Carrot Quiche with Cheddar and Roasted Onions

White plate with orange quiche slice on a plate.

5 from 9 votes. Tap stars to vote

Carrot Quiche with Cheddar and Roasted Onions

This Carrot Quiche with cheddar and roasted onions is a favorite for our spring brunches! I use local carrots, simple ingredients, and a buttery crust to create an inviting meal for everyone.

Prep Time40

Cook Time1

Total Time1 40

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Spring Dishes, Winter Dishes

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 247kcal

Author: Nancy Mock

Ingredients

½ Best-Loved Flaky Pie Crust Recipe, chilled (This is enough pie crust dough for a single-shell pie or tart.)
1¼ pounds fresh carrots
1 medium yellow onion , about 7-8 ounces, peeled, ends removed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
4 large eggs
1 cup half and half
½ teaspoon dried thyme plus extra to garnish
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
fresh thyme sprigs to garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Get the crust ready:

Preheat the oven to 375°F, and have pie weights or dried beans ready.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the half-portion of Best-Loved Flaky Pie Crust into a 13-inch circle.
Fit the dough circle into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently press the dough into place all around the pan and against the sides. Fold the edge under itself and crimp it firmly all the way around.
Press a pice of foil over the surface and edges of the dough. Pour pie weights or dried beans into the foil—there should be enough to fill up the crust.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and beans; prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Put the crust back in the oven and bake it for another five minutes.
Move the pan to a cooling rack.

Roast the carrots and onions:

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Peel the 1¼ pounds fresh carrots and cut off the tops and ends. Cut the carrots into 1½-inch chunks. Place them in a medium bowl.
Cut 1 medium yellow onion in half, then cut each half into three or four chunks. Place these in the bowl as well. Add to the bowl the 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, a ½ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Stir to coat the vegetables with the oil and seasonings, then spread the veggies on the prepared sheet into an even layer.
Place the pan in the oven and roast the veggies 35 to 40 minutes, until the carrots are soft. Remove the pan from the oven.
Increase the oven temperature to 425° F. Move the middle oven rack down one spot so that it's closer to the bottom of the oven.

Prepare the filling:

Allow the roasted carrots and onions to cool a little, and then transfer them to the bowl of a food processor, along with the 1 cup milk.
Blend these until they are thoroughly combined and smooth. Add in the 4 large eggs, 1 cup half and half, the remaining teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Run the food processor until the mixture is smooth.
Stir in a ½ cup of the grated Cheddar cheese.

Fill and bake the quiche:

Set the pre-baked quiche shell on a large baking sheet—this will catch any spills. Pour the carrot filling into the shell, filling it ¾ of the way full. (If there's any extra filling, you can either discard it or pour it into a mini muffin pan to bake mini quiches.)
Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Place the baking sheet with the quiche carefully into the oven on the lowered rack.
Bake the quiche for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 325° F. Bake the quiche for another 20 minutes. (If the crust edges are looking very brown, cover them with foil to protect them.) The quiche is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
You can also check the temperature at the center with a digital thermometer—it should be between 165° and 185° F.
Place the quiche on a cooling rack and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes; then, carefully remove the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the quiche off of the pan bottom and onto a cutting board or serving plate.
Slice and serve the quiche warm or at room temperature. Add fresh thyme sprigs to garnish

To store:

Store leftover quiche wrapped in the fridge for up to five days.

Notes

This quiche uses my Best-Loved Flaky Pie Crust recipe, a half-portion. Or, you can use your own homemade or store-bought pie crust dough - use an amount equivalent to a single crust.
If you don't have a 10-inch tart pan, you can use a deep dish pie plate (9-inch by 2-inch) instead. There's a lot of filling, so don't use any smaller dish.
Fill the crust only ¾ of the way full with filling. If there is any extra filling left over, you can pour it into a mini muffin man and bake to make little mini quiches.

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