Easy Cheese and Onion Quiche

Updated: May 1, 2026 by Jenny · 25 Comments

This recipe for Easy Cheese and Onion Quiche is one of my all time favourites. Baked without cream it has a depth of savoury flavour that makes it into my dreams. Mellow with sweet onions and mature cheddar it is absolutely hands down delicious.

Seriously, cheese gives the best hugs. Plus your kitchen smells as good as you could possibly imagine.

Served warm from the oven a cheesy quiche is very, very hard to beat...absolute fact.

Here is another quichey classic my Quiche Lorraine. A seventies classic. I love all things retro, don't you?

*There is a full printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.*

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Cheese and Onion Quiche Recipe
Ingredients
How To Make the Shortcrust Pastry.
Making The Pastry
Expert Tips
Can I Freeze Quiche?
How Do I Make Quiche Gluten Free?
Alternative Ingredients & Substitutions
Easy Cheese and Onion Quiche

Cheese and Onion Quiche Recipe

Equipment Required

scales
food processor or mixing bowl and flat bladed knife
large mixing bowl if using a food processor
rolling pin
grater
measuring jug
fork
whisk
wooden spoon
frying pan
sharp knife
baking paper & baking beans
23 cm flan/pie dish

Ingredients

300 grams (10.6oz) Cream Cheese - quiche recipes are generally made with cream but I use full fat cream cheese instead, a cheese and onion flan if you will, it is this that gives it a softness and comforting cheesy mellowness. It's a gamechanger trust me.

3 medium Eggs - large is fine too

1 large Onion - or 2 medium white onions.

100 grams (3.53 oz) Cheese - mature cheddar.

150 grams (5.3 oz) plus 1 tsp for frying - Butter - unsalted or salted. Don't season the pastry if you use salted butter though.

300 grams (10.6 oz) Flour - plain or gluten free plain flour. You may need a couple more tbsps of water if you are using gluten free flour.

salt and pepper

How To Make the Shortcrust Pastry.

I make the pastry as always in my food processor and this is always the recipe I use for shortcrust pastry for quiches. My favourite pie crust. It is just perfect.

If I want to make a sweet version I just add in some caster sugar.

The knack to it is to whizz as little as possible but enough for it to come together without adding too much water.

So keep going until you are sure the water has mixed through before adding anymore. It is easy to add too much if not careful.

You can of course use your hands to make the pastry with the rubbing in method to make to the breadcrumbs stage before stirring in the water with a knife.

The less it is pummelled or whizzed the better. Shortcrust pastry is a sensitive soul.

Making The Pastry

I whizz the butter, salt and flour until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Add the water and pulse until it starts to come together. Pulse a couple more times to make sure it doesn't need any more water. Touch the dough if you are not sure but make sure the food processor is switched off!

Alternatively rub the butter into the flour with your fingers and mix the water into the mixture with a knife.
This is at the point where it is ready to be tipped out onto a work surface and using your hands brought together to form a ball of dough.
You want it to be quite soft and squidgy but not sticky
Flour the surface before rolling it out large enough to fit your flan dish.
Mine is 23cm/9". You can use a loose bottomed one too. It is easier to get it out after baking.

There is a little too much dough but I like it this way as it allows for errors and the margins are not so tight when aligning the pastry onto your dish/tin. I let my daughter make jam tarts out of the remaining.
I use a rolling pin rolled across the top to remove the excess and then pinch each flute back up to thin the pastry out where the pin has blunted and squashed it.

After rolling the excess off.

I pierce the bottom with a fork all over and then bake blind for 20 mins.
After I have removed the beans and lining I brush with some of the beaten egg to seal the holes and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.

I soften the onions for five mins or so in a little butter and oil beforehand.
I empty out the softened onions onto the bottom and sprinkle over the cheese.

I then mix together the cream cheese into the beaten eggs with a fork first and then a whisk.

Pour the eggy mix into the case. Carefully carry it to the oven to avoid spilling the egg mixture over the sides.
Sometimes I half fill the quiche and then use a jug to pour the rest in whilst it is sitting half in the oven.

I bake it at 180 C for about 25/30 minutes until brown on top in patches and your house smells INCREDIBLE.
Leave it to cool for ten minutes before serving.

Expert Tips

Use a food processor it is much quicker and easier
Add the water carefully and double check it needs more to come together before adding extra.
You want it to be quite soft and squidgy but not sticky
Use a rolling pin to move your pastry over to your dish
Patch up any holes with pastry cut offs.
Keep an eye on your pastry so that it doesn't start to burn around the edges in the oven

Can I Freeze Quiche?

Yes you can. Double wrap in clingfilm and silver foil or put it in a stout container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the fridge still wrapped for several hours. You can freeze individuals wedges for ease.

How Do I Make Quiche Gluten Free?

Use gluten-free plain flour instead of standard plain flour. You may need a little extra water to bind the pastry. This is because gluten free flour can sometimes absorb more liquid.

Alternative Ingredients & Substitutions

You can throw in anything that you think will go with the whole cheese vibe. A handful of sliced sausage or chorizo, al dente broccoli pieces, mushrooms, chopped or roasted pepper slices, flaked salmon and more. Keep them small though to makes sure they stay covered in the egg mixture as it bakes.

If you like this recipe then you may like these other moreish heavy on the cheese recipes