Tortilla Quiche Airfryer
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Quiche baked inside a soft wheat tortilla using an air fryer. Uses corn starch to hold custard, milk with eggs, diced cooked bacon instead of ham for a smoky twist. Spinach swapped for kale, peppers swapped for sun-dried tomatoes. Baked at medium-low heat till golden, slightly puffed and firm. A fast, no-crust quiche alternative. Crisp edges on tortilla hold filling, manageable size for 2 to 3 servings.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
35 min
Servings:
3 servings
#air fryer
#quiche
#quick meals
#no crust
#fusion comfort
Started messing with quiches in air fryers years ago. Skipping messy dough, tortilla works as quick crust. The starch trick? Learned it saves custard from turning rubbery, the texture improves so much more than just eggs and milk. Tried ham back then, salty but bacon smokes in better. Kale instead of spinach gives bite, more character. Sun-dried tomatoes add acidity balancing the fat. Tortilla edges crisp to just golden, filling puffs slightly. Look for that golden dome, not raw wobble but no dry crack. Air fryer heats fast, so lower temps. Cook by eye, not by timer alone.
Ingredients
- 1 soft wheat tortilla about 26 cm (10 1/4 in) diameter
- 6 ml (1 1/4 tsp) corn starch
- 70 ml (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp) whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 60 g (2 oz) cooked bacon pieces, diced
- 50 g (1/2 cup) sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 20 g (3/4 cup) chopped kale, tough stems removed
- 50 g (1/4 cup) sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated and chopped
- 1 scallion thinly sliced
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
About the ingredients
Swapping ham for bacon ups flavor depth; if you want vegetarian, omit and add mushrooms or caramelized onions. Kale tough? Blanch quickly or use baby spinach but adjust volume below a cup to avoid sogginess. Dried tomatoes sometimes too salty or chewy, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, pat dry to avoid watery filling. Corn starch essential; without it filling runs or cracks. Milk can be any fat content but whole milk gives smoother set. Use soft wheat tortilla for pliability; corn tortillas are too brittle here. Buttering pan helps crisp tortilla edges and prevents sticking. Salt and pepper – go bold, quiche can be bland otherwise.
Method
- Butter an 8 in (20 cm) springform pan lightly – this helps the tortilla stick and crisp without burning.
- Press the tortilla into the pan's base and sides carefully, trying to avoid folds that trap air pockets; unevenness affects cooking.
- In a bowl, whisk corn starch into the milk thoroughly. Ensure no lumps.
- Add eggs and beat well; the starch keeps custard firm without rubberiness.
- Mix in bacon, cheese, kale, sun-dried tomatoes and scallions. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Pour egg mixture into tortilla shell evenly. Gently tap pan once to release air bubbles trapped under filling.
- Place pan in air fryer basket. Set temperature to 160 degrees C (320 F); slightly lower than usual to avoid tortilla burning.
- Bake for around 20 minutes but watch edges. When custard looks set, edges pull slightly away from pan and top surface is golden and just puffed – test firmness by a light shake; minimal jiggle is good.
- Remove pan carefully. Rest quiche 5 minutes before unmolding – helps slice without cracking.
- Run thin spatula around edge to loosen. Cut into wedges on cutting board.
- Store leftovers by covering with foil, refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat in air fryer 3-5 minutes at 150 C for crisp edges again.
Cooking tips
Butter pan first to seal edges of tortilla; prevents cheese-melt leaks and crispiness. Press tortilla gently, avoid tearing; folds create uneven thickness, which causes uncooked spots or quick-burn areas. Whisk corn starch in milk thoroughly; lumps lead to curdled filling. Pour mixture in, tap sharply on counter to release air pockets – improves texture and prevents weird bubbles. Air fryer cooks differently than oven; it’s direct hot air circulation, so lower temp to avoid burnt bottom or crispy tortilla edges. Check quiche visually after 18 minutes; look for golden top, slight puffiness, and no jiggle in center. If still loose, add a few more minutes but watch carefully. Cooling after cooking gives better slicing consistency – hot quiche is fragile. Reheat leftovers with brief air frying to restore crisp shell.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter pan well before pressing the tortilla; prevents sticking and helps crisp edges without burning. Avoid folds when pressing tortilla or risk uneven cooking spots; thick folds hold soggy filling, thin spots burn quicker. Press gently, don’t tear tortilla — tricky but needed for even crust. Corn starch in milk must be fully whisked; lumps cause curdled custard and weird texture. Add eggs after starch-milk mix is lump-free to avoid rubbery results. Bacon diced small for even flavor spread, swap with mushrooms for vegetarian but add caramelized for depth. Sun-dried tomatoes rehydrated to keep filling moist, avoid soaking too long or filling gets watery.
