Easy & Elegant Vegetarian White Asparagus Quiche for Spring & Easter Brunch
There’s nothing quite like the arrival of spring, and with it, the much-anticipated white asparagus season. Known in many parts of Europe as ‘white gold,’ this delicate vegetable offers a unique, subtle flavor that truly shines in a savory dish. While white asparagus quiche can be deliciously paired with ingredients like ham or smoked salmon, this vegetarian rendition is designed to highlight the asparagus itself, perfectly complemented by a rich, creamy egg mixture infused with a selection of flavorful cheeses. This exquisite savory pie is not just a meal; it’s a celebration of spring, making it an ideal centerpiece for your Easter brunch or any springtime gathering.
The Allure of Vegetarian White Asparagus Quiche
Brunch quiches hold a special place in my heart. They’re incredibly versatile, offering endless possibilities for flavor combinations and catering to various tastes. Throughout the year, I often find myself crafting favorites like a leek quiche with tangy goat cheese, a surprisingly delightful gorgonzola apple quiche, and for a more hearty start to the day, a satisfying breakfast quiche complete with fried egg and crispy bacon – such an easy and comforting recipe!
However, when spring graces us with its presence, my attention invariably turns to the exquisite white asparagus. Its fleeting availability makes it a true seasonal treat, one that I eagerly anticipate year after year. This time, I’m thrilled to share a delightful asparagus quiche recipe that puts a vegetarian twist on this classic. While asparagus is often paired with robust flavors like ham or smoked salmon, this particular variant focuses on enhancing the delicate profile of the white asparagus with a carefully selected blend of cheeses, offering a sophisticated and incredibly flavorful alternative that caters beautifully to vegetarian palates.
The magic of this savory pie lies in the harmonious contrast between the tender, slightly sweet white asparagus and the rich, creamy cheese-and-egg custard, all encased in a wonderfully crispy, golden puff pastry crust. It’s a dish that looks impressive but is surprisingly quick and simple to prepare, emerging from the oven with a tempting aroma and a beautiful golden-brown finish. This quiche is wonderfully adaptable; it can be enjoyed warm, straight from the oven, or equally delightful served cold, making it perfect for brunches, picnics, or a light spring dinner. The thoughtful combination of flavorful cheeses not only complements but truly elevates the inherent taste of the asparagus, ensuring every bite is a testament to fresh, seasonal goodness. It’s a truly delicious creation, particularly fitting for special occasions like the Easter brunch table.
Key Ingredients for this Savory White Asparagus Quiche
Crafting this exquisite White Asparagus Quiche requires a selection of fresh, high-quality ingredients that work together to create a symphony of flavors and textures. Below, you’ll find a detailed look at each component. The precise quantities for each ingredient are conveniently listed in the comprehensive recipe card located at the very bottom of this blog post.
- White Asparagus – The true star of this dish, often referred to as “white gold” from the dark soil. White asparagus is a particularly cherished delicacy in the Netherlands and Germany, known for its milder, more delicate, and slightly sweeter flavor compared to its green counterpart. Its short seasonal availability (typically spring) makes it a highly anticipated ingredient. Asparagus is graded into different classes: Class Extra (the highest quality and most expensive, with straight, thick spears), Class I, Class II, and those that fall outside these standard classifications. Interestingly, the asparagus that falls outside the official classes – often too short, too thin, too thick, or with slight breaks – are absolutely ideal for dishes like soups or quiches, where they will be cut or pureed, offering excellent flavor at a more economical price point. You can also use green asparagus if white is unavailable, though the flavor profile will be slightly different.
- Sugar – A touch of sugar might seem surprising for a savory dish, but it plays a crucial role. Adding a small amount of sugar to the cooking water for the asparagus helps to subtly enhance its natural sweetness and balance any potential bitterness, truly bringing out the best in its delicate flavor.
- Eggs – Essential for the quiche’s creamy filling. As the quiche bakes, the eggs set, forming a rich, custardy texture that binds all the ingredients together and prevents the filling from spreading or becoming watery. Large (L) sized eggs are typically used for consistency in recipes.
- Cream – To achieve that luxurious, silky-smooth filling, heavy cream is indispensable. It adds a wonderful richness and mouthfeel to the egg mixture, creating a truly indulgent experience that perfectly complements the delicate asparagus.
- Cheese РThe selection of cheeses is paramount for a deeply flavorful quiche. A combination often works best to achieve a complex flavor profile. Parmesan cheese, with its salty, nutty, and sharp notes, adds a fantastic depth. Gouda cheese, especially an aged Gouda, offers a creamy texture and a rich, slightly sweet, and buttery flavor that pairs beautifully with asparagus. However, feel free to experiment! Gruy̬re cheese, known for its rich, nutty, and earthy taste, is another excellent and very popular choice that would elevate this quiche wonderfully. The melting qualities of these cheeses also contribute to the perfect consistency of the filling.
