This weekend was full of parties and good cheer. It started with a bang on Friday, when my friends surprised me with a birthday party! I thought I was meeting one friend for dinner, but to my shock and delight, eight smiling faces were waiting for me when I arrived.
My birthday is on Christmas and I haven’t had a proper birthday celebration in, oh, almost a decade, so it meant the world to me. I’m actually looking forward to my real birthday now. And, now that I am no longer filled with Christmas baby bitterness, I might stop being a Scrooge and actually pull out some holiday decorations.
My friend Tessa served her version of this quiche at girls’ night a couple of months ago. Two of the four of us are gluten-free, so we often serve simple, vegetarian frittatas that satisfy all four of us. (Add a bottle of wine, maybe a side salad and some chocolate for desert, and we’ve made a gourmet meal with minimal effort.)
That night, Tessa included an almond meal crust, which turned her baked frittata into a quiche. I’ve never been a big fan of all-purpose flour crusts, but this crisp, savory, herbed crust is another story. We all absolutely loved the flavor and texture of the crust and requested the recipe. The best part? You don’t even need a rolling pin to make it. Just smush the crust into form with your fingers.
I’ve been working on a larger scale version that can be baked in a cast iron skillet ever since. My final, favorite version starts with a garlicky thyme and almond meal crust, which is filled with scrambled eggs, goat cheese, mushrooms and arugula. It’s fresh, filling and simple—perfect for a holiday brunch or a simple weeknight dinner.
If you would like to serve the quiche with wine, I’d suggest a light-bodied pinot noir. This post’s sponsor, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, offers a widely available pinot noir that truly is just right. The pinot noir’s notes of sour cherry and oak pair wonderfully with the flavors of goat cheese, arugula and Cremini mushrooms.
Mondavi asked me to share some entertaining tips with you all today. My suggestions, which are all pretty basic but oven overlooked, come from my experience in food service as well as attending parties as a guest. What are your best tips? I’d love to hear them.
Entertaining do’s:
- Serve glasses of water alongside alcohol, and refill the water glasses whenever they are running low. Hydrated guests are happier guests.
- Cloth napkins always leave an impression. They don’t even have to match as long as they share a common theme. A matching salt shaker and pepper grinder is a nice touch, too.
- Gracefully clear plates from the table as they are finished. Guests can’t relax and put their elbows on the table if it’s covered with empty plates.
- Set up a drink station away from the kitchen that offers all of the necessary drink supplies: alcohol, glasses, ice, garnishes. Let guests serve themselves so they can drink at their own pace.
- Stemless wine glasses may not be the most proper wine glasses, but they’re less likely to tip over and spill or break.
- Lights! Music! Don’t neglect ambience. Avoid harsh overhead lighting and play event-appropriate background music. (Thanks to my friend Grace for the reminder!)
Entertaining don’ts:
- Don’t try to do everything by yourself! Guests want to contribute and be helpful, so tell them what you need them to bring or do. Better to ask for help than to make everyone around you feel helpless and stressed for you.
- Don’t feel compelled to offer a million different menu items. Serve enough to satisfy your guests and their individual dietary restrictions. Humans have a natural tendency to want to try everything, which leads to overeating and post-holiday party guilt. There’s no need to prepare more food than people actually want or need!
- Don’t forget about the bathroom. Make sure to provide a clean hand towel and leave an extra roll of toilet paper in sight.
Arugula and Cremini Quiche with Gluten-Free Almond Meal Crust
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Arugula, Cremini mushrooms and goat cheese quiche in a gluten-free thyme and almond meal crust. A simple, gourmet recipe for breakfast, brunch or dinner!
Ingredients
Gluten-free almond meal crust
- 2 cups packed almond meal or almond flour (I had better results with almond meal)
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon water
Arugula, Cremini mushroom and goat cheese filling
- 3 cups baby arugula, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cups cleaned and sliced Cremini mushrooms
- Drizzle olive oil
- 6 large eggs
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or 9″ pie pan with olive oil or cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, stir together the almond meal, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour in the olive oil and water and stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
- Press the dough into your prepared skillet/pan until it is evenly dispersed across the bottom and at least 1 ¼ inch up the sides. Bake until the crust is lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Cook the mushrooms with a dash of salt, stirring often, until tender. Toss in the arugula and let it wilt, while stirring, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a plate to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and red pepper. Stir in the goat cheese and the slightly cooled mushroom and arugula mixture.
- Once the crust is done baking, pour in the egg mixture and bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch and cooked through. Let the quiche cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Crust adapted from Roost’s Rainbow Chard Tartlets. Thyme/goat cheese/mushroom/arugula flavor combination inspired by What to Drink with What You Eat.
- Yields 6 large slices.
▸ Nutrition Information
A message from Robert Mondavi: Robert Mondavi Private Selection offers something authentic, true to Mr. Mondavi’s legacy of making great quality, expressive wines from California’s Central Coast. Connect with us on Facebook for more: www.facebook.com/robertmondaviprivateselection
Please enjoy our wines responsibly.
