My Mini Quiche with gluten free pastry are perfect for parties, lunch boxes and celebrations. This post shares three of my favourite filling recipes, but feel free to make up your own flavour combinations too!
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Why you need a selection of Mini Quiche recipes
If you’re entertaining, celebrating, partying or just grazing, you can’t go wrong with a Mini Quiche. Super-versatile, they can be made with any number of fillings, so there’s something for everyone. They are perfect for Christmas buffet tables, birthday parties, Easter get-togethers and New Year’s nibbles… Great for lunch boxes, picnics, as hand-around appetizers, and at office leaving-dos. The ideal social finger-food for scavengers… What’s not to love?
Even better… Mini Quiche can be made in a whole variety of flavours using just a single batch of pastry and egg filling. Simply switch out the base additions in the pastry case before topping with the egg ‘custard’.
AND… They can be made ahead of time and kept chilled or frozen. Just heat through on the day or when you fancy a Mini Quiche snack!
The three Mini Quiche recipes shared in this post.. Meat, Fish or Vegetarian
To help you on your way, I’ve shared three different Mini Quiche recipes at the end of this post. Same pastry and egg-custard yes… But alternative and varied fillings to give options and ideas. There’s a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian, offering a good medley of popular combos and a contrasting selection of paired cheeses.
We have…
- Mushroom, Leek and Stilton – Probably my favourite… Especially if made with good, earthy chestnut mushrooms (the ones that are darker in colour). The nuttiness is perfectly complemented by the slightly acidic sweetness of the leeks and ‘dustiness’ of the blue cheese. I also threw some brandy in the pan for good measure when cooking the filling, which added an extra richness and decadence to the cup.
- Bacon and Cheddar – An old classic, but mini version of Quiche Lorraine. Always popular. Salty and savoury with plenty of cheesiness thrown in.
- Salmon and Gruyère – A gorgeous combination of hot smoked salmon (the chunky smoked fillets) and the sweet nutty richness of Swiss Gruyère cheese. This pairing offers a delicious flavour hit that tastes incredible alongside the crunch of savoury pastry and the creaminess of the baked egg.
But the Mini Quiche you make will be whatever floats YOUR boat. And while I thoroughly recommend using the flavour combinations I’ve provided (not least because they are very tasty), if you choose to go ‘off-piste’ to try something new, be my guest.
What’s the best pastry for making these gluten free quiche?
Anyone with Coeliac disease (Celiac disease) or who has a gluten free diet for health reasons, requires Mini Quiche that are made with gluten free pastry. But what is the best pastry to use?
The original pastry used when I first created my gluten free Mini Quiche was my Gluten Free Rice and Almond Pastry. It’s crisp and light and works beautifully against quiche filling. But since then, I’ve tested and developed other amazing pastries too and while I’m reluctant to let go of my ‘old friend’, I think I might actually prefer the alternatives for pliability when making the pastry cups. And yes… They are still deliciously crisp, short and tasty.
All the pastries used are shortcrust in nature, which seems to support the fillings and keep better. And all are optional dairy free.
So, in addition to my Gluten Free Rice and Almond Pastry (which is shared in the recipe below) I recommend…
- My ‘go to’ rice free, nut free Basic Shortcrust Pastry. Brilliantly workable, flavoursome and delightfully short.
- Flaky Shortcrust Pastry – A lighter, slightly flakier pastry that fits into small pastry moulds snuggly (although in quiche, isn’t quite as ‘short’ as the other suggestions).
How to make mini pastry bases for Party Quiche
Making mini quiche isn’t hard, but there are a couple of tricks that make it less fiddly and super-fun…
Equipment Tips
- Use baking tins that are fit for purpose… Trays with small non-stick nicely cup-shaped holes. I have two different ones at home and would recommend both as excellent… A Masterclass 24 hole Mini Tart/Canape Tray (which comes with a ‘tamper’ – see below). And a smaller Le Crueset mini muffin tray, which I love for sheer durability and non-stickness.
- You will definitely need a ‘Tamper’ to push the pastry into the holes (it really is the easiest way). The Masterclass Tin linked above has a tamper included. Or… an appropriately shaped tiny (children’s rolling pin).
