5 from 8 reviews

Foolproof Crustless Quiche with Asparagus

By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on Mar 19, 2022 (updated Mar 30, 2024) / 23 Comments Jump to Recipe

Easy asparagus crustless quiche made in under an hour that can be gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free! This formula takes well to variations, so be sure to see the other filling suggestions in the recipe notes.

Whip this up for an effortless brunch or easy weekday breakfast. Leftovers keep wonderfully to enjoy throughout the week for a nearly-instant gluten-free breakfast.

close up of asparagus crustless quiche with chive blossoms and gooey cheese on top

I love a classic gluten-free quiche with veggie-laden custard encased in a flaky, golden GF pie crust (or paleo pie crust). But for mornings (or afternoons, or evenings) when I need a gluten-free breakfast dish in under an hour, I turn to my favorite crustless quiche formula.

Crustless Quiche Vs. Frittata

What's the difference between crustless quiche and frittata, you ask? Well frittata is made from beaten eggs plus goodies cooked on the stove or baked. But quiche adds milk and/or cream for a more tender, custardy filling.

While most crustless quiche recipes are just frittata in disguise, this recipe uses a more custardy ratio of dairy to eggs. A little flour absorbs moisture and the result is somewhere between luscious quiche filling and a puffy oven pancake. It's divine, and simply satisfying.

I learned this easy crustless quiche formula several years ago from a friend and shared a springy potato green garlic version. Today I'm sharing this simple asparagus crustless quiche made with lots of gooey, melty cheese and made grain-free with cassava flour.

This quiche is casual enough for a lazy Sunday brunch, but tasty enough to serve guests for a light but substantial supper. The delicate custard creates an elegant foil for grassy asparagus and nutty gruyere cheese. See below for pairing suggestions!

Ingredients and Substitution Suggestions

This recipe uses just 8 main ingredients and it takes well to variations if you don't have asparagus on hand.

Eggs form the base of this crustless quiche. If you can use pastured eggs, you'll be rewarded with especially bright & flavorful egg yolks!
Milk and cream add moisture and richness. For dairy-free crustless quiche, use full-fat coconut milk – it works beautifully and doesn't taste like coconut!
Flour absorbs excess moisture. I've used grain-free cassava and arrowroot flours here, but any all-purpose flour (wheat, GF, or Paleo) should work. I've also used a mix of sweet rice and GF oat flour. It's a forgiving recipe, so feel free to experiment with your preferred flours!
Asparagus cooked briefly in butter adds its delightfully grassy flavor, but you can use pretty much any seasonal vegetable such as broccoli, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, or greens. See the notes section below the recipe for more ideas!
Cheese adds umami flavor and melty goodness. I used gruyere here, which has a lovely nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with asparagus. But any mild melting cheese will work, such as gouda or Swiss. Fresh goat cheese is another favorite option!
Chives add oniony goodness. Green onions work well too. Or use sautéed leek or shallot.
Salt and pepper sharpen the flavors.

How to Make Crustless Quiche

This recipe comes together in under an hour turning out one 9- or 10-inch quiche which serves 4. To feed a crowd, double the recipe and bake it in a 9x12-inch pan.

prepared asparagus pieces and tips — Prep the asparagus by snapping off the woody ends (they'll break naturally at a good spot). Slice off the top 2 inches of the tips and leave them whole, then slice the stalks into half-inch thick slices. Lightly sauté the asparagus in butter.

adding the eggs to the flour mixture — Whisk together the cassava flour, arrowroot starch, salt and pepper. Add two of the eggs and whisk smooth. This prevents the flour from clumping.

Add the remaining four eggs, two at a time, whisking well after each addition.

the finished custard in a blue bowl — Whisk in the milk, cream, and chives.

asparagus and cheese in the pan — Spread the asparagus pieces in the pan and top with some of the cheese.

custard added to the pan — Pour in the custard.

asparagus tips on top of the quiche — Top with the asparagus tips.

baked quiche on a marble board with a slice cut out and glasses of white wine — Bake the quiche until puffed and golden. Let cool slightly, then cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Allergy-Friendly Variations

Gluten-Free Crustless Quiche

If grains aren't an issue, use sweet rice and GF oat flour (see recipe notes for the amounts) or a good all-purpose GF flour such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1.