Disclaimer: Compensation for this post was provided by Robert Mondavi Private Selection via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Robert Mondavi Private Selection.
Crystle
Amen to the stemless wine glasses. Talk about guilt when you spill a glass, or break one at a party!
Katie @ Produce on P
What a cool post. Robert Mondavi is one of my favorite wines! It’s extra special because my husband and I had it on our very first date! :) Love those wine glasses.
G Fred
Yay for your birthday celebration!! That is so awesome! A great idea of them to do it a couple weeks early so, as you said, now you can properly enjoy the holidays–and rest assured that you are adored! duh! ;)
This crust sound awesome! and great tips! I especially love the “don’ts” section. A mini bar IS key to help prevent people from congregating in the kitchen the whole time.
I would say my best party tip–and you can remember this from our gatherings–is lighting. You want to create the most comfortable and inviting ambiance, and I think proper lighting–not to bright, not too dim, & good color temperature–is the biggest factor in that!
Happy Holidays, friend!
Kate
G, I’m so sorry I didn’t thank you for this comment earlier. I can’t believe I forgot to add lighting to my list! You taught me well. “Rest assured that you are adored!” warm fuzzies. :)
dishing up the dirt
I love everything about this quiche. That almond meal curst sounds fantastic. Paired with a glass of pinot noir sounds like the perfect match.
Katrina @ WVS
That crust is acceptional! Well, the whole thing it, really…I love it!
Adriana Mendez
EXCEPTIONAL! that is the right spelling of this word!
Angela@eatspinrunrpt
Mmm this sounds so good! I love frittatas and quiches no matter what time of day, and I’ve never actually tried making anything with almond meal, despite being GF as well. I’m going to pin this one for when I decide to try it out for the first time! Question – is it more coarse than almond flour, or could you use them interchangeably?
Angela@eatspinrunrpt
Scrap that question – I just read your recipe note. Almond meal it is!
Kate
Woah, sorry for the slow response to your question, Angela! I think almond meal is more coarse than almond flour, yes. A lot of the recipes I’ve seen call for them interchangeably. I love my almond meal chocolate chip cookie recipe even more than the traditional Tollhouse recipe. That would be a great one to start with!
dana
Gorgeous, friend! I could die in that photo of greens and mushrooms sauteing : ) Stunning. Happy (early) birthday!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
What a tasty looking quiche, I love the arugula + cremini pairing!
Brian
This is my idea of the perfect quiche. A crust that requires no rolling? Yes please! And I totally agree with you… I think all-purpose flour crusts tend to be a bit boring. Texturally and flavor-wise. This sounds fabulous.
Alisha
This looks so good!! I want this for a second dinner right now. :)
Joanne
I love the almond herbalicious crust!! My favorite savory crusts are whole grain or nutty ones. They somehow give pies and such more body!
Jess
What a thoughtful thing to do for someone with a Christmas birthday – what great friends! Sounds like so much fun, Kate. And this quiche is a lovely idea – what a nice thing to have in the arsenal for a variety of foodie preferences – love this.
meg
This looks perfect – simple, elegant and delicious! I can’t wait to make if for my celiac friend on our monthly dinners. How big is the cast iron skillet you used?
laurasmess
Great post Kate. Love, love the entertaining tips… good to have a common sense refresher for the festive season! Love the look of this press-in pie crust. Yum, almond meal and herbs? My gf friends are going to swoon at this!! Thanks for the fantastic recipe xx
Sophie
Gracious! Some of your prettiest work yet, K :)
Happy early birthday to you! My brother’s is the week before Christmas and I always take care to make sure his birthday gift does not have Christmas wrapping paper and that we have a party time/dinner set aside just for him…. it would be sad to feel lost in the other festivities :( So glad your friends spoiled you, as they should!
This looks absolutely delicious. My mother recently made a cream-heavy mushroom quiche with a buttery pie crust…. it was so, so good, but this looks lighter and delightful! And we love our Pinot out here in Oregon :) Cheers!
Purnima
What gorgeous photos! Love the tips for entertaining. Just a heads up that Robert Mondavi wines have gelatin so they are not vegetarian friendly (according to barnivore.com).
Kate
Thanks for letting us know, Purnima. I didn’t think to check for those details when I was considering this post. I’m a somewhat lax vegetarian myself, so it’s not a deal breaker for me, but it is good to know!
Sarah
I am a Christmas baby too! and I can relate- a real birthday celebration is worth its weight in gold :-) When I was a kid I celebrated half-birthdays so I could have a party, but that’s not quite as acceptable now that I am nearing 30 :-)
I love this crust- I am a huge fan of press-in crust, I will have to try this!
Kate
Happy early birthday, fellow Christmas baby! I’m glad you can relate. Let’s throw pizza pool parties for our half birthdays next year! My friends gave me funny looks when I suggested the idea this year, but I don’t care!
