This Crustless Zucchini Quiche Recipe creates a quiche that practically melts in the mouth with a light, creamy texture and a nutritious filling that’s absolutely packed with zucchini and just enough cheese for a pop of flavor!
Love healthy egg recipes as much as us? Then you’ll also love hash brown breakfast casserole, quinoa egg muffins, sweet potato breakfast casserole, and pressure cooker egg bites –the whole family loves them!
Table of contents
- Light and Nutritious Summery Crustless Zucchini Quiche
- Why This Recipe for Crustless Zucchini Quiche Works?
- Ingredients in Crustless Zucchini Pie
- How to Make Crustless Zucchini Quiche
- Optional Add-In’s and Variations
- Tips for Best Zucchini Quiche Recipe Results
- FAQs
- Serving Recommendations
- Making Zucchini Quiche Recipe in Advance
- More Healthy Egg Recipes
Light and Nutritious Summery Crustless Zucchini Quiche
I’ve always been a huge fan of quiches, even if they didn’t seem to like me that much. The doughy crusts feels heavy on my stomach, and the amount of dairy never seems to sit right – even in many crustless versions. Which is why I went about tinkering to create my own healthier versions. The result is this soft, creamy, cheesy (yet healthy) crustless zucchini quiche. I now love crustless quiche so much I also have recipes for spinach and broccoli versions!
With a simple combination of eggs, tons of zucchini, a little flour (for texture), and just enough cheese to add a punch of flavor, this 6-ingredient crustless zucchini pie is a light and tasty healthy breakfast idea, snack, or lunch/dinner!
It’s also a perfect addition to a brunch spread with healthy french toast casserole.
Unlike frittatas (like this vegetable frittata), which are sturdier/firmer in texture, this quiche is light, soft, and creamy. And for those times when I do feel like a bit of a crust, I’ve created two spaghetti squash quiche recipes, including one with kale and mushrooms and another with mixed vegetables.
For this recipe, though, we’re taking advantage of the summer bounty of zucchini (and summer squash) for an easy-to-make, low-cost, and super tasty crustless zucchini quiche recipe! Whenever zucchini season is here, I basically go on a little zuke cooking craze. So far this month, I’ve already made sauteed zucchini, a loaf of healthy zucchini bread, stuffed zucchini boats, and baked zucchini fritters. Last month I made lemon zucchini bread, and I’m tempted to make a batch of healthy zucchini brownies next week… we’ll see!
Oh, and did I mention that you can bake this in the oven or adapt it to air-fryer quiche?!
Why This Recipe for Crustless Zucchini Quiche Works?
- I made this zucchini quiche using just 6 simple ingredients–plus salt and pepper!
- By omitting the pastry crust, this crustless zucchini quiche is lighter, healthier, and lower carb!
- This recipe only requires 15 minutes of hands-on prep before it’s ready to bake to perfection!
- You can cook this crustless zucchini pie using either an oven or as an air-fryer quiche!
- This recipe is meat-free (vegetarian) and can be made gluten-free.
- Enjoy immediately, refrigerate for later, or freeze for months of delicious zucchini quiche!
Ingredients in Crustless Zucchini Pie
- Zucchini: You can use zucchini and/or summer squash for this zucchini quiche recipe
- Eggs: I use 8 large eggs. These can be straight from the fridge or at room temperature.
- Flour: You can use whole wheat flour or spelt flour. Check the FAQs for more (and gluten-free) suggestions. If you’ve never mixed flour into your quiche custard before, this might sound a little odd – but it helps stabilize the mixture and creates an even creamier texture.
- Cheese: This crustless zucchini quiche recipe uses a combination of ½ cup any hard cheese and ½ cup parmesan.
- Herbs: Use chives or green onions (scallions).
- Salt & pepper: To taste.
- Cooking spray: I use Misto.
Keep reading below (after the recipe how-to) for more information on crustless zucchini quiche recipe add-ins and seasoning variations!
