Why Your Quiche Is Watery And The Easy Way You Can Fix It

Quiche is a great way to transform simple ingredients into something that looks fancy enough to serve for brunch. (Fit for royalty, you might even say, if you're using King Charles' coronation quiche recipe.) You may think that the biggest problem would be the crust, although you can get around this by using canned crescent rolls as a shortcut. The filling, though, might also prove problematic, especially if it comes out watery. 

Why would this happen? According to chef Billy Parisi, who shares recipes and cooking techniques on his blog, there are a few potential reasons for the excess moisture. "Some of this depends on the ingredients in the quiche. For example, if you are adding vegetables to it, they are naturally going to release moisture," he told the Takeout, also adding, "Another issue could be that there is too much liquid to eggs, which will not allow the quiche to firm up and set." For instance, when a recipe calls for large eggs, never sub in extra-large or jumbo ones, and use the right measuring cup for wet ingredients.

Another issue, Parisi said, is cooking the quiche either too much or too little. "Overcooking can cause the eggs to seize and let out too much moisture. Undercooking will not allow it to set," he shared. His solution for a watery filling is to reduce the oven heat by 25 degrees Fahrenheit and then cook the quiche for an additional four to six minutes. "This should help evaporate the additional liquid and set the quiche without overcooking it," he explained.

Although it's great to have an easy fix for a common problem, it's best to make sure that your filling won't come out watery the next time you make a quiche. In chef Billy Parisi's experience, proper ingredient proportions are important to achieving this outcome. "Even in my classic quiche Lorraine, I use a 4-to-1 cream-to-large eggs ratio. It seems to be the right amount of each that enables enough creaminess in the quiche while also allowing it to perfectly firm up," he said.

Parisi also advised pre-cooking any vegetables before they are stirred into the eggs and cream, particularly high-moisture ones such as spinach, mushrooms, or asparagus. "Add them to a hot pan with a small amount of oil, gently seasoning them with salt to help not only flavor them but also to draw out any excess moisture for a better browning," he instructed. "This little technique will eliminate any excess liquid in the quiche once it's done baking."