How to shape Mini Quiche pastry cases
The easiest way to make mini pastry cases is definitely using a tamper… Here’s how…
- Have your mini tart tins ready. Assuming the tins are non-stick (to be recommended), there is no pre-prep required.
- It is important to use the pastry at coolish room temperature. If it has been chilled before use, gently warm it with your hands to regain pliability, but be careful not to over work or it will become tough.
- Break off small (walnut sized pieces) of dough and roll into balls.
- Dip the base of each ball into flour (to avoid any accidental sticking), before gently pushing into a tart hole.
- Take the pastry tamper and dip the end of that in flour too.
- Gently press the tamper down onto each dough ball and rock back and forth. The rocking motion will push the pastry up the sides of the tart moulds.
- Although for larger quiche I always blind-bake pastry, for mini quiche this is NOT necessary. They are now ready to fill and bake!
How to store and re-heat Mini Quiche
Once your Mini Quiche have been made, they can be eaten hot and straight out of the oven. However, if you are making them ahead of time (or have some left over), you have two options for storing them.
Either wrap well in foil or place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. They should last 3 to 4 days. Or pop into an airtight container (to prevent any crushing) and freeze for up to 3 months.
To re-heat, defrost (if frozen) and (for best results), wrap in foil and pop in a hot oven (about 200 C) for 10 to 15 minutes until piping hot. While they can be warmed in the microwave for a speedier snack, the pastry will not be as crisp.
Have you made my Gluten Free Mini Quiche?
Let me know if you make my gluten free mini quiche. I’d love to hear how you filled yours… So, please share any yummy flavour combinations. I do love a quiche and like to try new versions. Leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on social media (You’ll find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter).
For lots of other savoury party and picnic ideas, did you know we have a dedicated index for them? We also have lots of inspiration for Christmas in our Gluten Free Christmas Index… And for everything else, just head over to our main Gluten Free Recipe Book Index and click the image for the type of recipe you want!
Thank you, as always, for visiting Gluten Free Alchemist and happy baking
Other Gluten Free Party Recipes you’ll love…
Mini Quiche with Gluten Free Pastry (Bacon and Cheddar; Salmon and Gruyère; or Mushroom, Leek and Stilton
Key equipment
- mini tart baking tins
- flat knife/spatula
- pastry tamper/small rolling pin
- sharp vegetable knife
- Small saucepan
- oven + hob
- fridge
- jug
Ingredients
Gluten Free Almond Pastry
- 110 g brown rice flour fine
- 50 g ground almonds almond meal
- 40 g corn flour (corn starch)
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 50 g unsalted butter cold & cubed
- 50 g margarine or lard cold & cubed
- 1 large egg At room temperature – UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
- 2 tbsp very cold water
Quiche Custard Filling
- 140 ml double cream US: heavy cream
- 30 ml milk
- 2 large eggs UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
- salt & pepper to season to taste
Bacon and Cheddar Filling
- 3 rashers back bacon (approx) cut into small pieces & sautéed in a pan until cooked
- 40 g mature Cheddar cheese (approx) finely grated
- ½ tsp dried parsley or 1 to 2 tsp fine chopped fresh parsley
Salmon and Gruyère Filling
- 1 to 2 fillets hot smoked salmon cut into small pieces
- 60 g Gruyère cheese (approx weight) – finely grated
- sprinkle of fresh chopped dill (or dried) to season
Mushroom, Leek and Stilton Filling
- ½ small leek finely chopped
- 75 g mushrooms of choice (Chestnut Mushrooms are ideal) (approx) cut into small pieces
- 2 tsp olive oil to sauté
- dash brandy optional
- sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley (or dried)
- salt & a good grind black pepper
- 60 g Stilton cheese (approx weight) crumbled
Instructions
Almond Pastry – By Hand
- Weigh the flours, almonds, xanthan gum and salt into a large bowl and stir together.
- Rub the butter and margarine/lard into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of the water and then pour into the crumb mixture.
- Work the wet ingredients into the crumb mixture using a table knife or spatula until it begins to clump together.
- Add the rest of the water little by little to get a moist dough consistency. You will likely need most or all of it. The dough needs to be on the wetter side as the flours will absorb moisture.
- Now bring the dough together with your hands and press into a ball. Knead briefly to ensure ingredients are fully amalgamated. No need to chill.
Make the tartlet cases
- Have the mini tart tins ready.
