Salmon Quiche is lovely made with fresh salmon, even better with hot smoked salmon but you’ll knock it out of the park with smoked salmon!!
The filling is super easy to make so it really comes down to the crust – ready made pie shell, store bought shortcrust pastry or homemade quiche crust. Whichever you choose, this quiche is a totally Easter-worthy recipe!
Salmon Quiche
I used to make Salmon Quiche with fresh salmon, thinking that it was “better” like most from-scratch things are. While still delicious, I have to confess that when it came down to choosing a quiche to make for brunch, I’d always make Quiche Lorraine in all its bacon-loaded glory over Salmon Quiche – unless there were non-meat eaters present.😂
Then I made it with smoked salmon.
BOOM! Wow, what a difference it made. Smoked salmon is cured with salt like with Salmon Gravlax so every single piece is well seasoned all the way through. So you get great flavour with every single bite and it leaches flavour into the custardy quiche filling too. It’s so SO good!!!
In case you’re wondering – once cooked, smoked salmon looks just like “normal” cooked salmon. See? 🙂
Filling ingredients
All the usual suspects here – eggs, cream, a bit of cheese (it’s not intended to be cheesy, just adds a bit of richness + flavour). Just a note on a few of the ingredients:
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Smoked salmon – as mentioned above, this will yield the best overall flavour in the quiche but raw salmon or hot smoked salmon will also work great;
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Leek – slightly more delicate texture than onion, but onion will work fine too (or eschallots / French shallots ie the baby onions)
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Asparagus – optional, I like it for added texture and aesthetics (without it, the quiche is just all yellow and pink!)
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Dill – classic herb pairing with salmon but there’s other options such as chives or green onions. Parsley would be fine too, for little green bits in the quiche, but won’t really add flavour.
Quiche Crust
If time is of the essence or if you’re not confident making pastry, feel free to use one of these options:
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ready made pie crust – already fitted in foil pie dish, thaw and bake per packet;
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refrigerated pie crust – unroll and fit into tart tin or pie dish, bake per packet;
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store bought shortcrust pastry – see directions in this Quiche Crust recipe; or
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crustless quiche! No crust = super speedy (plus low carb). Just switch the ham and cheese in that recipe with the salmon etc in this recipe.
But one day, try your hand at a homemade quiche crust! It’s shortcrust pastry made with butter, and it has flavour and the signature flaky texture unlike any store bought pastry. 🙂
The Quiche Crust recipe has a video and I use the quick method using a food processor which works 100% perfectly. You’ll see in the Salmon Quiche video below just how flaky and crisp yet tender the crust is – just as it should be!
Making Salmon Quiche
Quiche crust decided, the rest of the quiche is outrageously easy – especially given we’re using smoked salmon here. I think the step photos below are a good illustration of how to make it – and there’s also the recipe video.
I know people get really pedantic about not overcooking quiches, but because of the generous amount of cream I use in my quiche recipes, it’s actually pretty hard to overcook my quiche filling to the point that it’s not custardy. 🙂 I’ve overcooked it by 20 minutes when I missed the timer and it wasn’t much different on the inside, though the top was VERY deep golden!
The thing with quiche is that it’s so dang easy, yet people are always sooo impressed. Because quiche crust aside, it’s really just a matter of whisking together eggs and cream, then adding whatever “stuff” you want in your quiche.
Right? 🙂
Try this recipe with roasted vegetables one day – like the mix used in Baked Frittata (which is pretty much a healthier crustless quiche).
If you’re making this quiche for a lovely brunch and want a side salad to impress, try this Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Cranberries. I’ve gotten some great feedback on this salad lately – people are especially tickled by the “plumped” cranberries!! 😂 ~ Nagi x
More Quiche and quiche-like things
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Quiche Lorraine – the classic
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Italian Sausage Quiche – full of Italian flavours!
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CRUSTLESS Quiche – custardy, golden and fabulous (plus super speedy & low carb)
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Hash Brown Crust Quiche Lorraine – that hash brown crust!
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Baked Vegetable Frittata – the easy way to make frittata
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Spanish Tortilla (Omelette) – with potato!
Watch how to make it
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Salmon Quiche
Ingredients
Quiche Crust - choose one (Note 1):
- 1 homemade quiche crust (shortcrust pastry)
- 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry
- 1 x 9" refrigerated pie crust , fitted in a 9" pie dish or tart tin
- 1 ready made pie shell (23cm / 9", fridge or frozen)
Quiche Filling:
- 15g / 1 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 1 leek , white part only halved and finely sliced (Note 2)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 8 - 10 asparagus spears
- 5 eggs (~55 - 60g / 2oz each)
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) cream , full fat (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp salt + pinch pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh dill , roughly chopped (Note 4)
- 200g / 7 oz smoked salmon , cut into 4cm / 1.7" pieces (Note 5)
- 3/4 cup (75g) gruyere cheese , grated (Note 6)
Decorations (optional)
- Dill sprigs and extra smoked salmon
Instructions
Quiche Crust (Note 1):
- Homemade quiche crust or frozen shortcrust pastry - prepare and bake the crust per Quiche Crust recipe.
- Refrigerated pie crust - unroll, fit into a 9" pie dish or tart tin. Bake per packet directions.
- Prepared pie shell (ie comes in foil dish) - bake per packet directions, scale Filling down to 4 eggs (Note 1).