How to Make Crustless Zucchini Quiche
Oven Baked Crustless Quiche
- Prepare the zucchini: First, shred the zucchini using the large holes on a grater or a food processor shredding disk. Then you’ll need to squeeze the zucchini to remove as much water as possible. I do this by placing the zucchini in a linen towel, wringing it into a ball, and then squeezing it to remove all the excess liquid. You could also use a ricer to press out all the liquid.
You can save this nutritious liquid to add to soups or smoothies – no need to waste it!
- Whisk the egg mixture: Preheat the oven to 400F/200C and spray a pie dish with cooking spray. Then, in a medium bowl, add the eight eggs and whisk. Next, add the flour and whisk well to combine – this will take a few minutes. Then add the cheese, and salt, and pepper.
- Add the zucchini: Next, add the zucchini and chives to the bowl and use a spatula to fold it into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer to the pan and bake: Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and then bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the crustless zucchini pie comes out clean. I recommend broiling the zucchini quiche for a few minutes at the end of the baking process for a lovely golden crust. Allow it to cool slightly, slice into eight pieces, and then enjoy warm or cold!
Air Fryer Quiche
Line the air fryer basket with unbleached parchment paper and spray well with cooking spray.
Add the zucchini quiche mixture, level with a spatula, and bake in the preheated air fryer at 320F/160C for 30 minutes. Use a toothpick to check the air-fryer quiche is cooked through in the center. You may also enjoy air fryer breakfast casserole!
Optional Add-In’s and Variations
This crustless zucchini pie is fairly forgiving (thus versatile) to using ingredient subs and add-ins. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Softer cheese: This crustless zucchini pie also works well with softer cheeses like crumbly feta or goat cheese.
- Spice: You can easily add a little heat to this crustless zucchini pie with a pinch of red pepper flakes or some chili/cayenne powder added to the egg mixture.
- Other spices/aromatics: You can add further depth to the flavor with different spices added to the egg custard. I particularly like adding garlic and onion powder/ smoked paprika. Herbs will also work well- like basil, oregano, etc.
- Other vegetables: This zucchini quiche recipe is actually fairly versatile and open to extra or substituted veggies. I particularly like pairing zucchini with spinach (2-3 handfuls roughly ripped/chopped), corn, onions, peppers, etc. I recommend substituting 1-2 cups of the zucchini for other vegetables.
- Protein: You could add some chopped ham, bacon, or smoked salmon for more protein.
- For dairy-free: You can use dairy-free cheese if preferred.
Tips for Best Zucchini Quiche Recipe Results
- To use just egg whites: You’ll need 3 tbsp of egg whites per 1 large egg.
- Salting the zucchini: If you struggle to squeeze out the zucchini liquid, you can salt it. Place the zucchini in a bowl or colander, mix with 1 tsp salt, and then leave the rest for 15 minutes. The salt will help extract the liquid from the veg, making it easier to squeeze after.
- Leave some cheese to one side: That way, you can sprinkle it over the top of the crustless zucchini pie before baking.
FAQs
This crustless zucchini quiche has an amazingly delicate texture and practically melts in the mouth. It’s not quite like an omelette or a pie – just light, fluffy, and creamy.
Yes you can. I recommend slicing the quiche and then laying the pieces on a tray to freeze until solid. Then add to a large freezer-safe bag and store for up to two months.
As a side note, a reader recently let me know that they actually freeze quiche mixture pre-baking by pouring it into a ziplock bag (releasing excess air) then freezing laid down flat. Once solid it will then easily slot into your freezer. To use it, thaw the mixture in the fridge overnight and then bake as usual. However, I haven’t tried this, so I’m not sure how well it works for this crustless zucchini quiche.
You sure can. I like to use a combination of zucchini and summer squash.
Yes- you can grate and squeeze it then keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Yes- however, I recommend lining the pan well to stop any egg mixture seeping out. You can even use glass pans and other baking dishes. However, each different type of dish can impact the baking time.
You can also use all-purpose flour. One reader even used quinoa flour (as a gluten-free option). However, I wouldn’t recommend using almond flour or coconut flour. This is due to their absorbency and the impact it will have on the texture.
