This mini quiches recipe fills crisp shortcrust shells with a creamy egg and cheese filling, plus bacon, spinach or whatever you like. It makes 24 from two patty pan tins.
They’re easy party food that looks like more effort than it is. Bake them the day before, reheat on the day, and they hold their warmth well on a platter.
The one step you can’t skip is blind baking. It takes 11 minutes and stops the pastry going soggy under the filling.
Table of Contents
Why this mini quiches recipe works
A quiche is a pastry case filled with a savoury egg custard. Making them small means they bake fast and are easy to eat with your fingers.
- Blind baked shells: 8 minutes with weights, then 3 more without, gives a crisp base.
- Thickened cream: the fat helps the filling set smooth and creamy. Milk or light cream can turn watery.
- Cooked fillings: softening the bacon and onion first stops them releasing water into the custard.
- A slight wobble: take them out when the centre still wobbles a little. They finish setting as they cool.
Party prep plan
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 months before | Bake, cool and freeze in a single layer, then bag them. |
| The day before | Bake, cool completely and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. |
| 20 minutes before guests | Reheat at 160°C for 8 to 10 minutes from the fridge, or 12 to 15 from frozen. |
| Serving | Put them on a platter warm. They stay warm for up to an hour in an insulated container. |
Mini Quiches Recipe
Course: Party Food, AppetiserCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy24
quiches20
minutes30
minutes95
kcal50
minutes50
minutesCrisp shortcrust shells with a creamy egg and cheese filling and your choice of bacon, spinach or sun-dried tomato. Makes 24 and can be made ahead.
Ingredients
- Pastry Shells
3 sheets store-bought shortcrust pastry, thawed
Cooking spray or butter for greasing
- Egg Filling
4 large eggs
180 ml thickened cream
Salt and pepper to taste
80 g grated cheddar cheese
- Filling Suggestions
4 rashers bacon, diced and cooked
1 small onion, finely diced and softened
Handful of baby spinach, roughly chopped
Sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
Directions
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius fan-forced. Grease two 12-hole shallow patty pan tins well with cooking spray or butter.
- Thaw pastry sheets for 10 minutes. Cut circles slightly larger than the tin holes and press firmly into each hole, bringing the pastry up the sides.
- Blind bake: line each shell with baking paper, fill with weights or dry rice and bake for 8 minutes. Remove weights and bake a further 3 minutes until lightly golden.
- Cook bacon and onion in a frying pan over medium heat until golden and soft. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper together in a jug. Stir through the grated cheese.
- Divide bacon and onion between the pastry shells. Add spinach or sun-dried tomatoes if using. Pour egg mixture over the top to just below the rim.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Cool in tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Blind baking matters: it’s the most important step for a crisp base. Don’t skip it.
- Make ahead: bake fully, cool, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat at 160°C for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Freezer friendly: freeze in a single layer, then move to a bag. Reheat from frozen at 160°C for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Vegetarian: skip the bacon and use roasted capsicum, baby spinach and feta.
Mini quiches troubleshooting
- Soggy base: the blind bake was skipped, or the filling went into wet shells. Blind bake, and make sure cooked fillings are drained.
- Filling won’t set: the shells were overfilled or the oven was too cool. Fill to just below the rim and check your oven temperature.
- Puffed and cracked tops: they were overbaked. Take them out while the centre still has a slight wobble.
- Pastry shrank: it got too warm while you worked. Chill the lined tins for 10 minutes before baking.
- Stuck in the tin: grease the tins well and let the quiches cool for 5 minutes before lifting them out.
Filling combinations
| Combo | What goes in | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Bacon, onion and cheddar | Kids’ parties and lunchboxes |
| Spinach and feta | Baby spinach, feta and a pinch of nutmeg | A vegetarian option |
| Italian | Sun-dried tomato, basil and mozzarella | Grazing platters |
| Caramelised onion and brie | Slow cooked onion with a small cube of brie | Dinner parties |
| Roast veg | Roasted capsicum, zucchini and feta | Using up leftovers |
Make ahead, storage and freezing
Baked mini quiches keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They freeze for up to 2 months in a single layer, then in a zip-lock bag.
Reheat in a 160°C oven, 8 to 10 minutes from the fridge or 12 to 15 minutes from frozen. The oven keeps the pastry crisp, while the microwave makes it soft.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use puff pastry in this mini quiches recipe?
Yes. Puff gives a flakier shell, but it rises more when blind baked, so press it down gently after removing the weights.
Can I use milk instead of cream?
Thickened cream sets best. Milk makes a softer, more watery filling, so if you use it, mix half milk and half cream.
Can I make mini quiches dairy free?
Yes. Use full-fat coconut cream and a dairy free cheese. The texture is a little different but they still set well.
How many does this mini quiches recipe make?
24, using two 12-hole shallow patty pan tins. It doubles easily for a bigger crowd.
Can I freeze mini quiches?
Yes. Freeze baked quiches for up to 2 months and reheat from frozen at 160°C for 12 to 15 minutes.
This mini quiches recipe is simple, flexible and easy to make ahead. Blind bake the shells, pick your filling, and pull them out with a slight wobble.
Happy entertaining,
Ella x
