Spinach Quiche
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Made with heavy cream and Gruyère, this rich spinach quiche is classic French.
Of all the spinach quiches I’ve tried over the years, this classic French version is my favorite. The recipe comes from my childhood friend Trish, who is not only one of the funniest people I know, but also a stunning hostess. When Trish entertains, she goes all out – beautiful table settings, seasonal cocktails, fabulous food, and (best of all) hilarious party games. She once created an entire game of Jeopardy! for our old high school gang, complete with categories like Prom Dates, ’80s Pop Stars, and Senior Superlatives.
This spinach quiche is Trish’s “go-to” brunch dish. The combination of heavy cream and Gruyère makes it rich and flavorful. There’s also a good bit of spinach, which balances out all that richness and makes it just a little bit healthier. If you’d like to try another traditional French quiche, my quiche Lorraine made with smoky bacon, nutty Gruyère cheese, and shallots is one of the most satisfying dishes imaginable.
Ingredients For Spinach Quiche
To simplify things, I recommend using a store-bought crust. When buying frozen pie crust, be sure to check it carefully at the store for cracks. (If you unpack it and find that it’s cracked, no worries — there’s a fix below.) Also, make sure to buy a deep-dish crust; a regular pie shell is not deep enough to hold all the fillings.
Frozen chopped spinach also makes the recipe easy. It’s important to wring out all the moisture from the spinach before using. I usually gather it into a ball in my hands and squeeze it until dry. It takes a few minutes of squeezing to get all the water out. Be patient; you need the spinach completely dry, otherwise your quiche will be watery.
Gruyère is my first choice for this quiche – its nutty flavor works nicely in egg dishes, like strata, egg bites, omelettes, and more – but if you can’t find it, Cheddar may be substituted.
How To Make Spinach Quiche
Prick the bottom and sides of the crust all over with a fork.
Bake on center rack until fully cooked and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. If your crust cracks in the oven (or if it was cracked when you opened the package), make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
Set the crust aside and turn the oven down to 325°F. Sauté the shallots in a bit of butter over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper.
Whisk to combine.
Place cooked pie shell on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of oven) and spread the shallots over the bottom of the cooked crust.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese over top.
Scatter spinach evenly over cheese (breaking up clumps as best you can).
Then pour the egg mixture carefully over top.
Bake at 325°F degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
How To Freeze Spinach Quiche
This spinach quiche freezes beautifully for up to three months. After cooling the quiche, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.
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Spinach Quiche
Made with heavy cream and Gruyère, this rich spinach quiche is classic French.
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch deep dish frozen pie crust
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots
- 4 large eggs
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup (4 oz) finely shredded Gruyère, packed
- 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung free of water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork (pricking about an inch apart). Bake until fully cooked and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it...if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate.) Don't worry if the crust cracks while baking; see my note below on how to fix it before proceeding. Set aside and turn oven down to 325°F.
- Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the shallots until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper.
- Place the cooked pie crust on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of oven). Spread the shallots over the bottom of the cooked crust, then sprinkle the shredded Gruyere over top. Scatter the spinach evenly over cheese, breaking up the clumps as best you can. Pour the egg and cream mixture over top.
- Bake at 325°F degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until the custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
- Note: I usually defrost the frozen spinach quickly by placing it in a fine mesh strainer and running hot water over it. I then gather the spinach into a ball and squeeze it dry. It takes a few minutes of squeezing and re-squeezing to get all the water out. Be patient...you need the spinach completely dry, otherwise your quiche will be watery.
- Note: Don't panic if your crust cracks -- you can easily fix it. Make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
- Make ahead: This quiche can be made up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 504
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Sodium: 472 mg
- Cholesterol: 218 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I did not have gruyere on hand so I used sharp cheddar. OMgoodness! THE best spinach quiche I have ever had!!!
Wayy too rich. Had just one slice and stomach felt like a rock. Most quiche recipes call for half milk and heavy whipped cream or half milk and half&half. This heavy whipped cream only recipe is far too rich.
Can I add basil to the spinach?
Sure!
I found your spinach quiche recipe and it looked awesome so I made it a month ago and it came our delicious. Followed the recipe exactly.
So, again, I am making the quiche for my family dinner tonight with a salad and fruit.