- 💡 Temperature control key in air fryer. 160 degrees C lower than usual oven quiche temp; avoids bottom burning and crispy edges getting bitter. Check at 18 minutes — look for golden top, slight puff and edges pulling from pan. Jiggle in center minimal means done; too loose needs extra min but watch closely or custard splits. Tap pan softly after pouring filling to release trapped air bubbles — prevents weird holes and uneven cooking. Cooling after bake allows firm cutting; hot quiche breaks easily when slicing. Reheat leftovers in air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 150 C to crisp shell again, unlike microwave which soggifies the crust.
- 💡 Kale tough? Blanch 30 seconds before chopping if worried about chewiness but not necessary if leaves thin. Spinach swap needed careful as leaf volume shrinks and adds excess moisture; reduce quantity below a cup. Cheese shredded fine to melt evenly; chunkier cheese melts patchy, creates greasy pockets. Salt and cracked pepper generous; quiche base bland without. Butter layer on pan seals tortilla edges, stops cheese leaks and crisp up corners — don’t skip this step or edges stay floppy. Tortilla choice important: soft wheat pliable, corn too brittle and cracks under press and heat.
- 💡 Mix ingredients thoroughly but don’t overbeat eggs or custard gets rubbery and dense. Scallion adds fresh bite – slice paper-thin for texture contrast. When placing pan in air fryer, basket placement matters; center for even air circulation. Avoid crowding the basket or heat drops, undercooks edges. If air fryer basket smaller, reduce tortilla size or fold edges under carefully. Timing varies by air fryer brand; rely on visual cues not just timer. Top should slightly puff like souffle dome; no sharp cracks or raw wet areas. Pull away edges signals cooked crust. Texture firm but springy when lightly shaken.
- 💡 Avoid overfilling tortilla shell; too much filling pushes up and spills, uneven cooking follows. Tapping pan once on counter releases air bubbles under filling, enhances smooth texture with no crater holes. Corn starch essential starch stabilizes custard, replaces gluten or crust structure. Without it, filling runs or cracks open after cooking. Milk fat content affects custard firmness; whole milk reliable for firmer, creamier set. Mixing bacon with cheese and veggies before pouring ensures even distribution; prevents dense pockets of flavor or dry spots. Rest quiche 5 minutes unshelled; hot custard fragile and slices poorly. Cut with thin spatula or knife to loosen from pan edges carefully.
Common questions
How to avoid soggy crust?
Butter pan edges prevents sogginess. Press tortilla gently to avoid folds which trap moisture. Air fryer temp lower to crisp without burn. Use soft wheat tortilla, corn brittle and cracks. Avoid overfilling or juices pool. Chill filling before baking helps too.
Can I swap bacon for vegetarian option?
Mushrooms good alternative, caramelize for flavor. Omit bacon, add onions caramelized. Spinach works but reduce volume. No corn starch leads to runny custard; keep that. Cheese needed for flavor and texture. Mix well to avoid wet spots.
Why does custard get rubbery?
Over beating eggs or skipping corn starch causes rubbery texture. Whisk corn starch only in milk before adding eggs for smooth set. Bake until just done; overbaking dries custard. Cooling time needed for firm slice. Egg mix lightly beaten not whipped.
How to store leftovers properly?
Cover with foil or airtight container. Refrigerate up to 2 days best. Reheat in air fryer restores crisp edges; microwave soggifies tortilla crust. Leftovers solidify in fridge, bring to room temp first. Avoid freezing; texture loss likely with custard.
