Cheesy zucchini and carrot quiche - no crust, no fuss

Name: Cheesy zucchini and carrot quiche - no crust, no fuss
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini / courgettes (slice into thin rounds); 2 medium carrots (peeled and grated); 1 medium onion (peeled and thinly sliced); 1 tablespoon / 15 grams butter (to saute the onions); 3 large eggs (separated); 2 ounces / 50 grams cream cheese (optional); 1 cup / 240 milk; ⅔ cup / 70 grams cheddar cheese (grated); ½ cup / 70 grams self-raising flour; 1 teaspoon dried basil, oregano or parsley; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 2 medium tomatoes (sliced); ⅓ cup / 35 grams cheddar cheese (grated); Salt and black pepper (to taste)

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Make the most of the current abundance of zucchini with this crustless zucchini and carrot quiche. This easy quiche is quick to whip up and is ideal for serving as a breakfast, lunch or even a light supper with salads.

A cheese zucchini and carrot cake in a baking dish with a slice removed.

This cheesy zucchini and carrot quiche recipe is an oldie but a goodie! It's one of those timeless recipes that never goes out of style! I find making a quiche is a great way to make the most of the courgettes that are currently proliferating in hubby's thriving vegetable allotment and making their way into my kitchen!

This is a crustless no-fuss quiche, made with simple ingredients - caramelised onions, sliced zucchini, grated carrots and cheese. The egg custard that is poured over the quiche is enriched with cream cheese for extra richness and combined with flour, that settles on the bottom of the dish as it bakes, forming a pastry-like layer.

The egg whites are whisked to stiff peaks before being added, creating an almost soufflé-like texture. This cheesy vegetable quiche is topped with sliced tomatoes and extra cheese for a final burst of colour and flavour.

To ensure the filling is properly cooked, I caramelise the onions in a little butter for 6 to 7 minutes, then add the sliced zucchini and grated carrots and cook them for a few minutes longer. I normally do this step first, to give the vegetables time to cool before being combined with the custard mixture.

I like to serve this crustless zucchini and carrot quiche as a cold supper, with slices of home-baked gammon or sesame chicken strips and a selection of salads, but it is equally good when served on its own as a light lunch.

This recipe is a simplified version of my crustless vegetable quiche recipe, but whch is just as tasty!

A slice of crustless zucchini quiche on a smal white plate with a slice of gammon. The zucchini quich is in a baking dish in the background.

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Why I think you'll love this quiche
Recipe information
Ingredients for the crustless zucchini and carrot quiche
Instructions
Tips for a successful outcome
Variations
Equipment
Storage
FAQ
Save for later
Related recipes
📋The recipe

Why I think you'll love this quiche

This zucchini and carrot quiche is packed with goodness from the zucchini, carrots and onions, which make it nourishing without being heavy.
It's a great way to get more vegetables into a meal without feeling as though you're only eating vegetables.
A crustless quiche is a true 'no-fuss' recipe because you don't have to spend time making pastry!
This crustless carrot and zucchini quiche can be cut into 10 generous-sized slices, meaning there will be sufficient for supper, with some leftovers for lunch the next day.
Did I mention it's a great way to use up the seasonal glut of courgettes? 🙂

Recipe information

Prep time: Around 30 minutes - which includes prepping the veggies and softening them in a little butter.

Cooking time: The quiche needs 30 to 35 minutes to bake at 190C / 375F.

Yield: This makes a 10" round quiche, which you can cut into 10 good-sized slices.

Ingredients for the crustless zucchini and carrot quiche

**See the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient measurements.**

Ingredients you will nee to make a crustless zucchini and carrot quiche.

Zucchini (or courgettes/baby marrows). These should be sliced into one-eighth-inch rounds.
Onions. I like to use white onions, but red onions will be fine too. They should be peeled and sliced.
Carrots. These should be coarsely grated on the largest holes of a cheese grater.
Tomato. This will be thinly sliced and placed on top of the quiche.
Cheese. I like to use good old cheddar, but you can use any cheese that you would normally use for cooking. It will be used in the quiche filling and also sprinkled over the tomatoes before the quiche is put into the oven. It should be grated.
Eggs. They should be separated. The yolks will be combined with the cream cheese and other custard ingredients., The whites will be whipped to stiff peaks and folded into the filling.
Cream cheese. This will be combined with the egg yolks. You can leave it out if you don't have any, but it does add an extra creamy element to the filling.
Flour. I used self-raising flour, but plain or all-purpose flour will work too. Add a teaspoon of baking powder if you are using plain flour.
Butter. This is used for softening the onions and other vegetables. Use unsalted butter if possible so that you can adjust the salt content of the quiche yourself.
Milk. This helps form the custard. For a richer custard, you could substitute milk with single or pouring cream. However, there is so much cheese in the quiche, I think it is rich enough without using cream.
Dried basil. This adds extra flavour. You can leave it out if you prefer or substitute with other dried herbs of your choice, such as oregano, thyme or Italian herbs.
Salt and black pepper (not pictured). These are used for seasoning, and to your own taste.

