This seems to be the most popular recipe I have posted so far, if you can believe the statistics. I developed this recipe to ward off my tendency to pick up drive-through food on my way home.  It’s a fast and easy way to use common ingredients you probably have on hand right now, and use up some leftovers at the same time.

You may wonder why a crustless quiche needs a recipe — why can’t you just make quiche without the crust?  Well, the fact of the matter is, quiche filling throws off water as it bakes.  That’s one of the reasons it pays to blind-bake a pastry shell before filling it if you’re making a standard crusted quiche.  In the olden days, I used to use Bisquick to make “Impossible Quiche”, one of their many “Impossible” recipes, but I find the taste of their product…noticeable. The simple addition of a little flour, gluten-free or all-purpose, stabilizes the custard and eliminates the need for a pastry shell.

Quickly, now – let’s see what’s in your fridge…..

Single Serving Crustless Quiche

Ingredients

1 large egg

¼ cup milk

¼ cup cereal or half and half cream

1 Tbsp flour (gluten-free flour works very well)

Seasoning:  A pinch of salt and pepper for sure.  Use up that leftover parsley or cilantro, or dry herbs to taste (mere pinches), maybe a dash of hot sauce, or a dot of mustard.

½ cup total assorted diced cooked vegetables, meats, seafood

¼ cup grated cheese, any kind (or cubed Brie or Camembert…)

The higher the fat content of your dairy choice, the more luxurious the texture of your quiche will be.  You can use up the last bit of whipping cream you have leftover from that dessert you made.  If you don’t keep half and half  or cereal cream in your fridge for your coffee, you could use all milk.  If you use just skim milk, though, the custard will be weepy.  Treat yourself to some fat-free creamer from the dairy case – it’s a good product.  In a pinch, you can use evaporated milk, but I don’t personally like the flavor.

Season with a light hand.  You can always add more, but there’s no fix for too much salt.  With a small yield recipe, little changes can have big results – be careful with the garlic powder!

Raw vegetables, like spinach or broccoli, will render lots of water as they cook.  Use leftover cooked vegetables, or thawed, well-drained frozen veggies. 

A couple of slices of deli meat, cut into thin ribbons, add flavor. Whole shrimp and big chunks of ham may explode if you use the microwave method – give them a nice chop.

Assembly:

Grease a soup bowl or small casserole (4 – 6” diameter, at least 2” deep).

Arrange meat or vegetables in the bottom; sprinkle with cheese.

Whisk together egg, milk and cream, flour and seasoning until smooth.

Pour over other ingredients.

Microwave Method:

Microwave at half power for 5 to 7 minutes (depending on the power of your machine) until puffed and firm in the centre.

Let stand at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before eating, or you’ll burn your mouth.

If you think you can make this faster and just as well on full power, you’re wrong.  It’ll blow up like a volcano.  Half power makes for even and controlled cooking.

Toaster-Oven Method:

Bake in your preheated toaster oven at 350°F until puffed, golden and set, about 20 to 30 minutes.

The quiche will deflate as it cools, but I was so hungry I ate it before I documented that.  Sorry.

This makes a nice, light dinner on a hot summer day, without heating up the whole kitchen.

If you don’t own a toaster-oven, your regular oven will do the job, of course.  If you are a “single servings” sort of person, though, I heartily recommend acquiring a toaster oven.  It’s much more efficient for a small job than its big brother.

The microwave method is useful when you’re really hungry and/or need to eat really fast.  The beauty and texture of an oven-baked quiche is hard to beat.  Pop it in the oven, and then go have your shower, or fold a load of laundry – it’s worth the wait.