This is a ground turkey and broccoli quiche baked in a pastry shell with a cheddar-spiked egg custard. It’s a solid way to feed a table of people without standing over the stove — you assemble it, slide it in the oven, and it comes out looking like you put in more effort than you did. It also handles leftover cooked turkey well, which makes it genuinely useful after the holidays or any time you have extra ground turkey to use up.
The technique that matters
The custard is where this quiche succeeds or fails. Whisking the eggs and half-and-half together thoroughly — no streaks of yolk — is the first step, but the real key is oven temperature. Too hot and the custard puffs, cracks, and weeps liquid; too low and it never fully sets. Bake at a moderate 375°F and start checking around the 35-minute mark by giving the pan a gentle nudge. The edges should be set and the center should have just a slight wobble — like gelatin, not liquid. It will firm up as it cools. Pull it five minutes early rather than five minutes late. The second thing worth doing is pre-cooking the broccoli until it’s just tender before it goes in. Raw broccoli releases steam inside the custard as it bakes, which can leave you with a watery filling and undercooked florets at the same time.
What can go wrong
- Soggy bottom crust: If you skip blind-baking the shell before adding the filling, the wet custard soaks into the pastry before it can set. Blind-bake the crust for 10–12 minutes at 375°F, weighted with parchment and dried beans, before adding anything.
- Turkey that’s dry and grainy in the filling: Ground turkey cooked too long before baking dries out further in the oven. Cook it just until no pink remains — 165°F internal — then let it cool slightly before mixing it into the custard so it doesn’t scramble the eggs on contact.
- Cheese sinking to the bottom: If you stir all the cheddar into the custard mixture, it tends to sink and clump. Reserve half and scatter it over the top of the filled shell instead — you get better coverage and a proper browned top.
- Custard that’s rubbery rather than creamy: This usually means too many eggs relative to dairy, or overbaking. Stick to the recipe ratio and pull the quiche while the center still has a little movement.
- Filling that slides when you cut it: Let the quiche rest at least 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven before slicing. Cutting into it hot means the custard hasn’t finished setting and the slices won’t hold their shape on the plate.
Ingredient notes
Half-and-half gives the custard a good balance of richness and lightness — whole milk works in a pinch but produces a slightly less creamy result, while heavy cream makes it noticeably denser. For the cheddar, sharp or extra-sharp gives you the most flavor payoff; mild cheddar mostly just adds fat without much taste. Skip the pre-shredded bags if you can — they’re coated with starch that slightly dulls the melt. A pinch of nutmeg in the custard is worth it; it’s subtle but it rounds out the egg flavor in a way that’s hard to put your finger on. If you’re using a store-bought pie crust, the deep-dish version is the right call here — a standard shell won’t hold all the filling.
Turkey Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 sheet pre-made pie crust - or homemade if preferred
Filling
- 1 cup cooked turkey - diced, preferably leftover roast
- 1 cup broccoli florets - steamed tender
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese - grated
4 whole eggs - large, free-range if possible- 1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt - fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper - freshly ground
¼ teaspoon nutmeg - freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Roll out the pie crust and line a 9-inch pie dish with it. Trim any excess edges and prick the base with a fork. Blind bake for 10 minutes and then let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Evenly spread the turkey, broccoli, and cheddar cheese over the base of the pie crust.
- Pour the egg mixture over the filling ingredients, ensuring it's evenly distributed.
- Bake the quiche in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden brown.
- Let the quiche cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make this quiche the night before and reheat it?
Yes — this quiche reheats well and actually slices more cleanly the next day once it’s fully cold and set. Cover it loosely with foil and warm it in a 325°F oven for about 20 minutes, or reheat individual slices in the microwave for 90 seconds on medium power to avoid rubbering up the custard.
How do I know the ground turkey is fully cooked before it goes into the quiche?
Ground turkey must reach 165°F internally — use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the cooked meat in the pan. There should be no pink remaining and the juices should run clear; don’t rely on color alone since turkey can look done before it actually is.
Can I freeze this quiche?
Yes, baked and fully cooled quiche freezes well for up to two months. Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating — freezing and reheating from frozen in one step tends to make the crust go soft.
Try these next
- Cumberland Sausage Mince Pie
- Wild Venison Mushroom Pies
- Mediterranean Lamb Feta Pie
- Savory British Beef Pies
