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Garlic & Zest

Gourmet Cooking at Home!

Kale and Mushroom Quiche

kale and mushroom quiche
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This post has been updated for recipe, content and photography since its original publication in 2014.

Want an easy, foolproof vegetarian quiche recipe that the whole family loves? This kale and mushroom quiche delivers. It’s packed with fresh fresh vegetables and gruyere cheese, with an quick, egg custard filling. Use a ready made pie crust to keep the prep simple and enjoy this tasty, cheesy kale quiche for weekend brunches or even a light dinner. This easy quiche dish can be made ahead and it freezes well too!

 

filling a pie pastry with pie weights to blind bake.

Quiche is a family favorite brunch dish

Quiche has always been a favorite savory brunch item in our family. When we’ve got visiting friends or relatives who are staying overnight, it’s an easy make-ahead brunch item with a little more polish than a dump-and-go egg casserole and it will easily serve 6 hungry diners or 8 as part of a larger meal.

Ingredients for kale mushroom quiche

  • 9″ Pie Pastry
  • Button Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Curly Kale
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Kosher Salt
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Cream
  • Nutmeg
  • Black Pepper
  • Gruyere Cheese

 

sauteeing mushrooms and onions with thyme.

Sweat the vegetables

This savory vegetarian quiche recipe starts with the mushrooms. Mushrooms naturally contain a lot of water. In fact, if you heat a dry pan over a medium high heat and add mushrooms to it, within a minute or so, they’ll actually start to give up their liquid and you’ll find them wet with their own juices – despite the fact that the pan was dry to start.

I’m saying this because the amount of oil may seem like it’s not enough, and the mushrooms will automatically soak up what’s there — and you’ll think, “Geez, I need to add more oil”.

Don’t. Just give the mushrooms a few minutes and they’ll release the liquid.  That’s when you add the onions, red pepper flakes and bundle of thyme.

 

sauteeing the kale for vegetarian quiche recipe.

Curly kale is a great way to add fiber to this this quiche dish, but it does need to be wilted before mixing it with the other vegetables.

Prepping kale for quiche

  1. Remove the tough stems from the kale and discard.
  2. Roughly chop the kale and transfer to the sauté pan, stirring while the kale sizzles.
  3. Stir in the water and cover the pan to give the kale a brief steam, which will wilt the leaves. 
  4. When the kale is softened, add the mushroom and onion mixture and stir to combine.

 

mixing sauteed kale, mushroom and onions.

You can customize this vegetarian quiche recipe with just about any cheese that you have on hand. My personal favorite is Gruyere, but any of the ones listed below will be deliciously balanced in this kale and mushroom quiche. When you’re shredding the cheese, use the fine side of the box grater, so that the shreds are whisper thin and melt easily into the quiche custard.

Recommended cheeses for this recipe

  • Gruyere
  • Swiss
  • Emmental
  • Fontina
  • Monterey Jack
  • White Cheddar

 

making custard and mixing gruyere with vegetables. This easy vegetarian recipe comes together quickly.

Assembling quiche filling

Nutmeg is a classic ingredient to add to quiche custards. You don’t need a lot, but it adds an interesting (not sweet) flavor that enhances the gruyere, swiss or emmental cheese in the quiche dish. Just whisk the custard ingredients together until well combined and then fold in the sautéed vegetables and grated cheese.

 

Filling the pie pastry with vegetarian custard blend.

Fill & bake

  1. Fill the par-baked pie crust with the kale and egg custard filling.
  2. Sprinkle a little extra cheese over the top and bake the kale quiche until the filling is set.
  3. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

I love the way the house smells while the kale and mushroom quiche is baking. Its savory aroma will make your tummy rumble. It takes about an hour (maybe a little more) to bake and while it does, you can make some bacon or sausage to go with it and you’ll definitely want to pour some mimosas or bloody marys too.

baked kale quiche hot from the oven. This vegetarian quiche is hard to resist.

One of the best things about quiche is that you can make it ahead of time and reheat it just before serving. It even freezes well and can be kept for up to a month.

