Name: Mary Berry Leek and Stilton Quiche Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: Shortcrust Pastry:; 200 g plain flour (sifted); 100 g unsalted butter (cold and cubed); Pinch of fine salt; 2 –3 tbsp cold water; Leek and Stilton Filling:; 40 g unsalted butter; 3 large leeks (sliced 1cm rounds); 3 garlic cloves (crushed); 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves; 3 large eggs; 250 ml double cream; 100 ml whole milk; 150 g Stilton (crumbled in irregular pieces); ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg; White pepper — taste before adding salt; 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)

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Leek and Stilton is one of the great British flavour combinations — the sweetness of properly softened leeks against the bold, slightly pungent, creamy character of good Stilton. In a quiche, with a rich egg and cream custard holding everything together in a crisp pastry case, it is genuinely outstanding.

This is the quiche I make for Christmas — it appears at the Boxing Day table alongside cold meats, pickles, and bread, and it disappears completely regardless of how much other food is available.

It is also the quiche for any occasion when something particularly British and particularly distinctive is wanted. The Stilton is assertive and should be — this is not a subtle quiche.

The leeks must be properly softened — the same instruction that appears throughout this site whenever leeks are involved, because it is always equally important.

Twelve minutes of gentle cooking turns leeks from slightly harsh and slightly raw to completely tender, sweet, and silky. That transformation is what gives the quiche its gentle, elegant filling to balance the bold Stilton.

Ingredients for Mary Berry Leek and Stilton Quiche

For the Shortcrust Pastry

200g plain flour, sifted
100g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Pinch of fine salt
2–3 tbsp cold water

For the Leek and Stilton Filling

40g unsalted butter
3 large leeks, washed and sliced into 1cm rounds
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 large eggs
250ml double cream
100ml whole milk
150g Stilton, crumbled — not too finely
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground white pepper — taste before adding salt as Stilton is very salty
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

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How to Make Mary Berry Leek and Stilton Quiche

Step 1 — Make the Pastry

Pulse flour, salt, and cold butter in a food processor until fine breadcrumbs. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 2 — Line and Blind Bake

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Roll the chilled pastry to 3mm on a lightly floured surface. Line a deep 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Prick the base. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Line with baking parchment and baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove beans and parchment — bake for a further 8 to 10 minutes until pale golden and completely dry. Trim the pastry edges. Reduce oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4.

Step 3 — Cook the Leeks

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the sliced leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for twelve to fifteen minutes until completely soft, slightly collapsed, and beginning to turn sweet. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for two more minutes. Season lightly — remembering the Stilton will add significant saltiness. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Step 4 — Make the Custard

Whisk the eggs, double cream, and milk together until smooth. Add the nutmeg and a little white pepper. Taste before adding any salt — the Stilton in the filling will season the custard significantly during baking.

Step 5 — Assemble

Spread the softened leeks evenly over the base of the blind-baked pastry case. Scatter the crumbled Stilton over the leeks — distribute it in generous, irregular pieces rather than a fine even layer. Scatter the parsley.

Pour the egg and cream custard carefully over the leeks and Stilton — fill to within 5mm of the top of the pastry.

Step 6 — Bake

Place on a baking tray. Bake at 180°C for 30 to 35 minutes until the filling is just set with a very slight central wobble and the top is pale golden with the Stilton pieces visible on the surface.

Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

My Top Tips

Cook the leeks for twelve to fifteen minutes — not less. The sweet, silky quality of properly softened leeks is the counterpoint to the bold Stilton. Undercooked leeks give a slightly raw, slightly harsh edge that does not suit the gentle character of the custard filling.

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Do not crumble the Stilton too finely. Larger, irregular pieces of Stilton give pools of melted cheese throughout the filling — some bites will be more strongly Stilton than others, which is pleasant and interesting. Finely crumbled Stilton distributes more evenly but gives a more uniform, slightly less dramatic flavour.

Taste the custard before adding salt. Stilton is extremely salty — one of the saltiest ingredients in British cooking. The custard for this quiche needs little or no additional salt. Always taste the custard before seasoning and add salt very cautiously if at all.

Use white pepper not black. Black pepper specks are visible in a pale, elegant custard and look slightly messy. White pepper gives clean, invisible warmth.

Blind bake the pastry until completely dry. A Stilton filling has significant salt and moisture. The pastry must be completely dry and golden before any filling goes in — even slightly underdone pastry will be soggy in the finished quiche.

Serving Suggestions

At room temperature as part of a Christmas or Boxing Day spread — alongside cold meats, chutneys, and good bread. Warm as a lunch with a simple watercress salad dressed with walnut oil and lemon. Cold the next day — leek and Stilton quiche is outstanding cold.

How to Store

In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Excellent cold or warmed briefly at 160°C for ten minutes.

In the freezer: Freeze in slices for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and warm gently.

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Mary Berry Leek and Stilton Quiche Recipe

Mary Berry's leek and Stilton quiche has sweet, silky leeks and bold, tangy Stilton in a rich cream custard — an outstanding British quiche.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 50

Cooling Time 20

Total Time 1 40

Servings: 10 Slices

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: British

Calories: 410

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry:
200 g plain flour sifted
100 g unsalted butter cold and cubed
Pinch of fine salt
2 –3 tbsp cold water
Leek and Stilton Filling:
40 g unsalted butter
3 large leeks sliced 1cm rounds
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 large eggs
250 ml double cream
100 ml whole milk
150 g Stilton crumbled in irregular pieces
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
White pepper — taste before adding salt
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped

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Method

Make pastry — pulse to crumbs, add cold water, wrap and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Roll to 3mm — line 23cm tart tin. Prick. Chill 20 minutes. Blind bake with beans 15 minutes. Remove beans — bake 8–10 minutes until pale golden and dry. Reduce oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4.
Cook leeks in butter over medium-low heat 12–15 minutes until completely soft and sweet. Add garlic and thyme — 2 minutes. Season lightly. Cool slightly.
Whisk eggs, cream, and milk. Add nutmeg and white pepper. Taste before adding salt.
Spread leeks over pastry base. Scatter Stilton in generous irregular pieces. Scatter parsley. Pour custard over carefully — to within 5mm of the top.
Place on baking tray. Bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes until just set with slight central wobble. Cool in tin 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

Cook leeks 12–15 minutes minimum — sweet, silky leeks balance the bold Stilton.

Do not crumble Stilton too finely — larger pieces give dramatic pockets of flavour.

Taste custard before adding salt — Stilton is extremely salty.

White pepper not black — keeps the pale custard clean-looking.

Blind bake pastry until completely dry — Stilton adds moisture and the pastry must be ready.

Pastry case can be blind baked the day before — add filling and bake on the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Gorgonzola or Roquefort instead of Stilton?

Yes — both give a similarly bold, blue cheese character. Gorgonzola is slightly creamier. Roquefort is slightly sharper. Both work beautifully with the sweet leeks.

Can I use a milder cheese if Stilton is too strong?

Yes — mature Cheddar gives a more familiar, less assertive result. The combination of leek and Cheddar is very good — simply different in character. Gruyère gives a nutty, more French character.

Can I add walnuts?

Yes — 50g of roughly chopped walnuts scattered over the leeks before the Stilton give a pleasant crunch and a slight bitterness that suits the Stilton pairing beautifully. Leek, Stilton, and walnut is a classic trio.

Can I make the pastry case the day before?

Yes — blind bake the pastry case and store it at room temperature overnight. Add the filling and bake on the day of serving. This is the ideal approach for stress-free entertaining.