Prosciutto & Asparagus Egg White Quiche

If you're looking for a light, yet flavor packed breakfast or lunch idea, but need a recipe that's quick to make, this prosciutto and asparagus egg white quiche is the perfect fit.

We have left out the fat and calorie-heavy cheese, whole eggs, and cream that many vegetable quiches call for to make a healthy spring meal, chock-full of fresh asparagus that can be eaten any time of day, guilt-free!

You can even bake this egg white quiche straight in a pan without a crust to make it even healthier and gluten-free!

Featured in: Naturally Green Food for Saint Patrick's Day

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The Perfect Egg to Milk Ratio for Quiche

All quiches are essentially a custard thickened with egg, which is then baked in a crust with various ingredients to flavor it.

The custard filling traditionally uses a rough 2:1 ratio of milk to egg to ensure the right quiche texture.

•  ½ cup (125 ml) of milk to 1 large whole egg (56 ml)

This ensures there is enough egg to set the custard without the quiche becoming scrambled egg.

Whole eggs are usually used because the yolks add richness and flavor to the finished product. They aren't really necessary, though, as the real binding power lies in the egg whites.

Egg White to Milk Ratio for Quiche

To make a lighter and healthier quiche using only egg whites, we will replace the egg yolk with another egg white. So instead of 1 whole egg per ½ cup of dairy, we will use 2 egg whites per ½ cup of milk.

• ½ cup (125 ml) of milk to 2 egg whites (60 ml)

Preparing Your Spring-Inspired Prosciutto & Asparagus Egg White Quiche

To make this quiche as quickly and hassle-free as possible, you need to plan ahead. This goes for most recipes, though, with a little planning, all food becomes easier to prepare.

The Pie Crust

You can use a store-bought one, but I prefer making my own pie crust. It is made of only 4 simple ingredients, and being baked fresh at home, it has no preservatives.

Make it the night before (it only takes 10 minutes!) to let it set in the fridge overnight.

For an even lighter meal, you can completely forego the crust to make a 'crust-less quiche' by simply pouring the ingredients and egg mixture straight into the quiche mold.

The Flavorings

Asparagus is only in season for a few short weeks of the year, so why not take advantage of it? You don't need a whole lot of it for this egg white quiche - 6 or 7 spears cut into ribbons will do. Of course, feel free to load it up with more if you like!

If asparagus isn't your thing, use spinach or even kale as a vegetable.
Chef Markus Mueller

Use a vegetable peeler to cut the asparagus into ribbons for a delicate and professional-looking asparagus quiche!

The prosciutto provides a naturally salty, rich flavor in contrast to the light asparagus. You can swap prosciutto for regular bacon or pancetta, but your quiche will be much higher in fat.

Assembling the Asparagus Quiche

Let's get started...

Before you begin, make sure you have on hand:

• A vegetable peeler
• A 9-inch pie or quiche mold

For ingredients you'll need:

• 9 inch pie crust
• 6 - 8 thick asparagus spears
• 6 egg whites or 6 oz / 180 ml liquid egg white
• 1 cup / 250 ml of milk

Start by preheating your oven to 425°F / 220°C. While the oven preheats, roll out your pie dough, and lightly grease your pie pan or quiche mold with butter or oil.

Line the pie pan with the dough, pressing it firmly into the corners. Dock the pie crust with a fork - this prevents it from bubbling up while blind baking.

Then place the dough in the hot oven to blind bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take out the partially cooked crust and turn the oven down to 325°F / 160°C.

While blind baking quiche is a topic that's debatable for some, I prefer the crisper and more thoroughly cooked crust it provides.

While the crust is blind baking, quickly dice the prosciutto and saute it in a pan. You don't need to cook it till it's crispy, just to slightly cook it. 

While it's cooking, trim the woody ends of the asparagus, and then use your vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus stems into thin slivers.

Mix the asparagus and prosciutto together, and lightly season them with some cracked black pepper.

By now, the quiche shell should be just about done baking, or have already come out of the oven. Add the filling to the partially baked crust. Set the partially baked quiche aside.

Take a mixing bowl and quickly whisk together the egg whites and milk. Pour the mixture into the quiche shell and then place the filled egg white quiche back in the oven.

Bake the asparagus quiche for 30 to 40 minutes at 325°F / 160°C, until the egg mixture is fully set and does not jiggle when shaken.

You can serve the asparagus quiche straight from the oven while hot. Optionally, if you are preparing your quiche for later, let it fully cool down before cutting into individual portions.

You can store the cooled down quiche in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat the individual quiche pieces, put them back in a hot oven or into the microwave.

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