Grain-Free Crustless Quiche

Make the recipe as written with cassava and arrowroot flours.

Dairy-Free Crustless Quiche

To ditch the dairy, simply swap the milk and cream for full-fat coconut milk. Use olive oil instead of butter for cooking the asparagus. Omit the cheese or use a good vegan cheese. I'm a fan of Miyoko's vegan mozzarella with their chive or sun-dried tomato soft cheese wheels.

Paleo Crustless Quiche

Make the above subs, and use cassava and arrowroot flours.

What to Serve with Quiche?

Quiche needs nothing more than a simple green salad tossed with dijon vinaigrette and a glass of white wine or bubbles to make it a meal. But here are a few favorite brunch-friendly pairings:

However you serve up this crustless asparagus quiche, I hope it becomes a brunch staple in your home like it has in ours!

*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this asparagus crustless quiche recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*

5 from 8 reviews

Foolproof Crustless Quiche with Asparagus

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Easy asparagus crustless quiche made in under an hour that can be gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free! Whip this up for an effortless brunch or easy weekday breakfast. Leftovers keep wonderfully to enjoy throughout the week.

Alanna Taylor-Tobin

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total: 55

Servings: 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter, plus a little for the pan
1 bunch asparagus (12-16 ounces)
¼ cup (33 g) cassava flour*
3 tablespoons (21 g) arrowroot starch*
½ teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
black pepper
6 large eggs
1 cup whole milk (or full-fat canned coconut milk)
¼ cup heavy cream (or full-fat canned coconut milk)
2-3 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens
4 ounces (1 cup lightly packed) gruyère or other favorite cheese*

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Rub a 9 or 10-inch round baking pan with softened butter.
Snap the ends off of the asparagus. Cut the stalks into half-inch pieces on diagonal, leaving the asparagus tips intact.
In a wide skillet, melt ½ tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the small asparagus pieces plus a big pinch salt. Cook, stirring, until bright green and crisp tender. Remove from pan.
Add the remaining butter and asparagus tips & cook for one minute.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, arrowroot starch, salt and pepper. Add two of the eggs and whisk smooth. Add the remaining four eggs, two at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the milk, cream, and chives.
Spread the small pieces of asparagus in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle most of the cheese over the asparagus pieces. Pour the quiche batter over the asparagus and arrange the asparagus tips on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake the quiche until puffed and golden, 40-45 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

*For a gluten-free quiche that isn't grain-free, sub 1/4 cup sweet rice flour or GF all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup GF oat flour for the cassava and arrowroot flours. If gluten isn't an issue, you can make this with 1/3 cup all-purpose wheat flour.

*You can use any cheese you love here in place of or in addition to gruyère. Fresh goat cheese, parmesan, or other mild melty cheeses like gouda, swiss, or jack would be delicious too.

For dairy-free / paleo crustless quiche, use canned coconut milk in place of the dairy and vegan butter or olive oil in place of the butter. Omit the cheese or use a good vegan cheese. I like a combination of Miyoko's mozz and some of their soft chive wheel or sun-dried tomato wheel.

Feel free to use this GF crustless quiche formula with other ingredients instead of or in addition to the asparagus such as:

sautéed mushrooms
sautéed leeks or spring onions
cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes
sautéed zucchini
lightly steamed broccoli
wilted spinach or other greens
other herbs such as tarragon, basil, thyme, etc.
sweet corn
roasted winter squash
parboiled potato slices
bacon, sausage, or pancetta for omnivores

Nutritional values are based on one of three servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 27gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 407mgSodium: 830mgPotassium: 598mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2528IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 485mgIron: 5mg

Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

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Comments

5 from 8 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Foolproof Crustless Quiche with Asparagus

Crustless Quiche Vs. Frittata

Ingredients and Substitution Suggestions

How to Make Crustless Quiche