Kate
Oh, awesome. I was looking for the perfect cozy dinner for tomorrow night…and I think I just found it! Thanks for the post :)
erin @ yummy supper
Kathryne, a Christmas birthday? That’s tough! I’m glad you friends feted you early. (My mom was born on New Years and she’s still bitter about having everyone hungover and tired on her birthday. No fun at all.)
So cool that you have an almond meal crust for your beautiful quiche. Almond meal is one of my favorite ingredients in GF baking. It’s so rich and delish!
Wishing you nice holidays and a very happy birthday!
xoxo
E
Sini
This looks like a damn good quiche! I love that it’s gluten-free as I have many friends living a gluten-free life. And a glass of pinot noir for me, please.
sara forte
I love how tender an almond meal crust is with eggs. The texture is so much more pleasant in my opinion. Looks gorgeous and delicious. Hope all is well with you, miss!
afracooking
I will be honest, usually when I read party tips I have to work hard at not rolling my eyes, they are all so obvious – but I really like your tips! As obvious as serving water might be, it usually is not top of the list. And the idea of setting up a seperate ‘drinks station’ so your guestst can take care of themselves without feeling they are getting in the way – fab!
Kate
Thanks! I’m glad you found the tips helpful. I just found a house to rent so I can’t wait to host parties in a bigger space!
Claire
Holy moley! This is baking in my oven and I can’t wait!!! Smells AH-MAY-ZING!
Kate
Hip hip! How’d it turn out?
Claire
Incredible. So delicious and the recipe was flawless- didn’t have leftover egg mixture or need to bake it longer than noted. Nice work! My husband said, “What do I need to do to for you to make this again ASAP?”
Amanda
This recipe was truly amazing. I will admit that I adjusted the ratio of eggs to milk so that it would be less frittata-like and more quiche-like, but I left the crust recipe you provided as is and it was fantastic. I was so nervous about the almond crust, but it came out delicious. This will become a regular in my dinner repertoire.
Kate
Thanks, Amanda! Glad you enjoyed the quiche. I wasn’t aware that quiche and frittata have different textures, but I’m glad you liked your version!
Amanda
Perhaps there isn’t much of a difference?? All of the quiches I usually make use 2 eggs to every cup of milk (although I’m sure that can vary). So I thought with less egg and more milk it would have a more delicate (for lack of a better word) consistency. Regardless, your recipe was an inspiration to me…I may never go back to regular old quiche crusts again. Thank you!
Kate
Interesting! That’s a lot of milk per egg. Glad you enjoyed the quiche!
Zach
While I have to admit that Kate’s recipe is adventurous, according to the kitchn.com Amanda is right…
“The fool-proof part comes courtesy of the French. They are masters of the quiche and long-ago settled on the perfect formula of one part egg to two parts milk. A standard large egg weighs two ounces and a cup of milk is eight ounces, so a good rule of thumb is two eggs per cup of milk.”
Kate
Well! Now I know.
Mary
This may be a very silly question, but I’m all for silliness and so will ask it anyway. :o) I’ve never made almond meal before – for two cups of it, do I process two cups of almonds, or should I use more? Thank you!
Kate
Mary, I’m very sorry I didn’t address your question sooner. I’m finally getting caught up on comments. I haven’t ever made almond meal myself, but I looked it up, and one source says that one cup of almonds will yield one cup of almond meal. They recommend using blanched almonds, but I think my store-bought almond meal is made with almonds that still have the skin on, so I think those will work, too. Sorry again for the delay.
Courtney
I would like to make this for a party but need to make it the night before. Will it taste ok the next day if I re heat or serve it cold? Thanks!
Kate
Courtney, it should be great the next day! I know I enjoyed the leftovers for a few days. Sometimes greens get a little soggy after they’ve been reheated. I want to say that the greens in the frittata reheated well, although I can’t say so with absolute certainty.
Sherri
At what temperature should I re-heat to serve the next day and for how long?
Thanks!
Heather
I am eating this as a type and it is delicious! I halved the recipe, added turkey bacon and pressed the bottom mixture into cupcake liners. They stuck a little, so next time I’ll just use a greased cupcake pan. The almond flour base is so flavourful! I will definitely be making this again – thanks!
Kate
Thanks, Heather! I love your muffin tin idea. I want to try that for brunch sometime.
Grace
Hi Kate! I loved this recipe and want to recreate at my parents’ house, but they don’t have a cast-iron skillet. Do you think it would turn out well in a traditional pie pan?
Thanks!
Kate
Hey Grace! Good question. I haven’t tried it, but I think it would turn out well in a pie pan. I’m just guessing here, but I bet the pie pan will be slightly smaller than the skillet, so you might end up with a deeper quiche… if that’s the case, just make sure the crust goes high up the sides of the pan to accommodate, and you might have to bake it a little longer overall. Good luck!
Jenn
I am making this for Easter brunch. What goat cheese do you buy? Is it feta? I am having a difficult time finding crumbled goat cheese. The goat cheese I see at the store is creamy. Thank you for the great recipe
Kate
Hey Jenn! I bought a small log of regular goat cheese. I used a fork to break it into crumbles while it was cold. Herbed goat cheese or feta are also options.