Filling:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (160C/320F fan forced).
- Place cooked quiche crust on a tray.
- Asparagus - break woody ends off (Note 7). Cut into 3.5cm / 1.5" pieces, separate tips from stems (tips for decorating).
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic, saute for 2 minutes or until leeks are translucent, don't let them go golden.
- Stir in asparagus stems (don't cook), then remove from stove.
- Cool slightly then scatter across base of quiche crust.
- Whisk together eggs, cream, dill, salt, pepper in a bowl.
- Scatter 2/3 of the salmon across quiche, folding/twisting pieces rather than laying flat.
- Top with cheese, pour over egg mixture.
- Top with remaining salmon and asparagus tips.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until top is light golden and centre is set but still slightly jiggly when you poke it.
- Rest for 10 minutes before carefully removing from tin and slicing.
Recipe Notes:
- Homemade quiche crust (shortcrust pastry) or store bought frozen shortcrust pastry, fitted into 9"/23cm tart tin or pie dish - prepare and bake per this Quiche Crust recipe, make filling per this recipe.
- Refrigerated pie crust (US/Canada, the type that is unrolled) - fit into 9"/23cm tart tin or pie dish, bake per packet then make filling per this recipe.
- Prepared pie shell - ie the ones that already come fitted in a foil pie dish (frozen or fridge) - smaller than standard quiche tins so you'll need less filling. For most, scale recipe down to 4 eggs. If using Pampas brand (Australia), scale down to 3 eggs.
- Deep dish (this is what I use) - 23cm / 9″ diameter, 3.5 – 4 cm / 1.5 – 1.7″ deep. Use Filling quantities as written.
- Normal quiche tins - slightly shallower, about 23cm / 9″ diameter, 2.5 – 3cm / 1 – 1.25″ deep. Scale recipe down to 4 eggs (click on Servings and slide down).
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Not the sort of bird Dozer’s used to seeing at the dog park!!
PS It’s a Hospital Chopper but don’t worry, there wasn’t an emergency at the dog park! The park is located next to a hospital which has a chopper landing pad which was getting work done to it.
This has to be the best Nagi recipe so far.
I made 2 of these quiches for a Jubilee party this weekend. I’m vegetarian so couldn’t taste test them (which always makes me nervous) but they turned out beautifully (and the kitchen smelt amazing)! I followed the recipe exactly and this dish was a huge hit with everyone, I will definitely be making it again the next time we have guests. Thank you, Nagi!
can I make this crustless?
Try this one Michelle and just sub in salmon and herbs! N x. https://www.recipetineats.com/crustless-quiche-ham-and-cheese/
Thank you! One more question. I leave in Canada and I not sure what kind of cream to use, whipping cream 33-35% or 18% cream?
I use regular cream which is closest to your 18 percent cream. You can also use whipping cream if you like – in this case it won’t affect the outcome too much! N x
Thank you Nagi!
My pleasure!! N x
Frozen smoked salmon will work?
Yes that would be tasty Irina!! N x
Hi Nagi –
Had some hot smoked salmon that needed using – and some cream! – so this was perfect.
Just grabbed a leek and bunch of asparagus at the local greengrocer – and was good to go.
Food processor makes light work of the pastry – made and blind baked it this morning when I had some time free – then did the filling and final bake at dinner .
All assembled and cooked as per your instructions – and household soooo happy!
All that’s left for tomorrow is a tiny little wedge – barely an eighth! Pastry so buttery and short. Lovely.
Only variation was that I had slightly under the amount of cream – maybe by a quarter of a cup? – which didn’t seem to make much difference – and I think my oven might have been slightly too low (to compensate for it usually being a ‘hot’ oven!) – and I may have overcompensated –
So jacked it up to top temp and switched to grill for the final few minutes – perfectly golden 🙂
Served it with a Greek salad –
Best mid-week meal!
Thank you once again!!
I really pared this back to fit what j had in the fridge and it was still absolutely delicious. Ended up using a pampas prepared pie crust, 4 eggs, 300ml thickened cream, jarred garlic, salt and pepper, cooked salmon fillet and grated cheese. Lovely, delicate and creamy.
Hi Nagi
How much baby spinach to make a salmon spinach quiche thanks. Pam
You can just pop a few handfuls in there Pam! N x
Can the crust be baked along with the filling or does it really need to be pre-baked? If so, what procedure do you recommend?
Does the crust need to be baked beforehand or can it go into the oven unbaked with the filling?
It is the best quiche! Absolute family favourite. Will be making tonight again. Thank you so much for sharing and for the detailed instructions 🙂
Thanks for another delish recipe, Nagi.
Tried the shortcrust pastry recipe you’ve posted and it was easy enough!
We loved the taste profile in the salmon + asparagus filling! I didn’t have a quiche tin so I used a 9” deep glass pie pan but the filling was runny in the middle on a 325 F convection bake setting. Curious, any suggestions on getting the middle section more firm? Or is it best to invest in a proper quiche tin? Thx!
Ovens can vary and glass conducts heat differently to metal…just cook it a little longer next time until it is more set. N x
This smoked salmon quiche with asparagus looks delicious. Would I be able to freeze it?
I usually do successfully freeze quiches but just wondering if the asparagus woul freeze ok.
Thank you