Quiche

A low FODMAP quiche with eggs, lactose-free milk, cream, bacon, spinach, Gruyère, and scallion greens in a gluten-free butter crust.

Prep 30 min

Cook 1 hr 10 min

Serves 6

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/4 cups (180 g) gluten-free flour blend (with xanthan gum)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 6 slices gluten-free bacon (with no onion or garlic on the label), chopped
• 2 cups (60 g) packed baby spinach
• 1/4 cup (15 g) sliced scallion greens (green parts only)
• 1 cup (100 g) shredded Gruyère or sharp cheddar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) lactose-free milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Serves 6.

Instructions

Crust

1. Pulse the flour blend and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like coarse crumbs.
2. Add the egg yolk and 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough just clumps, adding the last tablespoon of water only if needed.
3. Press into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Roll between two sheets of parchment into an 11-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Patch any cracks with scraps and crimp the edge. Chill for 15 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried rice, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake 8 to 10 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry. Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Filling

1. While the crust bakes, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8 minutes, until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
2. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat, add the spinach, and stir for 1 minute until wilted. Let it cool, then squeeze out the liquid.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl or pitcher.

Bake

1. Scatter the bacon, spinach, scallion greens, and cheese over the crust.
2. Set the pie plate on a baking sheet and pour in the custard.
3. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has only a slight wobble, 160°F (71°C). Cover the crust edge with foil if it darkens.
4. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Tips & Substitutions

• Read the bacon label. Many bacons are plain cured pork, but some add onion or garlic powder or "natural flavors." Choose one with neither.
• Crustless quiche. Skip the crust, butter the pie plate well, and bake the filling at 350°F (175°C) for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Lactose-free cream. Use lactose-free cream in place of the regular cream if you plan to eat more than a slice.
• Vegetarian version. Leave out the bacon and add 1 cup (140 g) of sautéed diced zucchini with the spinach.
• Make ahead. Blind-bake the crust up to a day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature.

Why This Works

Cream portion. Regular heavy cream is low FODMAP in small amounts. Half a cup across 6 slices is about 20 ml per slice.

Hard cheese. Aged cheeses like Gruyère and cheddar are naturally very low in lactose. Each slice has about 17 g.

Onion flavor from scallion greens. The green tops of scallions are low FODMAP, while the white bulbs are not.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover quiche, covered, for up to 4 days. Reheat slices in a 325°F (160°C) oven or the microwave until hot in the center, 165°F (74°C). Freeze baked, fully cooled quiche, wrapped well, for up to 2 months and reheat from thawed.