Crustless Cottage Cheese Zucchini Quiche

Cottage Cheese Zucchini Quiche is a crustless, high protein breakfast or side dish that’s creamy, light, and fluffy with 19 grams of protein!

Zucchini season is here! Inspired by my crustless zucchini quiche, this cottage cheese zucchini quiche turned out amazing! I was skeptical if cottage cheese would bake nicely, but it totally did!

I am not into baking quiche with crust, but when it comes to crustless options, I’m all in like with crustless broccoli quiche and crustless spinach quiche. Less work and fewer calories, it’s a double bonus.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy: No making, buying, or pre-baking the crust.
• Diet friendly: I experimented with gluten-free and whole wheat flour so you can pick whichever fits your diet.
• High in protein: You can never have enough high protein recipes in your arsenal, this one has 19 grams per slice.
• Packed with veggies: We fill it with zucchini, and you can toss in other veggies too.
• Perfect for meal prep: Some egg recipes lose their appeal by the end of the week, but not this one. It tastes amazing cold even on day 5.

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Zucchini Quiche

This cottage cheese quiche includes 5 main ingredients along with everyday spices and herbs.

• Zucchini: If you’ve got a ton of zucchini and hunting for more zucchini recipes, this one uses 5 cups of shredded zucchini, which for me translated to about 3 zucchinis.
• Eggs: I used 6 large eggs for structure, flavor, and protein.
• Cottage cheese: I recommend to use 2% or 4% cottage cheese because it releases less liquid. I went with 2%.
• Shredded cheese: I like cheddar, gouda, or havarti cheese, but mozzarella, Monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese would also work well.
• Flour: You can use gluten-free flour, all purpose flour, or whole wheat flour. Almond flour will not work as it’s not as absorbent.
• Fresh herbs: I used fresh basil but chives, green onions, dill, or parsley are great alternatives.
• Spices: Onion flakes or powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to enhance all the flavors.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Zucchini Quiche

Skipping the crust makes this recipe easy with just 15 minutes of prep time.

I’ve also added air fryer instructions to the recipe card if you want to skip using the oven on a hot day.

Preheat oven to 400 F and generously spray a 9″ pie dish with cooking spray.

• Prepare the zucchini: In a large bowl, toss shredded zucchini with salt and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as you can by wrapping it in a kitchen towel and twisting. Then transfer the zucchini to another large bowl.
• Make the egg mixture: Add eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, herbs, flour, onion flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the bowl with the zucchini. Stir with a spatula.
• Bake: Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish and bake for 45-50 minutes or until it’s set in the center and a toothpick comes out clean, it should not be jiggly.
• Cool and slice: Allow it to cool on a wire rack for about 2 hours. Loosen the edges with a spatula, then cut. Serve warm or cold, I’m a big fan of cold quiche!

Tips for Best Results

Follow these tips for melt-in-your mouth perfection.

• Squeeze zucchini well: Very important for quiche because it removes excess moisture. If you don’t squeeze it out, the extra water can make the quiche soggy.
• Grease pie dish generously: Since there’s no crust to act as a barrier the quiche can easily stick to the dish.
• Bake it through: Ovens can vary. Your quiche is done when the edges are set and the custard is golden brown. A slight wobble is fine, but check with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
• Let it set and slice carefully: Allow at least 2 hours to set. Use a spatula to loosen the edges, then slice with a serrated knife. Carefully remove it from the pie plate with the spatula, separating the bottom and edges as you go.
• Other flours: I am confident this recipe will work with gluten-free flour, all purpose and whole wheat flours. You can use coconut flour but less as it’s more absorbent. I’m not so sure about almond flour or oat flour if they will hold this quiche together.

Variations

Feel free to swap in any veggies or cheese you have on hand in this cottage cheese zucchini quiche recipe! Or even throw in some meat if you like.

• Egg whites: Replace 1 large egg with 3 tablespoons of egg whites.
• Feta cheese: Crumbled feta is a softer cheese that adds a tangy flavor. Regular, fat-free, or light feta will work.
• Dairy-free: Swap in your favorite dairy-free cheese.
• Extra protein: Boost your quiche with fully cooked Italian sausage, chopped ham, baked bacon, cooked chicken, smoked salmon, or tofu for an extra hit of protein.
• Other vegetables: Previously sauteed chopped bell peppers, mushrooms and onions; raw tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, or asparagus all pair perfectly with zucchini.
• More spices: You can easily change up the flavor with smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne powder, or dried herbs like thyme or oregano.
• Other additions: Customize your quiche with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, leeks, or grated Parmesan cheese.
• Summer squash: Shred some yellow squash and use it in a 1:1 ratio, or mix them together for a tasty twist.

How to Store

Store: You can keep leftovers in the fridge covered for up to 5 days. Just make sure to let it cool before you put them away.

Freeze: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you leave it unsliced, it’ll stay nice and moist. Slices thaw faster and are super handy for grabbing a quick portion.

Reheat: I love mine cold, but if you prefer it warm use the microwave to avoid drying it out.

FAQs

More Egg and Cottage Cheese Recipes

• Vegetable spaghetti squash quiche
• Cottage cheese egg bake
• Kale mushroom spaghetti squash quiche
• Cottage cheese egg muffins
• Crustless zucchini pie
• Cottage cheese egg bites