For a make ahead quiche dish

  1. Make the quiche as directed and let it cool to room temperature.
  2. Cover and refrigerate.
  3. When you’re ready to serve it, remove the quiche from the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter for about half an hour.
  4. Preheat the oven to 325° and heat the quiche for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through.
  5. If the crust starts to brown too much, rest a piece of foil over it.

 

overhead view of kale and mushroom quiche.

More vegetarian quiche recipes:

  • Roasted Bell Pepper and Artichoke Quiche
  • Fresh Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche
  • Quick and Easy Crustless Vegetable Quiche
  • Caramelized Onion and Thyme Quiche
  • Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Quiche

 

cutting a slice of vegetarian quiche recipe.

What to serve with kale and mushroom quiche:

  • Homemade Applewood Smoked Bacon
  • Winter Citrus Salad with Sherry Vinegar Dressing
  • Homemade Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze
  • Glazed Cherry Almond Coffee Cake
  • Simple Citrus Almond Salad

 

quiche dish with a slice removed.


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4.37 from 33 votes

Kale and Mushroom Quiche

Quiche is a great way to entertain for weekend brunches and they're portable, so when they ask you to bring something... it's quiche to the rescue!
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword eggs, kale, mushrooms
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 316kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 9-inch pie crust
  • 8 ounces button mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • scant 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme tied in a bundle
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
  • 3-4 stems curly kale stems removed, very finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 5 eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 cup grated gruyere cheese can also use emmenthal, swiss, fontina

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Place pie pastry into glass or ceramic pie plate. Firmly press bottom and sides into plate and finish the edges of the crust by pressing the tines of a fork against the rim of the crust, or by pursing the edges together between your thumb and forefinger. Refrigerate crust until oven has heated completely. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the crust and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes until set and just starting to brown. Remove crust from oven and set aside to cool
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add mushrooms and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until the mushrooms start to give up their liquid Add onions and bundle of thyme. Cook 2-3 minutes, until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture to a small bowl.
  • Add remaining oil to the skillet and add chopped kale and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in the water, cover and steam until kale is wilted and water has evaporated, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes. Add kale to onion mixture. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl add eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, remaining salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
  • Add kale mixture, and grated cheese to the egg mixture. Stir well to combine.
  • Pour filling into pie crust and spread it out evenly. Top with additional cheese if desired. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until filling is set. Remove from oven. Let quiche rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 506mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 1mg

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Breakfast/Brunch// Vegan/Vegetarian// Vegetables47 Comments

« Truffled Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup
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Comments

  1. Flavia Andrews says

    March 8, 2020 at 4:12 PM

    I loved the richness of this quiche. Very satisfying, and all the flavors work together wonderfully! I would have this for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Thanks, Lisa!

    Reply
  2. Renee | The Good Hearted Woman says

    January 13, 2020 at 3:21 PM

    This quiche looks so savory and satisfying: I love the combination of flavors! A slice of quiche and a nice salad makes a perfect meal.

    Reply
  3. Dannii says

    January 13, 2020 at 10:20 AM

    I am always looking for new ways to use kale and this sounds delicious.

    Reply
  4. Julie says

    January 13, 2020 at 10:00 AM

    Love this quiche recipe! Thanks for sharing! Definitely making again!

    Reply
  5. kim says

    January 13, 2020 at 9:41 AM

    Love this recipe! It was so easy and flavorful! Will definitely be making again!

    Reply
  6. Demeter says

    January 13, 2020 at 9:13 AM

    I love the kale and mushroom flavor combination! Such a wonderful quiche.

    Reply
  7. Helen @ family-friends-food.cmo says

    January 13, 2020 at 9:09 AM

    This looks great. The combination of flavours from the kale and mushrooms sounds delicious.

    Reply
  8. Jack says

    January 13, 2020 at 9:07 AM

    I made this quiche for my family & they loved it!

