Easy cheesy and onion quiche

Ingredients

• 230 g (8 oz; 1½ cups + 2 tbsp)plain flour
• 115 g (4 oz; ½ cup)butter
• ½ tspsalt
• 2–3 tbspcold water
• 2 medium (approximately 2 cups)onions, thinly sliced
• 125 g (1 cup)grated cheese
• 2 largeeggs
• 120 ml (½ cup)cream
• 120 ml (½ cup)milk
• 60 g (½ cup)soft cream cheese (optional; substitute with cream or milk)
• 1 tspDijon mustard
• ½ tspground paprika
• ½ tspground black pepper
• to tastesalt
• 1 tbspsunflower oil
• 30 g (2 tbsp)butter

Instructions

1. 1

   Rub in butter

   Cut the butter into cubes and put it in a bowl with the flour and ½ teaspoon of salt. Rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

2. 2

   Bring dough together

   Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing with a flat-bladed knife until the mixture just forms a shaggy dough. Use only enough water to bind it; it should not turn wet or sticky.

3. 3

   Chill the pastry

   Tip the dough onto a work surface and gently press it into a ball without kneading. Cover it with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

5. 5

   Roll out pastry

   Once rested, roll the pastry into a circle large enough to cover the base and sides of your baking dish. Aim for a thickness of about 3 mm (⅛ inch).

6. 6

   Line the dish

   Carefully lift the pastry and use it to line the bottom and sides of the baking dish.

7. 7

   Add baking weights

   Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill it with dried beans, ceramic baking beads or rice.

8. 8

   Blind bake pastry

   Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the hot beans and parchment, then bake for another 5 minutes, until the pastry is beginning to brown. Set it aside to cool.

9. 9

   Slice the onions

   Halve the onions from root to tip, then cut them into thin semicircles.

10. 10

    Soften the onions

    Melt the butter with the sunflower oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cover and cook over very low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelise. If they start to brown too quickly, lower the heat; set them aside to cool.

11. 11

    Mix eggs and cheese

    Beat the eggs in a jug and stir in the cream cheese. Use a fork to break up most of the lumps; any remaining small lumps will melt as the quiche bakes.

12. 12

    Season the custard

    Stir in the milk and cream, then add the paprika, mustard and black pepper. Season with salt.

13. 13

    Lower the heat

    Turn the oven down to 180°C (360°F).

14. 14

    Fill the pastry case

    Once the pastry case has cooled, spread the onions over its base and scatter over half of the grated cheese.

15. 15

    Add the custard

    Pour the egg mixture over the onions and finish with the remaining grated cheese.

16. 16

    Bake until set

    Bake for 20 minutes, until the filling is set and the cheese has melted and turned golden.

What is cheese and onion quiche?

Quiche is a savoury pastry tart with an egg-and-cream filling, associated with French cooking and now popular in Britain. This version brings together two familiar flavours, cheese and onion, with cream cheese added to the custard.

The homemade shortcrust case is blind-baked before filling, while the onions are cooked gently until soft. Those steps help give the tart a crisp base and a mellow, savoury centre.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 242 calories, 4g protein, 21g carbs, 16g fat.

The pastry flour supplies much of the carbohydrates, while butter, cream, cream cheese and grated cheese contribute much of the fat. Eggs and cheese provide some of the protein; serve a slice with vegetables or salad for a more balanced plate.

Build a tender pastry case

Cold butter: rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add water gradually, stopping as soon as the dough holds together.

Gentle handling: press the dough into a ball rather than kneading it, then give it 30 minutes in the fridge. This keeps the pastry easier to roll and line into the dish.

Cook the onions slowly

Low heat: cook the sliced onions, covered, in butter and oil for 10–15 minutes. Stir from time to time and turn down the heat if they begin to brown before they soften.

Cool before filling: let the cooked onions cool while you prepare the custard. This makes assembly easier and avoids adding very hot onions to the pastry case.

Get the custard texture right

Cream cheese: beat it into the eggs with a fork, but do not worry about a few small lumps. They melt during baking.

Seasoning: milk and cream loosen the egg mixture, while Dijon mustard, paprika and black pepper season it. Add salt to taste before pouring it into the pastry case.

Blind bake before filling

Baking weights: parchment and dried beans, baking beads or rice hold the pastry in place for its first 15 minutes in the oven. Take care when removing them, as they will be hot.

Finish the case: bake it for another 5 minutes without the weights, until it starts to brown. Cool it before adding the onions and custard.

Check the bake and plan the timing

The filling needs 20 minutes at 180°C (360°F), until it is set and the cheese on top is melted and golden. If the centre still looks loose, it has not reached the stated doneness cue yet.

The recipe's total time is 90 minutes, including the 30-minute pastry rest. You can make the pastry and cook the onions during that rest to keep the work moving.

Serve it simply

Let the quiche settle after baking so it is easier to cut into neat portions. It suits a picnic or potluck spread and can also be served as a lunch or light supper.

For a more balanced plate, pair a slice with a leafy salad or other vegetables. The fresh side also contrasts nicely with the rich pastry and creamy filling.

Recipe notes & tips

• Add the water a little at a time so the pastry does not become sticky.
• Keep the pastry handling gentle and avoid kneading it.
• Use a low heat for the onions and stir occasionally to prevent them catching.
• Let the pastry case and cooked onions cool before assembling the quiche.
• Use oven gloves when lifting out the hot baking weights and parchment.
• Check that the centre is set and the top cheese is golden before taking the quiche out.

Variations

• Use another cheese: swap in a different grated cheese you enjoy.
• Skip the cream cheese: replace it with cream or milk as suggested in the ingredients.
• Add herbs: stir chopped fresh herbs into the egg mixture for an aromatic note.
• Add greens: mix cooked, well-drained spinach into the onions before filling the pastry case.
• Change the seasoning: adjust the paprika or black pepper to suit your taste.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding too much water: stop once the pastry just binds, so it does not become wet and sticky.
• Kneading the pastry: press it gently into a ball instead to keep handling minimal.
• Browning onions too quickly: lower the heat and stir them occasionally as they soften.
• Skipping the blind bake: bake the pastry case with weights first so it has a chance to set before filling.
• Pouring into a hot case: cool the pastry before adding the onions and custard.
• Removing weights carelessly: lift out the hot beans and parchment carefully to avoid burns.

How to store

Cool the quiche, cover it and refrigerate it; eat within 3 days. Reheat portions in a moderate oven until warmed through, or serve chilled.

Frequently asked questions