Why This Pumpkin Sweet Potato Quiche is Your New Fall Favorite

This quiche truly embodies everything I adore about the autumn season. It brings together the quintessential fall produce – sweet, earthy pumpkin, tender sweet potatoes, and the delightful crunch of nuts – all elevated by the deep, aromatic flavor of roasted garlic. My journey with this recipe began when I first prepared it for a family lunch. The unanimous positive reaction quickly cemented its status as a regular and beloved fixture in my kitchen. It’s more than just a meal; it’s an experience that evokes warmth, comfort, and the joy of sharing good food.

What makes this particular quiche stand out is its balance of simplicity and sophisticated flavor. The crust is remarkably easy to prepare, yielding a flaky, buttery base that perfectly complements the rich filling. The filling itself is a dream – soft, custardy, and bursting with the nuanced flavors of the season. The vegetables, roasted to perfection with fragrant herbs, aren’t just an addition; they’re the stars, caramelized and tender, adding a depth that transforms the entire dish. I often serve it still warm, paired simply with a crisp, refreshing green salad to balance the richness, or alongside a comforting bowl of soup on a chilly day.

Beyond its incredible taste, one of the best aspects of this recipe is its proven success. It’s been tried and tested numerous times, ensuring it works beautifully every single time. When this quiche is on the menu, I know I can expect happy smiles around the table and, more often than not, no leftovers to speak of. It’s a reliable crowd-pleaser that celebrates the best of autumn’s bounty.

This exceptional recipe has been thoughtfully adapted from a delightful creation found in the cookbook “Small savory tarts – Petit Gâteau.”

Essential Ingredients for Your Autumn Pumpkin Quiche

Crafting this delightful fall quiche with pumpkin and sweet potato requires a selection of fresh, high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving the perfect balance of flavor and texture that makes this dish so special. You’ll find the precise measurements conveniently listed in the comprehensive recipe card located at the very bottom of this blog post. Let’s explore the key ingredients that bring this quiche to life:

• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our homemade, flaky crust. Using regular wheat flour is perfectly fine, providing a sturdy yet tender base for the rich filling.
• Sugar and Salt: These essential seasonings work in harmony to balance the overall flavor profile of both the crust and the filling, enhancing the natural sweetness of the vegetables and cream.
• Unsalted Butter: The secret to a truly tender and flavorful crust lies in using very cold, unsalted butter. When cut into small flakes or cubes and quickly incorporated into the dough, the butter creates pockets of steam during baking, resulting in a wonderfully crisp and rich texture.
• Milk: Used in both the dough and the filling. In the crust, cold milk helps bring the dough together, contributing to its creamy texture and smooth consistency. In the custard filling, whole milk adds to the velvety richness.
• Eggs: Eggs are crucial for both texture and binding. An egg yolk is incorporated into the dough, adding richness and a beautiful golden hue. For the creamy quiche filling, a whole egg and an additional yolk provide the necessary structure to set the custard, ensuring a smooth, rich, and cohesive texture.
• Heavy Cream: With its higher fat content compared to milk, heavy cream is indispensable for achieving that luscious, velvety, and indulgent mouthfeel in the quiche filling. It elevates the overall richness of the custard.
• Nutmeg: This aromatic spice offers a deep, bittersweet, and warm flavor that pairs exceptionally well with pumpkin and sweet potato. For the best taste, grate fresh nutmeg. Alternatively, a dash of pre-mixed pumpkin spice can be used for a more complex, autumnal aroma.
• Pumpkin and Sweet Potato: These vibrant, nutrient-rich winter vegetables are the stars of our quiche filling. Roasting them, along with the garlic, before adding them to the quiche is a game-changer. This process caramelizes their natural sugars, intensifying their flavor and adding a delicious depth. If desired, you can easily substitute or combine the sweet potato or pumpkin with carrots, another wonderful autumn vegetable that adds sweetness and color.
• Garlic: Roasting whole garlic cloves alongside the vegetables transforms their sharp bite into a mellow, sweet, and deeply aromatic essence, lending an incredible depth of flavor to the entire quiche.
• Walnuts and Hazelnuts: Roughly chopped, these nuts provide a delightful textural contrast and a subtle, earthy nuttiness that complements the sweet vegetables and creamy filling. They add a satisfying crunch to each slice. For a different flavor profile, you could also substitute walnuts with the same amount of sweet chestnuts or pecans.
• Thyme: This fragrant herb is a perfect companion for roasted vegetables, especially sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Its slightly earthy, minty notes enhance the savory qualities of the filling during the roasting process.
• Cinnamon: A classic autumn spice, cinnamon introduces a warm, sweet, and woody flavor that beautifully accentuates and rounds out the natural sweetness of the pumpkin and sweet potato, tying all the autumnal flavors together.