- Break off small (walnut sized pieces) of dough and roll into balls.
- Dip the base of each ball into flour (to avoid any accidental sticking), before gently pushing into a tart hole.
- Take the pastry tamper and dip the end of that in flour too.
- Gently press the tamper down onto each dough ball and rock back and forth. The rocking motion will push the pastry up the sides of the tart moulds.
- Repeat until all the pastry has been used. (If needing to make in batches, tightly wrap any remaining dough in cling film and chill until ready to use, but be sure to bring back to room temperature before rolling).
- Set aside the uncooked pastry cases to chill in the fridge while making the fillings.
Fillings – Preparation (if making only one variety, increase the filling ingredients accordingly)
- NOTE: For all the mini quiche, do NOT over-fill with base fillings as you will need to have room to top with egg-custard.
- Bacon & Cheddar : Sauté the bacon. Place a sprinkle of Cheddar in the bottom of some of the uncooked tart cases. Top with a little bacon and a sprinkle of parsley and then a little more Cheddar.
- Salmon & Gruyère : Place a sprinkle of Gruyère cheese in the bottom of some of the uncooked tart cases. Top with a little salmon, some dill and a little more Gruyère.
- Mushroom, Leek & Stilton : Sauté the chopped leeks for a couple of minutes with a little olive oil and then add the mushrooms and continue to fry until soft. Add a dash of brandy, a sprinkle of chopped parsley and season with salt and a good grind of black pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes until the liquid has significantly reduced. Place a sprinkle of Stilton cheese in the bottom of some of the uncooked tart cases. Top with a spoonful of mushroom-leek mixture and then top with a little more Stilton.
Egg Custard
- While making the egg custard pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4.
- Beat together all the custard ingredients until light and airy.
- Using a jug or spoon, pour a little mixture into each of the filled tart cases until almost to the brim (but make sure it does not overflow).
Baking
- Bake all the tarts for about 20 minutes until the filling is set.
- Enjoy hot, warm or cold! (Store chilled or freeze when baked if making ahead of time).
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
These are adorable little quiche for parties, great ideas for the fillings too, lovely to see something different to the normal Quiche Lorraine to give me some new ideas.
Thanks Rebecca. There’s something quite delectable about a pastry treat that is bite-size x
That looks perfect, I can see the taste and texture of that pastry and tell that it’s delicious and flaky!
Thank you Chloe. That means a lot, especially with your culinary skills x
Hi! Do you think I could substitute something to work without the rice flour? I even bought extra large eggs here in the U.S. so I can make your recipes!
Absolutely Alene!
Either of the following pastries are great substitutes! Both rice-free. xxx 😀
https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/traditional-gluten-free-cornish-pasty-recipe-gluten-free-pastry/
https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/a-trio-of-mini-picnic-pies-chicken/
These sound so good!! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Hope to see you again tomorrow! Happy Halloween!
Thanks Helen. See you again soon x
Wow these look divine. Even a non-cheese lover like me would devour them! I fancy the salmon ones. #Bakeoftheweek Happy New Year to you x
Thanks Helen, They were mini mouthfuls of yumminess! The salmon ones were great! I don't think you can go too wrong with salmon!!
These look gorgeous! So cute and perfect for a party. I haven't made quiches for a while but I do love anything with pastry so I am really tempted!
Thanks Corina. I definitely have a weak spot for pastry too….. These were really good, but scarily moreish and way too easy to pop in the mouth!
Oh, these are so cute! And I LOVE party food that can be made in advance. Happy New Year!! 🙂
Thanks Eb. Happy New Year to you too. x
the mushroom leek and stilton quiche sounds like my sort of quiche. I agree with you about the way of the world – there were bushfires down the coast from my parents on Christmas day and I felt for those who had to evacuate on christmas day and some of those houses were burned down. Just terrible. We need more good news to cheer us up. Have a great new years and best wishes for 2016
The mushroom, leek & Stilton ones were amazingly good….. definitely my favourites.
I haven't seen much about the fires in the last few days, although they were well reported here over Christmas. I hope they are now under control. I can't even begin to imagine how awful it must be to lose your house in such circumstances.
Let's hope 2016 brings better times for everyone! Happy New Year xx
oh I do love a mini quiche – happy new year xxx
Thanks Dom. Happy New Year to you too!