This delicious asparagus quiche with a hash brown crust is a twist on the traditional quiche. Shredded hash brown potatoes replace the typical pastry crust and then it’s filled with asparagus and aged cheddar.
This asparagus quiche with a hash brown crust is a wonderfully flavourful and hearty quiche. If you’re looking for a lovely way to use Spring asparagus, this quiche fits the bill perfectly!
Ingredients and substitutions
Potatoes – baking Russet potatoes are needed for the crust. While I haven’t tried it, I believe thawed, frozen hash brown potatoes would also work, if you’d rather skip the potato grating/wringing thing. They should probably be quite thawed so you can press them against the pan and make a solid base. I would also think the cooking time on the stove-top might be a bit less.
Asparagus – start with fresh asparagus, trimmed of the woody ends. I like to trim the asparagus short enough to lay flat in the pan.
Cheese – old white cheddar cheese is specified, but this quiche is a great base to experiment with different cheeses – goat, Swiss, and fontina would all be good choices or try a combination of different cheeses.
Shallots – No shallots? Simply use a bit of yellow or red onion, instead.
Recipe tips!
- Be sure to use all your muscles to wring out the moisture from the potatoes. The drier they are to start with, the better the result. Also, you don’t want to skimp on the time needed to brown/set the crust on the stove top before placing it in the oven, as it’s the key to a lovely crisp potato crust.
- Do let the quiche sit a bit to set up before serving. It’s at its best served slightly cooled, rather than straight from the oven (in my opinion :)
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This asparagus quiche is best enjoyed freshly baked and slightly cooled. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
This quiche will freeze, but I would only freeze it to preserve leftovers, rather than to make it ahead, as the freeze/thaw process might make a softer crust.
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Get the Recipe: Hash Brown Crust Asparagus Quiche
Ingredients
For the hashbrown crust:
- 4 medium baking potatoes, about 2 lbs., peeled
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
For the filling:
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups half-and-half cream , 10% b.f.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- 2 – 2 1/2 cups old white cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 bunch asparagus, (about 1/2 pound), ends trimmed
- Optional: chives, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted)
- Using the largest holes on a box grater, shred potatoes. Place in a large bowl and toss with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Transfer potatoes to a clean dish towel, gather together the ends of the towel and thoroughly wring out excess liquid over the sink. Transfer potatoes to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a 10" (top diameter) cast-iron skillet over medium-high until butter is melted. Add potatoes and immediately start forming into a crust by pushing potatoes flat against the bottom and sides of the pan with a 1/2-cup dry measuring cup. Continue cooking, pressing potatoes up sides of the pan if they start shrinking until potatoes are bound together and the bottom of the crust is starting to brown about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper, mustard powder and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Sprinkle cheese and sautéed shallots evenly over bottom of the potato crust, then pour in egg mixture. Arrange asparagus (and chives, if using) decoratively on top.
- Bake until quiche is set and crust is well browned, 30-35 minutes. Let cool at least 10-15 minutes, or to room temperature before cutting into wedges and serving from the pan.
Notes
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
I made this today for lunch and found it easy to make and very flavourful! I love using the grated potato crust instead of the typical flour one. I halved the recipe and that worked out really well too.
So glad you enjoyed it, Barb :) Thanks so much!
I’ve made this a handful of times, making adjustments for what was on hand: port-sautéed thin sliced mushrooms is what I’m working with today, as I’m between shops. Like a Mac and cheese, leftover dabs of assorted cheeses make this a great ‘clean up’ meal as well.
I’ve tried to pre-cook potatoes in same baking pan before adding eggs… The oven dried the hashbrowns out. Stick with the skillet prep.
Thank you for such a simple(y) elegant meal I can enjoy and adapt to season and budget.
Sounds lovely, Vicki! So glad you are enjoying it. Thanks so much :)
Can you make this ahead at all. Wondering if I can put it together night before and bake in the morning?
Hi Mary, I think you could cook off the crust ahead, then fill and bake. I’d be worried about the crust losing it’s crisp if it sits overnight before baking.
Hello Jennifer, Can this be made ahead?
Hi Sherri, I haven’t actually done it, but I do recall that the left-overs were fine from the fridge, so I suspect making ahead and re-heating would work just fine. I might leave it in the skillet and re-warm it in the oven in the skillet, to keep the crust from going soggy.