Anika
hiii!! i wanna try this for a dinner party next week but was wondering two things:
1. can i make the crust the day before ?
2. would coconut milk work?
(sorry about being that person who wants to sub, i hate myself, but lactose intolerant and am dying to make this).: )
thanks!!!!
Kate
Hi Anika! I haven’t tried making the crust beforehand. I’m not sure how to store the crust overnight—whether you should leave it in the pan or transfer it to a flat surface to be wrapped. It’s really super easy to put together so you might be better off making it the day of. I think coconut milk would work great, as long as you don’t mind a light coconut flavor in the quiche!
Anika
Kate, you rock!! thanks! i will make it the day of! :) Thanks again for the quick response!!
Anika
Vanessa
Made it for dinner and it’s delicious! The crust was easy to throw together, stayed together amazingly well and was super flavorful and delicious. I tweaked the veggies in the filling by adding sautéed onion and cherry tomatoes but otherwise followed everything exactly (unusual for me!). It needed an extra 10 minutes in my oven to be fully cooked. It was a little ‘eggier’ than I’m used to in a quiche, but I didn’t mind at all. Definitely will be saving this one to make again :)
Kate
Vanessa, thank you for commenting! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Onion and cherry tomatoes sound like delicious additions to me.
Paige
I made this for a summer brunch full of teacher friends and it was a hit! Two women asked for the recipe, and one immediately hit up my Pintrest to find it and repin. All I can say is YUM! Amazing.
Kate
Yesss! That’s awesome. Thanks, Paige!
Becca
I made it for my meat loving roommate (who happens to be my sister as well) and she brought it to work for lunch and said everyone had ‘lunch envy’. Not only beautiful but delicious as well.
Kate
Hooray! Glad to hear it, Becca. :)
Kathleen
Auditioned this last night for our Christmas brunch (I’m hosting for the first time!) and was so delighted with it. The garlic in the crust was a lovely touch. Do you think it would work with walnut or pecan meal, for a quiche with squash? I think the flavours would work, but I’m wondering if the different nuts might burn faster or something.
Kate
Hi Kathleen, sorry for my delay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the quiche. I bet you could change up the almond meal with walnut or pecan. I don’t foresee any issues but I haven’t tried it myself so I’m not 100% sure. Please let me know if you give it a try!
Nancy
Hi Kate…. I’m looking for some finger food ideas to bring to a get together tomorrow. Do you think I could make these as tiny muffin quiches? My thought was to use muffin tins, and add some asparagus to the mix, or chard. Would the crust hold its own shape or would they need paper liners? Second question, do you think they’d be too must crust?
Love your recipes and site. Everything I’ve ever made has been amazing. Loved the Thai squash soup. Non vegetarian hubbie rated it a five star.
Kate
Nancy, I’m sorry, I got behind of comments over the holidays! I’m honestly not sure how this quiche would do in a muffin tin. I think it would work best without muffin liners, but there would be quite a bit of crust in each cup. I’m sorry, wish I knew for sure. So glad you have been enjoying my recipes!
Morgan
I’ve made this quiche twice this week already. It’s easy and delicious! Thanks for such a great dinner idea!
Jacque
This quiche base made with almond meal was awesome. My 21 yr old son said it was the best quiche base he had ever tasted. So easy to make and so delicious. Thanks so much.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Jacque. That almond meal crust is my favorite, too!
Charissa O.
Loved it.
Had to make a few substitutions. My husband doesn’t like mushrooms, so I used thinly sliced eggplant instead. Worked great. Also did half and half of feta and goat cheese. Yum.
I’d like to try the crust as-is, but my grocery didn’t have almond meal. Tried garbanzo flour, and it was just okay. I’ll search for almond meal and try again.
As with all of your recipes, the result was delectable. Kate- you’ve become a weekly go-to for us! Cookie- my rotties watch and hope for kitchen whoops-a-daisy-I-dropped-some bites too!
Kate
Hope you can find almond meal soon, it makes a really great crust! Thanks again, Charissa.
Becky Winkler
I made this tonight and my fiancé and I both loved it. I followed the crust recipe exactly but used almond flour and it came out great. The garlic and thyme are such nice touches!
For the filling I used bacon instead of vegetables (oops). I want to try the mushroom and arugula next time, though!
Kate
Thanks, Becky! Glad you both enjoyed it! Man, I miss bacon.
Barb
I did this last nigh and OH MY this is delicious!!!! I could just go on and on eating and eating for life, no kidding! But I changed 2 things from the recipe: instead of thyme I put fresh oregano (I’m not a fan of thyme) and instead of goat cheese I used fresh mozzarella. The rest of the recipe I followed exactly how you teach and it’s amazingly delicious! Even my husband who doesn’t like different stuff and specially vegetarian food loved! Thank you so much!!
Kate
Barb, so glad you both enjoyed the quiche! Your substitutions sound great. You could also play around with the fillings as the seasons change!
