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    Home » Recipes

    Tomato & Asparagus Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust

    Published: Mar 10, 2023 · Modified: Dec 2, 2023 by Chef Christina

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This tomato and asparagus quiche is perfect for any holiday or special occasion and simple enough to pull together. Fresh, tender asparagus, and juicy, heirloom tomatoes baked in a savory custard are a beautiful addition to any brunch. And makes for a satisfying, vegetable-loaded meal anytime of day. A whole wheat pie crust adds a bit more fiber. But the recipe works like a charm with all-purpose.

    Looking down on an asparagus and tomato quiche on a white platter.

    Jump to:
    • The Story
    • The Ingredients
    • The Ratios
    • The Steps
    • Storage and Reheating
    • On Rolling Out Dough
    • Chef's Tips
    • More Asparagus Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • More Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • About Chef Christina
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    • 💬 Reviews

    The Story

    When the spears are in season, this tomato and asparagus quiche is a beautiful centerpiece of a dish. You can prepare the crust over a couple of days. And bake the quiche the night before you plan to serve or enjoy it. It's rich and flavorful with plenty of texture from the vegetables. And with the added fiber of a whole wheat crust, you can enjoy this one without tons of guilt.

    A baked quiche with tomatoes and asparagus next to an heirloom tomato.

    The simple whole wheat pie dough bakes up buttery, crispy, and flaky. And the ratio for the crust works with any flour you have on hand. In the absence of sliced tomatoes or asparagus, any chopped vegetables lend eye-catching color, nutrients, and most importantly, even more flavor.


    The Ingredients

    This recipe is based on professional formulas for pie crust and quiche batter. It works well with a variety of flours and fat, and any of your favorite vegetables. Just be mindful to precook tougher ones like asparagus before baking them in the quiche.

    Chopped and sliced asparagus on a cutting board for quiche.

    For the Crust

    • Whole wheat flour. If you don't have or don't want to buy whole wheat flour, all-purpose works great.
    • All-purpose flour. Since whole wheat flour lacks the same binding power, I add a measure of all-purpose for a sturdier dough.
    • Unsalted butter. Grass-fed or pastured butter lends a rich, golden color and more flavor than conventional. But buy what you like and what fits your budget.
    • Salt. A pinch of any salt takes sweet and savory pie crust from bland to flavorful.

    For the Batter

    • Whole milk or heavy cream. Or equal parts of both. Half and half makes shopping simpler and less expensive if it's an ingredient you'll use again.
    • Large eggs. Any solid custard recipe is based on the weight of the eggs in relation to the liquid, so size matters. With different size eggs, I recommend using a scale to weigh them out. For reference, an average large egg equals about 2.2 ounces.
    • Grated Parmesan. All cheese is a friend to quiche. I like Parmesan since it complements the other Mediterranean flavors. And recommend a grated or shredded Parmesan without fillers if you don't want to grate it yourself.
    • Kosher salt and ground black pepper. Use about half as much salt if you're using a table or a finely-ground salt.
    • Fresh asparagus. You can use frozen asparagus tips, too. Boil and dry them just as you would fresh before baking in the quiche. Here's how to pick the best asparagus at the store or market.
    • Ripe tomato. The riper the tomato, the more flavor it brings to the party. I love heirlooms when they're in season. But choose the tomatoes that look the best and are slightly tender to the touch.

    The Ratios

    This is the basic, standard ratio for pie crust that every chef or professional baker relies on for success. It's called 3-2-1 pie crust, and you can put it to work for a variety of sweet and savory pies and tarts. For a standard deep dish pie or quiche, begin with 12 ounces (about 2¼ cups) of all-purpose flour.

    A rolled out whole wheat pie crust pressed into a red pie plate.

    Basic Pie Crust Ratio
    3 parts flour + 2 parts fat + 1 part water

    As for quiche and most set custards, two large eggs for every cup of liquid is what you need.


    The Steps

    A quiche may seem like quite a process. But you can break up the steps for the dough over a couple of days. If you aren't the make pie crust from scratch type, you still want to pre-bake any store-bought pie dough to prevent the infamous soggy bottom.

