Easy Ham and Cheese Quiche

This easy quiche recipe pairs savory ham, rich cheeses, and velvety sautéed leeks in a tender, buttery pie crust. Inspired by the ham and leek quiche from Napa Valley’s Bistro Jeanty—once featured in Gourmet—our version is updated for a more streamlined approach. The result might be the best quiche we’ve ever tasted.

We swapped heavy cream for the original’s crème fraîche for a fluffier filling without sacrificing richness (resist any urges to use half-and-half or milk—those are for frittata making). Next, we ditched the mozzarella, allowing flavorful Gruyére and silky Fontina cheese to shine. If you have trouble finding either, you can substitute any sharp, nutty cheese, such as Comté or Swiss cheese, for the Gruyère and a mild Gouda or provolone for the Fontina. As always, avoid pre-shredded cheeses; the coating is a texture killer. If leeks elude you, diced green onions will do.

Our 5-ingredient homemade pie crust recipe is incredibly forgiving. You can freeze the dough at various stages: after forming it into a disk (thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling), after shaping it in the pie dish (blind-bake from frozen), or after prebaking (let cool completely before wrapping). If using store-bought pie dough, use a round you can roll out to fit a 9" pie plate; preshaped frozen pie crusts don’t have the capacity to hold the egg filling.

Looking for quiche Lorraine with crispy cooked bacon and shallots? Try this deep-dish version from our friends at Bon Appétit.