You sure can – though I actually have recipes already for egg muffins and breakfast egg muffins. However, for this specific recipe, a reader recommends baking the mixture in a greased muffin pan for around 18 minutes. This recipe should yield around 18 mini quiche cups.
Serving Recommendations
Enjoy this zucchini quiche for breakfast, a snack, on the go, or a light lunch/dinner. Enjoy a piece or alone or alongside a side salad for a heartier meal. Some options I like include:
- Serve alongside a leafy salad with healthy muffins. One of our favorites is healthy lemon poppy seed muffins!
- This zucchini quiche also pairs well with veggie salads like healthy coleslaw, avocado salad, or healthy potato salad!
- With sun-dried tomato soup for more of a meal.
- Cooked quinoa or brown rice.
You can also serve this crustless zucchini pie as part of a brunch spread alongside fruit (and fruit salad), Ukrainian breakfast potatoes, healthy almond flour blueberry muffins, banana pancakes, chocolate chia pudding, and/or quinoa granola with yogurt, etc.
Making Zucchini Quiche Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the zucchini quiche mixture up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge covered. If you want to prepare it two days in advance, you can prepare the zucchini/chives, grate the cheese, and store them separately (combine before baking).
Storing: Allow the crustless zucchini quiche to cool and then refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days. For freezing instructions, read the FAQ section.
Reheating: While there’s no need to reheat this zucchini pie (cold quiche is delicious!), I recommend reheating a slice in the microwave rather than the oven (which can dry it out).
More Healthy Egg Recipes
- Sweet Potato and Eggs
- Instant Pot boiled eggs
- Breakfast egg sandwich
- Avocado egg salad
- Breakfast egg casserole
You can also browse through my collection of healthy egg recipes, for more inspiration!
Crustless Zucchini Quiche
Ingredients
- 7 cups 2-2.5 lbs shredded zucchini (measured before squeezing)
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 cup spelt or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup any hard cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup chives or green onions finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Cooking spray I use Misto
Instructions
- Give shredded zucchini a good squeeze to extract as much water as possible. I do it by placing zucchini into a linen towel and wringing into a ball (save the liquid for soup or smoothies). Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray pie baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, add eggs and whisk.
- Add flour and whisk well to combine (it will take a few minutes). Add both cheeses, salt and pepper, and whisk one more time.
- To the bowl with zucchini, add chives and mix with spatula. Then pour egg flour mixture on top and stir well to combine.
- Transfer mixture to previously prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Broil for a few minutes for a golden crust. Cool off a bit, cut into 8 slices and enjoy warm or cold (I love cold quiche!).
Make ahead quiche mixture and refrigerate for up to 1 day. After bake as per recipe. If you need to make quiche ahead 2 days in advance, you can prep zucchini and store with chives. And grate cheeses and refrigerate separately. Helps a lot!
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days covered. Quiche makes amazing breakfast, snack and food on the go.
Reheat quiche? I love mine cold. It is so good! If you must, I recommend a microwave otherwise it will dry out in the oven.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes without permission. Nutritional info is approximate.
Will this work with coconut or almond flour?
No, they are too absorbent. Another reader has mentioned using quinoa flour with good success, or you might want to try 1:1 gluten free flour. You might like to try crustless spinach quiche or crustless broccoli quiche both of which have no flour in them.
Hi Louise,
I’ve just made the Crustless Zucchini Quiche. I used almond flour, it came out delicious.
Thank you for sharing how you made it, so glad it turned out great!
What a great way to use up an abundance of farm fresh eggs and garden zucchini. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m sad to see the Old Crustless Zuccini Quiche recipe gone. It was one of my favorites of yours and a go to, whenever I needed to drop a pound or two. Luckily I have made it so often I discovered I remembered it by heart so all is good.
I might try this new one one day
Hi Sofie. I have had this recipe at this link for years. Do you mean crustless zucchini pie with tortillas? I might find it for you. Please let me know.
Just made it in the toaster oven now and it is great! Yummy!@
Wonderful, easy and a big hit with guests.