    1. Mix the pie dough. If mixing the dough by hand, use only your fingertips and work quickly to rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Otherwise, pulse the flour and butter in a food processor, then add the water and pulse or mix briefly to bring it all together. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it for an hour or up to three days ahead.
    2. Roll and parbake the pie crust. Add more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your surface. Transfer the rolled-out dough to the pie plate and press it in gently. Prick a few holes in the bottom and line the dough with crumpled-up parchment paper or foil. Fill it with pie weights or dried beans and bake the crust for 20 minutes before removing the weights. Then bake until the bottom is no longer shiny and turns a light golden brown.

      Looking down on rolled out pie crust for quiche pressed into a pie plate.
    1. Prep the vegetables while the crust bakes. Trim the bottoms off three asparagus spears and cut them in half lengthwise, and set them aside. Then trim off the woody bottoms and cut the rest into one-inch pieces. Boil the cut asparagus for two minutes, then drain and dry them well. Remove the stem base from the tomato, and slice it into very thin rounds.
    2. Mix the batter. Combine the eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Then whisk vigorously until the batter is homogenous with tiny bubbles all over (this incorporates air into the quiche, which creates a light texture). Stir in the grated Parmesan.

      Whisking eggs until tiny bubbles form all over.
    3. Bake the batter in the parbaked crust. Immediately after taking out the crust, layer in the tomato slices and cooked asparagus pieces. Then place the pie plate back on the baking pan that's in the oven, and pour the batter in filling the shell to just below the top (you may have extra batter that you can bake in greased mini muffin tins for egg bites).
    4. Bake until just set. For a 9-inch pie plate, this can take up to an hour (or a little more). When you shake the quiche, the batter should shift or move cohesively (you shouldn't see waves of movement).  If the edges of the crust begin to brown, cover them with foil or a pie crust ring. The top of the quiche will be lightly browned and will deflate a bit as it cools.
    A close-up look at a baked tomato and asparagus quiche.

    Storage and Reheating

    Quiche is a wonderful dish to bake a day ahead. When baking a quiche for clients, I begin two days before the event. Pie dough can keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days or a few months in the freezer. And a baked quiche is actually easier to cut into pretty pieces once it's completely cool. To reheat a whole quiche or individual slices, warm them uncovered in a 350° F oven. A parchment paper-lined baking pan makes for easy transfer to your plates. Store quiche wrapped loosely in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to a week.


    On Rolling Out Dough

    These tips apply to any pie or pastry crust. The goal is to get the dough as thin and circular as possible. If the crust warms before you've rolled it to the size needed, simply pop it back in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes. Keeping a large baking pan or plate lined with parchment paper nearby makes chilling quick and easy.

    1. Let the chill come off your dough before you roll. It should give somewhat to firm pressure from your finger, but still feel cold.
    2. Use flour sparingly. Sprinkle enough flour to keep your dough from sticking, but as little as possible (yes, it's a bit like walking a flour-coated tightrope). Adding a lot of flour during rolling dries out the crust, and can lead to a tough or chewy one.
    3. Flatten the dough first. Press the rolling pin firmly across the dough to help flatten it out.
      A disc of whole wheat pie crust with indentations from the rolling pin.
    4. Always roll from the middle out. When you begin rolling, always start your pin in the center of the disc of dough then roll up or down. Repeat, starting in the center and rolling in the opposite direction. Aim for a circle that's at least an inch larger than the widest part of your pie plate.
    5. Turn with every complete roll. Only roll once in each direction before rotating your dough with a one-fifth turn. Many recipes call for rotating the dough in 90-degree increments. But I find this leads to uneven circles and more of a square shape (not ideal when a circular quiche crust is the goal).
    6. Transfer the dough with the pin. Use your rolling pin to easily transfer the large round of dough to the pie plate or pan. Simply wrap one end of the dough around the pin and roll it up like wrapping paper. Then reverse the process while holding it over your pie plate.
      A large circle of quiche crust rolled up around a rolling pin.

      Unrolling a round of pie dough from a rolling pin.
    7. Parbake to prevent a soggy bottom and leaking. After you roll and lay your dough into the pie plate, trim the excess and shape the edges. You can also let the excess hang over the edge of the mold or plate and trim it away after baking (that's how I learn to deal with quiche working in restaurants). Then line the crust with parchment paper or foil, and fill it with pie weights, coins, or dried beans before baking.