- Puff Pastry – The foundation of our savory pie. Using ready-made puff pastry sheets makes this recipe incredibly quick and easy. When baked, it creates a beautifully flaky, buttery, and crispy crust that provides a delightful textural contrast to the soft, creamy filling. Ensure it’s thawed properly before use for best results.
Crafting Your Crispy Asparagus Quiche: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this delicious and impressive asparagus quiche is a straightforward process, broken down into easy-to-follow steps. For a comprehensive recipe with precise ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, which you can also easily print for your convenience, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this page. Here’s an overview of how to bring this flavorful dish to life, ensuring a crispy crust and a perfectly set, creamy filling.
- **Prepare the Pastry Base:** Start by preheating your oven to the specified temperature. Carefully line a quiche or pie tin with the thawed puff pastry. Trim any excess pastry, ensuring a neat edge. Blind bake the crust for approximately 30 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C). This crucial step prevents the crust from becoming soggy once the wet filling is added, ensuring a beautifully crisp base.
- **Cook the Asparagus:** While the crust is blind baking, prepare your white asparagus. Peel them thoroughly and snap off the tough, woody ends. Bring a pot of water to a boil, adding a pinch of salt and a little sugar to the water. Cook the asparagus spears until they are tender-crisp, typically around 15 minutes, depending on their thickness.
- **Process Asparagus Stems:** Once cooked, drain the asparagus well. Cut off the delicate tips (about 1 inch or 2 cm) from the top of each spear and set them aside. These will be used for garnish and texture in the final quiche. Place the remaining asparagus stems into a food processor along with two of the eggs. Blend until a smooth, fine puree is formed. This step ensures the asparagus flavor is evenly distributed throughout the filling.
- **Create the Creamy Filling:** In a large mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, the remaining eggs, and your chosen combination of shredded cheeses. Whisk these ingredients together until well combined. Then, gently fold in the finely mashed asparagus puree. This creates the rich, flavorful custard that will fill your quiche.
- **Assemble the Quiche:** Once the puff pastry crust has finished its initial blind bake and is lightly golden, carefully remove it from the oven. Pour the prepared asparagus filling evenly into the pre-baked puff pastry shell.
- **Final Bake & Serve:** Artistically arrange the reserved asparagus tips over the top of the filling. Return the quiche to the oven and continue baking for another 40 minutes, or until the filling is fully set and golden brown. You can check for doneness by gently shaking the tin; the center should be firm with just a slight wobble. This versatile quiche is equally delightful served warm, allowing the cheeses to be wonderfully gooey, or chilled, offering a refreshing and firm slice.
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Andréa
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C
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Food processor with knife
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Parchment paper
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Baking Beans Pie Weight
Ingredients
- 5 sheets puff pastry , thawed to room temperature
- 1 pound white asparagus , (or green, if white is unavailable), peeled and tough ends trimmed
- â…› teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 4 large eggs , size L
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 oz. Gouda cheese , shredded (or Gruyère)
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Puff Pastry Bottom
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Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C) to ensure it’s ready for baking.
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Carefully line a standard quiche baking form with the thawed puff pastry sheets, gently pressing them into the shape of the tin. Trim any excess pastry from the edges to create a neat border.5 sheets puff pastry
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Using a fork, prick several holes across the bottom of the puff pastry base. This crucial step helps prevent the pastry from puffing up excessively during blind baking, allowing steam to escape and ensuring a flat, even crust.
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Cut a round piece of parchment paper slightly larger than the base of the quiche, and carefully place it directly onto the pricked puff pastry.
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Distribute baking beans or pie weights evenly over the parchment paper. These weights help to hold the pastry down, preventing it from shrinking or forming large air pockets during baking.
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Place the quiche form into the preheated oven and blind bake for approximately 30 minutes. This pre-baking step ensures a crispy, golden crust that won’t get soggy once the wet filling is added.
Asparagus Filling
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While the pastry is baking, prepare your asparagus. Carefully peel the white asparagus spears from just below the head down to the end. Snip off the tough, woody part at the bottom of each asparagus stalk to ensure tenderness.1 pound white asparagus
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In a large pan, bring a generous amount of water to a rolling boil. Add the specified amounts of salt and sugar to the water. The sugar will help enhance the asparagus’s natural sweetness.â…› teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon sugar
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Add the peeled asparagus to the boiling water and cook until tender-crisp. This usually takes about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. They should be cooked through but still have a slight bite.
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Once cooked, thoroughly drain the asparagus. Carefully cut off the tender top sections of the asparagus stems, approximately 1 inch (2 cm) in length, and set these decorative tips aside for later.
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After the initial 30 minutes of blind baking, remove the quiche form from the oven. Carefully lift out the baking beans and the parchment paper. Return the pastry shell to the oven and let it bake for another 5 minutes to crisp up the base completely.
