Expert Tips To Avoid A Soggy Quiche Crust

If there's one thing that's better than a delicious dish that's perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it's a delicious dish that's versatile. Quiche is definitely that, and if you don't have your heart set on a classic bacon and cheddar quiche, or perhaps an apple, fennel, and cheddar quiche, you can definitely get creative with whatever you happen to have in the fridge. A quiche is a great way to use up leftovers, and anyone who makes them regularly — or who has tried and failed to make them — knows that getting that perfect crust is hard. So, we got some tips from the professionals.

Daily Meal reached out to Mary Nguyen, chef and the founder of the Olive & Finch Collective. The Denver-based restaurant group prides itself on scratch-made foods, and Nguyen gave up some invaluable tips on how to make sure a quiche crust comes out crisp. The key is taking a few extra steps, but when it comes time to transfer that quiche to the plate and serve it up, a few extra minutes and some extra effort are well worth it.

"It's a good idea to pre-bake, or blind-bake, the dough before adding the quiche mixture," she advises. "This prevents the crust from becoming soggy as the filling cooks...blind-baking is really important, as it helps the crust set before you add the wet filling." Fortunately, these extra steps are easy ones, and it'll take about the same amount of time as it'll take you to finish a pre-brunch classic mimosa.

Chef Mary Nguyen gave us some specific tips on blind-baking a quiche crust, and you will need one extra piece of kitchen kit: Baking beans. Although you can definitely use dried beans if you happen to have some taking up space in the pantry, it's worth investing in a set of reusable ceramic baking beans if you're planning on making quiche or pies often. The weight of the beans will keep the bottom of the crust from getting puffy, and it'll also help hold up the sides. 

Nguyen advises putting a layer of parchment paper on top of your crust and then adding your beans. "Bake it at 375 Fahrenheit for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Then, remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes."

This pre-baked crust will then hold up to your eggy, wet mixture, and you're not going to have to worry about it falling apart. If you want to take another step to help make sure you're getting the best crust possible, Nguyen suggests one more thing: "You can also brush the crust with a little egg wash after blind-baking and give it another few minutes in the oven. This forms a barrier and helps seal the crust from moisture." Follow these simple tips, and you'll have a rave-worthy quiche every time.