    Reply
  9. Kate says

    December 31, 2018 at 10:42 AM

    This is a fantastic recipe. I’ve made it twice as two quiches with added ingredients and it worked great for big brunches. To make it more substantial, I added veggie breakfast sausage and fine diced red bell pepper. I also used smoked gouda and cheddar for the cheese. So yum! Thank you for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      December 31, 2018 at 11:16 AM

      I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe — and love your twists and add-ins! To me, cooking is very personal, so I love that you’ve made this your own!

      Reply
  10. Barb says

    September 16, 2018 at 9:03 PM

    Could you freeze this quiche and if so, would you freeze the quiche before you baked it or after?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      September 17, 2018 at 7:23 AM

      I would freeze it after baking. Defrost the quiche before reheating it. I would reheat at 300° for 15-20 minutes.

      Reply
    • Lisa says

      September 17, 2018 at 7:39 AM

      Hi Barb! Yes, you can freeze the quiche. I would do it after you’ve baked it. Thaw the quiche before reheating it. I would set the oven at 300° and warm it for 15-20 minutes.

      Reply
  11. Karen says

    April 8, 2018 at 1:36 PM

    Made it for dinner tonight and it was an absolute hit. We loved it.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 8, 2018 at 3:24 PM

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it Karen! Quiche is a go-to meal for me because everyone loves them! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  12. Stephen says

    February 22, 2018 at 10:52 PM

    Such a gorgeous quiche. My only suggestion, is instead of discarding kale stems, chop them and sauté starting with the onions. They are a fantastic addition, and no waste! Cool all the way through with onions and mushrooms if started right away.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 23, 2018 at 6:54 AM

      I’m all for the waste not, want not philosophy! Great suggestion!

      Reply
  13. NME says

    November 13, 2017 at 8:38 AM

    The quiche turned out wonderfully, and everybody at the brunch was asking for the recipe! For anyone in a similar position of working with what’s in the fridge, here were my substitutions: I altered the mix of cheeses—half mozzarella, half cheddar—instead of fontina, used Trader Joe’s “coconut beverage” in place of the milk, but did use heavy cream since I had that available. I used a slightly-rounded 1/4 teaspoon of pre-ground nutmeg, since it’s stronger than freshly ground. A full 1/2 teaspoon of pre-ground nutmeg would have been really overpowering (and I like nutmeg!), so keep that in mind. (Probably just time to buy a real nutmeg…)

    I used a grain-free, nut-free crust from the book _My Paleo Patisserie_ and highly recommend it.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      November 13, 2017 at 10:49 AM

      I love how you made this your own, Nicole!

      Reply
  14. Juli says

    April 18, 2017 at 9:16 PM

    Wow the pictures are great! I love that there is kale and mushrooms (two of my faves) in this quiche.

    Reply
  15. Allison - Celebrating Sweets says

    April 18, 2017 at 8:59 PM

    I’ve been on a major mushroom kick lately so I would LOVE this! Perfect for any meal of the day.

    Reply
  16. Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says

    April 18, 2017 at 5:24 PM

    I have a confession: I’ve never tried to make quiche! You’ve hit all of my happy spots with this recipe, though—especially mushrooms, onions, kale, and fontina—so it has now become my mission. My mom has issues chewing too, so she’ll appreciate this dish when I make it for her on Mother’s Day!

    Reply
  17. Lynn | The Road to Honey says

    April 18, 2017 at 5:22 PM

    Such a fantastic story Lisa. My grandparents passed away a couple of years ago and I must say that I am quite envious that you get to take your grandpa shopping every weekend. I would have loved to see their faces when you showed up with this beauty in hand. It looks absolutely delicious. It’s no surprise that not even a crumb could be found as evidence of it’s existence.

    Reply
  18. Jovita @ Yummy Addiction says

    April 18, 2017 at 5:01 PM

    Oh my, this quiche looks so good. I would love to have a few slices right now!

    Reply
  19. j says

    December 7, 2016 at 10:45 PM

    We had it for dinner tonight. I wanted to use up my heavy cream. I didn’t have fontina or a pie crust, but it was great with Mexican style cheese and no crust.
    Judy

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      December 8, 2016 at 7:18 AM

      I love your rift on this — and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  20. Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish says

    November 29, 2016 at 4:00 PM

    This sounds absolutely fantastic!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      November 30, 2016 at 7:11 AM

      It’s a great combo, Suzy!

