Foodie Fiasco

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Low Calorie Cheesy Broccoli Quiche

Filed Under: 50-100, Breakfast, Broccoli, Cheese, Eggs/Egg Whites/Egg Replacer, Entrees, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb, Recipe Makeover, Recipes, Sugar Free

By 33 Comments Jump to Recipe

So I basically live on this recipe.

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It’s actually not great. I mean, not the recipe. The recipe is great. The conspicuous lack of variety in my recent diet is what’s not great.

A behind the scenes note is that I just typed grate and not great which is poetic justice for the sheer tonnage of cheese I’ve consumed in the past week or so. But I digress.

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Also if you’re a quiche purist (which I’m assuming is a pretty niche community) then you should still make this admittedly unconventional version, but maybe call it something else.

Frittata, perhaps? Oven baked omelette. Egg based miracle of cheesy glory. Whatever tickles your broccoli. (You know the old saying.)

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In all seriousness, I can’t tell you what a valuable recipe this has been in my daily rotation. Not only is this quiche very high in protein and very low in calories, it only requires three ingredients and could not be easier to make. It’s also absurdly delicious, regardless of how ridiculously healthy and easy it is.

Also you’d be hard pressed to find a dish that can beat these stats. Where else can you get a breakfast that is 65 calories, 1g of net carbs, 11g of protein, and actually freakin’ delicious?

Nowhere. That’s where.

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Speaking of cheese (which we weren’t, but cheese is always basically subtext with me so just go with it), we need to have a quick pow wow about it.

Confession time: I actually love using light string cheese. The measurements are conveniently done for you, you can’t beat the calorie count, and Trader Joe’s makes this awesome organic light string cheese, so I feel pretty confident in calling it healthy. And, most importantly, it’s delicious.

However, if you don’t want to use string cheese for any reason (which I totally respect), then feel free to use six ounces of your shredded cheese of choice. Vegan cheese would also work beautifully here if dairy is an issue, but obviously this recipe is egg based and therefore not vegan. I love making vegan and recipes and almost all of my recipes are vegan friendly, so this is a rare exception! But this quiche is so wonderful that, vegan or not, I had to share.

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This recipe is actually my go-to when I’m in charge of bringing a dish to a potluck because it’s so simple to throw together and, as a low carb vegetarian, I can then personally guarantee there will be at least one delicious offering I can actually eat.

The only drawback? Everyone at the potlucks I’ve brought this quiche to has loved it so much that there usually isn’t enough for me.

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But I can live with that. I’ll just make more.

Quiche Pinterest

Nutritional Breakdown

Calories

6 pieces string cheese (300) + 2 lbs broccoli (60 net calories) + 3 cups egg whites (360) / 12 servings = 65 calories per serving

Carbs

6 pieces string cheese (0g) + 2 lbs broccoli (10 net carbs) + 3 cups egg whites (0g) / 12 servings = 0.83 grams net carbs per serving

Protein

6 pieces string cheese (36g) + 2 lbs broccoli (20g) + 3 cups egg whites (78g) / 12 servings = 11 grams protein per serving

4.0 from 3 reviews
Quiche
 
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Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 ounces light mozzarella cheese, grated (see note below!)
  • 2 pounds broccoli florets (I use frozen, but fresh works too)
  • salt + pepper
  • 3 cups egg whites
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or grease it well and set aside.
  2. Spray two large skillets with cooking spray (or add a bit of oil) and add one pound of broccoli florets to each of them. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender and starting to brown. (I love using frozen broccoli here, but this will obviously take longer if you started with frozen broccoli instead of fresh.) Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.
  3. Add the broccoli to the prepared baking dish. Top with four ounces of shredded cheese. Pour the egg whites on top and then sprinkle the remaining two ounces of cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 450°F for 40-45 minutes, or until the quiche has thoroughly cooked and the top is golden. Slice into twelve pieces and devour.
Notes
In terms of the cheese, I actually love using light string cheese. The measurement is conveniently done for you, you can't beat the calorie count, and Trader Joe's makes this awesome organic light string cheese, so it's pretty healthy. And it's also delicious. However, if you don't want to use string cheese for any reason (which I totally respect), then feel free to use six ounces of your shredded cheese of choice. Vegan cheese would also work beautifully here if dairy is an issue, but obviously this recipe is egg based and therefore not vegan. I love making vegan and recipes and almost all of my recipes are vegan friendly, so this is a rare exception! But it's so wonderful that, vegan or not, I had to share.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 piece (1/12 recipe) Calories: 65 Net Carbs: 0.83g Protein: 11g

Other breakfast favorites:

Healthy Homemade Pop Tarts

Single Serving Protein Cookie Dough (cookie dough for breakfast?! score!)

