Gluten-free Coronation Quiche Recipe

Gluten-free coronation quiche recipe – after all, if it’s fit for a King, it’s gotta be made fit for a Coeliac, am I right?! Of course, it’s wheat-free and easy to make dairy-free or low FODMAP too.

Gluten-free coronation quiche recipe, anyone? Nobody would ever know that this golden, buttery, flaky pastry is gluten-free and the filling is exactly what the future king and queen consort ordered. And yes, you absolutely need to make this ASAP to find out what all the fuss is about!

When the official coronation quiche was first posted online, for a split second I felt exactly the same way I always do whenever a gluten-containing birthday cake is presented: ‘great, everyone is going to be enjoying this apart from me!’

However, after a quick glance of the recipe, I realised that making a gluten-free version would be extremely simple by using my tried-and-tested gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe. So that’s exactly what I did.

However, mine does have a few key differences for practicality’s sake as I’ll list below:

• I make mine in 23cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, not the 20cm flan tin as described in the original recipe. As a 23cm fluted tart tin is what I’ve used for all the quiche recipes in my books, I opted to use it for continuity’s sake, but… it’s also the only tart tin I own! So if you’ve ever attempted any of my other quiche recipes, there’s certainly no need to buy another tin just to make this. If you do happen to have a 20cm round flan tin and want to use it instead, it’s simple: you’ll just have more leftover pastry and won’t need to use all of the filling; use the leftovers to make another mini quiche in a suitably small sized tin!
• I used the ratio of eggs, milk, cream and cheese that I usually use as a base in my other quiche recipes. Mostly because I know the total quantities suit my slightly larger tart tin, but also because I’ve tested it a billion times personally and I know it tastes amazing! Essentially, I just used my own ‘blank canvas’ base for a quiche and added the equivalent quantities of tarragon, broad beans and spinach, though it’s not actually that far off the original recipe.
• The pastry in the original version is made with lard, but mine is made with butter. I always make shortcrust pastry with butter as lard just doesn’t have that buttery flavour and also rules out the finished result for vegetarians. However, lard is considerably cheaper than butter, so that alone might make it worth using instead of butter. Feel free to swap the butter for lard in my pastry recipe if so inclined.
• Erm… mine is gluten-free! Probably doesn’t need to be said, but it is a key difference after all – see the FAQ section below on how to make it dairy-free or low FODMAP too.

Gluten-free coronation quiche recipe: What you’ll need…

• Gluten-free shortcrust pastry: I created a separate recipe page for my gluten-free shortcrust pastry over here so I don’t end up repeating the same thing over and over again whenever I use it in future recipe posts! It’s exactly the same recipe that first debuted in my second book ‘How To Bake Anything Gluten-free‘ on page 206, so either use the recipe there or the one here on the blog – they’re identical – then come back here once to continue the recipe for the filling. Just ensure you prepare the spinach and mix the ingredients for the quiche filling ahead of time, before the pastry case is done baking.
• Extra-mature cheddar cheese: Though the original recipe calls for just ‘cheddar cheese’, I used extra-mature. Why? Firstly that’s just what we always have in the house, but also, it has a much stronger taste. In a quiche like this with a more delicately flavoured filling, a good strong cheese goes a long way and really shines. I’ve seen some people complain that the original recipe was a bit bland, but I definitely couldn’t say that about mine – the extra mature cheddar makes it super cheesy and flavourful!
• Spinach: Though the original recipe doesn’t specify, I used baby spinach here. As we’re not chopping it up, baby spinach is preferred in my opinion; it’ll prevent anyone from excavating a huge wilted spinach leaf when using a fork to carve out a bite-sized piece!
• Tinned broad beans: The original recipe calls for ‘cooked broad beans’, but all I can find in supermarkets right now are either tinned or frozen, not fresh – they’re not in season in the UK until later in the year. I opted for tinned for ease, but I’m told that freshly cooked broad beans might yield a better flavour – in that case, buy fresh or frozen and boil (2 minutes for fresh, 5 minutes for frozen). BBC Good Food also advises that you could use cooked peas instead too, if you’d prefer.
• Milk: I used semi-skimmed but any will work – see the FAQ section for info on making this dairy-free. My recipe uses a little less milk than the original recipe, making the richer ingredients like egg and double cream more prevalent.
• Double cream: Your good ol’ supermarket double cream works wonders here.
• Large eggs: You could also use medium eggs instead, but you’ll just have a little less mixture which will be totally inconsequential. Don’t do anything crazy like adding an extra egg if you’re using medium eggs, the difference between medium and large eggs if often as little as 5g grams each! Bear in mind that if you live outside of the UK, a large egg here might be a different weight to a large egg in your country – our large eggs range from 63-73g, which is what I used.
• Fresh tarragon: You’ll easily find this delicately flavoured herb in the supermarket; it has a subtle fennel taste which compliments everything really well. Even if you’re not sure you’d like it, you have to give it a try – it’s not a particularly overpowering flavour and there’s not even much of it; without it, this would just be a cheese quiche with spinach and broad beans in it! BBC Good Food advises using basil or parsley instead, if preferred, but I think part of the fun comes from judging the original flavours!
• Salt and ground black pepper: A little goes along way so don’t forget these.