Wendi
Just made this last night and it was a hit! To make picky eaters happy I substituted the arugula and mushrooms with spinach and artichoke hearts as the veggies, and it tasted great. Also, a little tip for others who have both vegetarians and meat eaters to please, I chopped up some crispy bacon and put it in a bowl on the side so that those who wanted it could spoon it over the top. It worked fabulously! I will definitely make this again!
Kate
Thank you, Wendi! Thanks for sharing your notes, too!
Mei-Lin
This quiche looks delicious! I want to make it for my mom for Mother’s Day, but she is not a fan of goat cheese. Is there another cheese that you would recommend that could work instead? Thanks!
Kate
Hi! How about feta? I bet grated Parmesan or fontina would be lovely, too.
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health
I made this for my husband’s birthday over the weekend and it was big hit! Or as he put it: “This is f**king exquisite.” ;)
The crust is such a nice compliment to the flavors of the creamy goat cheese and arugula. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Thanks for the great recipe, Kate!
Kate
Hell yes! I love your husband’s review. :) So glad you both enjoyed it!
Jennifer
I just made this for my kids and I — it was amazing! And they usually don’t like vegetables. The GF crust was divine.
Kate
Yay, glad you all enjoyed it! Thanks, Jennifer!
Lauren
After a long hike, I came home and made this. It was perfection!! First time using almond flour and I loved it. Paired it with fresh berries! Perfect ending to a great day.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Lauren!
Sarah
I just made this quiche yesterday.. I subbed out the mushrooms and added red bell pepper. I also used almond milk instead of regular. It turned out delicious, and the recipe was very easy to follow! Thanks for sharing.. I have been craving a good quiche :)
It was my first time attempting gluten-free baking, as I’m new to the gluten free lifestyle. My crust came out pretty burnt, and a little oily, too. Any suggestions for next time ?
Thanks!
Kate
Hmmm, I’m sorry to hear you had trouble! Sounds like your crust was in the oven too long. I wonder if your almond meal had more oil in it than mine (got mine at Trader Joe’s). Maybe you can try 1/4 cup oil and see if that works for you next time?
katy
Kate,
Do you have any nutritional information? A member of my family is diabetic, and must count carbs, I’m thinking this might be a nice addition to my Thanksgiving meal for her, but wasn’t sure what the carb count is. Do you have this information?
Thanks!
Katy
Kate
I’m sorry, Katy, I don’t provide nutrition information with my recipes. Feel free to run the recipe through myfitnesspal.com.
Terri
Can you use almond milk?
Kate
Yep! Plain unsweetened would be fine. Sweetened/flavored almond milks will affect the flavor.
Diane
I recently learned that I’m highly sensitive to wheat, oats and rice among many other things and have had to make some abrupt modifications to my diet that left me scrambling to find a site for recipes with ingredients from my allowed list of foods. My eye fell on this recipe right away not only because it looks delicious, but because it’s made with almond flour. I made it and can confirm it’s as good as it looks. I substituted the goat cheese (yuck!) for ricotta cheese, which left it slightly bland, but I love mushrooms and greens and can always add other ingredients if I want more punch to the taste. Highly recommend it!
Kate
Thanks, Diane! Glad you found this one!
michelle henry
Can this keep for a few days…would like to make for myself for two meals..thanks!
Corey
This is a perfect recipe. I don’t have to change a thing and it’s delicious every time. I’ve made it three times. I’m kind of a lazy cook and this one is easy! And such a crowd pleaser. I like cooking it the day before and heating it up for brunch the next day. I love the crust and have vowed to make something else with it. Its great for a gf girl to eat quiche! Thank you!
Deepthi
You just won my meat-eating friends over with this quiche! They’re going to be running over to C+K now for recipes! Thanks again for another hit! It’s so easy to be a “chef” with these fail proof recipes!
v
i made this yesterday, for easter. unfortunately all my arugula had gone bad (as arugula is wont to do), so i subbed a cup of frozen peas and some parsley. used a little less cheese. oh, and i might have a hot oven, but my crust was a little burnt at 400 degrees/18 mins so i ended up finishing the quiche at 350 degrees/30 mins and that was perfect. it’s so delicious. thanks for the great recipe!
Maria
This quiche sounds delicoous and tantalizing. I never used almond meal to make quiche before. I am delighted that I found a gluten free substitute because I love quiche. This recipe seems perfect. I waw wondeting if it’s at all possible to get the calories and nutritional value for this recipe? Thanks
Kate
Hi Maria, I’m sorry, I don’t offer nutrition facts yet but am working on a solution.
Val
The quiche looks so good.
What substitution can I make for the goat cheese? Just not my favorite cheese :)
Kate
Hey Val! Feta works, or any cheese should, really. I would just add some of your favorite cheese. :)
Claudia
This is a definite “Keeper” Made it tonight and will NEVER make a “traditional”l Quiche base again. Thank you for sharing.. it was absolutely wonderful!!!