    Chef's Tips

    • Season the batter and the crust well. If you don't season the batter and crust before mixing and baking, you miss your chance and will end up with a beautiful but bland asparagus quiche. I taste a tiny bit of batter before baking it. But if the raw egg concerns you, be sure to add the full measure of salt called for in the recipe.
    • Place coins on the bottom when you bake the crust. I like using coins because the metal conducts heat very well. No need to fill the entire shell with coins, just enough to create a thin layer underneath the beans or pie weights.
    • Trim and cut the quiche once it's cool. If your handy work on the edges of the pie crust leaves room for improvement, you can always polish it up after baking the quiche. Take a paring knife and carefully, slowly, shave off any misshapen crust edges that are hanging over and preventing you from easily removing pieces. Think of it like chiseling away at a sculpture. Then cut the quiche into even-sized pieces, and reheat them in the oven.

    More Asparagus Recipes

    • How to Cook Asparagus (Six Ways)
    • Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
    • Marinated & Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic-Orange Vinaigrette

    Print

    📖 Recipe

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    Tomato and asparagus quiche from Edible Times

    Tomato & Asparagus Quiche

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    Print Recipe

    A flavorful tomato and asparagus quiche recipe perfect for springtime. A whole wheat pie crust adds more gut-boosting fiber, but all-purpose works great if that's all you have. For a frittata-style dish, bake the vegetables and batter in a greased or non-stick 9-inch cake pan or ceramic pie plate. 

    • Total Time: 1 hour (Active)
    • Yield: 1 9-inch Deep Dish Quiche 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Whole Wheat Pie Crust

    • 6 ounces or 1 cup of whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
    • 6 ounces or 1 heaping cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon of kosher salt (half the amount if using table salt)
    • 8 ounces or 2 sticks of unsalted butter, cold and diced small
    • ½ cup of ice water

    Quiche Batter

    • 1½ cups of whole milk or heavy cream, or a combination (I like ¾ cup each)
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon of kosher salt 
    • ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
    • ¼ cup of grated Parmesan
    • 1 bunch of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 heirloom tomato, stem removed and sliced into thin rounds

    Instructions

    For the Pie Dough

    1. Measure and combine the dry ingredients. Combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt in a food processor (or large bowl).
    2. Rub in the butter. Add the diced butter and pulse quickly a few times until the butter is incorporated and the texture of the mixture is sandy. If mixing the dough by hand, use only your fingertips and work quickly to rub the butter into the flour until it becomes sandy and no large pieces remain. 
    3. Add the cold water. Drizzle the ice water over the mixture, and pulse again until it begins to form a cohesive ball. Or stir the dough with a fork until it becomes somewhat cohesive. If the dough is crumbly and dry, add a couple more tablespoons of water and knead it gently or pulse two more times.
    4. Shape and chill. Form the dough into a six-inch disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough until firm. You can make the dough to this step as many as three days ahead. 

