Supermarket Quiche Taste Test: The Best and Worst Revealed
No one enjoys a soggy bottom, and that principle guided a comprehensive taste test of supermarket quiches. The review evaluated a selection from major retailers, assessing factors like ingredients, pastry quality, and overall flavour. The results highlight both standout gems and disappointing options, with many quiches relying on ultra-processed components such as palm oil, emulsifiers, and caged-hen eggs.
Overall Findings and Quality Concerns
The overall quality of store-bought quiches was lower than anticipated, with numerous products using processed ingredients. Free-range eggs were not always clearly labelled, making it essential to check ingredient lists. Some quiches misleadingly described their pastry as "buttery" despite containing vegetable shortening like palm and rapeseed oil instead of butter. However, a few exceptional quiches featured simple ingredients, light and fluffy free-range custards, crisp all-butter pastry, and generous fillings.
While the best options were less processed, high welfare, and flavourful, none matched the pastry mastery of a benchmark quiche from chef Gill Meller. In every case, the outer layer crisped up, but the base often remained undercooked and slightly stodgy in the middle.
The Top Picks: Best Overall and Best Bargain
Best Overall: M&S Portobello Mushroom & Mascarpone Quiche – Priced at £4.25 for 230g (£1.85/100g), this small quiche is suitable for one or two people. It features a golden-brown top with thick-cut sautéed mushrooms, a deep mushroom flavour from mascarpone and free-range egg custard, and crisp, well-cooked all-butter pastry. The ingredients list is simple and palm oil-free.
Best Bargain: Waitrose Mediterranean-Inspired Vegetable Quiche – Costing £3.75 for 400g (94p/100g), this medium, deep-filled tart has a golden-brown top with large pieces of roast courgette and pepper. It offers a wonderfully light, fluffy free-range egg custard mixed with chopped spinach, crisp outer pastry, and a relatively simple ingredients list including regato cheese, cream, and olive oil, though it does contain palm oil.
Other Notable Quiches Reviewed
- Exceptional by Asda Vintage Cheddar & Caramelised Shallot Quiche – £3.97 for 400g (99p/100g), palm oil-free, with a cheesy free-range egg custard and sticky balsamic caramelised shallots.
- Morrisons the Best Vintage Cheddar & Caramelised Onion Quiche – £4 for 400g (£1/100g), includes palm oil, with a hearty flavour but stodgy middle.
- Co-op Irresistible Vintage Cheddar Cauliflower Cheese Quiche – £4.25 for 400g (£1.06/100g), contains palm oil and caged-hen eggs, but offers a delicious cauliflower cheese combination.
- Tesco Finest Oak-Smoked Cheddar & Caramelised Leek Quiche – £4.50 for 400g (£1.13/100g), palm oil-free but made with caged-hen eggs, featuring a simple ingredients list and crumbly all-butter pastry.
- Higgidy Crispy Chilli Oil & Mature Cheddar Quiche – £2.60 for 155g (£1.68/100g), spicy with certified-sustainable palm oil and wholemeal spelt flour pastry.
- Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Extra Mature Cheddar & Caramelised Onion Quiche – £4.50 for 400g (£1.13/100g), includes palm oil and dextrose, with stodgy middle pastry.
- Aldi Specially Selected Mature Cheddar & Caramelised Red Onion Quiche – £2.49 for 420g (59p/100g), contains palm oil and emulsifiers, with a firm-set custard and poppy seed crust.
- Lidl Chef Select Cheese & Onion Quiche – £1.99 for 400g (50p/100g), made with caged-hen eggs, palm oil, and colouring, reminiscent of a cheese, onion, and mayo sandwich.
This taste test provides valuable insights for consumers seeking quality and value in supermarket quiches, emphasising the importance of ingredient transparency and pastry perfection.
