This cauliflower quiche, with caramelized onions, pancetta, and Gruyère, is one of my favorite takes on quiche, the classic savory egg custard pie.
I just took a quick count and realized this is my tenth quiche recipe that I've posted. Clearly, I love quiches, including ones with smoked salmon, zucchini and onion, and ham and asparagus. I also love mini quiches to serve as appetizers, such as quiche lorraine, shrimp, pancetta and asparagus, and bacon, leek, and cheddar. I've even baked a cheesy vegetable quiche in the air fryer.
The spark for making this quiche was that the Alphabet Challenge group of food writers was that we had reached the letter "Q." Already? Time is flying by! In addition, I had gruyère and emmentaler cheeses leftover from making a tasty baked macaroni and cheese. Plus, I had received some gorgeous colorful cauliflowers from Melissa's Produce. It was meant to be!
Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Ingredients in this Quiche:
Cauliflower: You can use either white cauliflower, or as in my case, colorful cauliflower. It comes in three colors, green, purple, and yellow-orange. It tastes pretty much the same as standard cauliflower, only just slightly sweeter. You can barely taste the difference in the quiche, but if you nibble on pieces fresh from the oven, you'll definitely taste the difference. It's, of course, much prettier. You could use the combination of all three colors to celebrate Mardi Gras, and if you're a Lakers Fan, the yellow and purple will bring back memories of ShowTime.
Onions: For caramelizing. Sweet onions will give you a head start in caramelization. You can also use yellow or brown onions and add a small amount of sugar to speed up the process.
Pancetta: Use the pre-diced version from the deli section.
Eggs and Heavy Cream: for the custard.
Cheese: As I mentioned, I used a combination of gruyère and emmentaler cheese, but good quality American Swiss cheese will also work.
From the Fridge: Butter, eggs and heavy cream.
From the Pantry: Olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and granulated sugar.
Chives or Scallions: Optional, for garnish.
Pie Crust: Unless I'm making my own, I like to use the refrigerated crusts that come rolled up, such as Pillsbury. Because there is extra prep required to make this quiche such as roasting the cauliflower and caramelizing the onions, it's nice to have a ready-made solution for the crust.
To Make This Quiche:
First, caramelize the onions in a large skillet until browned. Set them aside and cook the pancetta in the same skillet until just cooked.
While the onions are cooking, cut the cauliflower into small pieces and toss them with olive oil and salt, and then spread them in a single layer. Roast them in a 425 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees F.
When everything has cooled, add the cauliflower to the pie crust.
After that, beat the eggs, and then add the cream, cayenne, salt and pepper and whisk everything together. Then, stir in the cheese(s), pancetta, and caramelized onions. Pour it over the cauliflower. Bake the quiche for about 45 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.
Finally, let the quiche sit on a wire rack in the pan for ten minutes. Sprinkle with chopped chives or scallions.
Tips for Success:
Make Ahead:
There are several options for making ahead. You roast the cauliflower, render the pancetta, and caramelize the onions in advance.
Leftovers:
Keep leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat individual pieces at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes in the toaster oven.
Equipment you Might Want:
If the crust seems to be over browning around the edges, you can protect it with foil halfway through baking. I like to use this cool tool, an adjustable pie crust shield from NordicWare. I've tried he silicon ones, but they're not adjustable, or they are awkward, and I can never get pieces of foil to stay put.
"Q" is for Quiche, Quesadilla, Quail, Queen, Qorma, Quinoa, and More!
As part of the 2026 Alphabet Challenge, we are sharing recipes that begin with "Q" or include ingredients or methods that that begin with "Q”:
- Food Lust People Love: Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers
- Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas
- Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Cauliflower, Onion, and Pancetta Quiche
- A Messy Kitchen: Queen Elizabeth Cake
- Culinary Cam: Quatre Quarts
- Sneha’s Recipe: Qabuli Biryani
- Mayuri’s Jikoni: Mughlai Paneer Qorma
- Blogghetti: Western Omelette Quiche
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Fresh Corn Quiche
- Sizzling Tastebuds: No Rice Quinoa Dosa ~Quinoa Crepes
- Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Fresh Summer Corn & Zucchini Sausage Quiche
Last year (2025) for the letter "Q," I made Sourdough Quinoa Bread. I had some cooked quinoa which worked out wonderfully in the dough! For 2024 I made Whole Wheat Quinoa Bread. Because... bread, my favorite thing to make!
Cauliflower, Onion, and Pancetta Quiche
This cauliflower quiche, with caramelized onions, pancetta, and Gruyère, is one of my favorite takes on quiche, the classic savory egg custard pie.
Ingredients
- Pie crust for bottom crust, homemade or store bought
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 large yellow or sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- Large pinch of granulated sugar
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- 1 to 1 1/2 heads of cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 4 ounced (1cup) shredded Gruyère, Emmetaler, or Swiss cheese, or a combination.
- Minced scallions or chives, for garnish, about 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. with a rack in the center.
- Line a 9 inch pie pan with a pie crust, homemade or store bought, crimp the edges and prick with a fork on the bottom. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, a sprinkling of sugar, and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove the onions to a plate and add the pancetta. Cook until fat is just rendered. Set aside.
- In the meantime, spread the cauliflower florets over a parchment lined baking sheet and toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool. Add to the pie pan. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. Whisk in the cream, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, cayenne, onions, pancetta, and the shredded cheese. Pour the mixture over the cauliflower in the pie pan.
- Place the pie pan on a baking sheet on the center rack in the oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until set.
- Let stand on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Optional: Garnish with finely sliced chives or scallions.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
395Fat (grams)
32 gSat. Fat (grams)
14 gCarbs (grams)
15 gFiber (grams)
3 gNet carbs
12 gSugar (grams)
7 gProtein (grams)
14 gCholesterol (grams)
199 mg
