How Long Do You Let Quiche Rest?

Who doesn't love a good quiche? These savory egg tarts can satisfy any appetite with fillings like meat, cheese, vegetables, and seafood. If this is your first time preparing a quiche, or you want to know how to improve the overall quality of your quiche recipe, it's essential to know how long to let quiche rest before enjoying.

The time you need to allow for your quiche to rest largely depends on the size of the quiche and the number of ingredients you used for the filling. For example, bigger, deep-dish quiches with more ingredients will take longer to set than a small quiche that only contains two or three ingredients. 

  • Appetizer or bite-size quiche: 5-10 minutes
  • Small quiche with few ingredients: 20-30 minutes
  • Large, deep-dish quiche: 30-60 minutes

Next, we'll look at why it's important to allow quiche to rest and answer some questions that'll help ensure your quiche recipe turns out moist, delicious, and picture-perfect every time. Keep reading to find out more.

Quiche with broccoli, salmon and fresh thyme on a white plate, How Long Do You Let Quiche Rest?

How To Prepare Different Types of Quiche?

Appetizer Or Bite-Size Quiche

Appetizer- or bite-size quiche are fun treats to serve at a party or gettogether. Mini quiches don't take as long to bake or rest as larger types of quiche and can be made in a muffin pan. Check out mini quiche 4 ways for fun, customizable bite-size quiches.

Small Quiche With Few Ingredients

A small quiche is generally considered nine inches in diameter or less and baked in a shallow pie pan. Few ingredients mean that the quiche isn't overloaded with meats, cheeses, and vegetables. The classic quiche lorraine is an example of a small quiche that contains few ingredients.

Large Deep-Dish Quiche

A deep-dish quiche is usually made in a springform pan and is loaded with various fillings. Large quiches take considerably longer to bake for the crust to become a golden brown and the filling to reach the right temperature. This deep-dish bacon and cheddar quiche feature a flaky, homemade crust.

How Do You Know When Quiche Is Ready?

Spinach and tomato quiche baking inside oven

When determining if quiche is ready to take out of the oven, there are three things to consider: internal temperature, the toothpick test, and the overall appearance of your quiche.

Your quiche will be ready to take out of the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees; be sure to stick the thermometer in the center of the quiche for an accurate reading.

You can also check for doneness by using the toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the quiche; if it comes out clean, it's ready.

The quiche's appearance should have set edges with a slightly jiggly center. Too much of a liquid center means that your quiche isn't quite ready, but a somewhat jiggly center is ideal, as it will continue to cook when it's taken out of the oven.

How Long Should Quiche Rest Before Cutting?

Leek quiche served for dinner

One of the great things about quiche is its versatility. They're great served hot or cold, which means that you can let it sit for a while, serve it warm, or refrigerate overnight for a refreshing chilled dish.

If serving hot, let the quiche rest for at least 20-20 minutes before slicing. The best knife to cut a quiche with is a serrated blade because it will cut nicely through the fillings and flaky crust.

If you plan on serving cold quiche, let it cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Then, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and pop in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Quiche will keep nicely in the fridge for up to four days.

Click here to see this set of serrated spatulas on Amazon.

Why Do You Rest Quiche?

Delicious fresh vegetable pie

Allowing quiche to rest will enable it to finish cooking when it comes out of the oven. Place the quiche on a wire cooling rack to create even airflow for a shorter cooling time.

A quiche that hasn't rested will have an unappetizing, watery consistency. Luckily, there are several ways to prevent a soggy quiche.

  1. Bake the crust before adding the filling. Adding the egg mixture to an unbaked crust will result in a soggy crust, so it's best to "blind bake" the crust first.
  2. Dry the meat and vegetable fillings as thoroughly as possible by patting them with paper towels. Sautéing vegetables is another excellent way to remove excess moisture.
  3. Use the right egg to milk ratio. Too many eggs mixed with dairy are guaranteed to result in a liquid filling. A good rule of thumb is to use one large egg for every half cup of milk.

Click here to see this baking and cooling rack on Amazon.

How Long Should Quiche Cool Before Eating?

Portion of cheese and bacon flan cut from the quiche lorraine in a rustic traditional farmhouse setting

If you're planning on serving warm quiche, it will need to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before eating. The longer the quiche sets, the firmer it will slice.

Quiche also tastes wonderful when served at room temperature, but it shouldn't be allowed to set out for longer than two hours to maintain food safety. Be sure to wrap the quiche in aluminum foil or an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to reheat or enjoy cold.

Can You Make A Quiche The Night Before?

Preparing quiche

You can absolutely make a quiche the night before, but there are some steps for ensuring that your recipe turns out top quality. Instead of pouring your filling into a baked crust, it's best to mix the eggs, cheese, milk, meat, and vegetables into an airtight container and place them in the fridge overnight.

If you wish to bake your crust ahead of time, allow it to set on the counter overnight. When you're ready to assemble your quiche, pour the refrigerated filling mix into the baked crust and pop in the oven.

Quiche can also be frozen before or after baking. To freeze before baking:

  1. Prepare the quiche as normal and place it in the freezer until the filling is frozen.
  2. Transfer the quiche to a resealable freezer bag and store for up to one month.
  3. When ready to bake, do not allow the quiche to thaw; instead, add 10-20 minutes to the baking time.

To freeze quiche after baking:

  1. Allow the baked quiche to cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes and then place in the freezer until frozen.
  2. Place in a resealable freezer bag and store for up to three months.
  3. To bake, do not let the quiche thaw, but heat in a 325-degree oven for approximately 30 minutes.

In Closing

Allowing your quiche to rest after baking ensures that it's evenly cooked, slices cleanly, has reached the ideal temperature, and that it has a perfect, creamy texture.

Thanks for reading! For more helpful cooking advice and tips on quiches, be sure to check out:

What Do You Serve With Quiche?

Can You Rebake Undercooked Quiche?

What Can I Substitute For Milk In Quiche?

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