If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast your family can grab and go, you’ll love this recipe for zucchini quiche.
Even if you have picky eaters, I’d bet they’d devour this yummy savory breakfast. The sausage and cheese go a long way in masking the zucchini, but you still get all the benefits of this powerhouse veggie.
Plus, this cute mini-sized quiche is perfect for little hands to hold. Serve them for breakfast, toss a few in your child’s lunchbox, or have them ready for a protein-filled after-school snack!
Why you’ll love this zucchini quiche
This crustless zucchini quiche takes about 20-30 minutes to make, plus 20 minutes of bake time, but the best part is you can make a large batch and freeze the rest for later! A single batch of this breakfast recipe makes 24 muffins or “mini quiches,” enough to keep your family going all week.
Literally, you can grab one of these mini quiches out of the freezer, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute, and you’ve got a delicious homemade almost-instant breakfast to take with you!
I often double the batch because, with six of us, even 2 dozen mini quiches don’t last long.
The other beautiful thing about this zucchini sausage mini quiche recipe is there’s not a lot of clean-up or prep work when you make it. One pan on the stove and a single bowl (or large glass measuring cup) are all you’ll need.
This breakfast recipe is also gluten-free because it only requires cornmeal instead of a pie crust.
By now, you are probably drooling (I sure am!), so let me show you how to whip up this quiche!
Ingredients
The ingredient list here is fairly short and are almost all staples you probably have on hand already. If you are interested in substitution ideas for some of these ingredients, be sure to check out the FAQ section at the bottom of this post!
- zucchini – diced (the smaller, the better for picky eaters!)
- onion
- sausage – we prefer mild bulk sausage, but feel free to use hot if you like it spicy!
- cornmeal
- baking powder
- baking soda
- coconut oil
- buttermilk
- large eggs
- basil – use fresh or dried basil; whichever you have on-hand
- salt and pepper
How to make crustless zucchini quiche
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat and set it aside.
Next, grab a nonstick pan. Spray it with cooking oil, and add the onion and zucchini. Sprinkle the mixture with 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is transparent.
Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and a bit more salt together in a separate container. I like to use a glass mixing cup so it’s easy to pour into the muffin tin, but you can also use a large bowl and ladle it in.
Whisk in the buttermilk and eggs, then stir in the coconut oil, pepper, and basil.
Next, grab a muffin tin (or two), and spray it with nonstick oil. You can also use paper liners if you prefer.
To assemble the zucchini quiche, start by spooning the cooked sausage into the tins.
Then, layer on the zucchini and onions. Next, pour in the cornmeal and egg mixture, and top each with cheese.
Tip: Make sure to stop and whisk the egg and cornmeal mixture after every few pours. This way, the cornmeal won’t settle at the bottom of the bowl.
Bake the quiche and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Then use a spoon to pop each out and serve for breakfast or brunch!
Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer (see FAQ section below).
FAQs
What can I use instead of zucchini?
Whether you really don’t like zucchini or don’t have any on hand, you’ll find that this recipe is super flexible!
You can substitute any of your favorite omelet ingredients for the zucchini if you want to try something new. Finely chopped broccoli and/or spinach are two vegetables that work very well.
You can also swap out the sausage for chopped bacon or omit it entirely.
As far as cheese goes, our favorite is cheddar cheese. But you could easily use mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, or a combination of the above if you prefer. Again, this is one of the most customizable quiche recipes out there!
Can I freeze zucchini quiche?
Yes, you absolutely can quiche with zucchini. Simply make a batch as directed in the recipe card below, then let the quiche cool down to room temperature.
Then, wrap each quiche in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and place them in a zip-topped bag or other airtight container with the date written on it.
When you are ready to enjoy, grab a few and pop them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. That’s it!
I hope your family enjoys this cute mini zucchini quiche as much as my family does. It’s so delicious!
Zucchini Sausage Mini Quiches
These tasty mini quiches are perfect for making ahead and reheating later as a hearty on-the-go breakfast.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 24 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 average size zucchini, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1.5 teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 1/2 pound bulk sausage
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 7 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Brown the sausage and set aside.
- Spray non stick pan with cooking oil and add onion and zucchini. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Cook until the onions are transparent, stirring occasionally. While cooking combine cornmeal, baking powder, soda and 1/2 tsp salt in large mixing cup. Add buttermilk and eggs mix well. Stir in coconut oil, pepper and basil.
- Liberally spray 2 muffin tins (12 muffin each) with non-stick spray or use paper liners. Spoon sausage into each muffin hole, dividing evenly. Do the same with the zucchini and onion mixture, adding to top of sausage. Pour egg and cornmeal mixture over vegetables. Stop after pouring every other muffin to stir batter with whisk. If you do not, the cornmeal will settle in the bottom of the bowl, and only the last few muffins will have a cornmeal crust. Top each muffin with cheese.
- Bake in 350F for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before gently lifting them out of the muffin tin with a spoon.
- Enjoy right away or let cool and freeze for later use.
- You can pop a frozen mini quiche out of the freezer and right into the microwave for a fast, almost-instant hearty breakfast!
Raya says
This sounds delicious! I’m always looking for a quick recipe to make for breakfast. I must try this out!
Janine Huldie says
Another wonderful recipe Erika and have to tell you I could used to getting more yummy recipes from you everyday!!
Sue Hull says
Hi Erika,
These look sooooooooooo yummy. I pinned them on my pinterest recipes. I put that most of the recipes are made by you so you get credit for all the yumminess on my recipe board.
I hope you’re doing good. You’re always in my thoughts and prayers. 🙂
jules p says
these look yummy and looks like something I could make. thanks for all the pictures. it really helps me when making a new recipe!
Tania B says
These look amaze-balls. It combines two of my fave foods – sausage and zucchini. This is a definite for my weekend brunch.
Kayla @ TheEclecticElement says
I’m not the biggest breakfast person but I’d gladly wake up early to eat those beautiful and delicious looking healthier mini quiches! Yummy yum yum YUM!
Alicia says
Ooh these look so delicious! I’m always looking for more breakfast ideas so thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Ladena says
Yum! These mini quiches look so great. The recipe seems easy to follow too. I will try making them this week. I think my family would really like them.
★★★★
Ellen LaFleche-Christian says
Yum! These sound really good. They’d be a great breakfast or after school snack.
★★★★★
Sarah says
My family loves sausage, I’ll definitely have to try this out!
Amy W. says
hello, I have 2 questions. First, should the zucchini be diced or shredded? Second, could I bake this in a casserole dish or pie pan instead of in muffin tins?
Erika says
I use shredded zucchini. Yes, you can bake this in a larger pan, just increase the baking time. How much depends on how large your pan is. Watch it so it doesn’t overbake. Good luck and enjoy!