Vegetable Flan (Easy Crustless Quiche)

This soft and fluffy vegetable flan is loaded with the goodness of roasted vegetables, cheddar, and eggs. It has the rich savory flavors of a quiche without the fuss of a crust. The perfect recipe for breakfast or brunch! 

Serve the flan with an easy salad or soup if you want to round off your meal. A butter lettuce salad or an Irish vegetable soup would make a great pairing.

We've all had flan for dessert some time or the other, but here's a savory vegetable flan recipe that's going to rock your world! It's the perfect recipe for a filling breakfast or brunch since it's packed with fibre from the veggies and protein from the eggs with a good bit of cheese thrown in.

A vegetable flan is just an easy version of quiche but with much less effort. Same great taste, but gone is the fancy pastry base so you don't have to struggle with it. It's not very quick (40 minutes in the oven), but it's really easy. Once your pie dish goes into the oven, there's nothing else for you to do except wait for it to emerge in all its golden splendour!

Want to try more easy dishes with vegetables? Check out the vegetarian recipes on the blog, especially this kale and broccoli pasta. It brings together kale and broccoli in a delicious cheesy sauce that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Note: you'll find the exact amounts in the recipe card further down.

Instructions

Vegetable flan comes together in three easy steps: sautéing the vegetables, making an egg mixture or custard, and baking the vegetables and eggs until set. Here are the detailed instructions.

Preparation

1. Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Mince the garlic or chop it fine.

2. Grate the cheese if using a block (or just go with pre-grated cheddar that comes in a bag).

STEP 1: Sauté the vegetables

1. Set a skillet or large frypan on medium heat and add the oil.

2. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and sauté for one minute.

3. Add the potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, and finally the spinach along with the salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables for 4-5 minutes on medium-high heat so they get shiny and roasted. Don't add any water.

4. Brush a 9" pie dish with some oil or butter and spoon out the roasted vegetables in it. Spread them in an even layer.

5. Sprinkle the grated cheddar all over the vegetables.

STEP 2: Make the egg custard

1. Break the eggs in a bowl, add the olive oil, and whisk lightly with a wire whisk.

2. Add the half and half and whisk again.

3. Mix in the Dijon mustard, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

4. Finally, fold in the flour and whisk one last time to make a semi-thick but pourable mixture.

5. Pour this egg custard on the vegetables evenly.

STEP 3: Bake the flan until set

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Once the oven is hot, place the pie dish in the middle rack. Bake the flan for 35 minutes. When the time is up, let the flan rest in the oven for 5 minutes, then take it out.

2. Carve out thick wedges with a knife and serve warm:)

Top tips

• Make sure the sautéed vegetables are not watery else your flan will not set properly. Sauté the veggies on medium-high heat to draw out as much of the moisture as possible without overcooking them. If you find that there is still some moisture remaining, take a large spoon and remove it from the dish before adding the cheese and batter.
• Don't be tempted to add more eggs or the flan will become a bit rubbery. Two eggs, along with the other ingredients, are more than enough for a light and fluffy flan.

Substitutions and variations

• Instead of half and half cream, you can also use milk for a slightly lighter version.
• The choice of vegetables is entirely up to you! You can add or subtract veggies depending on what you have or like. Zucchini, carrots, and asparagus work well as some add-in vegetables.
• You can add the cheese later if you want an extra cheesy top. Take out the flan at the 35 minute mark and sprinkle the cheese over it. Put it back in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Storing and reheating

• Keep the leftover flan covered in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I wouldn't freeze it as it's got cream and cheese, and they don't freeze very well.
• Reheat in the microwave or a warmed oven to serve again. I actually prefer the microwave since the flan is soft to begin with. There is no loss of texture or taste when you reheat it in the microwave. Firing up the oven just to heat a few pieces is not worth it unless you've already got your oven going for something else.