No adjustments needed. Love it
Amazing recipe, but probably ruined me for making quiche without heavy cream as it just is so much better. I found it a bit too much spinach when I used the frozen, and had to hold some back with egg mixture the first time I made it. The second time, I used several handfuls of fresh since I had it, and cooked it down with the shallot. That worked much better. Amazing classic, I imagine I’ll also be playing around with cheeses and veggies depending on what I have at home. Also LOVE the crust crack trick—I didn’t know it, and it’s amazing.
This was amazing! I used red onion instead of shallot, and I used mozzerella and Dubliner cheddar instead of the Greyure. It was so good. The family loved it. Best quiche I’ve ever had or made. Thanks!
Love. Love. Love your Spinach Quiche recipe. I make it once a week!
I made this tonight and was so impressed! No changes. It was perfect as written!
I made this using a store-bought gluten-free crust. Delicious! But, I quickly found the filling exceeded the capacity of the crust. Pour carefully. 😉
Full disclosure, I didn’t follow the recipe exactly, so here is my take on it, using the recipe as a guide. I went crustless. I didn’t have shallots, so used red onions instead. I prefer the flavor profile of shallots, but the red onions are still good in this recipe. I didn’t have frozen spinach, so I wilted a mix of fresh baby spinach, green chard and kale. I added bacon and therefore reduced the added salt. Since I went crustless and my pie plate is deep enough, I used 6 eggs and 1-3/4 cups of cream. Delicious! I appreciate recipes that can be adapted to ingredients I have on hand. Thanks, Jenn!
One question can i use half and half in place of heavy cream?
Hi Pat, It won’t be as rich but it should work. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn!
I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve made it many, many times. The flavor and texture is simply amazing. But I need to cut back on the carbs… sigh.. I am wondering can I make this without the pie crust? Like into an egg cup? any advice?
So glad you like it! You can make this crustless with no other modifications. Alternatively, if you wanted to make it a bit thicker (since it won’t have the crust), you can use the cream/egg/cheese proportions of my crustless broccoli quiche. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Ah okay perfect! And either of those would work in a muffin tray?
You can make these and the broccoli version as muffins, but they will be very delicate. (Several readers have commented that they have made mini versions successfully.)
Perfect in every way.
Excellent Recipe!
I made your recipe today and it turned out deliciously flavorful. Thank you!
I have made this recipe several times and it is so good! I think it tastes like something you’d order in a restaurant. The only change I make is I put half Guyere and half Swiss and I like to add mushrooms too.
I made this ahead of time and put it in my freezer so I’d have something on hand for house guests. When my mother-in-law came for a visit, I served it with a salad and dinner bread. It made a delicious, light summer meal! Thank you!
Follow the recipe exactly. Hands down the best quiche I’ve ever had!
I absolutely love this quiche and have been making it for Christmas breakfast for years & throughout the year. Because I mostly have salted butter on hand, I use 1/4 teaspoon salt. Also use a ready made, but not frozen pie crust or make my own & wilt fresh spinach. Definite keeper!
Absolutely fantastic. Will be my go to recipe. I was looking for a recipe for my foraged spring foods, so instead of regular spinach I used a combo of wild spinach and yucca blossoms.
I loved this recipe!! I didn’t have cayenne pepper or nutmeg and I googled to substitute nutmeg with cinnamon and it was amazing!! So so good!!!
I made this but without the crust and cayenne pepper. It was absolutely delicious. I have made something similar to this for many years but this is better. It’s very delicate. We love it!
Absolutely delicious. I used a yellow onion instead of shallots and skipped the cayenne. I will be keeping this one on rotation for sure!
The best quiche recipe!!! We make this at least once or twice a month!!!
This is the best quiche I have ever made. It was a big hit in my family and so easy to make.
Jenn,
I am having a luncheon and am planning on making the spinach quiche and one other. I’d like to make the second quiche a smoked salmon and leek quiche. May I follow the spinach quiche recipe and instead of spinach add the smoked salmon and leeks. If so, how much of each of the two ingredients should I use and do I need to adjust anything else in the recipe? Thanks ever so much. Elaine
Hi Elaine, I’d recommend using this recipe for this quiche and adding 4 to 6 ounces of smoked salmon to it. Because the salmon will add salty flavor to the quiche, I’d omit the salt and put it on the table so people can finish their serving off with a bit of salt if they’d like.
