remove the quiche from the oven and leave it to cool before slicing.

How to Make the Deep-Pan Asparagus & Leek Quiche

The deep-pan version follows the same basic idea but uses a 20 cm springform pan, considerably more filling and a much longer final bake.

Make the Deep-Pan Pastry

1. Rub in the butter: Sift the 300 g flour and ½ teaspoon salt into a large bowl. Add the 150 g cold diced butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add the water: Add 4–5 tablespoons cold water and gently bring the dough together. If necessary, add another tablespoon of water.

3. Rest the pastry: Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Line the Springform Pan

4. Roll the pastry: Roll the chilled pastry to approximately 5 mm / ¼ inch thick and around 18 cm / 7 inches wider than the circumference of the springform pan.

5. Line the pan: Roll the pastry around the rolling pin and carefully unroll it over the springform pan. Gently press it into the bottom and sides.

6. Repair any cracks: Because this is a tall pastry shell, it can be a little fiddly. If the pastry breaks, patch the crack with a small piece of excess dough. Wet your fingers with a little water if necessary to help it adhere.

7. Leave an overhang: Once the pastry reaches the top of the pan, lightly fold the excess pastry over the outside edge rather than trimming it immediately. This helps reduce shrinkage while the shell blind bakes.

8. Rest again: Place the pastry shell in the refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes.

Blind Bake the Deep Pastry Shell

9. Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 180°C fan / 400°F / Gas 6.

10. Prepare for blind baking: Prick the base with a fork, line the shell with pre-crumpled baking parchment and fill it to the rim with baking beans.

11. Blind bake: Bake for 25 minutes.

12. Remove the beans: Carefully remove the baking paper and beans and return the pastry shell to the oven for a further 5–10 minutes, until pale golden.

13. Cool: Leave the pastry shell to cool completely.

Prepare the Filling

14. Prepare the vegetables: Slice the leeks and asparagus, keeping the asparagus tips separate.

15. Cook the leeks: Heat the butter or olive oil in a large frying or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, salt and thyme and cook for approximately 1 minute.

16. Add the asparagus: Add the sliced asparagus and continue cooking for 8 minutes, until softened.

17. Add the flour: Stir in the 3 tablespoons plain flour, then remove the pan from the heat and allow the filling to cool.

Make the Custard

18. Whisk the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, double cream, salt and ground pepper.

19. Adjust the oven: Heat the oven to 170°C fan / 375°F / Gas 5.

Assemble the Deep-Pan Quiche

20. Trim the pastry: Use a sharp serrated knife to trim the excess pastry neatly from the top of the baked shell.

21. Add the vegetable filling: Spoon the cooled asparagus and leek mixture evenly over the pastry base.

22. Add the custard: Pour the custard gently over the filling, stopping approximately 3–4 mm below the top. Alternatively, fill the shell three-quarters full, transfer it to the oven and then carefully add the remaining custard.

23. Add the cheese: Sprinkle over the 150 g grated cheddar cheese, then place the quiche on a large baking tray.

Bake the Deep-Pan Quiche

24. Bake: Place the quiche in the centre of the oven and bake for 1 hour 25–35 minutes, until the edges are completely set but the centre still has a slight jiggle.

25. Cool: Remove from the oven and leave the quiche to cool before removing it from the springform pan.

Variations

One of the reasons I love quiche is that the basic pastry and custard work with so many different fillings.

Change the Vegetables

Most vegetables work well, although vegetables with a high moisture content are generally better cooked before being added.

Try:

• Mushrooms
• Courgettes
• Broccoli
• Butternut squash
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Peppers
• Onions
• Tomatoes

Add Fish or Seafood

Cooked prawns, mussels or clams can be added to the filling.

Smoked salmon also works particularly well with a creamy quiche custard.

Add Meat

Use cooked fillings such as:

• Ham
• Bacon
• Diced chicken

Change the Cheese

Cheddar is used in this asparagus and leek quiche, but you can change the character of the filling with another cheese.

Try:

• Mozzarella
• Feta
• Blue cheese

Change the Herbs

Thyme works beautifully with the asparagus and leeks, but you can experiment with other fresh or dried herbs to complement your chosen filling.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Keep the Pastry Cold

The less the pastry is warmed and handled, the better.

Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips and stop as soon as the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Don’t Overwork the Dough

You only need to knead the pastry 2–3 times to bring it together.

Working it excessively can make it more elastic, which encourages shrinkage during baking.

Rest the Pastry Twice

This is particularly important.

Rest the dough after making it and then again once it has been rolled out and fitted into the tin. This gives the pastry time to relax before it goes into the oven.

Blind Bake Properly

Fill the lined pastry shell right up with baking beans. Their weight helps support the pastry while it begins to set.

Once the parchment and beans are removed, bake the shell for another 5–10 minutes to give the base a chance to become pale golden before the wet filling is added.

Cook the Vegetables First

Leeks and asparagus benefit from being softened before going into the quiche.

This also means you are not relying on the custard baking time to cook the vegetables completely.

Let the Filling Cool

After cooking the asparagus and leeks, remove the pan from the heat and allow them to cool before assembling the quiche.

Avoid Spilling the Custard

A very full quiche is difficult to move.

Fill the pastry shell about three-quarters full, place it carefully in the oven and then top it up with the remaining custard.

Look for a Slight Jiggle

The outside of the quiche should be completely set when it is ready, while the centre can still have a slight jiggle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Shop-Bought Pastry?

Yes. Shop-bought shortcrust pastry is a useful shortcut when you do not have time to make your own.

The original article also suggests puff pastry as an alternative.

What Is the Difference Between the Classic and Deep-Pan Quiche?

The classic quiche uses a 25 cm tart tin and produces a shallower quiche.

The deep-pan version uses a 20 cm springform pan, has considerably more custard and filling, and requires a much longer final bake.

Do I Have to Blind Bake the Pastry?

Yes, both WPRM recipes blind bake the shell before adding the custard.

This gives the pastry a chance to set and colour before the wet filling is added.

Why Does My Quiche Pastry Shrink?

Warm or overworked pastry is more likely to shrink.

Keep the ingredients cold, handle the dough as little as possible and give the pastry both of its resting periods.

Can I Make the Quiche Ahead?

Yes. The existing recipe is designed to work well as a make-ahead dish and can be served warm or cold.

Can I Freeze Asparagus & Leek Quiche?

Yes. The existing recipe states that the baked quiche can be frozen either whole or in individual portions.

Once thawed, reheating it briefly in the oven helps restore the pastry and warm the filling.

Tools You’ll Need

For the classic quiche:

• 25 cm ceramic dish or fluted tart tin
• Large mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Baking parchment
• Baking beans
• Large frying pan
• Whisk
• Baking tray
• Sharp or serrated knife
• Digital kitchen scales

For the deep-pan quiche:

• 20 cm springform pan
• Large mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Baking parchment
• Baking beans
• Large frying or sauté pan
• Whisk
• Large baking tray
• Sharp serrated knife
• Digital kitchen scales

Storage and Freezing

Storing

Allow the cooked quiche to cool, then cover and refrigerate it.

The quiche can be eaten cold or reheated in the oven until hot.

Freezing

Once completely cooled, freeze the baked quiche either whole or cut into individual portions.

Wrap it well or place individual portions in freezer-safe containers before freezing.

After thawing in the refrigerator, reheat it in the oven until thoroughly hot.

Nutrition

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