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This quiche with creamy leeks, crisp pancetta and gruyere cheese is a wonderful addition to any Sunday brunch!
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I love getting together with friends for Sunday brunch. It's a nice way to end the weekend, and hosting at home makes it a little more relaxed than going out.Entertaining at home also gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of the menu.
Quiche is one of my all-time favorite brunch dishes. It's perfect for a casual brunch or a more formal holiday event. If you've read some of my other posts you'll know that leeks and pancetta are one of my favorite combinations, so I thought it was time to put them into one of my favorite dishes! I first made this one fora Saturday rooftop brunch with some of my co-workers and it got lots of compliments!
Contents:
- A Perfect Addition to any Sunday Brunch Gathering
- Recipe Ingredients + Substitutions
- Notes from the Kitchen
- How to make this recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recommended Tools
- Serving Suggestions
- More Sunday brunch recipes
A Perfect Addition to any Sunday Brunch Gathering
This quiche is perfect for Mother's Day brunch or any other special occasion so be sure to bookmark this recipe so you have it handy for your next gathering!
Quiche is also incredibly adaptable.For the most part, all quiche consists of the same basic ingredients - eggs, dairy, cheese, spices and fillings (veggies, meats, etc) which means it's a great dish to experiment with. You can substitute pretty much anything that suits your taste for the fillings.
Recipe Ingredients + Substitutions
The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Unsalted European butter:When making crusts the key is to use high-quality butter. There are a number of different options so pick your favorite.
- Gruyere cheese:I prefer Gruyere for its sharper, more nutty taste however you can substitute swiss cheese.
- Large eggs:Be sure to use large, not extra-large eggs to get the right consistency in the filling.
- Pancetta:You can buy it thinly sliced and then chop it yourself or buy pre-chopped cubes if you can find them in your grocery store (I usually find them in the section with the bacon). You can use bacon if you can't find pancetta.
- Leeks:After you slice the leeks you can toss them into a bowl of water to clean off any excess dirt. Just be sure to dry them well before cooking them.
- Half and half:I use half and half in my quiche. I find this produces a good texture without being overly rich. I don't recommend substituting whole milk.
- Italian parsley:Fresh parsley is best for this dish.
- Spices:cardamom
- Pantry staples:All-purpose flour, ground pepper, kosher salt
Notes from the Kitchen
- Use half and half instead of heavy cream. Traditional French quiche is made with heavy cream. While this results in a wonderful, decadent custardy texture, I find that it's actually too rich for many people. Using half and half still gives you a great texture but it's not quite as rich.
- Take the time to make homemade crust.If you are in a hurry, you can substitute pre-made pie crust, though it is just not quite the same as making it from scratch so I recommend taking the time to make homemade crust when you are making quiche.
- Use a food processor. When I first started baking, I madepie crust using a pastry cutter, which is what you can do if you don't have a food processor, however, you'llfind that using the food processor gives the crust abetter consistency and quite honestly, is much easier!
How to make this recipe
The full printable recipe card is below, but let’s walk through the details before you get started.
While it is a bit time consuming, making quiche is fairly easy and really has two components - the crust and the filling.
Step 1 | Make the crust:This is an easy, basic pie crust recipe. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a standard blade and pulse it 2-3 times. Then add the butter and pulse again until a pea-sized mixture forms. With the motor running, pour the water in and continue to process until a ball forms.
Step 2 | Roll the dough. Use a well-floured surface when rolling the dough and roll it to the appropriate size for your baking dish. You can make the crust a few hours up to a day ahead of time. If making the day before, be sure to wrap tightly in plastic wrap before you refrigerate it.
Step 3 | Make the filling.Start by cooking the pancetta and leeks over medium-low heat. Next, add the eggs to a large bowl and whisk them together. Then add the half and half and continue to whisk until fully incorporated. The remaining ingredients get added and mixed together.
Step 4 | Prepare the quiche. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
Step 5 | Bake the quiche. Bake the quiche for 40 minutes in a 375°F oven. The center should be fully set so that when you insert a knife it comes out clean. You'll want to let the quiche cool for at least 10 minutes before serving so add that time to your prep plan. You can also serve quiche at room temperature if you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pancetta the same as bacon?
While pancetta and bacon are both cured pork belly, they are not exactly the same. They are made differently and pancetta is slightly leaner. Though there are differences, they can generally be used interchangeably.
Quiche Pan– If you make a lot of quiches or tarts, it's nice to have a dish like this as provides the perfect depth for this type of recipe. At only $10 it's a good kitchen tool to have around if you have space. A standard pie plate will also work for this recipe.
Food Processor–A food processor is a must-have kitchen tool, as it makes life so much easier!For pie crust, it's a huge time saver. The 8-cup size is great for most uses and is a space saver if you have a smaller kitchen.
Serving Suggestions
Quiche makes a great main dish for any brunch and can be served on its own if you want to keep things simple. The classic French way of serving quiche is with a simple green salad.
If you want to create a full brunch spread, I'd add a simple green salad, some sliced fruit, or these Mozzarella and Mellon Skewers. If you want to finish with something sweet I'd go with this Banana Bread or these Mini Lemon Cheesecakes!
Quiche travels well so it's also a good option if you are going to someone else's house for brunch.And since it doesn't have to be super hot when served, it works if you don't have the option to reheat.
If youwhip up a few mimosas or your favorite brunch drink, you'llhave the start to a perfect Sunday Funday!!
More Sunday brunch recipes
If you are looking for other ideas for your Sunday brunch gatherings check out these reader favorites:
- Mini Pumpkin Muffins with Orange Glaze
- Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast Casserole
- Drunken Banana Bread
See more Sunday Brunch →
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Quiche with Leeks & Pancetta
Author: Kathryn | Urban Foodie Kitchen
This quiche with creamy leeks and crisp pancetta is a wonderful addition to Sunday brunch!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Breakfast & Brunch
Cuisine French
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces European style butter, cut into small cubes
- 4 tablespoons very cold water
For the filling:
- 3 ounces thin sliced pancetta, chopped
- ¾ cup leeks, thinly sliced
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces gruyere, grated
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Instructions
Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Make the dough. Add flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a standard blade; pulse 2-3 times. Add butter and pulse several times until a pea-sized mixture forms. With the motor running, pour in water, continue to process until a ball forms.
Roll the crust. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll dough into a circle to fit your pie pan. Place dough in the pie pan; flute the edges if your pie pan does not have a natural curve to it. Refrigerate until ready to assemble quiche.
Saute the filling. Heat a medium saute pan to just under medium heat. Add pancetta and cook 7-8 minutes, until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on a plate covered with a paper towel. Add leeks to thepan, sauté 1 minute. Remove leeks from pan and add to cooling pancetta.
Make the egg mixture. Place eggs in a large bowl, whisk until all yolks are broken. Add half & half, salt and pepper; whisk until blended. Add cheese, leeks, pancetta, cardamom and parsley. Mix well.
Prepare and bake. Pour egg mixture into the prepared pie crust. Cook for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.
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This post was originally published in May 2017. It was updated in May 2024 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.
