Exciting News: This is just one of a bunch of Whole30 Recipes here at The Nourishing Home. PLUS I’ll be sharing even more Whole30-compliant recipes as we start our next Whole30 Challenge January 2016. (P.S. You can join us anytime you’re ready to Jumpstart Your Health with Whole30!)
I couldn’t be more excited to share this flavorful and hearty veggie quiche! The tasty hash brown crust adds such a unique twist to this savory creation that I had a hard time deciding what to call it …
Should I call it a frittata since it really tastes more like a frittata than it does a quiche? Or should I call it a quiche, because technically speaking, the preparation method more closely resembles a quiche?
Honestly, no matter what you decide to call this delightful egg dish, there’s one word I think we can all agree best describes it – yummy!
As with any recipe, one of the keys to easy, quick and successful preparation is to remember your “mise en place.” By pre-chopping and gathering all of your ingredients prior to putting the recipe together, you’ll be able to focus your attention fully on the most critical aspect of what makes a meal a success – cooking!
The highlight of this savory quiche recipe is an easy hash brown crust, which makes a tasty gluten-free/grain-free option that everyone will enjoy whether they’re GF or not.
And it’s highly versatile too! You can use yukon gold potatoes or sweet potatoes with equal success – although I do recommend white sweet potatoes, since they’re less sweet than the orange variety.
Although I love saving time in the kitchen, you’ll notice I’ve added the extra step of sautéing the veggies first before adding them to the egg custard – why? Because you just can’t beat the deep, rich flavor that sautéed veggies add, especially when it comes to egg dishes. Another delicious option is to use leftover grilled veggies, just be sure to keep the proportion of veggies to egg custard similar to the recipe and you can’t go wrong!
Quiche isn’t just for breakfast or brunch – it also makes a wonderful light summer dinner served with a mesclun greens salad and a side of fresh fruit.
And trust me, leftovers are even better! The flavors in this hearty Veggie Quiche with Hash Brown Crust meld and deepen, making this quiche an absolute favorite for breakfast or lunch the next day! (I’ve often been caught eating it cold straight from the fridge. Yum!)
Time-Saving Tip: Double the fun! Why make one when you can make two – one to serve now and one to refrigerate and serve as a quick breakfast or lunch during busy weekdays.
Ingredients
- 3 cups tightly-packed shredded yukon gold potatoes (or white sweet potatoes)
- 3/4 cup fine diced yellow onion, divided
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2 cups chopped swiss chard (or kale)
- 1/2 cup precooked Whole30-compliant bacon (or sausage)
- 8 large pastured eggs
- 1/4 cup almond milk (or coconut milk)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- ghee or coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Use ghee, coconut oil or palm shortening to generously grease a tight-fitting 9-inch springform pan, or 9-inch deep dish pie plate. (If your springform pan does not fit together tightly, you may want to tightly wrap the outside of the pan with a large sheet of foil to help catch leaks, or use a deep dish pie plate instead.)
- Using a box grater, shred the potatoes (if using sweet potatoes, peel first). Rinse the shredded potatoes in a strainer; then press the shredded potato between a large layer of paper towels (or kitchen towels) to absorb excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, add the shredded potatoes, 1/2 cup of fine diced yellow onion, 2 tablespoons of melted ghee or coconut oil and 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon sea salt. Toss until combined.
- Firmly press the shredded potato mixture evenly along the bottom of the prepared springform pan, making sure to press the potatoes up the sides of the pan at least one inch.
- Bake crust for 15-18 minutes, until set. Then place on stove top to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- While crust is baking, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of ghee or coconut oil. Sauté together the remaining 1/4 cup of yellow onion, red pepper and mushrooms for 4-5 minutes until veggies are softened. (If substituting with extra veggies instead of meat, sauté them with this onion mixture.)
- Next, add the swiss chard and stir until greens are wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Mix in the crumbled bacon or sausage, if using. Remove skillet from heat. Season with sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Wipe clean the large bowl used for the potatoes. Then add the eggs, milk, basil, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Whisk until eggs are slightly frothy.
- Add the veggie mixture to the bottom of the hash brown crust. Then, gently pour the egg custard over the top of the veggie mixture.
- Place the springform pan on a large baking sheet (to catch any leaks) and place in preheated oven. (If you're using a pie dish, it's not necessary to use the baking sheet.)
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes until quiche is set. Remove from oven and allow to sit 3-5 minutes. Then gently loosen sides of quiche by running a knife along the side of the pan.
- Remove springform pan and place on a serving platter. Serve with your favorite green salad and fresh sliced fruit. Enjoy!
This delightful recipe is just one of more than 100 irresistible grain-free, dairy-free recipes in my new cookbook – 