    To Bake the Quiche

    1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. And place a rack in the center of your oven with a large baking pan on it. 
    2. Roll the crust and place it into the pie plate. Lightly flour a clean, cold surface and unwrap the dough and set it in the middle. Press down with the rolling pin on the disc to widen it, working from one end to the other. Then with gentle but firm strokes, roll from the center up, and then from the center down. After every up and down stroke, make a one-fifth turn to keep it from sticking (I use a bench scraper to help turn the dough). Add more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking. Aim for about a 12-inch circle that is at least an inch larger than your pie plate. Then roll the dough up around your rolling pin, and unroll it over the pie plate. Press gently to form the dough into the plate, and trim off any excess that hangs over the edges. Prick a few holes in the bottom of the dough with a knife or fork (this allows steam to escape). 
    3. Parbake the pie crust. Lay crumpled-up parchment paper or foil on top of the dough and fill it with pie weights, rice, or dried beans (or a combination). Bake the crust on the baking pan for 20 minutes, then remove the pie weights and continue to bake until the bottom is no longer shiny and turns a light golden brown. This can take 10 to 20 more minutes, but check it about every five minutes for safety. While the crust bakes, prepare the batter and filling. 
    4. Prep the vegetables while the crust bakes. Trim the bottoms off three asparagus spears and slice them in half lengthwise. Then trim the woody bottoms off the rest and cut them into one-inch pieces. Fill a medium-size pot (about six quarts) with water and bring it to a boil. Salt the water with a heaping pinch and add the asparagus, boiling for two minutes. Strain or remove the asparagus with tongs and dry them well. With a small but sharp knife like a paring knife, cut at an angle in a circular motion around the tomato stem base to pop it out. Next, slice a thin piece away from the bottom of the tomato to create a steady surface. Then with the flat side down, slice it into very thin rounds. 
    5. Mix the batter. Combine the eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Then whisk vigorously until the batter is homogenous with tiny bubbles all over (this incorporates air into the quiche, which creates a light texture). Stir in the grated Parmesan.
    6. Add the batter to the parbaked crust. Immediately upon removing the crust from the oven layer the tomatoes and cooked asparagus pieces in the bottom. Arrange the six asparagus halves nicely across the top (if you want them to really stand out, place them on top after 30 minutes of baking). Then place the pie plate back on the baking pan that's in the oven, and pour the batter in just below the top of the crust (you may have extra depending on the depth of your pie plate). 
    7. Bake until just set. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour (or more) until the top of the quiche is lightly brown and the mixture is set. When you shake it, the batter should shift or move cohesively (you shouldn't see waves of movement).  If the edges of the crust begin to brown before the batter is set, cover them with foil or a pie crust ring. 
    8. Cool and serve. Let the quiche cool on a rack for ten minutes before cutting and serving. Or store it chilled if you plan to serve it another day. To reheat the quiche, place it uncovered in a preheated 350° F oven until hot all the way through. You can reheat the entire quiche or slice it when it's cold (which is easier), and reheat the slices on a parchment paper-lined baking pan. 

    Notes

    Chef's Tips

    Make egg bites with extra batter. This recipe is designed for a deep dish pie plate, but you may have a little extra batter. So send one of the kids to fetch and grease a muffin pan, and bake up a few egg bites. They're done when they're puffed and golden brown. 

    On vegetable substitutions. A good rule of thumb is about two cups of vegetables for a nine-inch quiche. No need to be exact. Always boil tougher vegetables before baking them in the batter. The same goes for meats, you want to cook meat fully before adding it to a quiche recipe. 

    • Author: Chef Christina
    • Prep Time: 30 minutes
    • Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    • Category: Breakfast
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: Mediterranean
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 2968
    • Sugar: 26.9 g
    • Sodium: 3226.8 mg
    • Fat: 208.7 g
    • Carbohydrates: 213.6 g
    • Protein: 73.9 g
    • Cholesterol: 1067.4 mg

    Keywords: asparagus quiche, whole wheat pie crust, tomato and asparagus quiche, quiche batter formula, pie crust ratio

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    Tag @edibletimes or use hashtag #edibletimes.


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    Chef Christina Bailey, Boise Private Chef, Creator of Edible Times

    About Chef Christina

    Chef Christina is a classically trained private chef who's worked at award-winning restaurants. She loves sharing recipes and simple techniques to help home cooks and families nourish their bodies without breaking the bank.


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    Filed Under: Breakfast, Desserts, Dinner, How To, Recipes Tagged With: quiche crust recipe, quiche recipes

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    1. Heather@Creative Family Moments

      August 22, 2012 at 11:17 pm

      The doggie always cracks me up! I have a ton of tomatoes right now (20 lbs. to be exact) so I just need to grab some asparagus!

      Reply
      • edibletimes

        August 23, 2012 at 9:00 am

        II know, maybe I should just have a blog with pictures of our dogs. I'd probably have a way bigger audience, lol. Make sauce and freeze with those tomatoes!

        Reply
    2. Sunnie(moderngirlnutriton)

      August 22, 2012 at 8:20 pm

      Mmm the asparagus is a great addition, and the presentation is flawless!

      Reply
      • edibletimes

        August 23, 2012 at 9:01 am

        Thanks for coming by and for the nice words! Some dishes do end up looking better than others:)

        Reply

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    Chef Christina Bailey, Boise Private Chef, Creator of Edible Times

    I'm Christina, a classically trained, Michelin-star restaurant alum and private chef. And more importantly, Chef Mom to two little boys.
    I'm here to empower you in the kitchen. I share way more than delicious, chef-tested recipes. I explain the professional formulas, ratios, and techniques, too. To read about me and my food philosophy, follow this.



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