Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This quiche is absolutely, hands-down, my favorite freezer meal ever! Every time I make a ham and have leftovers (which is pretty much every time I make a ham), I put together two or three of these quiches and keep them in the freezer for those times I just don’t feel like cooking.
- Make It Ahead: Assemble in advance and freeze for a ready-to-bake meal on busy mornings or when you have unexpected guests.
- No Thawing Required: Goes straight from the freezer to the oven—no need to plan ahead!
- Customizable: Change it up with different cheeses, veggies, or protein, based on what you have on hand.
- Serve It For Any Meal: It’s ideal for breakfast or brunch, but it also makes a great lunch or simple dinner paired with a salad or fresh fruit.
After you preview the recipe card, be sure to look below for ingredient substitutions, recipe and storage tips, and suggestions for pairings and tasty variations!
Make Ahead Quiche
This easy ham and cheese quiche is a comforting, make-ahead favorite that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even a light dinner. The best part? You can prep it in advance and freeze it—just pop it in the oven straight from the freezer for a delicious meal anytime.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 336kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 1 9 inch unbaked pie crust
- 1/2 cup cooked ham diced
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup Half and Half
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Dash of pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground dry mustard
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the 1 tablespoon flour with the 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. Evenly spread the cheese over the bottom of the unbaked pie crust. Top the cheese with the 1/2 cup cooked ham (diced).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 1 cup Half and Half, 1/4 teaspoon salt, Dash of pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ground dry mustard. Stir in the 2 green onions. Pour the egg mixture over the ham and cheese.
- Cover the unbaked quiche with plastic wrap, then with foil, sealing the edges well. Place the prepared quiche in the freezer.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Do not thaw the quiche!
- Remove the foil and plastic wrap. Place the foil around the edges of the crust to prevent burning.
- Place the frozen quiche in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown.
- To cook the quiche immediately (without freezing first), preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 512mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g
Keep scrolling for tips, ingredient substitutions, answers to frequently asked questions and more!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pie Crust Options: A store-bought 9-inch unbaked pie crust works perfectly and saves lots of time, but you can use homemade if you prefer. If you choose to make your own, I suggest my recipe for Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust.
- Cheese Choices: Feel free to use any cheese you love—Swiss, Gruyère, mozzarella, or a cheese blend all work well.
- Half and Half Substitutions: You can substitute whole milk or a mix of milk and cream if you don’t have Half and Half, or it’s not available where you live.
Recipe Tips
- Toss the cheese and flour together: This helps keep the cheese from sinking to the bottom of the quiche and keeps it evenly distributed throughout the filling.
- Really whisk those eggs! A well-whisked egg mixture helps create a smooth, custardy texture when baked.
- Freeze before baking – When making ahead, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Freezing before baking keeps the crust crisp and prevents sogginess.
- Checking for doneness: The quiche is done when the center is set and no longer jiggles. You can also insert a sharp knife in the center—if it comes out clean, it’s ready.
- Let it rest: Allow the quiche to sit for 5–10 minutes after baking so it sets up fully and slices cleanly.
- When reheating a whole baked quiche from the fridge or freezer, cover the crust edges with foil to prevent over-browning.
Storage and Reheating
Obviously this quiche is meant to be made ahead and stored in the freezer until it’s time to bake. To store leftovers after baking, let the quiche cool completely then transfer slices to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
For best results, cover loosely with foil and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15–20 minutes, or until heated through. To reheat in the microwave, Place a slice on a microwave-safe plate and heat on medium power in 30-second intervals until warmed through. This method is quick, but may soften the crust.
Variations & Fun Twists
- Veggie Lovers Quiche: Add sautéed spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, or broccoli for extra color and nutrition. Cook and drain the veggies well before adding them to avoid excess moisture.
- Cheesy Variations: Swap in Swiss, Gruyère, feta, or pepper jack for a fun twist. Mixing a sharp cheese with a melty one adds great flavor!
- Low Carb: For a lower-carb version, skip the crust and pour the filling into a greased pie pan or muffin tin for mini crustless quiches.
- Swap the Protein: Replace the ham with cooked bacon or cooked crumbled sausage.
99 comments
Helen
What on earth do you mean by 1 cup half and half? Half and half of what??!!
Kristina
Half and half is literally just half cream half milk. It comes premixed in cartons for convenience but you can absolutely mix it yourself.
Cass
You can find half and half in your dairy case. It will be near the heavy cream. It is often used for coffee and is lighter than cream. It usually comes in pints.
Mike
Bravo. That was a tough question!
Tracy
I just realized I only needed to cover the crust with foil…so it’s been baking for well over an hour now and not set. I found it a little difficult to keep the foil just on the edges – can you post a picture of what yours looks like when you put it in the oven?
bridget
I am also wondering what dish do you freeze and bake it in? Also on step 7 it says remove the pastic wrap and foil but then says cover the crust with the foil. So are you just removing the plastic wrap and then recovering it with the foil?
Danelle
I use a premade pie crust (Marie Callender brand) and just bake it in the pan it comes in. But any similar pie pan would work. And you do remove both the plastic wrap and foil, and then just put foil over the edge of the crust so it doesn’t burn, but you don’t cover the whole quiche. You can use the same foil if you want though and tear it into long strips to go around the edge. Or if you have a pie crust shield to put around the edge of the crust, that does the same thing.