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Take the remaining asparagus stems (the parts you didn’t set aside) and place them into a blender or food processor with 2 of the large eggs. Process until the mixture is very finely mashed and smooth. In a separate large bowl, combine the remaining 2 eggs, the heavy cream, and both shredded Parmesan and Gouda cheeses. Whisk these together, then fold in the asparagus puree until everything is thoroughly mixed to create your creamy quiche filling.4 large eggs, 1 cup heavy cream, 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, 2 oz. Gouda cheese
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Carefully pour the creamy asparagus filling into the pre-baked puff pastry shell, distributing it evenly.
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Arrange the reserved asparagus tips beautifully over the top of the quiche filling. This adds visual appeal and another layer of texture. Carefully place the quiche back into the preheated oven.
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Bake the quiche for an additional 40 minutes, or until the filling is fully set and has a lovely golden-brown crust. The center should be firm to the touch with only a slight jiggle. Once baked, let it cool slightly before serving. This quiche is wonderfully versatile and can be enjoyed both warm, right out of the oven, or delightfully cold, making it perfect for meal prep or a picnic.
Notes
Blind baking, or pre-baking, the puff pastry base is a critical step for achieving a perfect quiche. This technique ensures that your crust becomes wonderfully crispy and golden, preventing it from turning soggy when the moist filling is added. To blind bake effectively, you first line your quiche tin with parchment paper, then fill it with something heavy. Baking beans are the traditional choice for pie weights, but if you don’t have them on hand, dried split peas, rice, or even small metal balls can work equally well. These weights hold the pastry down, preventing it from shrinking or bubbling up, ensuring your quiche maintains its beautiful shape and the filling stays where it belongs!
2. – Understanding Asparagus: The “White Gold”
White asparagus, often lovingly referred to as “white gold from the black ground,” is a highly prized spring delicacy. It’s especially popular and cultivated in certain regions, most notably in the Netherlands and parts of Germany, where its arrival is celebrated. Unlike green asparagus, which grows above ground and develops chlorophyll, white asparagus is grown entirely underground, preventing it from producing color and resulting in a more delicate, milder, and slightly sweeter flavor profile. This makes it particularly suited for dishes where its subtle taste can truly shine, like this quiche. Asparagus is typically categorized into different quality classes: “Class Extra” represents the highest quality, featuring perfectly straight, thick spears. Following are “Class I” and “Class II.” Beyond these, there are spears that fall outside the standard classes – these might be shorter, thinner, thicker, or have minor breaks. While not visually perfect for serving as whole spears, these ‘outside class’ asparagus are absolutely ideal and cost-effective for use in dishes where they’ll be cut, chopped, or pureed, such as in creamy soups or, indeed, in a flavorful quiche like this one, allowing their full taste to be utilized without waste.
3. – Choosing Your Cheeses for Maximum Flavor
The combination of cheeses is key to the depth of flavor in this vegetarian quiche. Parmesan cheese provides a sharp, salty, and nutty kick that beautifully contrasts with the subtle sweetness of the asparagus. For a creamier, more mellow yet rich flavor, Gouda cheese is an excellent choice, especially an aged Gouda which offers more character. However, feel free to personalize your quiche! Other fantastic options include Gruyère cheese, known for its complex, nutty, and earthy notes that melt wonderfully and pair exquisitely with asparagus. You could also try a blend with a little sharp cheddar for a bolder taste, or a mild provolone for extra creaminess. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite melting cheeses to find your perfect flavor profile!
4. – Storage and Reheating Tips for Your Quiche
- Refrigerator Storage – This delicious white asparagus quiche can be stored covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to two days. Make sure it’s completely cooled before covering to prevent condensation and sogginess.
- Freezer Storage – If you’ve made a large quiche or want to prepare ahead, you can easily freeze this savory pie. Once cooled, cut it into individual pieces or wrap the whole quiche tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to enjoy, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Warming Up – To reheat a refrigerated or thawed quiche, preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Cover the quiche loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from over-browning, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is bubbly. For a crisper crust, you can remove the foil for the last few minutes.
5.- Nutritional Value Information
The nutritional values displayed in the recipe card are calculated per serving, assuming the quiche is divided into â…› (one-eighth) of the total slice. Please note that these values are estimates and can vary based on specific brands and exact quantities of ingredients used.
Nutrition
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More Springtime Asparagus Inspiration!
If you’re as big a fan of asparagus as we are, especially during its delightful spring season, you’ll be thrilled to discover more ways to incorporate this versatile vegetable into your meals. Whether you prefer it roasted, in a comforting pasta, baked into a casserole, or transformed into a creamy soup, there’s an asparagus recipe for every occasion. Explore these other fantastic dishes that celebrate the fresh flavors of spring:
- Oven Baked Salmon with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes
- Easy Pasta with Asparagus & Poached Egg
- Creamy Asparagus Potato Casserole
- Dutch White Asparagus Soup
This vegetarian white asparagus quiche is more than just a recipe; it’s an invitation to savor the delicate flavors of spring. With its flaky crust, creamy cheese filling, and tender asparagus, it promises to be a delightful addition to any meal, whether it’s a celebratory brunch or a simple weeknight dinner. Enjoy the process of creating this elegant dish, and most importantly, enjoy every delicious bite!