So, I’m sure you’re wondering… what does my gluten-free coronation quiche taste like?

Of course, you already know that the pastry is incredibly buttery, golden and flaky without crumbling into dust, like some might expect from gluten-free pastry.

In my humble opinion, nobody could ever really dislike the filling! How come? Well, it’s essentially a wonderfully cheesy quiche filling at heart, but with added bite from the slightly nutty broad beans and a subtle fennel-like flavour thanks to the tarragon. And of course, spinach and eggs have been happily married before in classics like eggs florentine (poached eggs on a bed of spinach).

In short, it’s a clever but wholly innocent, twist on a cheese quiche and I’m most definitely a fan. Will you be too? There’s only one way to find out!

Gluten-free coronation quiche recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make sure that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

Can I make your gluten-free coronation quiche recipe dairy-free?

Firstly, ensure you make the pastry using Stork hard margarine instead of butter. As it isn’t as firm as butter, you’ll likely need to chill the dough for a little longer, so do bear that in mind.

Then, use the dairy-free cheese (I usually use smoked for extra flavour) and milk of your choice, then replace the cream with a dairy-free double cream. That’s it!

Can I make your gluten-free coronation quiche recipe vegetarian or vegan?

Without any changes needing to be made, my version of the coronation quiche is suitable for vegetarians. However, it is NOT vegan.

I’ve seen some vegan versions of the coronation quiche (though they’re not gluten-free), but I haven’t yet found an easy, accessible replacement for the most important ingredient in a quiche: eggs! Of course, eggs are a key ingredient in the pastry AND the filling, which makes it tricky to adapt easily.

So if anyone has any suggestions or has tried anything that works, please let me know so I can let others know!

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

No, but it can be with a few easy swaps! To make it low FODMAP:

• Use tined butter beans or cannellini beans (drained) instead of broad beans
• Use lactose-free cream (30% fat per 100g)
• Use lactose-free milk

Who wrote the original recipe?

The original recipe was written by Charles III’s personal chef, Mark Flanagan. He is the head chef of the Royal household and has served the Royal family for 20 years.

He has worked for chefs such as like Michel and Albert Roux and Raymond Blanc.

Wait… why is it called a coronation quiche?

The original (non-gluten-free) recipe was shared online on the Royal family’s website for ‘The Big Lunch‘, an event taking place on the 6th-8th of May 2023, which aims to bring communities together to celebrate the coronation of Charles III.

Of course, it’s called the ‘coronation quiche’ as the quiche itself was created to commemorate the coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms. This is set to take place on the 6th of May 2023, at Westminster Abbey.

What equipment exactly do I need to make this from start to finish?

Apart from your average mixing bowls, rolling pin, a jug and a wooden spoon, mostly just a 23cm fluted tart tin.

In at number 2 of other essential items would be ceramic baking beans for blind baking the pastry tart case. Adding that weight is integral in ensuring the pastry doesn’t rise, but in a pinch, you could always just use uncooked rice… it just feels like a bit of a waste of rice!

In at number 3 would be non-stick baking paper or parchment paper for the baking beans, as well as some clingfilm to wrap your pastry dough in.

And finally, a food processor (which isn’t mandatory at all) can make rubbing the flour into the butter for the pastry a 10 second job, instead of a 5 minute job. Just don’t over-blend them into a paste – stop once you achieve breadcrumbs! A food processor can be a huge help for those who might otherwise experience difficulties performing the rubbing in action by hand.

Gluten-free coronation quiche recipe: Tips for the perfect quiche

1. Follow the 5 ‘tips for pastry perfection over on the gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe‘. If you’ve never made it before, those tips contain everything you need to know to be an expert on gluten-free pastry before you’ve even started!
2. Never wilted spinach before? Simply add the spinach to a large pan, add 1 tbsp of water and place over a very low heat. Stir occasionally and squeeze until most of the moisture is removed – it doesn’t have to be bone dry!
3. Ensure the pastry tart case is baked on a large baking tray. This is already instructed in the recipe method, but the tray is particularly important when removing the pastry tart case from the oven, which you’ll need to do a few times throughout baking – basically, the tray makes it fool-proof to do so! Personally, I wouldn’t fancy trying to transfer a hot tart tin that’s almost full to the brim with a liquid filling into the oven without a baking tray underneath!
4. Don’t worry if the quiche slowly sinks once removed from the oven. It’s supposed to! It should sink to be perfectly flat.
5. Is my quiche done? The answer to this question is easily answered by inserting a sharp knife into the middle – if it comes out clean then it’s done. If not, simply pop it back in for a few minutes longer.

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Thanks for reading all about my gluten-free coronation quiche recipe! If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creations and tag me on Instagram!

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Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

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