Kate
Thank you, Claudia! I’m so glad you loved it!
Terri
I made this with my 11 year old daughter last night. First of all – the crust is ridic! So tasty and easy. We subbed spinach and added red pepper and i used feta b/c thats what I had. So amazingly tasty and delish!
You are crushing it as always!!!
Kate
Thank you, Terri! Your version sounds super awesome.
Haleigh
This was amazing. Best quiche we’ve had in awhile. We threw some sun-dried tomatoes on after the fact and that made it absolute perfection!
Ali Ann
Excellent recipe! All of my kids – 5,3, & 1 – asked for seconds! I was expecting leftovers for a yummy lunch the next day – nope. All gone! monsters gobbled it up. The garlic in the almond flour crust along with the olive oil and herbs made it. It seems that the hot cast iron pan helped with this and the next time I make it, I will be diligent about pressing the crust the 1 1/4 inches recommended. Mine turned out lower than that which left the bottom crust a little thick and some of the egg filling went below the crust before baking. Those minor flaws in my execution of the recipe were clearly overlooked by my husband and 3 boys who loved it! They ended the meal begging me to make it again!
Syd
WOAH! This was so simple to make and was completely delicious. I will make this again and again and again. I suppose it could be dairy free too and still be shockingly good because of that crust!
Syd
…and I give it 5 stars!
Ronnie
I love, love, love this recipe. In fact I have one in the oven right now. I love that its gluten free, the almond crust with garlic and thyme is ingenious. The combination of mushrooms, arugala and goat cheese is just so yummy. I’ve made it for friends and family, and always get a thumbs up. Thanks!
Jennifer
Great post! Played with this for the first time today doing a dairy free filling (super challenge!). I’ve got a gluten free, a dairy free and a meat free in this house- I would love for this be my go to crust for all my savory quiches bc it was so easy to make! Will definitely make that filling for my girlfriends and I!
Kate
That’s a household challenge for SURE. I’m so happy this worked for everyone!
Lindsay
What a great recipe!! Thank you!! I made mine dairy free as well and used what I had in the cupboard at the time, turned out great!
I replaced 2 cups almond meal with 1 cup almond flour + 1/2 cup almond meal + 1/2 cup pistachio meal
olive oil – replaced with avocado oil
arugula – replaced with spinach
milk – replaced with paleo cauliflower Alfredo sauce
red pepper flakes – replaced with rosemary
Kate
Thanks for the notes, Lindsay!
Martha
I made it for dinner a couple days ago. We all loved it! Thank you girl. Keep up the good work!
Kate
You’re welcome, Martha! Thanks :)
Rebekah
Incredible even with the substitutions I needed to make to use what was in the frig (fresh spinach, shiitake, cooper sharp cheese, and a personal preference for canned full-fat coconut milk rather than cow’s milk :) My entire family enjoyed it–thank you!
Kate
I’m glad this worked with what you had on hand, Rebekah! Sounds delicious.
MacFadden
We all liked this quiche. I used a 10 1/4 inch tart pan and, though it took a while to get the dough spread evenly over the pan, there was enough. If your tart pan has a removable bottom, definitely put a rimmed half sheet pan under it; mine caught quite a bit of oil dripping out. The crust gave off an intensely savory aroma as it baked, and was quite tasty. It has a nice texture (though different from an all-purpose flour crust) and it held together well. The filling was also a nice combination of flavors.
Kate
I’m so happy this worked out so well, MacFadden! Sounds delicious, and I appreciate the tips for future readers.
Roberta Gundlach
Tried this tonight and it was delish. Have to say I added some shallot and a really tiny bit of sausage.
Will make agin.
Thanks
Kate
Wonderful! I’m glad it worked out great, Roberta.
Tanja
Thank you, Kate, for sharing the recipe for the Arugula and Cremini Quiche with Gluten-Free Almond Meal Crust. I made it for Easter and we absolutely love the quiche. So delicious! Many thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, Tanja!
Liz
This was amazing! I didn’t change a thing. I baked the crust the night before & then only needed 30-ish minutes to get the rest together tonight :) I made in a pie tin, so I covered the edges with foil before baking with filling to prevent it from getting too brown. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, I will definitely make this again!
Kate
Great! I’m so glad that baking the crust the night before worked out so well. That’s a huge time-saver!
Carisa
The whole family loved it! We used fresh nettles and spinach w/ chanterelles and goat cheese.
Kate
Oh my goodness, that sounds super fresh and delicious, Carisa. Thanks!
Becky
Made this tonight as a way to use up some things I had in my fridge. I went a little rouge and used my never-used springform pan instead of my cast iron skillet. For anyone thinking of doing the same, I would suggest lining the bottom with tinfoil and/or placing the pan on a baking sheet as my crust did leak some egg mixture. That said, it baked great and tasted delicious. I would absolutely use the recipe again!
Kate
Great! Despite the small technical hiccup, I’m really glad you enjoyed this. :)
Susan
Can the arugula and crimini quiche be made the night before and reheated in the oven (temp and amount of time?)? Would love to make this for brunch but guests arrive at 10:00. Thanks so much. Love your recipes!