Instructions

Onions, carrots and zucchini

Sliced onions softening in a frying pan.

Step 1: Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the onions on medium heat for 5 minutes until they soften and turn translucent.

Sliced zucchini and grated carrots added to the onions.

Step 2: Add the sliced zucchini, grated carrots and basil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and fry for a further 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the zucchini starts to soften.

Custard

Egg yolks combined with cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Separate the eggs and place the yolks in a mixing bowl and the whites in a separate clean bowl. Combine the cream cheese with the egg yolks.

Milk and flour combined with the egg and cream cheese mixture.

Step 4: Add the milk, lightly with salt and pepper and then whisk in the flour to form a smooth batter.

The softened vegetables and grated cheese added to the quiche batter.

Step 5: Stir in the vegetables and grated cheese.

Egg whites whisked to stiff peaks in a glass bowl.

Step 6: Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Egg whites combined with the quiche filling.

Step 7: Using a metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the vegetable mixture.

The quiche batter transferred into a 10-inch white baking dish.

Step 8: Transfer the mixture to a greased 10" (25 cm) pie dish.

Slice tomatoes covered with grated cheese arranged on top of the quiche.

Step 9: Arrange a sliced tomato gently on top of the quiche, season very lightly with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with grated cheese.

A baked courgette and carrot quiche in a round baking dish.

Step 4: Bake the quiche in a preheated oven (190C / 375F) for 30 to 35 minutes until the quiche is set and the cheese is melted and golden.

Allow the quiche to stand and cool for at least 15 minutes before attempting to slice it. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Note: When warm, the zucchini quiche will be very fragile, and you will need to eat it with a knife and fork. Once chilled, the quiche will firm up, and you will be able to pick it up with your fingers to eat.

Closeup of a slice of courgette and carrot quiche on a white plate with a slice of gammon and a fork.

Tips for a successful outcome

Here are my top tips to ensure your savoury zucchini quiche always turns out perfectly:

Don't be tempted to skip the first step of softening the vegetables. If you do the vegetables won't cook properly in the time the quiche is in the oven. At the same time, don't cook the vegetables for longer than the time specified in the recipe, or they may turn mushy.
When separating the eggs, place the whites in a scrupulously clean bowl. If the yolk breaks make sure no egg yolk gets mixed in with the whites, or the whites will not thicken when you beat them.
Beat the whites with a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer until they are thick enough to remain in the bowl when you turn the bowl (carefully) upside-down.
Fold the egg whites gently into the vegetables, cutting through the egg white with a metal spoon. Don't overmix. It's OK if there are tiny bits of uncombined egg white - they will dissolve into the quiche when it is in the oven.
Lay the sliced tomatoes gently on top of the quiche so they don't sink.
Check the quiche after 25 minutes. If it seems to be browning too much on one side (a hot spot in the oven), turn it around for the last 10 minutes so that it brown evenly.
The quiche will be cooked when it feels firm to the touch. If it is still a bit wobbly in the centre leave it a few minutes longer, but keep your eye on it so it does not burn.

Variations

I've used milk to make the custard, but you could substitute this with single (or pouring) cream for a richer taste.

See this recipe is for a crustless vegetable quiche, which contains more vegetables and uses cream for the custard.

Equipment

These are the main items of equipment you will need in order to be able to make this cheesy crustless zucchini and carrot quiche:

Frying pan - for softening the vegetables.
Large mixing bowl - for mixing the quiche.
Smaller mixing bowl - for beating the eqq whites.
Balloon whisk or hand mixer - for beating the egg whites.
10" or 25cm baking dish to bake the quiche.

Overhead shot of a baked zucchini quiche with tomato and cheese topping.

Storage

Store the cooked quiche in a covered container (or store it in the baking dish covered with tin foil) in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days.

I haven't tried to freeze this zucchini quiche. I think the vegetables would turn soggy one frozen and defrosted. If you freeze it successfully, please let me know in the comments.

FAQ

Do I have to separate the eggs?

No, this isn't strictly necessary, but it gives the quiche a lighter, fluffier texture. If you are short on time, you can simply combine the whole eggs with the cream cheese and skip the steps for whisking and folding in the egg whites.

Can I leave out the cream cheese?

Yes, the cream cheese adds extra richness, but the quiche will still work without it. Increase the grated cheddar cheese slightly to compensate if you prefer a cheesier flavour.

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Visit my savoury tart recipes page for other tasty ideas. Here are a few you might like:

📋The recipe

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