Sausage Cheddar Mushroom Quiche
Quiche has spent enough time on American brunch menus that it is easy to forget it began as a regional European tart, with a much leaner ingredient list than the mushroom, spinach, cheese, and sausage-filled versions familiar in American kitchens today.
Quiche Lorraine takes its name from Lorraine in northeastern France. In its traditional form, pastry is filled with lardons and a custard of eggs and cream. As quiche traveled beyond Lorraine, cooks adapted the basic combination of pastry and savory custard with cheese, vegetables, seafood, ham, and other fillings.
By the middle decades of the twentieth century, quiche had found a place in American restaurants, magazines, cookbooks, and home kitchens. Its basic construction made adaptation almost inevitable. Once a cook understood the proportion of eggs and dairy needed for the custard, the pastry shell could accommodate all kinds of ingredients.
Sausage, cheddar, and mushrooms take this quiche squarely into the territory of the American breakfast table. Pork breakfast sausage brings the seasoning we already associate with eggs, biscuits, breakfast casseroles, and skillet potatoes. Mushrooms cook in the same skillet after the sausage, followed by onion, building another layer of flavor before everything goes into the pastry. Sharp cheddar has enough character to hold its own alongside the sausage.
Sweet Hungarian paprika scattered over the top adds warm pepper flavor and deep red color without much heat. Against the pale egg custard and melted cheddar, a small amount also gives the finished quiche a handsome burnished surface as it bakes.
Par-baking matters here because the filling carries plenty of moisture from the eggs, milk, mushrooms, and onions. Giving the pastry a head start in the oven helps the bottom crust bake properly once the custard is added. After par-baking, I brush the crust lightly with egg white before adding the filling, which gives the pastry another thin layer of protection from the custard.
A properly baked quiche should retain some tenderness at the center. The eggs will puff slightly in the oven, the cheddar will melt into the filling, and the center should have only a slight jiggle when the dish is gently moved. As the quiche rests, the custard continues to settle. Give it ten minutes before cutting and the slices will hold together much better while the interior remains soft.
This is the sort of quiche I would put out for a late breakfast when I want most of the cooking finished before anyone reaches the table. Add sliced oranges or berries when they are good, or roasted potatoes during colder months, and very little else is required. It also holds up well after baking, making it useful for holiday mornings, family visits, or a weekend breakfast when I would rather pour coffee and sit down than manage several pans on the stove.
Quiche also tells an interesting story about the way recipes travel. A regional specialty from Lorraine crossed borders, entered American restaurants and home kitchens, and became adaptable enough to accommodate ingredients that made sense to American cooks. Breakfast sausage and sharp cheddar would be far removed from traditional quiche Lorraine, but the underlying idea remains recognizable: pastry, savory custard, and a filling substantial enough to make a meal.
That is often how a dish becomes part of a household repertoire. We learn the basic method, cook it enough times to understand it, and begin adapting it to the ingredients and flavors we already use in our own kitchens.
Until next time, thank you for spending a little time with me. I hope you find a recipe to make, a story to enjoy, and something new to take into the kitchen. ♥️
Sausage Cheddar Mushroom Quiche
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: About 1 hour
Oven Temperature: 400°F, then 325°F
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
3/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 prepared pastry for a 9 1/2-inch single-crust pie or quiche
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. If using a store-bought pie crust, thaw according to the package directions. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
- Par-bake the crust: Fit the pastry into a 9 1/2-inch quiche dish or deep-dish pie plate. Tuck the pastry under at the edge and crimp as desired. Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice.
- Bake for 7 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment or foil and pie weights, then return the crust to the oven and bake for another 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- While the crust is baking, cook the sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Cook until browned and completely cooked through. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Drain off excess fat from the skillet, leaving a small amount for sautéing the vegetables. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the onion is softened and translucent and the mushrooms are tender and have released most of their moisture.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cooked sausage, mushrooms, onion, salt, pepper, dried basil, garlic powder, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until well combined.
- Whisk the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Lightly brush the bottom and sides of the par-baked crust with the egg wash.
- Spread the sausage, mushroom, onion, and cheddar mixture evenly in the par-baked crust. Slowly pour the egg and milk mixture over the filling. Sprinkle the top evenly with sweet Hungarian paprika.
- Place the quiche on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 325°F for about 50 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges and the center has only a slight jiggle when the dish is gently moved. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the edges with aluminum foil.
- Transfer the quiche to a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve warm with a lightly dressed green salad, if desired.
about the AUTHOr
Stasia Boschetti is an American culinary writer and the founder of American Country Living. With more than thirty years of experience in the kitchen, a background in catering, extensive travel, and a strong knowledge of regional food traditions, she writes about the recipes, histories, and customs that have shaped the way America cooks. She lives in the United States with her husband, family, and rescue animals.