      Reply
  21. swathi says

    November 29, 2016 at 2:25 PM

    It is always great feeling to cook for somebody we love especially grandparents as they always given best food in the world. You made best kale mushroom quiche. I wish you can send some for me too.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      November 29, 2016 at 3:18 PM

      LOL! – Grandparents deserve the best, don’t they?!!

      Reply
  22. WillCookForFriends says

    November 29, 2016 at 1:40 PM

    Aw, that’s such a great story! I love that you cooked this for your grandparents after their years of cooking for you. Quiche really is such a great dish, but it’s one I haven’t made in ages either. Yours looks so golden and perfect, too — it’s inspired me! I definitely need to make a quiche soon!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      November 29, 2016 at 3:16 PM

      I like to bring my grandparents homemade dishes as often as I can. They always appreciate it and quiche is one of their faves!

      Reply
  23. Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says

    November 29, 2016 at 1:20 PM

    I love quiche – it’s one of those dishes that is appropriate any time of day and in just about every situation. I’ve been working on a cauliflower crust for mine, since as much as I love pie crust – it doesn’t really fit into my everyday eating plan. I haven’t made one in a while, though – glad I came across this post as a great reminder. I’ll try your kale and mushroom variety for dinner next week!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      November 29, 2016 at 1:39 PM

      You’ll have to send me your cauliflower crust recipe! That sounds great — especially for a healthier eating plan!

      Reply
  24. Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says

    November 29, 2016 at 1:09 PM

    I love making quiche and you can’t go wrong with mushrooms and kale in it.

    Reply
  25. Nicolai @ Instphil says

    November 2, 2016 at 12:34 AM

    Hi Lisa!.
    Looks so refreshing and what a great flavor!
    Thank for sharing

    Reply
  26. Patty says

    July 16, 2015 at 4:24 PM

    Given fresh kale from garden and farm fresh eggs.
    Baking this up right now!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 16, 2015 at 4:57 PM

      Do you have a farmer for a neighbor? I’m jealous!

      Reply
  27. Vaquitaflor says

    June 19, 2015 at 8:38 PM

    I made it without the crust because I didn’t have one at the moment and had to replace two eggs with egg whites because I didn’t have enough–it turned out fantastic anyways! What a wonderful recipe. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      June 19, 2015 at 9:33 PM

      I love your ingenuity! Glad you enjoyed, it’s one of my favorites too!

      Reply
  28. Christine Hudson says

    October 23, 2014 at 12:55 PM

    Made this and realized at the last minute that I didn’t have a pie plate (still moving things to new abode). Used a slope-sided oven-proof skillet instead… A funny presentation but still delicious!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      October 23, 2014 at 5:03 PM

      Inventive! You’re like MacGyver in the kitchen!

      Reply
  29. Kate @ Vegukate says

    October 13, 2014 at 3:20 PM

    This sounds so great! I love putting kale in eggs – the mushrooms must make it even more fab!

    Reply
  30. Betty says

    October 13, 2014 at 9:09 AM

    Quiche is one of my favorite meals with a salad for dinner during the week and then we enjoy the left overs for a quick brunch on the weekend. My favorite is spinach and mushroom but I will be giving kale and mushroom a try here in the near future.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      October 13, 2014 at 9:32 AM

      I think I like this better than spinach – because the kale is a little chewier – it gives a nice texture! Enjoy!

      Reply
  31. amallia says

    October 13, 2014 at 7:43 AM

    wow what a delicious quiche…I can see it from the pictures:-). This is great way to eat veggie :-).

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      October 13, 2014 at 8:30 AM

      It really is good! Thanks amallia!

      Reply

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Lisa

Calling all cooks! You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to get a delicious, healthy meal on the table! At Garlic & Zest, I’ll show you how to make hundreds of seasonal, fresh recipes and indulgent comfort foods with easy step-by-step instructions and photos to help you master the dish.

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