Thank you. You are my go-to for successful and delicious recipes. I made the spinach quiche, yesterday and froze it for a girlfriend luncheon in two weeks. It looks great.
Forgot to mention. Make it a day ahead. It seems to taste better the next day in my experience!
I’ve made this a few times; even changed up the cheeses. It’s delicious no matter how you make it.
I shake a little extra spice in there but making this as is works perfectly.
Delicious recipe and I can eat it with any meal.
So good!
I just made this and enjoyed it for lunch and it came out great and tasted yummy! Instead of a premade pie crust I used the jiffy box pie crust and it was so easy and very very good!!
That’s what I used! Completely surprised at how well it worked and how tender the crust was. I thought I was buying Jiffy cornbread mix. Best mistake I’ve ever made. Terrific recipe. And I found whole nutmegs in the cupboard. I’ll make this again.
By adding Gruyere (finely shredded, packed), shredded pepper jack cheese, Cayenne Pepper and heavy cream, definitely elevated my spicy Spinach Quiche game. Delicioso!
I am wondering what I can use instead of heavy cream. I need to use something lactose free; such as milk/ sour cream/ cream cheese . Please advise. I would love to make this soon!
Hi Jan, some readers have commented that they’ve used Rich’s non-dairy coffee creamer (frozen) and Trader Joe’s unflavored non-dairy creamer. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried either of these.) While it sounds like you don’t need to completely avoid dairy, I believe this still has a similar consistency to heavy cream (without the lactose). Hope that helps!
This was beyond delicious!
I made this quiche today and took it to brunch with my husband and a couple of friends. I can’t eat dairy so I can’t give you my own opinion, but it received rave reviews from the three people who did eat it. They said it was delicious many times over. Definitely a keeper that I will make again and again.
I have made this several times and it doesn’t disappoint. Couple of questions:
Can you substitute onion for shallots?
Can I use chopped fresh spinach and if so how much and should I saute with the shallots?
What brand pie crust do you recommend or find is a better quality?
Thanks!
Hi Vee, Glad you like this! In answer to your questions:
-Yes, you can substitute onions if you don’t have shallots on hand
-You can use fresh spinach; I’d estimate you’ll need 1 – 1.5 lbs. to yield 1.5 cups of fresh spinach. Make sure to cook and squeeze out any liquid before incorporating it into the recipe. Technically you could cook the spinach with the shallots, but because you’ll be squeezing out the liquid after cooking the spinach, you may want to steam it separately or pop it into the microwave.
-My favorite pie crust is Whole Foods’ Wholly Wholesome pie crust, but I’ve noticed that they don’t make the deep-dish version anymore. You can still use it, but you’ll have a little custard leftover. I have also used Marie Callender’s and Mrs. Smith’s, and they work well with this quiche.
Hope that helps!
Absolutely delicious. I used boxed baby spinach and did not cook it. It worked perfectly,
I followed it to the letter and it came out soggy. I’ll will try again but will use only 1 cup of the heavy cream. Any tips? Thanks for posting the recipe.
Hi Juanita, I’m sorry this came out soggy for you! It sounds like it was a little underbaked; instead of cutting back on the cream next time, I’d suggest leaving it in the oven for a little longer.
I have made this for years. I make it exactly to the the recipe and it comes out perfect every time! It’s a real crowd pleaser too!
Can I add red peppers to this and if so do I need to cook first. Thank you.
Yes and yes — enjoy!
I made this for a luncheon with a friend today. I paired it with the Best Blueberry Muffins and they were both fabulous. I’ve never used frozen pie crust before and appreciated the convenience. Both recipes were made exactly as described and I will be making them again. Thank you for your recipes, which my guests always love!
I made this spinach quiche and your crustless broccoli quiche so my guests could have a choice. Well, they are so delicious, they wanted to eat both!! Luckily, there was enough.. I make these often and you just have to try them! So very good and easy to prepare.
I have added sautéed mushrooms and that was a good addition to the spinach quiche.
Ooops, forgot to add my 5 stars! definitely deserves 10 stars.
Can I ask please ask size eggs you use? This recipe looks delicious. 🤗
Hi Mary, I use large eggs in all of my cooking. Hope you enjoy the quiche!