Healthy 30 Minute Cinnamon Rolls

What is your favorite breakfast?

For me, it’s definitely this recipe if I’m feeling savory, but if I need something sweet then that protein cookie dough is always the move.

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Comments

  2. Kelly, you are freaking incredible. This recipe is so simple and it looks amazing, I love your recipes. Would you say this is a more creamy egg dish or does the broccoli remain really crisp even after baking? Thanks for happiness and decadence, Karina

    Reply

  3. This is extremely, ridiculously UNHEALTHY and NUTRITIONLESS. Without the yolks, your body can't properly use the protein from the whites- which matters way more than calories. So you kind of need them. Same with the string cheese- you need the fat in the milk for your body to make the most use of the protein. Besides, have you ever seen any skim milk producing animals or egg white laying birds? NO. Fats and proteins occur together naturally for a good reason. And please don't count the calories, count nutrients. Compared to the whites, yolks are nutritionally superior- if you're going to eat one or the other, go for the yolks. Same with the cheese- full fat is better than skim. I've been eating a dozen eggs a week (yes, and with the yolks) for months now, and my physical and mental health are excellent. Please don't give your readers horrible recipes like this. And don't give yourself these recipes either, for the sake of your health. Don't fall into the saturated-fat-and-cholesterol-is-evil trap. It's the same one Anericans have fallen in, and look where we are now- nearly 3/4 of us overweight and obese, plus many more diabetic. So think about that the next time you reach for the carton of egg whites and light string cheese.
    Reply

    • Hi Katie! Thank you for your comment. I personally am on a low carb high fat/protein diet, but many of my readers mainly count calories and are looking for lower calorie/fat recipes. For me, I am a volume eater; I like to eat large portions. This recipe allows me to do that. I do not eat this recipe all day nor would I ever encourage anyone to do so, and personally I include ample fat in my diet. If you are looking for a higher fat recipe, please make this with full eggs. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
      Reply

    • Honey Boo Boo It seems you may be hangry...Time for you to enjoy some of your extra yolky egg yolks with a side of yolky yolk.
      Reply

  6. Could you add chicken to this? Do you think the chicken would need to be cooked before the entire dish is placed in the oven, or could it be put in raw? Thanks!!
    Reply

    • Hi Sarah! I think chicken would be great in this. I'm a vegetarian so I don't know a ton about cooking chicken, but I absolutely think you should cook it first then add it to the dish before baking. Hope that helps!
      Reply

  7. This recipe is awesome! I am on a low carb, high fat diet and I always have a hard time finding recipes that don't use the whole egg. I personally don't like egg yolks, so this recipe was great for this. I also used shredded mozzarella and steamable frozen broccoli. The steamable bags made the time a little shorter. This is a great breakfast and lunch dish.
    Reply

  8. This is a fantastic recipe. I have loved looking forward to eating it for dinner this week. Thanks. You are a genius!!!! I tweeked it by using Cabot extra sharp cheddar, the calorie count goes up but still very low.
    Reply

  9. This was a fantastic recipe! I'm always looking for healthy warm packable lunches and this is a winner! Congrats!
    Reply

  10. So excited to try this! I love quiche and since it usually isn't the most filling thing, I usually eat way too much and this will keep me from going over board on the calories! Can't wait to check out the rest of your recipes! I have been working really hard to cut out the excess from my diet and this look like a great way to do it!
    Reply

  11. This has become a staple in our home. Love it! I always change up the veggies...kale, spinach, brussel sprouts, caulifower, mushrooms...depends on what I have on hand. Chopped garlic or jalapeno puts this up a level.:) Thank you for such a yummy and versatile dish with no yolks (can't eat them)...love all your recipes. Thank you for making them low calorie and yummy, perfect for my fit lifestyle. Blessings to you, Keri

    Reply

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