Smoked Salmon Is The Salty Addition Your Quiche Deserves

Nothing says savory, indulgent breakfast quite like the fluffy eggs and melty cheese of a quiche. Combine that with the classic brunch flavor of smoked salmon, and you have the perfect dish to serve at your next homemade morning meal. Eggs make a mild quiche base that needs a generous amount of salt to truly shine, so the salty and smoky flavor profiles of smoked salmon work so well here. The delicate yet firm texture of smoked salmon combines seamlessly into a rich and smooth quiche filling.

You may be familiar with topping scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, but adding it to a homemade quiche is even better. One way is to cover the bottom of your quiche crust with a layer of smoked salmon and set the smoky flavor as the base of your quiche. Add the rest of your ingredients to the egg mixture and combine, pour over top of the smoked salmon layer, and bake. Additionally, you can mix slices of smoked salmon into your egg mixture to have the smoked salmon distributed throughout the quiche instead of in one layer. It'll bring spectacular flavor either way.

Just like when making a smoked salmon platter or creating a delicious smoked salmon bagel sandwich, make sure to find some high-quality smoked salmon to use for your quiche. Look for a smoked salmon with a fresh aroma and a silky-looking texture. If your smoked salmon looks dull or brownish, it's not high quality. A vibrant pink or orange color is ideal. There should be some firmness in the texture — you don't want mushy, too-soft smoked salmon.

If cold-smoked salmon isn't your speed, you can substitute it for hot-smoked salmon which has a more flaky, cooked consistency. Using lox instead of smoked salmon is also an option, but will give a different flavor profile, as lox is distinctly different from smoked salmon. Lox is cured, not smoked, making for the same creamy texture as smoked salmon, and plenty of salty taste, but no smoky flavor. It all depends on your flavor preferences, but traditional cold-smoked salmon is the recommended kind of salmon for your delicious quiche to pack the most punch.

If you're a fan of aromatic ingredients like smoked salmon, there are a few others to consider to bring even more flavor to your quiche. Instead of onions, try incorporating leeks into your next quiche. You can caramelize the leeks first and mix them into the egg mixture. Their tangy sweetness is a perfect contrast to the savory, salty smoked salmon you've already included. Be sure to use plenty of chopped fresh herbs like chives and parsley, both for flavor and the vibrant green color they bring to your quiche filling.

Make your smoked salmon quiche a twist on the smoked salmon bagel experience by incorporating cream cheese into your quiche, and everything bagel spice in the crust. The mild and rich cream cheese works best in tandem with another type of stronger cheese typically used for quiche, like Gruyère, instead of completely on its own. If you're a true smoked salmon lover, you could even add some extra ribbons of smoked salmon on top of the quiche that'll be irresistible when you cut that first slice. Plate it up with a lightly dressed salad of beautiful greens, and you'll be sure to impress brunch guests every time. With a smoked salmon quiche, your favorite brunch dish dreams have come true.