Step-by-Step: How to Prepare This Easy Fall Pumpkin Quiche

Creating this delicious autumn quiche is a straightforward and rewarding process. For a complete, printable recipe with all quantities and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post. Follow these simple steps to bring this wonderful dish to your table:

1. Prepare the Quiche Dough: In a food processor, combine your flour, sugar, and salt. Give it a few pulses to mix thoroughly. Add the very cold, unsalted butter (cut into small pieces) and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized bits of butter. Next, pour in the cold milk and egg yolk, pulsing just until the dough starts to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Remove the dough, gently form it into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time is crucial for a flaky crust. After chilling, roll out the dough to fit your 10-inch (25 cm) quiche pan, carefully press it into the form, trim any excess edges, and chill for another 30 minutes. This second chill helps prevent the crust from shrinking during baking.
2. Mix the Cream Filling: While your dough is chilling, prepare the luscious cream filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, whole egg, extra egg yolk, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and grated nutmeg until well combined and smooth. Cover the bowl and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes alongside your dough. Chilling the filling helps it set more evenly in the oven.
3. Roast the Vegetables and Nuts: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). On a baking sheet, spread out the cubed pumpkin, sweet potato, and the unpeeled garlic clove. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized. Once roasted, remove the garlic from its skin (it should be soft and spreadable) and mash it. Toss the roasted garlic mash with the tender pumpkin and sweet potato, then add the roughly chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, and dried thyme. This roasted mixture forms the flavorful heart of your quiche.
4. Assemble and Bake: Carefully spread the roasted vegetable and nut mixture evenly into your chilled quiche crust. Then, gently pour the prepared cream filling over the vegetables, ensuring it fills the crust but leaves about ¼ inch (½ cm) from the rim to prevent overflow during baking. Place the quiche in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, carefully cover the edges of the quiche (or the entire quiche if it’s browning too quickly) with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the center is just set (a knife inserted near the center should come out clean). Remove the quiche from the oven, let it cool slightly in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before carefully removing the form, and then serve warm. Enjoy every comforting bite!

Maximizing Your Ingredients: Tips for Leftovers and Substitutions

It’s always a good idea to make the most of your ingredients, whether you have leftover quiche or specific components. Here are some helpful tips for handling any ingredients you might have remaining:

• Leftover Quiche: If you’re fortunate enough to have any quiche slices left over, they are absolutely delicious warmed up the next day, or even enjoyed cold straight from the fridge! Sometimes, the flavors meld and deepen even further overnight, making for an even more exquisite experience. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
• Egg Whites: This recipe primarily uses egg yolks for the dough and filling. Don’t let those leftover egg whites go to waste! They are incredibly versatile and perfect for creating light and airy desserts or even delightful cocktails. You can whip them into a stunning pavlova, intricate macarons, or even add a frothy top to a sophisticated sour sherry cocktail.
• Extra Pumpkin: If you find yourself with extra pumpkin after cubing for the quiche, the possibilities are endless for other delicious autumn dishes! Transform it into a rich and fragrant pumpkin soup with saffron and an Indian twist, a flavorful and hearty pumpkin curry, or a decadent and creamy pumpkin cheesecake.
• Sweet Potato Surpluses: Similarly, any remaining sweet potato can be turned into a variety of delectable meals. Consider making these delightful vegetarian tacos with sweet potato and beans, a creamy and vibrant sweet potato hummus, or incorporate it into a comforting chicken and sweet potato in coconut curry stew.

Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.

Need more inspiration?

• You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
• And don’t forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!

Pumpkin Sweet Potato Quiche with Roasted Garlic

Andréa

If you’re a fan of savory tarts and quiches, you’re in for a treat! Here are a few more delightful quiche recipes to inspire your next meal: