Roasted Vegetable Breakfast Quiche with Feta Cheese (Crustless and High Protein)
There is something deeply satisfying about a slice of warm quiche in the morning. The problem with most traditional recipes is the buttery pastry crust, which loads up the calorie count before you have even added a single vegetable. This roasted vegetable breakfast quiche with feta cheese skips the crust entirely and leans hard into the good stuff: tender caramelised vegetables, creamy crumbled feta, and a protein-rich egg base that keeps you genuinely full until lunchtime. No pastry tears, no blind baking, no fuss.
The real magic here starts in the oven before the quiche even gets made. Roasting the vegetables transforms them completely. A tray of courgette, cherry tomatoes, red onion and bell pepper goes in looking ordinary and comes out sweet, slightly charred at the edges, and intensely flavourful. That depth of flavour is what makes this recipe taste far more indulgent than it actually is. A light seasoning of smoked paprika and dried oregano on the vegetables ties everything together beautifully without adding a single calorie worth worrying about.
The egg custard filling is where this recipe really pulls ahead of traditional quiche on the nutrition front. Instead of loading the mixture with double cream, this version uses a combination of whole eggs and low-fat Greek yogurt. You still get that silky, slightly custardy texture but with a meaningful protein boost and significantly less saturated fat. A handful of baby spinach folded in at the end adds iron, folate and extra fibre. The feta cheese brings salty, tangy creaminess that makes every bite feel indulgent. Because feta has a bold flavour, you need less of it than you would a milder cheese, which naturally keeps the sodium in a reasonable range. Freshly ground black pepper and a small amount of dried chilli flakes round out the seasoning without needing much added salt at all.
This quiche works brilliantly as a meal prep breakfast. Bake a full batch on Sunday, slice it into six generous portions, and you have a ready-to-go high protein breakfast for most of the working week. It reheats beautifully in a low oven or even in the microwave for two minutes. You can eat it warm or straight from the fridge, which makes it as practical as it is delicious. Serve alongside a handful of dressed rocket leaves or a simple sliced tomato for a complete and truly nourishing start to the day.
Ingredients
- 1 medium courgette (cut into 1cm half-moons)
- 1 large red bell pepper (deseeded and cut into bite-sized chunks)
- 150 g cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 medium red onion (cut into thin wedges)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch dried chilli flakes (optional, to taste)
- 80 g baby spinach (roughly chopped)
- 6 large free-range eggs
- 150 g low-fat Greek yogurt (2% fat works well)
- 3 tbsp skimmed milk
- 100 g reduced-fat feta cheese (crumbled into chunks)
- 1 small clove garlic (finely minced)
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 0.3 tsp fine sea salt (feta adds saltiness so use sparingly)
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped, plus extra to serve)
- 1 spray olive oil cooking spray (for greasing the dish)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 200C fan or 220C conventional. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the courgette, red pepper, red onion and cherry tomatoes out in a single layer. Drizzle with 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle over the smoked paprika, dried oregano and chilli flakes if using. Toss everything well to coat and season lightly with a pinch of black pepper.
Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer with some space between them. Crowding the tray causes steaming rather than roasting, and you will miss out on those caramelised edges.
- 2
Roast the vegetables for 22 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until they are tender and lightly charred at the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C fan or 200C conventional.
- 3
While the vegetables cool, warm the remaining half tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the baby spinach. Stir for one to two minutes until wilted. Remove from heat and press gently with a spoon to remove any excess moisture.
Removing moisture from the spinach is important. Too much liquid in the filling can make the quiche watery and prevent it from setting properly.
- 4
Grease a 23cm round ceramic quiche dish or pie dish well with olive oil cooking spray. Arrange the roasted vegetables and wilted spinach evenly across the base of the dish. Scatter about two thirds of the crumbled feta evenly over the vegetables.
- 5
Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the Greek yogurt, skimmed milk, remaining black pepper, sea salt and chopped parsley. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. The mixture should look pale yellow and slightly frothy.
Do not over-whisk. You want the eggs well combined but not aerated to the point of creating large bubbles, which can cause the surface to crack during baking.
- 6
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables and feta in the dish. Gently press down any vegetables that are sticking up too high so everything is submerged or just level with the egg mixture. Scatter the reserved feta crumbles over the top.
- 7
Bake at 180C fan for 28 to 32 minutes, until the centre is just set with a very slight wobble and the top is lightly golden. A knife inserted into the centre should come out clean. If the top is browning too fast, loosely cover with foil for the last ten minutes.
Resist the urge to overbake. The quiche continues cooking slightly as it rests outside the oven. A small wobble in the centre when you remove it is perfectly fine.
- 8
Remove from the oven and allow the quiche to rest for at least ten minutes before slicing. Scatter fresh parsley over the top and serve warm, or allow to cool fully for meal prep storage.
Nutrition per serving
218kcal
Calories
17g
Protein
9g
Carbs
12g
Fat
3g
Fibre
6g
Sugar
390mg
Sodium
Pro Tips
- ✓
Use a ceramic or glass dish rather than metal for the most even bake and a better-set custard.
- ✓
Pat your vegetables dry with kitchen paper after roasting if they have released a lot of juice onto the tray.
- ✓
For a firmer slice that holds together well for meal prep, bake until there is no wobble at all in the centre.
- ✓
Fresh herbs make a big difference here. If you have fresh thyme or basil alongside the parsley, use them freely.
- ✓
Allow the quiche to come to room temperature for 15 minutes before reheating from the fridge for the best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Variations
- •
Mediterranean Sun-Dried Tomato Version
Swap the fresh cherry tomatoes for 60g of drained sun-dried tomatoes in oil and add a handful of sliced Kalamata olives to the filling. The result is intensely flavoured and slightly richer.
- •
Green Goddess Version
Use asparagus, tender broccoli florets and peas as the main vegetables. Add a tablespoon of fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon zest to the egg mixture for a bright, spring-inspired twist.
- •
Spicy Harissa Version
Stir one teaspoon of harissa paste into the egg mixture before pouring over the vegetables. Top with a drizzle of harissa and a spoonful of plain yogurt before serving for a bold, North African-inspired flavour profile.
- •
Dairy-Light Version
Use dairy-free feta and a plant-based unsweetened yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt and regular feta. The texture will be slightly softer but still holds together well after chilling.
Substitutions
- •Low-fat Greek yogurt → Full-fat Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream (Full-fat yogurt gives a richer texture. Sour cream works well but adds slightly more fat per serving.)
- •Reduced-fat feta cheese → Full-fat feta or goats cheese (Full-fat feta is bolder and creamier. Goats cheese gives a more subtle tang but melts slightly more during baking.)
- •Baby spinach → Kale or Swiss chard (Remove tough stems and blanch kale or chard briefly before adding to ensure tenderness and reduce moisture.)
- •Red bell pepper → Orange or yellow pepper (Any sweet bell pepper works equally well. Green pepper is slightly more bitter but still delicious.)
- •Courgette → Aubergine or mushrooms (Salt aubergine cubes for 10 minutes before roasting to draw out excess moisture. Mushrooms should be roasted on a separate tray if possible to allow moisture to evaporate.)
- •Smoked paprika → Sweet paprika or ground cumin (Sweet paprika gives a milder, less smoky result. Ground cumin adds a warm earthiness that pairs particularly well with feta.)
🧊 Storage
Store cooled quiche slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in a microwave for 1.5 to 2 minutes or in an oven preheated to 160C for 10 to 12 minutes until piping hot throughout.
📅 Make Ahead
The vegetables can be roasted up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the fridge. The full quiche can be baked the evening before and refrigerated overnight. Slice cold and reheat as needed throughout the week.