Kate
Hi Susan, I haven’t tried, so I’m not entirely sure. Probably! I think you could also bake the crust, cover it overnight, and whisk together the egg mixture as directed, refrigerate overnight. Combine them and bake in the morning as directed.
Aaina
Hi Kate, am a big fan of your cooking style and flavours and you have certainly helped me evolve as a home cook. Am a lifetime vegetarian cooking for my carnivore husband and son, but good food is good food!
ALl your receipies that I have tried have been a success in my kitchen except the almond meal crust. It did not pull the dish together and instead of the nutty flavour I was expecting it tasted mealy and just not as a compliment to the dish. I must have not done something right, any tips or suggestions?
Ps congratulations on our book, I have my copy:-)
Amaryah
This turned out amazing! I was surprised how easy the almond meal crust was and how fragrant and flavorful the dish was. I always end up using far more veggies than recipes call for (accidentally…I never measure) and so I used probably about triple the arugula, and it still turned out delicious! Great idea and I’ll be using this savory crust for other creations in the future! Love your blog!
K. Owner
Ok I thank you for taking the time to post all the beautiful pictures and step by step instructions to make this recipe. The end result is gorgeous and the filling recipe was a great combination of ingredients.
HOWEVER – the crust does not stay together. Although it tastes great and consists of the right flavors, it literally needs to be spooned out of the pie plate. While the filling, due to the eggs, stays together nicely, the crust just falls off the filling. Oh well, perhaps this is simply the state of gluten free crust these days. Thanks for sharing this recipe but I don’t think I’ll make this crust again. :(
Kate
Hi there, I’m so bummed to hear that your crust didn’t hold together. That is not how mine or other commenters’ crusts have turned out (and I love this crust so much that I put a variation of this quiche in my cookbook). I’m wondering if it has to do with the brand of almond meal you used (some are just too coarse) or if the crust needed a tougher press into the pan. These are just my best guesses; I wish I could have seen the results to help troubleshoot!
deanna
This looks amazing!! I’m making for husbands Bday brunch:) Quick question – can the crust be made the day before? Thank you! You rock!!
Kate
Thanks, Deanna! I think you could make the crust the day before. I just haven’t tried to be entirely sure!
Olivia Freasier
All the flavors were amazing, but if my crust was a bit crumbly would almond meal be better or more oil? I used almond flour.
Kate
Hi Olivia, I’m sorry to hear that. You might just need to pack it down a bit more, if that’s feasible. I usually use almond meal, so that may work out better, too.
Katherine Briggs
Do you think this recipe would work with almond milk (or any non-dairy milk) and to either omit the cheese or sub something else? I’ve never made quiche and I’m not sure if the fat content of regular milk is crucial to it baking up properly.
Rachel
Hi Katherine,
A little late but I made it dairy free and it was devoured quickly by all. I didn’t sub anything for the cheese
Shannon
HI! Can you’re almond meal crust be made a day in advance ? Making the spinach and artichoke quiche.
Thank you!!!!
Kate
You can try it! Should be ok to leave in the fridge overnight. But I haven’t tried it yet with this one. Let me know how it goes!
Shannon
I made th the crust the evening before and it was great- thanks!
Olivia
First time here making an almond-based crust and although it was extreeemely yummy on its own, I felt that the taste and texture really overpowered the quiche itself. Perhaps it was because I used a fairly coarse unblanched almond meal and a very fruity olive oil?
I’d like to try it again, but using a finer almond flour, a combo of butter and oil, & maybe even half the amt of seasonings.
And if THAT bombs, then I am outta the almond-crust business and back to my crustless creations, since them ground nuts aint cheap:)
Kate
Hi Olivia. What you described seems could be the case. Give it another go, based on what the recipe describes, and let me know. Thanks!
Stephanie
Do you think this quiche could be frozen after cooking? And then thawed and reheated to serve?
Kate
I don’t freeze all my recipes, but you could try it. I would be hesitant about the crust getting mushy when you thaw/reheat it, though. Possibly reheat in the oven. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Sarah
I love this recipe! I’ve made it twice with great success!
I’m trying to make it again for my French grandma who is weird about cheese – she doesn’t like to see creamy white substances in her food. I’m going to miss the creaminess of the goat cheese. Im thinking of adding a few cherry tomatoes if only to add some moistness. Any thoughts?
Kate
Great! I’m happy you like it. You can omit the cheese, if needed.
Julie
I made this last night for dinner. I used almond flour (Bob’s Red Mill) because I couldn’t find almond meal. It turned our great. All four of us, of whom only one is gluten-free, loved it. I cooked it in a 9 inch pie dish and I could have cooked it about 5 minutes less, or turned down the heat 25 degrees or so.
It was so easy and the flavors and texture were a perfect combination.And yeah! leftovers for lunch!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Julie! I appreciate the star review.
Nancy Jackson
Made this for brunch, and it was amazing! Husband raved!! Everything turned out perfect, delicious flavors, served with champagne. Thank you Kate!
Kate
Thank you, Nancy! I appreciate the review.
katie hudson
Hi Kate,
Do you have any suggestions for other cheeses. I am not a fan of goats cheese. Otherwise, everything else looks fab!
Thanks Katie
Kate
You could try feta, or omit it if you like.
Tracy Ann
Does the crust crumble easily or does it hold together okay? Hoping to make this as a meal prep idea for the week. Thank you!
Kate
It holds up well! Not as dense as a whole wheat crust, but works really well! Thanks for the question, Tracy.
Kelly Danaher
Crust was so amazing, held its shape and tasted wonderful. My very picky boyfriend said its the best vegetarian meal he’s ever eaten!
Kate
Hooray! That’s a win for sure. I appreciate the review!
Angela, Edinburgh, Scotland
Hi, this quiche is amazing – the base is so unusual, I just love the combination of flavours and now make it regularly. My husband is gluten-free so this base makes a great pastry substitute. I also plan to try it with different fillings. Got your cookbook recently – your recipes are so fresh and inspiring! Thank you!
Kate
Happy to hear that you enjoyed it, Angela! Thanks for getting my cookbook too. I hope you just love it! Thanks so much for your review.
Sasha
I made the recipe book version of the quiche – I was a bit anxious about the crust as I thought it might be too sweet, but it was incredible! After he ate it my partner said his mouth couldn’t stop thinking about the crust:). I will make it over and over with different vegetables. Re the crust, I wondered: have you ever tried it as an alternative pizza base? I normally make my own wholemeal sourdough bases, but I thought this could well be a very tasty and quick alternative that also ups the protein.
Kate
The crust does bring all of this together nicely! I haven’t tried it with a pizza base but I would be interested in that. I enjoyed your review, Sasha.
Cynthia Garofalo
Since yesterday here in Canada we celebrated Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the trimmings and although it was very enjoyable and for sure delicious today I needed something lighter and healthier. This recipe was just the thing. I loved everything about it even the crust which I munched up all of the leftover crumbs left in the pan. Fantastic recipe!
Kate
Happy Thanksgiving to you! I’m glad this was a hit. Thanks for sharing, Cynthia.
Nancy Kirsch
Love the arugula and mushroom goat cheese quiche! Any chance you could provide a sweet pie crust that is gluten-free and as easy to make as this savory quiche crustis? Despite my years of baking experience, I am still not good at making rolled out pie crusts!
Nancy
Kate
I don’t have one yet! But something to add to my list. Thanks, Nancy for your review!
Victoria
New to GF cooking and my diagnosis :-( I’m excited to make this. Looking to replace the mushrooms with another veg, since mushrooms are the only veg we don’t eat! Asparagus? Would you roast it first? Thank you! You have a fantastic site!
Kate
I have a lot of great options for GF! I provided subs for most recipes where I can. I haven’t tried asparagus with this, but you could try it. Let me know what you think! You would want to sautee it likely first.
Elaine
Could you use almond milk instead of regular?
Kate
It should work!
Sofia
Hi there! This looks delicioussss!! Do you think coconut meal would work instead of almond? I dont mind the quiche having a bit of coconut taste but wondering if it’ll work the same in baking.
Thanks! Sofia
Kate
Unfortunately, coconut flour or meal won’t likely work. It takes away a lot of the moisture and doesn’t quite bind the same way.
Glenn Sadowsky
5 star recipe. the combination of thyme and arugula is exquisite. I modify, of course, like I do everything. I have made this several times and each time is a new experience. We often use our home grown sungold dried tomatoes with this and oh my……. Thank you very much.
Kate
I appreciate the review, Glenn!
Mariana
This is the best crust! I discovered it a year ago and never went back. Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, Mariana! I’m happy you loved it.
Hilary S. Laing
This was the first gluten free crust I have made and I really liked the texture/flavor. I will reduce the salt next time, as I found the crust too salty combined with the saltiness of the goat cheese. I love the flavors of the arugula, mushrooms, and goat cheese together. I have been making the same boring quiche for years, so this is great to shake things up!
Kate
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Hilary! I appreciate the review.
Katherine
I would love to try this but do not eat mushrooms. Could you suggest a replacement? Thanks!
Kate
I would leave out or maybe a softer vegetable that you like. Zucchini or eggplant might be nice. Although, I haven’t tried it.
Jessica Shapiro
Amazing recipe!!! I ended up added some shallots to the mixture to add some sweetness.
Kate
Thank you, Jessica!
Gabrielle
Such a delicious recipe! Made it for friends last night and it was a huge hit! The edges of my crust got a bit over cooked (maybe I should have baked the crust less initially or covered the edges with foil for the second baking?). But it was still so tasty!
I just recently discovered your blog and I am so happy to have done so. Thank you for all of the time you put into your recipes, I will definitely be back here often!
Kate
You’re welcome, Gabrielle!